Friday, July 20, 2012

Mr. Dog =(

It's no secret U.K., our golden retriever is old.  He'll be 14 this coming October, which is quite old for his breed.  He hasn't been a puppy for quite some time, but in the last recent months, he has been quite frisky.  He plays tug-o-war with Lallie and they chase each other around the house.  It's always fun looking at U.K.'s big smile and wagging tail and of course, to hear Lallie's laughs and screams.

But the past few weeks, he hasn't been himself.  He's been having lots of accidents in the house and then yesterday, I arrived home at around noon to check on him and found this.



Cute right?  

Of course it is, that's why I took this picture from my cell phone (afraid he would hop down before I got the picture....I think there's something smudging my lens!)

This is U.K.'s chair.  His very own personal Lazy-Boy that he's had for years.  The chair sits right outside our bedroom in a little alcove (because he's not allowed on the carpet in our bedroom) and this is where he sleeps (with a little cleaning now and then!  (You should also know, for this story, that there are two steps down into this alcove area.)  Shortly after I go to bed, I always hear U.K. hop into the chair and it makes this little squeaking sound letting me know he's there.  If Husband goes to bed before me (which is rare), it throws U.K. completely off.  He just paces back and forth between the chair and the living room waiting for me to go to bed.  It stresses him if our bedtime routine is knocked off balance.

Anyways, after I took the picture, he didn't move, he just stayed there, like that with his paws on the floor and his back end in the chair.  I got closer to pet him and say "what's wrong?" and realized that the area smelled funny.  Not like an accident, but like wet dog smell.  I called him again, and again and again and he tried to get down and he couldn't.

He was also panting really hard.  I mean, as if he had just come home from a really long walk.

I walked away for a minute to set my things down and came back to his front paws stretched nearly 3 feet out from the chair (with his hind legs still on the chair just like the picture) and on top of the first step up into the main room.

Before I could get to him, he literally fell out of the chair and sprawled himself across the stairs.

He could not get up.

I had to lift his back end and push him up to the top stair.

Then he just laid there, didn't even move his back end to comfort himself.  Laid there just like I put him.

It's like he was paralyzed or something.

After a minute or two of petting and talking to him, he stood up, shook it off and got back to his typical smile and wagging tail.  I let him out to do his duty and he did just fine.

I check the chair to make sure it was in fact, not soiled and it wasn't.  After about five minutes away from the area, the smell dissipated (old dogs, do smell....especially their breath.)  So I put it all together, the smell, the panting and realized..... he'd probably been standing like that in the picture for a while.  No telling how long.

I immediately called Husband and we decided to get him to the vet.  The doctor is going out of town for a couple of weeks, but the symptoms sounded too serious to let him go without an appointment for that long.  So I dropped him off this morning before work and am awaiting the phone call to see if everything is all right, if something is really wrong, or if he's just plain old.

Regardless, we know that our time with him is drawing to a close and that makes me very, very sad.  In fact, I'm tearing up as I write this last sentence, even for a fair-weather dog lover like me.  We've had many, many good years with him and we, especially Lallie and Husband, have formed bonds with him over the years.  I even have the sweetest picture of him in my office.  It would be sad to have to let him go.  =(


28 comments:

  1. OK, you know I am not a dog person but that made me tear up. Text me and let me know what the vet says. Love you.

    Ashleigh

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  2. Aw, Jennifer! I so sorry to hear about UK. We had a golden growing up, Toby, about the same color as UK. Brings back memories! He lived to be twelve, and I know what you're going through. Hopefully the vet will call with good news, maybe a medicine? Keep us updated! We have a Boston Terrier now, only five, and I can't even imagine what would happen if he started acting "off."

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  3. He is such a cutie, thoughts and prayers to you all, hope he is ok!!

    Sara

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  4. I am tearing reading this. We have a 15 year old golden too. His back legs are going and you have just written what we have been doing this Summer. I am thinking of you today. I am so sorry, but he sounds like an amazing dog who lived a pretty amazing long life. Please keep us posted.

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    1. Thank you! I will keep everyone posted. Miss seeing your blog posts...hope you're doing well. xoxo

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  5. Bless your hearts! UK looks like a very special family member indeed!

    Love and Hugs,
    Mrs. Kindergarten

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  6. So sorry to hear about this for the poor fella. It just wouldn't seem like the FL T family without UK! I had a little yorkie (Pepper) for 13 years and I always dreaded seeing him getting older. Hope you hear some good news for him and good luck!

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  7. I am so sorry to hear about your sweet dog! I was just tearing up reading this. I'll keep y'all in my thoughts and prayers!

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  8. My heart goes out to you my friend, I know that this period of time when you are aware that you will lose your sweet pup sooner than later is the hardest. I will keep you and your beloved UK in my thoughts and prayers today. :)
    Keep us posted on his visit to the vet, hope to hear some good news!

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  9. So sorry to hear this - our pups become part of the family and we want to hold onto them as long as we can. He looks like such a sweet dog and I love his name. :) Hang in there - will keep you guys in my prayers.

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  10. Oh, that face - you can just tell he's a good boy. I hope he's only having some old dog pains, but 14 years is a great life for a dog. Sending puppy love your way!

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  11. Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts. We're anxiously awaiting news from the vet. Husband thinks it's just old age but from what I hear, this is very common behavior for goldens when the end is nearing.

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  12. Oh my goodness! He looks like such a sweet dog. I know what this feels like...we had to let our Jack Russell go about a month ago. She was 16 and had started having issues w/ her hearing, vision, and kidneys. Husband didn't want to have her put to sleep until she appeared to be suffering. When that time came, we were heart broken. I hope the vet gives you good news so that y'all might enjoy more time with U.K.

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  13. So sorry...we lost 2 already--a 1 yr old yorkie-poo to bloat and a 4 year old cocker spaniel to cancer. I don't consider myself a major dog person but it is extremely hard to lose a pet. Positive thoughts & prayers for your family, hope you get only good news.

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  14. My heart hurts for you and your family. My Mother is going through the same thing with our family's shih tzu and I know the anticipation of having to make any decisions is difficult. Dogs become part of a family and I know that your sweet golden is no different. Hugs and prayers for your family!

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  15. We lost 2 sweet young dogs in 2010 (bloat and cancer). It is hard. Hope you get good news. Prayers & positive thoughts for your family.

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  16. Gosh.. I'm tearing up just reading this. :( I know he is older but he will be missed.
    Dogs are family.

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  17. Such a sad post....Hoping for positive news from the vet today.

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  18. I'm so sad to hear this - he's a beautiful dog and I'm sure a wonderful friend. Please let us know how things turn out.

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  19. He's a cutie, hope all goes well!

    We are Lake Cumberland this weekend, we boat out of Conley Bottom, where do you all stay when you visit?

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  20. Wishing you positve results from the Vet! So sad to watch them age & fail, had to put my 15 year old down as well & so feel your pain ;( Will keep my fingers crossed for UK!

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  21. I am sorry to hear that. The dog we got when I was in high school did that toward the end of his life and it was so sad. It is not easy watching them get old.

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  22. Was checking in hoping you got okay news from the vet.

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  23. This makes me so sad :( Our golden retriever passed away about six months ago and it was devastating for our family. I hope the vet gives you some good news, praying!

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  24. Hugs, hugs, hugs...hope everything will be ok with UK.

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  25. I really am praying all will be ok.

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