Discussion
Friday afternoon I arrived home from work (around 4pm) and Rosie, our 8 year old Lakeland Terrier/Jack Russell cross clearly had some stomach problems; she'd made an awful mess of the spare bedroom, right in the corner (she does this when she's ill as she'd never otherwise dream of going to the toilet in the house), the stench was unbearable, diarrhea I'd not seen before.
She seemed quite lethargic, I put that down to her feeling ill, I didn't think much more of it.
We made her comfortable and spent the night stroking her, trying to make her feel better. We called the vet who suggested we didn't give her any food for 24 hours and after that to give her something like cooked chicken breast and plain rice.
Saturday morning she still seemed quite low, she was sick a couple of times, a frothy kind of sick which we put down to there being no food left in her body. Again we called the vets and were given the same advice. In hindsight I wish we'd pushed the issue and taken her in; but the vets know better, right?
We had a family members wedding on the Saturday so I took her round to my parents for them to look after her, she loved it round there, a big garden to run around, loves my Mum and Dad, perfect for her.
We picked her up around midnight on the Saturday and she'd spent the entire night feeling sorry for herself, they hadn't seen any sickness or diarrhea although couldn't be 100% certain as if she'd done it somewhere outside we might not ever find it.
We brought her home and made her comfortable on our bed.
At around 4am on Sunday she was crying, I'd not seen her (or any other dog) cry before. It was so similar to a human crying and it was heartbreaking.
We turned the light on and she'd been sick and again had diarrhea, this time it was bright red fresh blood, it was horrific.
We immediately called the emergency vets, for some reason we'd decided we wouldn't drink at the family wedding which turned out to be a very good idea as we were able to get her to the surgery for 4:15am where the vet said she was severely dehydrated and needed to be put on a drip immediately.
With not much else we could do we were sent home. When we called first thing in the morning we were told she was looking brighter and the nurse at the vets told us that she needed to be on a drip a little longer but that we should be able to have her back later that day.
Later on Sunday evening we had a call from the vet, it was around 9:30pm and she said we could come and see her, alarm bells ringing in my head, but not in my girlfriends, we set off complete with her blanket to make her more comfortable.
She looked awful, ears were down, eyes were glazed and she just looked like a shadow of the dog that was racing around the house and full of fun on Friday morning (around 11am) when I left for a meeting.
I read between the lines a little and started to suspect the worst, Hannah however, although teary and very upset accepted she needed to stay on the drip. She went back into her cage, with her drip and the blanket.
Monday morning we call for an update to be told she had passed away in the night.
Parvovirus... she was up to date with all her jabs, no reason why she should have got it.
I keep wondering if we could have done something differently, maybe I should have taken her to the vets on Friday afternoon? Been more forceful with the vets? I don't know.
I took her for a walk on Thursday as Hannah had the girls round, we were out around 4 hours and I did take her to a couple of places she'd not been before. I hope to God she didn't pick something up due to this.
Rosie was a 16th birthday present for my girlfriend, which is around the time we first met. She did everything with Hannah, went to uni with her, moved into my parents house with her, and more recently moved into our first proper home with us. She was only 8 and we had her from a pup.
Truly devastating and this post is more a way of me getting it out without putting anymore onto Hannah who is completely and utterly devastated.
RIP ROSIE - 28.01.2005 - 26.08.2013
She seemed quite lethargic, I put that down to her feeling ill, I didn't think much more of it.
We made her comfortable and spent the night stroking her, trying to make her feel better. We called the vet who suggested we didn't give her any food for 24 hours and after that to give her something like cooked chicken breast and plain rice.
Saturday morning she still seemed quite low, she was sick a couple of times, a frothy kind of sick which we put down to there being no food left in her body. Again we called the vets and were given the same advice. In hindsight I wish we'd pushed the issue and taken her in; but the vets know better, right?
We had a family members wedding on the Saturday so I took her round to my parents for them to look after her, she loved it round there, a big garden to run around, loves my Mum and Dad, perfect for her.
We picked her up around midnight on the Saturday and she'd spent the entire night feeling sorry for herself, they hadn't seen any sickness or diarrhea although couldn't be 100% certain as if she'd done it somewhere outside we might not ever find it.
We brought her home and made her comfortable on our bed.
At around 4am on Sunday she was crying, I'd not seen her (or any other dog) cry before. It was so similar to a human crying and it was heartbreaking.
We turned the light on and she'd been sick and again had diarrhea, this time it was bright red fresh blood, it was horrific.
We immediately called the emergency vets, for some reason we'd decided we wouldn't drink at the family wedding which turned out to be a very good idea as we were able to get her to the surgery for 4:15am where the vet said she was severely dehydrated and needed to be put on a drip immediately.
With not much else we could do we were sent home. When we called first thing in the morning we were told she was looking brighter and the nurse at the vets told us that she needed to be on a drip a little longer but that we should be able to have her back later that day.
Later on Sunday evening we had a call from the vet, it was around 9:30pm and she said we could come and see her, alarm bells ringing in my head, but not in my girlfriends, we set off complete with her blanket to make her more comfortable.
She looked awful, ears were down, eyes were glazed and she just looked like a shadow of the dog that was racing around the house and full of fun on Friday morning (around 11am) when I left for a meeting.
I read between the lines a little and started to suspect the worst, Hannah however, although teary and very upset accepted she needed to stay on the drip. She went back into her cage, with her drip and the blanket.
Monday morning we call for an update to be told she had passed away in the night.
Parvovirus... she was up to date with all her jabs, no reason why she should have got it.
I keep wondering if we could have done something differently, maybe I should have taken her to the vets on Friday afternoon? Been more forceful with the vets? I don't know.
I took her for a walk on Thursday as Hannah had the girls round, we were out around 4 hours and I did take her to a couple of places she'd not been before. I hope to God she didn't pick something up due to this.
Rosie was a 16th birthday present for my girlfriend, which is around the time we first met. She did everything with Hannah, went to uni with her, moved into my parents house with her, and more recently moved into our first proper home with us. She was only 8 and we had her from a pup.
Truly devastating and this post is more a way of me getting it out without putting anymore onto Hannah who is completely and utterly devastated.
RIP ROSIE - 28.01.2005 - 26.08.2013
mnkiboy said:
A stark reminder that our dog is overdue his injections. I'd be equally as devasted if anything happened to him.
Rosie was up to date but she was more of a people dog, she didn't interact with other dogs very much. They think this may have meant that her immunity was lower to things like this.Friday morning she was just her normal self, this bank holiday weekend has turned things upside down.
AB said:
Looking through iPhoto, I have over 5,000 pictures of her but I didn't want to bore you all with them.
I'm working from home today and not having her sat in front of me is the strangest feeling in the world.
I genuinely feel like I've lost a daughter.
Perfectly understandable, you have my sympathy.I'm working from home today and not having her sat in front of me is the strangest feeling in the world.
I genuinely feel like I've lost a daughter.
The cloud will lift, I hope it's soon.
That's awful for you both. Do not blame your self in any way though, it sounds like you gave Rosie a great life and so just remember that. Focus on the good times.
I don't know if its a little soon, but you sound like great owners and so why not start looking around for a puppy? It will distract your gf and you will have a pup to look after when at home rather that longing for Rosie. Your not replacing her though, or moving on. Just giving another dog a happy life.
I don't know if its a little soon, but you sound like great owners and so why not start looking around for a puppy? It will distract your gf and you will have a pup to look after when at home rather that longing for Rosie. Your not replacing her though, or moving on. Just giving another dog a happy life.
Wheat said:
I don't know if its a little soon, but you sound like great owners and so why not start looking around for a puppy? It will distract your gf and you will have a pup to look after when at home rather that longing for Rosie. Your not replacing her though, or moving on. Just giving another dog a happy life.
I'm not sure.I've spent hours today on the RSPCA site looking at fostering. I think it would take our minds off things but I don't think Hannah would thank me.
Rosie was a one-off. If you met her then you'd realise. She captured the hearts of every single person she met. My parents are not pet people but Rosie changed all that.
I genuinely don't think she could be matched and I can't bring myself to try.
I am genuinely crying having read that.I'm so sorry for your dreadful loss.
We do the best for our best mates, we know when they are ill & we translate what we can to the Vet for them to translate it back. When that goes wrong, we blame ourselves. Only natural, but we shouldn't - it's not anyone's fault. You did everything you could, and you eased her final suffering.
I want to say so much, but the tears won't let me
AB said:
Wheat said:
I don't know if its a little soon, but you sound like great owners and so why not start looking around for a puppy? It will distract your gf and you will have a pup to look after when at home rather that longing for Rosie. Your not replacing her though, or moving on. Just giving another dog a happy life.
I'm not sure.I've spent hours today on the RSPCA site looking at fostering. I think it would take our minds off things but I don't think Hannah would thank me.
Rosie was a one-off. If you met her then you'd realise. She captured the hearts of every single person she met. My parents are not pet people but Rosie changed all that.
I genuinely don't think she could be matched and I can't bring myself to try.
Very sorry for you with your loss of Rosie, as has been said before, I hope you can offer another dog a forever home in due course.
maggit
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