Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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Hello Mannie, I am somewhat of a newcomer toR this site so I didn't follow Bogi's story, but I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the loss of your precious boy. People who don't have dogs (in the true sense, sharing everything with them, treating them like the family member they are) aren't able to understand the deep connection that develops between a dog and their person. Your dog will love you like no other being on earth and the bond that develops is like no other and when they leave this earth we do lose a piece of ourselves because they are part of us.
I wanted to add some sources that may be of help to you: there is someone who sells a pet rememberence journal on etsy. You can just type in pet rememberence journal and it should pop up. Also the Rainbow Bridge has some counseling sites I think--I've never used those but I've seen them. When my chocolate lab "Ben" passed in March of 2012, I didn't enroll him as a resident till March of this year. It's 25$ a year which they donate to a charity and there is a blog you can write to your pet as frequently as you would like. You can decorate their little residence and post pictures. These are a few things that have helped me.
I firmly believe that dogs go to heaven and that I will see all of my animals some day ; that also helps me go on.
I hope you find peace and comfort in your memories and remember you gave Bogi the greatest gift of all--freedom from pain and suffering.
Lora, Gus and Oscar
Mannie, you can't blame yourself. It is not your fault, it is this stupid, stupid disease. You did everything you could for your boy and you are an amazing mom.
You shared a bond with Bogi that not many people will share with ANYONE, human or otherwise, in their lifetime. This heartless disease ripped him away from you, but he will be forever in your heart. Spend time with your family, take care of yourself... do things for you. I know that it is really hard for you to go on right now, and take the time you need to be sad, because that is totally okay. Remember, your family is there for you, and your tripawds family is here for you, whenever you need anything.
P.S. My hubby and I watched your beautiful video tribute last night and bawled our eyes out.
Honey, you did NOT do this to Bogi. He was sick, his body couldn't fight any longer, and you let him go on. You didn't poison him. Piroxicam is often used on dogs with HSA as part of the metronmics protocol--your vet wouldn't have allowed you to have it if he didn't think the benefits outweighed the risks.
PLEASE do not blame yourself--you went above and beyond for your beautiful boy. <3
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
"May I recommend serenity to you? A life that is burdened with expectations is a heavy life. Its fruit is sorrow and disappointment. Learn to be one with the joy of the moment."
-Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
I can only echo what others have said here: this was not your fault, you had nothing to do with the way the cancer progressed, please don't blame yourself.
Be there for Bogi now, he needs you to be strong and feel good about the time you did have together. Don't let the cancer win by focusing on a few bad days of his life; instead, whenever you feel like crying, think about the good times and how incredibly fortunate you were to have such a wonderful pup in your life. These relationships are once in a lifetime, honor Bogi's memory by focusing on the pawsitive.
{{{{hugs}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am so, so sorry for the loss of your handsome Bogi. I agree with everyone about you not being responsible at all-it's the horrible cancer that is to blame. You did everything you could possibly do to help your furbaby. I also agree that your focus should honor his wonderful life and not let cancer win by concentrating on the rough times. I know the heartache of losing our heart dogs, and it is so very hard. Bogi was the luckiest dog to have you-he would want you to think of him and your wonderful times together-he wouldn't want you to beat yourself up.
Thinking of you during this difficult time,
Joan and Lily
Our beautiful Lily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her front leg on 12/14/11 at age 8 and had amp on 12/16/11. She completed 5 rounds of carbo. She was so brave and kicked cancer's butt daily! She lived life fully for 4 years, 3 months, and 15 days after her amp. My angel is a warrior princess. I miss her so much.
I am so sorry that you had to say goodbye to Bogi. It is heartbreaking to lose your best friend, your heart dog. Feel free to vent your pain, anger, sadness.
It can be hard when the world in general doesn’t quite get it and you are expected to just get on with living as if it your heart hasn't been ripped out of you. I know the guilt you are feeling too well. It is NOT your fault. You did everything you could, you listened to the professionals and you made the decisions you made out of love for Bogi. The problem with cancer is no-one, not even the professionals, can be absolutely certain how it will behave in each individual. I spent months blaming myself for the Palladia that Magnum took and which caused her pain in her last weeks (and I still struggle even now, 15 months on, if I think about it too much). But I know that I did what I did with the best knowledge I had at the time and with love in my heart. That's what you did for Bogi. That is all any of us can do.
The pain does get better but it takes time and that can’t be hurried. I found that writing about Magnum and putting together a photo album and video helped me to face the pain of her loss as well as remember and focus on all the wonderful times that we had together. We also had a service and wake for her with all her doggie friends.
Do what you feel is right for you. Grief is very personal. But don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Many hugs for you.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
I have been quiet because I couldn't add anything to what people were saying. But I do want you to know you are in good company here. For every one of us who've had plenty of warning, there are equal numbers who had little to none. I've experienced both with dogs; my tripawd Dakota gave us no warning. I raced to the vet with him hoping he'd live to get there. He was gone 15 minutes after arrival. Having had it both ways, I can say that no warning was harder for me. So I do understand.
When we decide to open our hearts fully to the relationship we can have with a dog (or a cat or whatever we bond with), we set ourselves up for a lot of grief, because these creatures are not long-lived. Some of us can't do it again. My parents lost a dog so special to them that they never took the chance again. And I think that's sad for many reasons. If that dog could send them a message, I think she'd tell them the same thing.
I tell new people here that the bond they develop as a result of going through this has to be experienced to be believed. If you thought you were close to your dog before, well, just wait. And you know this to be true, Mannie. It becomes a tie that is stronger and deeper than you can imagine on surgery day. And the unfortunate other side of that coin is how much it hurts when they're gone.
They change us and make us better. You are better than you were and than you would have been without him.
And it still sucks. I'm sorry. I have little to offer except empathy.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
So Bogi has been gone now 10 days and i still cant believe it i want to just wake up from this damn nightmare i get angry now in between crying spells. I am mad and dont understand why God would allow this to happen. I went out to lunch with my daddy and my daughter today and i asked for a box to go and started packing up the rib bones and Jamie looks at me MOM what are you doing, the bunnies don't eat bones.... and there i go balling again. The every day routines are what hurt the most realizing he isnt there anymore and NEVER will be. He has been gone 10 DAYS i have NOT vacuumed my tiles yet there are Bogi hairs everywhere. My glass sliders to lanai I have NOT cleaned his nose prints and slobber off yet I cant do it i just cant. AM i crazy? for not wanting to clean up his hair and slobber? Thank God my husband isnt making a big scene yet.
Ohhh sweetheart...you are NOT crazy (at least not to us) you are just so deep in hurt right now you just can't think straight Keep coming to us everyday, every hour if you need to.....we get it as best anyone else can
You have been Bogii's best friend and he has been yours day in and day out. And most recently, you've been an incredible care giver and advocate. Habits have been formed, rituals were created and now you have a huge gap in your everyday routine that just magnifies the whole in your heart.
It doesn't do any good to hear that your good memories will evntually help push the grief to the side---one hapy memory at a time.....because, right now, you can't see your way out of this dark place.
We understand keeping "everything Bogi" right now. Yeah, if the situation permits, I always cut a bit of their hair and save it as the world's greatest treasure. I always cut a bit of my hair and tape it over their heart. May I suggest gatherin sweet Bogi's hair and place it in a special place where you can always see it, feel it, smell it. It deserves a place of "specialness" in yor home.! No, not a vacuum!. Nose prints? Sacred treasures in my house My computer freezîng...back shorty
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
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