Another sad day - Page 2

Oh I am so very sorry for your loss! She was a beautiful loved girl, and I'm sure she knew it. RIP Shaka.

Sorry for the loss of your buddy, RIP Shaka



Kim

It never gets easier.....I know. But time heals and the thought, that she had you to the end should be your comfort.  That is all we can hope for,.... not to die alone.  Because of your love to her, she is never gone. Remember the good times and what you learned from her about life and death. Because of her you are better person. However her task is done. Now she is waiting for you on the other side of the rainbow. She had a good life and the death is a part of the life and the life goes on. There is another pup waiting for you.
Take care. 
Prager Hans

It's been another rough year for you, Vianden, and my heart goes out to you.  Hans and many others have said it already: it never gets any easier to say goodbye.  With the excellent care you provide your dogs, they enjoy very long lives, so while it tends to be the case that most of us will have only one or two senior dogs at a time, you'll often have a number of advanced-age seniors in residence who are close to each other in years....and thus you'll have to go through this heartbreak in groups where most of us generally face such a loss with less frequency, making it much harder on your heart.

And when it's something like bloat, we always tend to feel like we should've been able to do something to intervene--should have been able to prevent it, should have been able to relieve the pressure, should have been able to detect it happening sooner...but in truth, our influence in preventing bloat is actually extremely limited. Despite all of the efforts we take as precautions, it's been my experience and observation over more than 25 years working as a veterinary technician, dogs that never had any bloating or pre-bloating episodes very often start having such issues in their senior years. Something in the aging process seems to interfere with the normal function of the lower esophageal and pyloric sphincters so they don't get the message to open in response to pressure build-up in the stomach, and suddenly we're rushing our 8 or 10 or 12 year old dog to the vet in the middle of the night or on a Sunday afternoon [since these things rarely tend to happen during regular office hours] and when we lose them or have to let them go because of the bloating, we feel like we failed them.

We did not fail them. YOU did not fail Shaka, nor Banjo, nor Zico, Enno or Rana...we give them all that's possible, and we keep our promises to them--that we will do everything in our power to keep them from ever knowing fear and pain and distress. Sometimes, keeping that promise means we break our own hearts and let them go, freeing them of a body that is betraying them.

I wish you comfort in knowing that you never, ever gave them less than everything within your grasp to ensure them long, healthy, happy and loving lives with you. The dogs of Haus Vianden are truly fortunate souls that they are each ensured this with you.

I'm speechless. hexe said it best, as usual. Vianden my heart is breaking for you for you have experienced so many losses this year. Hugs to you and the rest of your crew, who you take exceptional care of so please do not ever doubt that. Run free beautiful Shaka

Thank you so much for your kind words  Hexe, Hans and Andhourspass.
I try so hard to give my dogs the best I can but when there just fine one minute and gone the nexts it so heartbreaking. I knew that Rana,Enno and Zico were failing but Banjo and Shaka were just fine and then there gone.Shaka was just fine when I brought her in the house and then 30min later she was not. I could feel her spleen pushing out on her side.
The vet said when that happens something else  had caused the bloat and that is why I decided to let her pass on.That was such a hard dession for me to make but I did it for Shaka.
I still have Rikky she is 14yrs8mons Shasta 12yrs old S-River she 12yrs old Mera 11yrs old and Ondo and Tessie are 10yrs old.

RIP My Sweet Shaka I love you so.

I understand completely, unexpectedly losing them is the hardest thing of all, it is shattering and so difficult to come to terms with.  What a beauty.

Thank you Abby Normal for your nice words at this time. I miss Shaka very much I wish i didn't have to let her go but i thing it was the right thing to do.