Thanks Rush for helping me through this day.

[Aikenrooster]

Today, we woke up to another mess, and realized an inevitable and excruciating choice had to be made:Whether to let our Rottweiler, Peaches, continue to struggle, or have the dog put to sleep. 3 1/2 years ago, I spent over US$10,000 on a hemilaminectony, and subsequent rehabilitation, after a back injury, and while she was able to walk again, she never had the same quality of life. My wife insisted that the dog was suffering, and the right thing to do was to end her pain. During the ride to the vet, and back, the lyrics to "The Garden" were all I could think about. After I buried the dog, I played the song, and my wife and I cried like babies. Neil had been through worse pain than this, twice, and chose the most poignant words for such an occasion. A life, so short, gone, forever; a short moment of bliss..

 

Thank you, Rush, for being there, this day.

[Thunder Bay Rush]

Dude... nothing worse than losing a family member, dogs included. I remember having to put my best black lab down about ten years ago and it was brutal!

 

Try to keep your spirits up and remember, you did the right thing. Your wife is a smart woman. It takes guts to make that type of decision, but it was the right one. Now, go play some more Rush and get ready for the tour to start up again again this spring!

 

Cheers from Canada,

[Mika]

Aw, I'm sorry to hear your story. This has to be one of the hardest decisions ever to make, I'm sure you gave your Rottie a great life, though, and she'll keep living through your memories.

 

Oh, I've got 'The Garden' playing in my head and tears in my eyes now.

 

Wishing you the best.

[ShlappinDahBass]

I know it can be rough, man. But this calls for celebration! He's in a much better place.

 

Get a new dog! Make new, amazing memories with this one whilst keeping Peaches in your thoughts as well.

[Lost In Xanadu]

Glad Rush helped you thru this rough time, I know it's hard losing a pet.... one comment though...

 

I spent over US$10,000

 

Holy hell. No way I would ever consider that for a pet, that's just me though.

[Mika]

Glad Rush helped you thru this rough time, I know it's hard losing a pet.... one comment though...

 

I spent over US$10,000

 

Holy hell. No way I would ever consider that for a pet, that's just me though.

 

I have a friend who found a stray dog (a lab-boxer-something else cross) at the beach, and several years later it's been determined the dog suffers from hip displaysia, if that's how it's spelled. He's gone from being a romping adult-puppy to cowering in pain, not wanting to get up off his bed to go to the bathroom or even eat, sometimes. The vet said they could perform an operation that would cost - I think - between $5-10,000, if I remember correctly. My friend was distraught - even though family offered to help raise funds, she just couldn't justify spending that much money on a dog. It was understood the dog would have to be put to sleep in the near future, as the pain was just too great.

 

She went to a naturopathic vet, who introduced her to a new blend of dog food, and it has been doing wonders for the dog! He can move around much more, and the pain seems to be much more bearable. I don't know how long this will be kept up, but it's amazing what a change in diet can do.

 

But it's such a hard decision - spend a lot of money on what many pet owners consider a memeber of their family, or let the pet go and maybe move on to another. I hope I never have to have this kind of choice with my namesake cat, Mika!

[Lost In Xanadu]

Glad Rush helped you thru this rough time, I know it's hard losing a pet.... one comment though...

 

I spent over US$10,000

 

Holy hell. No way I would ever consider that for a pet, that's just me though.

 

I have a friend who found a stray dog (a lab-boxer-something else cross) at the beach, and several years later it's been determined the dog suffers from hip displaysia, if that's how it's spelled. He's gone from being a romping adult-puppy to cowering in pain, not wanting to get up off his bed to go to the bathroom or even eat, sometimes. The vet said they could perform an operation that would cost - I think - between $5-10,000, if I remember correctly. My friend was distraught - even though family offered to help raise funds, she just couldn't justify spending that much money on a dog. It was understood the dog would have to be put to sleep in the near future, as the pain was just too great.

 

She went to a naturopathic vet, who introduced her to a new blend of dog food, and it has been doing wonders for the dog! He can move around much more, and the pain seems to be much more bearable. I don't know how long this will be kept up, but it's amazing what a change in diet can do.

 

But it's such a hard decision - spend a lot of money on what many pet owners consider a memeber of their family, or let the pet go and maybe move on to another. I hope I never have to have this kind of choice with my namesake cat, Mika!

 

We went thru this with our yellow lab. couldn't move, arthritis was so bad, had to give the dog medication everyday. It got so bad the dog didn't even want to get up to go to the bathroom... she lived a good 14 years, it was hard to say goodbye.

Edited February 20, 2013 by Lost In Xanadu

[Aikenrooster]

Yes, I am crazy for spending that much on a dog, but, the bank let me borrow the first half of it, and we cut corners to gather the rest. Yeah, I guess it's crazy getting attached to an animal like that, but I don't have kids. Anyways, it provided a job for the surgeon and the people who did the rehab. I have mixed feelings about it, because the dog could never run again, maybe hop along, but that's it. It'sall over know, though. 100 million years of evolution up a wild hog's ass, as a friend of mine would say.

[Huge Ackman]

"The Garden"

Thank you, Rush

 

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z33/bfwgjma/Rush%202012%20San%20Jose/IMG_3199.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z33/bfwgjma/Rush%202012%20The%20Palace%20Detroit/IMG_2856_zpsf124bc32.jpg

[Weakly Criminal]

Glad Rush helped you thru this rough time, I know it's hard losing a pet.... one comment though...

 

I spent over US$10,000

 

Holy hell. No way I would ever consider that for a pet, that's just me though.

 

I have a friend who found a stray dog (a lab-boxer-something else cross) at the beach, and several years later it's been determined the dog suffers from hip displaysia, if that's how it's spelled. He's gone from being a romping adult-puppy to cowering in pain, not wanting to get up off his bed to go to the bathroom or even eat, sometimes. The vet said they could perform an operation that would cost - I think - between $5-10,000, if I remember correctly. My friend was distraught - even though family offered to help raise funds, she just couldn't justify spending that much money on a dog. It was understood the dog would have to be put to sleep in the near future, as the pain was just too great.

 

She went to a naturopathic vet, who introduced her to a new blend of dog food, and it has been doing wonders for the dog! He can move around much more, and the pain seems to be much more bearable. I don't know how long this will be kept up, but it's amazing what a change in diet can do.

 

But it's such a hard decision - spend a lot of money on what many pet owners consider a memeber of their family, or let the pet go and maybe move on to another. I hope I never have to have this kind of choice with my namesake cat, Mika!

 

With pets as with people, nutrition nutrition nutrition. Do not forget that medicine is an industry. It's not the health industry, it's the illness industry; that's where they make their money.

 

I don't have the kind of money spoken of to spend on on a pet, but I have given up a pet (a wonderful little deer head Chihuaua) to those who did. Here she is:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/patclemmons/Jun17_0001.jpg

 

Never regretted it for a moment. I've also given up a cattle dog (another wonderful dog) to a working ranch where she is so happy it makes me cry. Here she is:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/patclemmons/Mar15_0004-4.jpg

 

I still get to visit both and the greeting I get from them makes up for all the time away from them. It's like they know I put them first. One was found, the other rescued.

 

My current dog I bought, and is probably the product of a puppy mill, but I just couldn't resist. I think you can see why:

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/patclemmons/007.jpg

 

He got much bigger than expected though. He's now 90LBS of absolute beast.

 

But by far the best and smartest dog I have ever owned was George. He was a Lab-German Shepard-Chow mix with the all the best qualities of each breed. I never had to show him anything more than three times, such was his eagerness to please. I won't bore you with all the stories I could tell. Just look at him though.

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/patclemmons/Mar25_0002.jpg

 

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/patclemmons/Mar21_0005.jpg

 

This is a sad thing to say, but I can only think of a couple of people who have made more positive contributions in my life than my dogs have. Not sure what that says about people, but I know what it say's about dogs.