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Woke Up And The Dog Was Dead

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Momofthree

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Sorry to start out peoples day with this post but I just need to write this all out so that I can process it. If you don't want to read a depressing horror story first thing in the morning I understand, please don't read any further.

First some back story: In November a friend of a friend got a hold of me she was leaving her abusive boyfriend, couldn't go home and needed a place to crash for a month or so. I was more then happy to take her in since I have the space. So she moved in with her 10 month old lab/coon hound mix puppy and lived with me till right after Thanksgiving when she moved in with her brother. She couldn't keep her dog however so she gave him back to her ex even though I offered to keep him since I have a large yard and an adult lab already. Then about three weeks ago, just after the new year, she texted me to say that her ex could no longer keep the dog and she wanted to know if I could take him. I told her of course I would, and to bring him over right away!

The next day she picked the dog up from her ex, and took him straight to the vet because it was obvious he had lost a bunch of weight and her ex reported that he was throwing up a lot. The vet told her to feed him small amounts of soft food several times a day till she got his weight back up. She picked up some canned food and then brought him to me. I wasn't home at the time so she left me written instructions and put him outside with my other dog. When I got home I didn't think anything of it since the instructions said she had fed him his night feeding so I put the kids to bed and went to bed myself. The next morning I went out to discover that he was laying on the dog couch ( yes my dog has his own couch on the back porch to sleep on) and he could hardly move. I saw that he was skin and bone (about 30lb when he should be closer to 80) and lethargic. I brought him in straight away and put him on the living room couch then called my boyfriend who called a friend of his who is a vet tech to find out what I could do.

I spent the next two days making a gruel of ground beef, rice, canned pumpkin, and goats milk; half a cup at a time every half hour. I was pissed! I was pissed off at the ex, I was pissed off at the woman, I was just pissed off at the injustice of it all!!! After a couple of days of doing that I was able to get him to the point where he was able to eat dog food, so I bought him the best dog food I could afford ($50 bag) and fed it too him softened in chicken broth. I fed him enough calories to support a 100lb dog in small amount several times a day to try and get his weight up. He was up and playing and almost back to his old self, he even gained about 10lb. Then a week ago today the woman and her ex both came over to see him, it felt weird, like I was moderating a supervised visitation for an abusive couple and there kid (mind you this was the first time they had even expressed interest in how he was doing) I lectured them and tired to get it into there heads as to how near death he was and how I had to nurse him back to health and how he still wasn't out of the woods. I don't think any of it stuck, I felt helpless to get them to take it seriously and I vowed to myself that I would NEVER let this poor dog live with ether of them ever again! He was my dog now and I was going to give him the good life he deserved!!
That was until this morning when I woke up and found him dead :'( he was gone, stiff and cold, he had died in the night probably of a heart attack or multiple organ failure from malnutrition and starvation. There was nothing I could do. I wish that I had had the moment of panic, rushing him to the vet, even having him die in my arms, something other then just covering him up with a sheet... but he was gone and I had to get the kids off to school...

I tired calling her, I left messages and texts to call me right away, but nothing yet... his body is currently laying on my porch with a sheet over him, and I feel like I'm going to be sick. There is nothing I can do until she comes to claim the body... I feel like I'm going to be sick, I'm depressed, and feel guilty even though I know I did everything I could have done.

Thanks for listening.
 
Thanks, I just feel like a f*cking failure. I wish I could have saved him, I would have done anything if there was anything I could have done... I can't even get her to answer her phone!! I know she just got off of a 12 hour shift a couple of hours ago, but I can't help but be pissed off at her and feel like cussing her out and telling her how stupid she is, though I know that isn't helpful and I would regret it if I did. I feel helpless and lost.
 
I'm so sorry you are dealing with people who clearly don't care about the poor pup. Is there a reason you can't bury him? I know not everyone lives in nowhere land like I do and there may be laws prohibiting it. It just seems sad to me that you have to rely on her again to care for him.

You did something wonderful for him. You filled his last days with warmth and love. He felt better, could play and run, he had companionship and joy. He slipped away in the night because there was nothing more you could have done to help him. You'd already saved him. Bless you for taking him in and making him whole.

I hope you hear from her soon. If not, I would recommend contacting your vet tech friend about cremation. Call around to different vets and get prices. When I had to look into it last year, it was much cheaper than I expected and maybe it will be something you can do.

My heart goes out to you.
 
I'm really sorry and sad to hear about your loss.

But I agree with FridayJones. You did your best for her - and you were the only one doing so. You're not a failure because you couldn't correct the mistakes the former owners made. You treated the dog kind and that's what important. I'm impressed by your strength on what you did for the dog, so don't blame yourself.
 
Thank you so much @Mishapthe kids, him and I were all here for him at the end and I would be honored to have him in my families pet graveyard.
Honestly, I think this is what you should do. I think this is what he deserves. They gave him to you, he was part of your family when he passed. I would simply tell her you were letting her know as a courtesy. If they didn't treat him well when he was alive, why would they be inclined to treat him any better now?

Save yourself the hassle and the frustration. Bury him as the part of your family that he is. I think you and your children deserve that closure.
 
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