Just wanted to let you all know that I had to put my sweet poodle, Rembrandt, to sleep last evening. He was 17.5 years old. He had been holding his own for a long time, but a week ago he had a seizure (which he hadn't had in over 5 years) and it was so hard on him. I took him to the vet a week ago today. We talked about letting him go, but the vet said to see how he did last week. So I took him in Tuesday and he seemed okay.

Then yesterday about 4:30 he had another bad seizure. He didn't come out of it very good. Had lots of trouble standing and walking. Cried a lot seeming confused bad. I called the vet and they told me to see how he did overnight but if I needed, the emergency vet was opening. So I waited for about an hour and a half but he kept crying and falling and being dizzy. So I took him to the emergency clinic and had him put to sleep.

I think I've cried a river of tears and still have more in me. Very hard thing to do even though I knew he was ready, you know. Had my little grandson today so that helped, but now tonight I'm missing him badly. He was such a kind, gentle, good dog and everyone loved him.

Sorry, but just had to tell you all about my sweet Rembrandt.

Don't ever apologize for telling about your beloved pet! I feel all the same emotions....and my dogs are here. We've done this so many times....most of them died on their own. It's so very, very heartbreaking. They are so beautiful and perfect.

How very sad. They are immortal to me.

Rest, Sweet Rembrandt, on your Creator's lap.

Sandpiper, I'm so sorry for your loved Rembrandt. I'm lighting a candle for him and a prayer for you.

" If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." ~Will Rogers

Dear Sandpiper, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved pet. Give yourself time. Mourning is a way of saying goodbye.

Sandpiper, I'm so sorry about Rembrandt. What a long, wonderful life he had! It is so hard to lose a pet, and especially hard to have them put down. I've been there many times.

I will keep you and Rembrandt in my thoughts.

Mij



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Sandpiper, I'm so sorry to hear about your doggie. Georgia had to put Trixie down a couple weeks ago. How sad. I know there are lots of animal lovers here who will be carrying you in their hearts.

EW, love the quote. I've never seen it.

Mij, where did you find that? My MIL would have loved it. I recall buying her several books about animals and heaven because she wanted to be certain animals were going to be there when she arrived. Love that visual.

Sandpiper, so sorry for your loss. They leave a hole in our hearts when they are gone, and no other pet can replace them. We lost 2 pets this year - one in March and one in August - and there are still times when I expect one or both of them to come running to meet me when I come home. I don't think we ever get over the loss, but the pain does dim with time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sandpiper,
My heart goes out to you. I put my 15-year-old Shadow
to sleep on Feb. 28, 2006 and I can hardly stand to
think about it. I had to change vets. I still see her
in my mind's eye the last day of her life, and it kills
me. I know how you feel dear lady. When I die, I want to go to "doggy heaven!" Prayers and blessings..

Sandpiper
I feel for you and your loss.

I still miss my little cairn terrier Rhona...had her from senior school through to my marrriage.she taught me how to love another being. She continued to live at my family home and the day she was no longer able to welcome me there I lost part of my heart.
Each cairn we see we call a Rhona dog..my children were tiny and when she met them for the first time as babies she gave the "once over"...standing up to the pram..then accepting.How she knew they were my baby is a mystery.But she did.
All the years since I have deep feelings for my first love..my little dog.

I have had pets since..cats I ADORED but only one Rhona..

may you remember your sweetie with fond memories..
Mountain ash

Sandpiper, I am sorry for your loss. I am keeping you in my prayers.
Hugs,

Hi Sandpiper

I am so sorry about your dog...I know it must have left a pain in your heart and in your home. To blessed memories of joys shared with your furry friend.

You know what a dog person I am, and I am so very sorry for your pain, and know it is a deep, real pain. It does ease some with the passage of time, but not much unfortunately.

MIJ, I was okay reading all the posts above until your picture surfaced, then I lost it. Just beautiful!

I found out about The Rainbow Bridge when I lost one of my pets a few years ago. I find it very comforting.

Jawjaw,
I was going to post this yesterday and then got distracted.
I'm also sorry about Trixie! To those of us that love animals, our pets are such a major part of the family unit. And it's hard to lose kinfolk. Please accept my sympathy and prayers for your loss.

Thanks Jabber...your thoughts are appreciated. Sandpiper and I have been exchanging thoughts and hearts on the loss of our friends. It's just something we have to work through.

I know I speak for her as well when I say that you all have given us great comfort with your kind words and thoughts on our behalf.

Every animal lover in the world feels your pain! You're not alone, ladies!

Well, it's been a week yesterday since I put my Rembrandt to sleep. It's been hard and I really miss him. I'm sorry for not answering all of your warm, tender, heartfelt, loving words. I so very much appreciate all of them. It's good to know those of us who love animals all feel the same about when they leave us.

I never had a pet for any real amount of time when I was growing up. My parents were not pet lovers so when we'd get a dog, it seemed like we'd only have it for maybe a year if that long. So when I got Rembrandt my heart was lost at first glimpse. Beautiful brown color and the most soulful eyes. I could see through to his soul.

Thanks so very much for helping me make it through this week. I'm sure it will be tough this week when they call and I have to go pick up his remains. But I didn't want them to just do whatever with him. So we decided to keep his remains.

I love all of you, my boomer sisters. Thanks.

Sandpiper, I'm glad you're keeping Rembrandt's remains. We have a 'shrine' of sorts with the remains of our pets over the years. It's sort of comforting to see their urns and remember them. None of them are gone as long as we have our memories of them.

Thanks Yonuh, I feel the same way. I couldn't let him be put just anywhere or in a communal grave. Not my style. I'm sure it will be hard when I pick him up this week sometime, but I'd rather have him with us.

I'm glad you did the same.

Just wanted to post this here. We started the summer with a beautiful 8 year old cat that belonged to my daughter. We found out he had a bad heart condition. We took him to Tallahassee with us and overnight he became very sick. We didn't know he had the problem. He ended up in the emergency vet overnight. We brought him home and took him to our vet and he advised us to put him to sleep. That was the end of August.

Then you all know that in October my 17 year old pet, Rembrandt was put to sleep.(Thanks again for all your thoughts. It was so appreciated.)

My sister, who lives with us, had Rembrandt's brother, Obsidian. He was also 17 years old. They were from the parents 1st and 2nd litters. Well, last Monday Obsidian had a seizure like Rembrandt did and when she took him to the vet, she decided to put him to sleep also as he had lots of problems.

So we are now after 2-3 months totally without any animal friends in our home. It feels so odd and empty here at times. It amazes me how very much they were an integral part of our family. It's been a tough year loosing all three of them.

Wow, so many losses in such a short period of time. I'm so sorry. Do you have plans for getting a new pet.

Sandpiper the fact that your dogs lived so long shows how well they were taken care of, and happy they must have been. When the time is right maybe you'll give another lucky dog a good home, filled with love.

Thanks for your kind words Dotsie and Chatty. I don't think we are ready yet for more pets. I imagine sometime we will, though. The house seems very quiet and empty without them.

We miss all of them. I am trying to put together a scrapbook album of my pet thinking that will make it easier.

Oh my gosh Sandpiper that had to have been so hard. You have all of my thoughts and condolences as I have been in your shoes. It is such a hard thing to endure.

We have 2 sweet little ones and can not imagine the day when we have to make that decision.

I did have to make the decision for one of my precious pets. It was extremely difficult. But I know that he is in a better place.

The other pet I did not get to be there for, but I also know that she is in a better place.

The better place is that they do not have to suffer any more and do not have pain any more.

They were/are part of my family and always will be. We always remember their place in our memories and they will always be part of us.

My two ladies, Reeta and Rosee are going to be 12 years old on February the ninth and that makes me nervous. I can see them aging and know it will be up to me again to do the right thing when the time comes. I will just hold them and hug and love and spoil them all I can until their time comes. Yorkies can live pretty long lives but one never knows for sure. I will look on the bright side until then however and thank the Lord they came into my life when they did...

I'm so sorry about your beloved Rembrandt. I can so relate because we had to put our dear Molly to sleep a couple of months ago. We had adopted her from the Miami Animal Shelter many years ago.

A kind person on another site send the Rainbow Bridge story that I see has been posted here.

I hope it gives you comfort. It did for me, but I still cry over Molly and miss her terribly.

Please accept my sincere sympathy for your loss.

Welcome Mary to a place filled with loving and caring women. I am so sorry for your loss and don't think we ever stop hurting for our departed pets...
They are like well behaved children that adore us always.

My grandson just lost his two wonderful pets, Angel, a 4 year old Chihuahua and Papa, a 7 year old Stafforshire, in a house fire. Did you get another pet in 'honor' of Molly, because we can never replace the ones who've gone.

Mary Cunningham,
Welcome. Sorry for your loss. I agree with Chatty. We can never
replace the ones who've gone beyond. I have dogs that have been
put to rest twenty years ago, I still think about. In fact, I
think often of every dog I owned since I was a kid. It's never
easy to lose a beloved animal. Prayers...

Welcome Mary. I can empathize with you as well. Although I have a new "friend," I still call her Trixie, the name of my beloved boxer. I had to stop myself and remind myself gently, this isn't Trixie...and give Dolly, my new boxer, her due.

While it never leaves you, time does help to soften the loss. Welcome to the site. I hope you'll stay and post often!

When we go to Florida in March every year, we camp in Savannah,
Georgia. There are a couple favorite campgrounds we frequent
in that area. Georgia is a pretty state. Welcome aboard, Mary
Cummingham. We had friends in this area with that last name.
Nice folks. Prayers and blessings,

I wish God had made animals with the same life span as people! When I get to heaven, I've got more than a few questions Father God!

Me too. I'm sorry for everyone and anyone who has to put their
pet down. That has to be one of the most difficult things in the
world, for someone with a heart. Those without a heart, nothing
bothers!