My dog died today

[blackemerald1]

@brat17 - yes baiting or poisoning happens more often than probably is out there in the media. The problem with it, is the bastards that do it to exact revenge are cowards. They do it so quietly and carefully that you'd have to be very skilled to catch someone ever doing it and be able to conclusively lay the blame at their feet.

This requires the police to have sufficient evidence to get a search Warrant and find something compelling at his home etc., and have sufficient veterinary evidence from your Vet to support the evidence found within the 'baiter's' possession. Note - 'possession' is a legal term and is doesn't mean just having something in their home or elsewhere that might poison a dog. It get's into very murky and complicated territory.

Some sick bastards out there do baiting. Check out your yard & never let the lab pick up & swallow anything it's not allowed to. It's always good to err on the safe side but I think it is was a baiting situation you & the Vet would have picked up the symptoms very quickly.

With regard to your lab., - being in the midst of grief I can imagine you are looking very closely at health etc. It is a normal reflex to the grief you are experiencing - transferring extra caution to your remaining dog. Checking to see if he's breathing and all this is grief.

It does get better but it takes time. I know that is absolutely no help right now. The shock, the relatively short illness and the loss you feel as well as the PTSD are all combining and yes it is so tough. But you are doing ok. You will be ok. I guess I think grief never really goes away, it just feels less acute & becomes maybe.. muted?

Your lab is probably wondering what the hell is going on.

As much as we would all love to think it, a dog doesn't have the same emotional scope we have. They have lots of things that can look like an emotional response but it is how we translate their behaviour that can mess things up.

So if your lab has had his/her shots & is up to date on medical stuff he might be responding to your grief or the absence of your dog who has just passed away. Not in the sense of grief but in hey I am here...look at meeee sort of way. Or maybe, why am I getting all this attention right now...so I am going to misbehave or wallow in all this extra love I never had before... Dogs are very sensitive to how you are behaving and try to please you with what they think will please you.

It's extraordinarily hard to do however once you are satisfied your lab is ok with the follow up check with your Vet, maybe set some boundaries & a routine with the lab. I know if you really think it through you will know what I mean. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks. Just make sure they are tricks you want them to learn.

At 11.5 yrs., it is time that hips were re-examined. Anti-inflammatory meds may be needed or possibly some diet alterations to keep the dog slim. Old dogs do sleep so don't be too worried about that. As for fetching the ball well my dog only ever retrieved once and never again for his entire life..so they can be resistant to doing something if there is no reward at the end of it that they really want. (high value reward). Pain is very hard to notice in the dog bc they will not verbalise it until it is unbearable. If you suspect pain is causing him to be restless or behaving oddly then it is best to take him back to the Vet & get it checked out.

The flipping of the ears may mean his ears need cleaning out, deep down inside or there is a little mite that often can afflict dogs with flop down ears. You can buy the stuff to clean out his ears and do it yourself but be really careful. The gingivitis & the flipping of the ears may be connected. Yeast infection. It's quite common. Your Vet will be able to help with this.

Write back here anytime @brat17 we can walk along with you while you grieve if it helps.

 

[mamachick]

blackemerald1-The person that I would suspect in poisoning has held a grudge for 4 years. He has made up stories and had a crazy ex girlfriend that harassed me, claiming to want to befriend me. At one point we had a magistrate hearing and I mentioned that he drank 40 oz beers. Following that, I would have empty 40 oz cans thrown in my yard. There were some other like things but nothing for over a year. During this time, I thought seriously about getting security cameras but couldn't really afford it. Now I really wish I had done so and will put this at the top of my list in the near future. That is really the only way you could prove something. My vet said he see's dogs doing what mine did when they have ingested toxins but it is usually botulism from a rotting animal such as a deer, but not in this cold weather. Besides, my dogs don't run loose EVER. So that was ruled out. He said the 3 causes are toxins, inflammation, and infection. While she had infection before surgery, her labs were better when she had the first episode.

Both dogs have had great weight because they have lived on a dry dog food that my vet recommends and also sells. Thats one good thing. Last fall he did have a growth on his mouth and it was removed and he had a dental cleaning. They gave me information for gingivitis and dental care, but my dog hates teeth brushing so I did the greenies. Tonight I went and bought him a new tooth brushing kit so this will happen tomorrow. I question that because he is not eating his food well, only out of my hand. Yesterday I mixed some can food with it which I will do to keep up his nutrition. I also bought him a teddy bear and he has been carrying it around all night. Its really funny and cute. He had toys like this when he was little and loved them, but because my other dog ate everything, we could not have them around, not even a bed, she chewed up several.

I had a couple pain pills left from his dental surgery and gave them to him a couple times over the past 2 weeks and he seemed more comfortable, so I do suspect hip problems. His legs even slide on tile or wood floors so I see that problem. Will address this with vet. I looked for something for gums similar to ora gel but the pet store didn't have anything like that. Will ask vet that too.

I was just reminding myself today that dogs are the only species that would rather be with people than their own pack, which reminded me that I am still here....he hasn't lost his human so thats a positive. I have been sickly and spend a lot of time in bed too, so I am really trying to step it
up for him.

Thank you for offering so much support during this time of grief for me. I am still grieving the loss of my sister in 2015 and I don't think I have really been the same. Other than that, sad but true, I have grieved more for my dogs than my mother when she passed. I was grateful she was out of pain, but much of my own issues come from her alcoholism when I was a child and was therefore shuffled around belonging nowhere. I suppose that is why my grief is so strong. I have only lost one dog before and that was my collie in 2007 when he had to be put to sleep at age 12.5. I do know that it does get easier. My dogs have been there for me when nobody else was (except my sister).

You have been so much support. Thank you so much. (((Hugs))) And thank you for the offer to write back anytime. Brat

 

[blackemerald1]

Oh so glad I can help and support you right now @brat17 . You sound like you are dealing with a lot of grief and it's not just your dog you have lost.

I'd imagine your lab must be just loving having toys - bc they are not getting eaten anymore :unsure: He is probably revelling in the idea Lol.

Some ppl used to tease my dog with empty beer cans - throwing them at him in the yard. He used to slurp the last few drops from them - though I am sure that is not why they were thrown at him. Anyway I suspect he might have enjoyed taking a sip or two after a while and they gave up. Mind you I wasn't too happy with collecting all the empties. The garbage man must have thought I was drinking a lot! I wasn't drining any.

That situation with the ex sounds like it got very nasty if you needed to go to Court to pull it all up.

reminding myself today that dogs are the only species that would rather be with people than their own pack,

Yes I think when we give them everything they need and they give us what we need it is a special bond. I love dogs.

I am still here....he hasn't lost his human so thats a positive

Yes you are and you are just as special to him as he is to you!

so I am really trying to step it
up for him.

Well if he enjoys the extra attn., and you can manage it ok I am sure your lab will love you all the more...if possible. :hug:

 

[whiteraven]

I am so, so sorry, @brat17.

 

[mamachick]

Thank you whiteraven. I am actually taking this better than I expected. Although I have taken a liking to wine since this. I know everyone here knows....but when it is your own...no right words. There are never any, but I appreciate, more than you know, each person here that has commented. Sometimes just the acknowledgement it more than I expect.

There have been 2 that lost a dog to snakes in the comments. OMG I think I would be so angry. That is just not a problem where I live. I try to find a little humor to survive, so forgive me when I say, where I live the men are snakes here.
I just know that my living dog is going to have his last summer. (we sense when time is near) I hope I am wrong but just in case, planning for things that he likes best.

I don't mean to rant, but dogs have been my friends when my siblings have not been here...and I love them so much. I really compare them to the one sibling who I was close to.
God bless you all you love your pets...it says a lot about you as a person.