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Originally Posted by docicu3
It's probably not the place for this and you would think I should be a hell of alot better with this given I deal with human suffering and death every day of my profesional life but the one completely selfless loving being I have ever known is leaving our family and I am beyond devastated.
My 12 year old golden "Shadow" (sassy chance and shadow with those with an awareness of that family).....was diagnosed with metastatic lymphoma yesterday. He isn't suffering at the moment but is disinterested in eating and his usual activity......
All this animal ever did was....
1) raise my children ........he had the unique innate ability to lie with young boys at night when they didn't want to be alone until they fell asleep, knowning somehow by the change in their breathing that slumber had befallen them and he could now safely leave their sides each night. The security he gave my sons is not definable.
2) greet me each and every time I came through a door morning, noon or night as if I had come home from a war with the passion and happiness of lovers too long apart.
3) lived to make our family happy each and every day, never cross, complaining or difficult. How many people do you know in your life that haven't got one annoying habit or flaw.
He isn't apparently in pain and has periods of alertness with a wagging tail, alert eyes, affection craving. Is it cruel to hold on to further time together if you think it is quality time from both perspectives.
My friend has done more for me several times over than I have ever done for him, a selfless example of devotion who made every person he lived with a better creature by knowning him. An example of altuism when the word is used all too easily.
Euthanized is a word I have a great deal of a problem with if the animal isn't apparently suffering.
I love my dog so shoot me......the loss is a hole in my head and heart I'll not soon mend.
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I am very sorry to hear about your dog. I know what you are going through. I just lost my dog of 13 years a couple of weeks ago. He had lymphoma just like your dog. It's been 16 days now and I am doing much better but I still haven't fully recovered. I can tell you that the first 4-5 days is terrible. I was an emotional mess for about 4-5 days. I had a couple of months to prepare for it also, yet that still didn't make it any easier.
I can tell you what really helped my dog's appetite. He didn't have a very good appetite after he got sick, so I started buying him rotisserie chickens from Whole Foods Market. I would hand-feed him chicken and would also mix it in with his regular food. It really did the trick. He loved that chicken. He loved it so much that his appetite remained very strong right up until his last couple of days.
I think that Prednisone helped my dog too. The vet recommended my dog go on Prednisone after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. She said that it can really help dogs with lymphoma. It's not a cure but I think it can give them an extra month or so and it will make them more comfortable.
Anyway, I really feel for you. It's a very hard thing to go through. You'll get through it, but it won't be easy. When you have had an animal for that long and you are that attached to them, it's a great loss when you lose them. It will take time to get over it. In the meantime, just give him all the love you can and enjoy the remaining time that you have left together.