Our dog Ruby passed away yesterday. It was heartbreaking, to say the least.
Ruby was verymuch an integral part of our lives. Maryellen and I don’t have kids, so our pets take on an increased role in our home – suffice to say, they get a TON of attention.
We got Ruby in 1999, when she was about 2 (she was a shelter dog – we like “used dogs”), and besides our vacations, she was with us almost every minute for the past 11 years. She was on the couch with us, she slept with us (sometimes in our bed, sometimes on her bed), etc etc. I feel dogs should be welcome everywhere in their home. Personally, I don’t like dog owners that tie their dogs outside for hours on end, and then lock them in the basement when they DO let them come inside. Listen, just expect that if you have a dog, your house will have that certain doggie smell, dog hair will be present, and on rainy days, you’ll see little pawprints. Deal. But I digress.
Anyway, Ruby started limping this past summer – we took her to the vet, and they said it was likely arthritis (after all, she was 13). We got some pills/shots for her, but the limp got worse. She was pretty obviously in pain. Then her shoulder appeared swollen last Saturday – we took her back to the vet this past Monday, and got the worst diagnosis possible: it was a tumor, and she had bone cancer. Very advanced bone cancer. And very terminal, very soon. The tumor grew daily – it was almost double in size in a few days, and really hurt her. Ruby was in serious pain, and we couldn’t do anything about it. Two sleepless nights where she moaned and cried out in pain was enough. Although she put on a brave face, she was too sweet a dog to go through that any more – we took her back to the vet Friday to get put down, and she died peacefully in our arms as we told her we loved her. I’m tearing up right now as I write.
Ruby dying has affected me in a “time” sense (as well as the loss of a loved one). I’m 44 years old – my life is likely half over. Maryellen and I got Ruby right after we met/got married. So now “the Ruby years” of our lives are over. It’s very sobering to think about it that way.
George Carlin once said “life is a series of dogs” – he was right. The Ruby era is over. We’re now looking at new dogs to start a new era.
Goodbye Ruby – I love you.
What a pretty dog!
Really sorry for your loss. We have two right now (Cairn Terriers). I’m working hard on getting the fat one down in weight so she’ll have an extra year or two at the end.
They were both rescues. Junie was the runt that nobody else wanted and Sophie belonged to a old lady with Alzheimer’s Disease. We suspect she fed her and forgot and fed her again though the day. I suspect they both had bad living arrangements before we got them hence I feel good about getting rescues.
I like what you said about dog smell. There’s something reassuring about the smell of a dog.
I sleep with Junie (the runt) and she’s curled up near the top during the cold weather and at our feet during the heat. The fat one (Sophie) likes to sleep away during the heat. But the slight smell puts me at ease when I go to bed.
I think you did the right thing by being there when it happened. I guess I can understand the pain of not wanting to see your friend pass on but being there made it less scary for her at the end. Also kudos for not making the animal suffer endlessly because you didn’t want to let go.
Again sorry for your loss.
I’m sorry for your loss. I’ve heard it said that our pets help make us human. The love they inspire is the only thing that can make their loss bearable.