Your Pet Loss Stories

by Karen
(East Peoria, Il. USA)

My husband decided to buy himself a retirement dog, to spend time with now that he wouldn't be working. Gigi loved her daddy, but always looked to me for comfort. She minded me better and always wanted to ride with me in the car. I was so dead set against getting this dog and now she had chosen me as her favorite.

I can't explain why I became so close to my little Yorkiepoo, but she was my girl. I even bought a basket for her to ride in when I rode my bike. I had a backpack that I could carry her in when we traveled and she even had a life vest so she could ride in the boat with us.

About 6 years ago she suffered acute pancreatitis and almost died. While she was at the vets, I went to see her and held her every day. Thank God she pulled through that, but a year later she was diagnosed with Cushing's disease. She was on a special diet and everything was going pretty good for her until she developed renal failure two months ago. I couldn't believe this was happening.

Now we had to take her off the low fat protein diet and put her on a kidney diet. She also had to have subq fluids everyother day which my husband and I always did together. She hated it and I was so upset that I couldn't figure out how to fix this. I'm a nurse and have always tried to fix things for my family and my animals. Well, I couldn't fix this and I definitly couldn't fix the necrotizing pancreatitis she suffered on June 29th.

She was at the vets for 5 days for meds and IV fluids, then I would take care of her at night. I knew she was gravely ill, but kept holding onto the hope that she would recover like she did last time. On July 5th 2011 we took her to the U of I vet emergency. We were hoping that with their state of the art equipment, they might be able to help her. She received an ultrsound and a pancreatic needle biosy and the news was pancreas damage, liver damage and lung damage that was causing her to pant with shallow little breaths.

I could not take it any longer. My poor baby had suffered enough. I held her in my arms and talked to her about how much I loved her and what a good girl she was. She loved to hear that she was a good girl, because that usually would mean that a treat followed. I've never cried over a pet like I did with Gigi. I cried for almost two days and then tried to pull myself together for my husband's sake. I know he is suffering too.

It's been 4 days since we put our baby to sleep forever and I still have waves of grief that wash over me. In the morning I wake up and try to only think of happy times with her, but I usually end up crying. It's getting better, but I'm still so sad. Gigi was 12 years and 10 months old when she left this world. I know I will see her again because God wants all of his children to be happy and that will make me happy.