It’s been one month since we put our sweet Chloe down. She was 17 and beat cancer twice but all the usual problems with old age caught up to her and she couldn’t fight anymore. I’m 30. She was with me for more years than she wasn’t. My best friend for over half my life.

Not a second goes by I don’t think about her. I unwillingly relive the euthanasia procedure often. I never thought about how traumatic it would be. I try to remember the good but when I’m alone or trying to sleep I feel it all again.

I don’t understand how my heart hurts. It’s illogical. Our concept of love and hearts are made up. it’s just an organ doing its job but it hurts so much. I’m embarrassed to share how I feel with my partner because I feel like I should feel better by now because she’s a dog but….she’s not just a dog. She was my family. My sister said it feels like we lost a sister.

In the end my mom sobbed and thanked Chloe for making us a family. She threw out the clothes she was wearing that day. There are no traces of our sweet girl left in that house because the reminders hurt too much. And here I am with her face and paw print tattooed on my wrist I had done a year ago.

Does it ever feel any better?

In case nobody has asked you, or you feel like nobody understands you right now.

I lost my dog on July 12th. Its been extremely painful. She would sleep next to me every night for the past decade, and the bed sheets she slept on before she passed is still on my bed. I thought my grieving was done but every time I try to remove the sheets to change them i just break down into tears and I cant seem to get myself to remove the sheets. Im really not sure how to get through this. The feeling is kind of like ending an era, but not in a good way.

My sweet girl savanna is on rainbow road now.... she was hit last night. Someone found her and put her box and put her in the trash. I got her out and I'm now in the process of digging a hole for her next to my buddy boy. I had her for 4 almost 5 years. She was my friends cat. She was 10 to 11 years old. She my baby and I cried hard like I did buddy. I hope there happy in heaven and I miss them so much.

I chose to euthanize because of his suffering, the future suffering through treatment, and the cost. Although there was a chance of him surviving and remission.
We had talked about euthanasia in the past and days leading up. Talking about how we had a financial limit. It was logical, pragmatic. The day of, we were told by the internal med it would be a long journey and well over $10k. He suffered in the 2 hours off iv fluids. His labored breathing, racing heart and trembling, his grunting, it felt hopeless. By the time we went to the hometown vet to euthanize she mentioned treatment would not be well over $10k as internal medicine indicated. She said treatment was possible and her own pup had survived auto immune and how he had been unable to get up, and she could send us home with medication. We felt she didn’t understand our severity. The way his fever would shoot up so quickly. How we couldn’t take him home. How him staying in ER for days with plasma transfusions and iv fluids to stay cool and immune blockers and all other medications wouldn’t be the end of what had been an exhausting week of vet visits and emergencies and monitoring constantly and listening to his pain and watching his pain and we couldn’t handle it anymore. In the midst of exhaustion my brain turned off. I had already wailed for an hour when the internal medicine told me she recommended euthanasia. I felt like I was on a train, I had made a decision and his decline in the 2 hours after leaving ER only proved that. I said go ahead and euthanize. She asked if we were sure and she supported us. I said yes.
God I regret this. I can’t live. I feel so stupid for thinking I was being pragmatic when it’s not like that in real life. I can’t logic my way out of his death and reverse it.
All these posts on pet loss are about end of life senior pets or cancer, but I was that grey area where he was treatable and I said no. For selfish reasons, I couldn’t handle the exhaustion of it all and I’d made a stupid pragmatic decision that over $10k was not realistic for pet ownership. I’ve spent much more than that in house repairs, I would give anything in this moment to have him back.
I feel so stupid, I haven’t yet fully realized he isn’t coming back. I can’t stop crying.

For backstory, I was a young Navy seamen in Pensacola, Florida when my girlfriend (now ex wife) brought home our first kitten, a few weeks later the couple we got the kitten from told us they were moving cross country (also a military couple) and they wanted to know if we could take in our kittens mom, she was their inside/outside cat and they wanted to see her go to a good home. That’s when I met my best friend YumYum. After a few years, I moved home from Jacksonville, Florida. Freshly divorced I packed a uhaul with my Jeep on a trailer and YumYum in the cab, I was 23, no job, living with mom and dad again, I spent so many nights crying myself to sleep with YumYum making biscuits next to me, life moved on and YumYum was right next to me. She became an indoor cat at this point but I made sure to take her on hikes and walks in the park in a bubble backpack. In mid 2025 I found a lump under her skin my childhood family vet removed an injection site sarcoma that was biopsy(ed?) and it was found to be cancerous. In July this year after she was limping on the same leg I was advised the sarcoma most likely metastasized and had come back, so we amputated the leg. She had recovered well, until last week, she was wheezing while breathing and refused food and water, after a vet visit Thursday, the new veterinarian found she had a local bacterial infection and sent her home with a steroid and antibiotics. Friday she was lethargic and would not use a litterbox, by Saturday she had a seizure, we took her to an ER where a chest xray showed 10-15 masses in her lungs and a handful in her organs, a few in her brain. I made the decision to have her Euthanized today. Her final heartbeat was at 1:43pm today as her purring stopped, I feel like my entire life has too, she was taken away to be cremated and now I have cleaned the last stains she left in her final days but I have a pet bed and her favorite blanket still where she left… I know there isn’t a proper way to grieve but if you have some words of comfort or advice, please. I’m thankful for the last year I had with her and the months after amputation but this all happened in the span of 6 days and I just feel so empty. I lost my best friend, idk how to go on… everything hurts and my heart is broken. Cancer fucking sucks.

My sweet sweet Freya has renal failure. She doesn't eat. She barely sleeps. She drinks water, she uses the litter box. But she's lost so much weight.

My mom and I have taken her to the vet multiple times. She's gotten fluids. She improved for one day, and they gave us more fluids and medicine. But we can't stand seeing her like this, and it's so hard making her take the meds and trying to hold her to give her the fluids.

I don't want to put her sleep. I don't. But we can't keep watching her waste away.

I feel like we failed her. I feel like a terrible pet owner. I feel like I should have done something more. And I know I could have.

I don't want her to suffer anymore, but I don't want her to be scared. I don't want her to die like this. It's not fair. I'm not strong enough for this.

I don't know how I'm supposed to wake up one morning and accept she's going to be gone forever.

One year ago today was my last day with Duke. It's so hard to believe he's been gone that long even though the days without him creep slowly. I miss him so darn much!

Dukie likely had a stroke that last morning, but even so, he fought to make it a regular day. He was off balance and stumbling and still wanted to go outside to walk, still wanted to pick up his toys, still wanted to kiss my tears away.

I kept praying it was a bout of vertigo...old man's syndrome. But by late that night all he could do was lift his head and I knew... When I asked Duke if it was time, his eyes told me he was ready.

There was no way for me to carry him to my car and I called the fire department at the corner. Five or six firefighters all lifting Duke in his great big bed and carrying him out the door and down the sidewalk is a picture I'll never forget. They placed the bed gently in the back seat and waited with him while I got my things and settled Emma. I still cry easily when I think about that honor walk for Duke...he deserved everything and more.

We arrived at the same hospital Emma goes every month for her injection...Duke only knew it as an ER. But he was brave...even kissing me as they wheeled him in the door...and again as I lay on the floor next to him in his bed. He was ready and no matter how much I wasn't, I had to do it for him.

It's been a hard year and I've cried more than any year I can remember. Big cries and sleepless nights. Emma doesn't believe in kisses...Dukie never missed a tear.

Dukie, I miss you so much!!! You were such a good boy!! I still sleep with your favorite toy and will love you forever. Thank you for being my Goober, my Buddy, my boy. Please come and visit me when you can.

I love you Duke... always with all my heart! ❤️💔🐾

I buried my best friend last night.

My ride or die.

My most faithful companion.

I don't know if an expected death would have been easier or not, but not having the chance to say goodbye hurts more than I can articulate.

He went everywhere with me. We shared amazing adventures as a family. He welcomed our first baby without question. He was nothing but pure, unadulterated love.

I've cried more in the last 24 hours than the last 10 years combined. He loved every person he ever met. And they loved him back. He was contagious like that.

I miss seeing him wait in the kitchen for a snack as soon as food was even mentioned. I miss feeding him his dinner. I miss letting him out to play late at night. I miss his polite scratch at the door when he wanted to come back in. I miss scratching his fluffy butt and his floppy ears. I miss the way he'd whine when he didn't get enough attention. I miss his stinky breath. I miss him laying on my leg at night and stealing the blanket. I miss him running to the car to greet me when I got home. I miss the zoomies when he was excited to see me after being gone for 10 minutes. I miss how he'd steal my chair when I left the room. I miss the way he never went to bed until I went to bed. I miss hearing him talk in his dreams. I miss seeing him play with his brother. I miss the way he completed our family.

His big brother misses him. We made sure he saw him before I dug that dreaded hole, just so he could understand that he hadn't been abandoned. He's quiet today, sullen. Not his usual self. He understands, I think. Which makes it all the worse. They were inseparable. Best pals until the bitter end.

I see death often in my line of work. I can detach myself from human suffering for the most part. This hurts more. Dogs are pure. Dogs don't have an ounce of hatred or anger in their beings. They love without question and are loyal to a fault. They don't deserve to lead such short lives.

He went out doing what he loved the most, chasing something unseen. I don't think he felt any pain. By the time I reached him, he was gone. He didn't get to hear me say how much I love him.

I refuse to believe there's any chance I won't see him again. Alone at his grave I prayed that God would look after him for me. That he would rub his belly and give him chicken scraps and grilled cheese, his favorites. I pray that he's chasing squirrels and having long naps in the sunshine in his favorite chair. I pray that when it's my time he'll be there to greet me again and give me a sloppy wet kiss.

He is irreplaceable.

He will always be my best friend.

My boy.

My Miles.

Hi,

I've just come home after the loss of my soulmate, my dog-sister, Chanel. She was 15 yo, it was know that the ending was near (2 tumor in the head who create epilepsy) but even so i'm just... stunned ? The day before was my birthday, to be honest it's a cursed date, but anyway, i turned 26, and know she just isn't here anymore. I'm alone, tomorrow morning my mom will be here, i live far away of my family so i was alone, all alone. After her death, i've stayed with her for like 2 hours ? i've even taken her on me, to feel, to see, that she was gone, but i'm just stunned. And after that i've stayed like 2-3hours on the clinic.

She was amazing, my motivation for a lot of things, my everything. She shield me from abuse, she give me the courage to be by myself, but not alone because she was here. I want her.

A part of my brain, that i hate, try to be rationnal, not only for her, because she was suffering, it was the end, but also for me, because i'm disabled and its true that it was difficult to have a senior dog when i'm myself, in an ambulatory wheelchair. I feel guilty to feel that, i feel guilty to have a part of me who feel relieved and at peace.

So, how is it after ? What the next step ? Do you have any idea how i can start to life again, without her yes, but for her, because i said to her that i will be fine, that i'will honore her, but now i'm just stunned.

Maybe i just want to add a little thing, that i find sweet ? i don't know the good term. I've give them a pyjama of mine, for my odor. I've remember the pyjama when i get out of the clinic. And, they have explain to me, very confused by this, that a mother came with her baby, when she was with me, on the end. She gave birth but her human mom didn't bring towel and on the precipitation, they didn't realise that they have given the sweet little boy to her on my pyjama. Both the mother and him are good, even tho the birth was a bit complicated, and he didn't seems like a very strong little boy. But i like to think that, in some way, my Chanel will watch him, as they share something, and i only wish for him and his future family, the same happiness and bond that she gave me

My SO and I lost our Alia four months ago on the 1st of June. The date is burned in my mind. Alia was old. She was 15 years old. But she was still active, playful, and so affectionate. But she had had seizures for a while. Nothing she didn't bounce back from. But that night was different. It's like she was trying to break her own neck. We couldn't stand seeing her suffer, and due to her age, we made the painful decision to have her euthanized.

I buried her in the back yard. I placed her on her little cat bed and wrapped her in my old desert camo tshirt she loved to lay on. Because it smelled like her Daddy. I buried her at midnight, after getting home from the Veterinary hospital.

I miss her so much. I grew up on a farm and I was deployed twice in the Army. I've seen more than my fair share of loss. I've had relatives die. Friends too.

But my cat? Her loss is hitting me VERY differently. I bought a stuffed black cat that looks just like her. I'm a 63 year old man and I sleep with the plush cat because I miss my Alia so much. My girlfriend (SO) recently lost her mother too, so our grief is still going on that. I feel bad because I'm grieving for my kitty more than I've ever grieved for anyone or anything else.

I'm currently in counseling at the VA for my PTSD and ADHD. After telling my doctor about Alia, I'm getting grief resources too. I'm honestly just hoping that writing this out will help. Thank you if you read all this. You probably wouldn't be on this subreddit if you weren't experiencing similar issues. I feel for you if you are. Again, thank you for reading (listening).

My sweet senior dog was put down yesterday after rapidly declining these past few days due to a large tumor (tumor was diagnosed a year ago). She refused eating (even her favorite food), looked lethargic, and was throwing up. Vet said bloodwork showed signs of organ failure and her tumor was probably leaking due to low red blood cells. She suggested we put her down so she doesn't suffer. So yesterday I made the decision to let her go. She was very weak and barely moved but she still yelped when the doc put anesthesia in her and wanted to get away but we held her back and kept holding her until she went to sleep. Looking back, I realized she wanted to live and didn't want to go. She probably didn't understand why and I felt so guilty. I have been crying since she past and blaming myself not to seek a second opinion. I kept thinking what I could have done so she could live for a few more months/years. I completed failed her despite her trust and wished I could turn back time and made a different decision.

I would appreciate any advice you have, you can skip to the bottom if needed because i put a spoiler around how it happened.

This might be a little sad

I feel so miserable and sad & it comes in waves because sometimes I feel like sh/t and terrible & I tear up & then sometimes I'm happy he's relieved of pain.

My cat's name is Casper, and he was 7 years old (we don't know his exact age because he was abandoned 2 years ago with little to no information, so we assumed he was 5 years old when we first adopted him).

We adopted him on June 4, 2024, after my dad (who is a vet) brought him home. They were planning to put him down then, as he had a heart condition then and my dad decided that he still had life in him.

We brought him with us, and of course some adjustments and warming up was done but he came to love us and we loved him so so much. He was always sleeping or going outside, and cuddly and affectionate (especially with my mom). He wasn't one to get annoyed easily but even when he was he was always gentle with setting boundaries. I would always try to cuddle him but I think he let me bergrudingly lol and would try to walk off as soon as I removed my hand to go to my mom. Even my mom, who was so annoyed that we brought him home without letting her know (because she disliked pets) loved him so much. I didn't sleep much with him but something that I remember (which annoyed me so much at the time) is when he would paw at my door because no one else ever woke up at 5 am for him to take him outside. Now I feel guilty for not opening the door for him sometimes.

On Saturday morning, he was taken to the vet because he had some issues with breathing and it was getting concerning (the issues had only started on Friday). It was then where the vet diagnosed him with an enlarged heart/MCD and fluid in his lungs. He was fine when we got back home, but then he started acting so strange that entire day. He was fine on Friday too, and we even slept with him Friday night (my mom did, I went back to my room after my mom assured me he was okay). When my mom came home from the vet, she said he had limited time. All day, I was crying over, in my perception, weeks to months left with him. Then it got progressively worse. He would let me hold his hand, which he NEVER did ever. Like if I ever attempted to even graze his paw he would immediately retract. He also was irresponsive to touch and normally he's a sucker for pets and nose itches (which he didn't lean into).

Then, he went outside (I think to find some peace and distraction from the pain). I took him outside for a bit, before he wanted to go back in and then he went into hiding in his little shelf in my desk (which he first hid in when we first adopted him). He was still struggling, and even when we tried to cuddle him (bad idea on our part, I know) he went immediately back.

Before going to sleep, I brought him upstairs to sleep with me and my mom. He slept with us from 12:30-1am. Then, at 2am, he suddenly started wailing and crying in pain. I genuinely have never seen him in so much pain. I called to my dad, and even he was so deeply concerned that he wouldn't make it through the night. He ran to dark corners and eventually ran back into his shelf. He was reaching for someone to hold him so I was holding his head and paws. We tried to provide some comfort before we decided that we would have to put him down.

We had the most agonizing car ride to the vet, he was trying to fight and hide somewhere before giving up and wailing in pain. We went to the vet, got the catheder, and said our goodbyes. I was on call with my brother, who had just seen him.
It happened so extremely fast. Like genuinely felt like I would have more time with him, but literally everything ended in the span of 2 days. Like it went from expecting weeks to 12 hours. I was also so upset. He must have been in so much pain before passing and I like to think he's relieved, but part of me thinks there might have been a chance to save him and I keep thinking was it the right decision. I can't imagine how scared he must have been. I also don't really believe in an afteworld (it's just a me thing) so I just see it as he was gone in a second.

He was acting perfectly normal till Saturday, where sh/t got worse.

I'm 17 years old, so writing this really sucks, because I'm a senior with college applications due soon and I don't feel like doing anything anymore. He was genuinely my best friend. We were literally the same person, we both had random moles on us (sorry idk thats kind of odd but something I noticed) and we were both lazy bums too. I just want to feel okay but I don't know how because he was one of the only things that ever made me feel okay when times were bad. Like I keep crying everytime I get reminded then sometimes I look at photos and laugh a little because of how he was so silly. Then I cry because it partly registers to me that he's gone.

This is kind of just a vent. But yeah. Its 12 am on Monday so everything literally happened yesterday. Worst fall break ever in my opinion

Gizmo was only 8 years old. He had just been to the vet, and there was absolutely no warning. He was in the car going for a ride with my other dog and suddenly he began panting . His gums were pale and all the sudden I saw his tongue hanging out then he collapsed and dropped to the ground and was belly up and not moving as I was racing to the emergency hospital. This all happened within maybe one or two minute period it was horrifying . They did everything they could to save him there including CPR, defilibration and life support. I don’t know what the hell happened and I blame myself. He did have a pre-existing heart murmur, however it was only a grade 2 of 6, and we had a cardiologist appointment the next month. I was told it wasn’t an emergency it was a mild murmur it would be fine to wait. He did have pancreatitis six times in the five years I had him but that was treated, and he had just been to the vet and his blood work and exam were normal. I’m not sure what happened but I could sure use someone to talk to . And the bill to save him at the end was so much I just couldn’t spare the extra few thousand dollars for a necropsy, especially when I had another dog to think about that was still alive. I don’t know I feel guilty and I’ll always wonder what happened.

Hi. I lost my cat, 13 year old (got him when I was 12) 2 nights ago. We had to put him down because of kidney failure. It was the worst night of my life, I felt like I was dying and I still sometimes do. I know it is still fresh but I still get flashbacks of him in my arms for the last time twitching and lifeless. I have so many regrets like not letting him on my bed after he’s been outside or letting him sit on my desk, not letting him eat certain foods etc. It all happened so fast, we didn’t know he had all these problems until he stopped eating and peeing randomly one day, so we took him to the vet and they told us it was very bad. I also regret cremating him and not bringing his ashes with me by fear that I would tremble at the sight of his ashes in my house. I have just so many regrets and I don’t know how to stop. I also keep telling myself that if I had taken him to the vet earlier maybe I would’ve known these issues and stopped them sooner and he would still be here. I just can’t believe he’s gone and I am still in shock. The other issue is that I have an older dog of 17 years and we always thought he would leave first, but it was shocking to see our cat go before him. Now I am stressing out and always cautious for the next shoe to drop and so I always worry and feel like I will feel this pain all over again soon. I just have so many strong emotions right now and literally feel like I am dying: my heart can’t take all this pain. Anyways I hope that anyone reading this can feel better soon and I give you my condolences. It is a very hard thing to go through🤍 I miss you my love and you will always be in my heart

My sweet 10 year old corgi was being treated for Valley Fever, it was just supposed to be that. We got him on medication, he was eating normally, everything was fine.

We just had our wedding overseas and came back yesterday. He was not eating much the past few days but was eating little, drinking normally, we thought he missed us. He was so happy to see us when we came back, then the next morning his health declined significantly, I heard a wailing howl I’ve never heard before from him, and we took him to the ER Vet.

X rays showed he had a mass in his chest, his spleen had abnormalities, and his gums were pale. X ray indicated some internal bleeding. He needed to be on oxygen and was having trouble breathing.

It was like he was waiting for us to come back to say goodbye. I’m heartbroken, he was our first corgi, our first dog together, everything happened so quickly. I feel like why didn’t we return sooner. I feel like it’s my fault.

I miss my baby boy so much. We have another corgi and I feel sad for her because she grew up with him.

He was in our lives for a decade. I’m just so heartbroken. I don’t know how to cope with this. I see him in every corner he laid in. I miss my baby boy so much.

When is the right time to get another pet? I don't know if I'm ready to permanently adopt but I'm also really lonely, mostly missing a pet to cuddle. Would fostering be a good option? I just want one less cat to not have to worry about a home.

I made the hardest decision of my life, to end my beloved dog Cooper's life today. He was diagnosed in May this year with dementia, he's gone downhill so fast it's just heartbreaking.

I adopted Cooper in January 2020, rescue said he was 3, embark age test said he was 6. He's a little guy, just 11 pounds. He looks like a terrier but dna test say hes poodle, chihuahua, gsd, and a dozen more. He's very cute, shy and really doesn't care for anyone but me. He bounces when he walks, hops like a bunny when he runs, loves deli turkey, in and out cheese burgers, scrambled eggs, and any kind of smelly treat, his favorite time was early morning, we'd watch the sun come up then he'd inspect every inch of my yard. He couldnt sleep unless some part of his little body was touching me. He often slept laying across my neck especially on the bad nights when i was biting my fist trying not to scream from the pain.

I have some pretty serious health issues Cooper was there through all of it, not the humans in my life, my dog. He's the reason I got up in the morning, the reason I bothered to eat, shower, all the daily living things most people take for granted, those things cause me immense pain but I did them for him. With him gone I just don't see the point of continuing.

Cooper you were everything to me, i gave you the best life i could and i know in my heart you were happy, that you truly felt loved. I will love you with all my heart forever and I will miss you everyday I'm alive

It's been 3 days 4 hours and 20 Minutes since you passed away in my arms.

I instisted that it would happen while I had you on my lab. I didn't want you on the unfamiliar examination table. Even when it was covered by a soft blanket, carried there for comftable final moments. It was placed between you and my lab instead. Even though I'm still not happy without direct contact with you, it was a good compromise. Your head was on my arm anyway. The vet asked if we coukd start. I nodded. Knew, that if I would speak, my voice would break. And with it me as well. I lifted your head since you were so weak, so through with everything. I wanted you to look at me, instead of your final injections. When the meds for the endless sleep were pushed in your body, I kissed your forehead, so you will feel that more instead of the fluids in your arm. At least, I hoped it.

And it was so fast. So brutally fast. It was like you were going to sleep. Your buddy twitched slightly. Then you went away. Your head began to hang limb on my arm. I tried to close your eyes. Tried again, but they didn't really close.

"Sadly, it's not like with us humans. They don't close their eyes in death" the vet told me, when my hands brushed a third time over your eyes. I knew the narcotics were so strong, you didn't feel it, but I was worried your eyes could feel dry.

Normally, when I differentiate time, I go by the year or my birthday. It was always really blurry. Since when I thought of an event and speculated about the month or even the year, I was always extremely surprised and shocked that it was another. Because everyday was kinda the same. So it blurred and mixed.

Not this time.

Since that moment I saw you lay there - like you were sleeping with eyes open, knowing that you weren't just sleeping - it's like a new timing started. Slow dragged hours. Like through honey. A numb feeling with everything I do. And it feels so wrong. I can't even listen to music the same way anymore. It doesn't reach my heart anymore. A few weeks ago, I was dancing to the rhythm and singing to every lyrics, while skittering through the hallway, doing chores. I did short breaks where I was gesturing wildly towards confused but enthusiasticly curious eyes and smiling about an excitingly wigging tail. But now, I can't even sing along my favourite karaoke songs. The music doesn't reach my heart anymore. It's like it was covered in a thick, dark jelly, with nails imbedded. Making any kind of joy a numbed down expierence. It hurts. It makes me breathless.

Never before was my life cut between a before and after like that. Tastes feel different, breathing feels differnt. Sitting feels different. Even the colors around me feel differnt. It's like a transparent-grey and silent curtain was placed around me. I neither hear your barking nor even your breathing in my vacinity. It makes it hard not to think about a before and after. Those pancakes in the fridge were made after his passing. The tofu under it was bought before. Like the eggs.

I always have to think twice before using or cleaning something that could potentially carry a memory. Scared of forgetting to keep something of you. Something important. I even kept the clothes I wore, when you took your last breaths in my arms. They are on the top shelf of my bookshelf. Right next to you harness and leash. This is gonna be YOUR shelf. I'll set the urn, a portrait of you and a glass of your fur there as well and make it to your shrine. Your blanket is still next to my side on the bed. Your cushion still under my desk. The blanket I covered you in, when I tried to cure you with love, attention, self prepared food and fresh water, is on top.

I had to leave for work that day and stayed there longer than I needed to, to do some extra stuff. I thought you had just a bad meal. Ate something you shouldn't had. I wish I had known it was much more severe. That it was a poisoned bait, that stirred your insides up. That it was an unattentive moment of you finding a seemingly tasty treat on the street, which was go8ng havic in your little body. That made you perish under my nose. You were to young. And I was to absorbed by my duties. By the fact that you went through seemingly similar stomach problems before.

I wasn't careful enough. And it will haunt me the rest of my life.

I have lost my precious boy 5 days ago due to a dog attack while we were playing in my yard. It happened in a split second and before I even managed to react, my baby was gone. He was only 3 months old and I only had him for 2 months, but he was so precious and special, I truly don’t think there will be another kitten like him in my lifetime. His name was Bole and I’m crying about him every day.

This has been a nightmare of a week. Earlier in the week we made the decision to put down our 15 year old lab. This was after years of decline and deciding to make a compassionate decision to let him rest peacefully. He went peacefully and quickly in my arms at home with a kind vet that came to us. It was the first dog I’ve ever put down so though I felt ready leading up to it it was much harder than I expected.

Then last night, just a few days later. My husband and I went out for a bit and came home and found our other 14 year old dog dead. She had gotten into a bag of chips and gotten the bag stuck on her head. She is a mischievous gal and always is getting into things so why was this time fatal?

I can’t stop thinking of seeing her laying there. Or why we didn’t put the bag of chips up. Why did this happen to us? I am completely devastated that we gave one pet a peaceful passing in our arms and hers was alone and possibly in fear. She deserved better.

I cannot wrap my head around this tragic unexpected loss so soon after losing our other pup. The guilt, the confusion, the deep deep sadness is almost too much to bear. I want to crawl into bed and stay there until I can just forget this ever happened. I have a toddler (who thank god just happened to be staying the night at my parents so wasn’t with us when we made the gruesome discovery) that I have to be strong for and continue to care for. I’m also newly pregnant and feel like the grief I feel isn’t good for my baby.

I’m so lost. I’m so hurt. But also somehow numb. I don’t really know what I’m looking for I just needed to put my grief somewhere.

Hello everyone. My cat was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks back, and today it was confirmed to be LGL. It is a very aggressive form of cancer and I'm so heartbroken for her and myself. She is doing fine so far, asymptomatic, and we already started the treatment, but prognosis isn't that bright.

I've been worried everyday since I found that lymph node, and at first we thought it was a reactive hyperplasia, but FNA found some malignant cells, so we were referred to oncology. So far it is her day 44 since the lymph node finding, and I've been crying everyday for the last two weeks.

I love her so much I can't think of a life without her. I built my life around her, her quirks and likes and dislikes. It's just me and her in a different country away from my family, and she's been with me for 11 years, just 11 years. I saw someone use a 'soul cat' term and I believe that's Sova and me, she is my soul cat.

So far she doesn't show any symptoms at all but the lymph node that doesn't bother her either. However, her bloodwork suggests she is starting to develop mild anemia. Her case isn't consistent with classic LGL course, so I hope it will be different from the horrifying prognosis known for this subtype, but, well, I was hoping it's mast cell cancer not LGL, and before I was hoping it was reactive hyperplasia and not cancer, and here I am.

The only way I can cope is log and research everything, so I'm monitoring every single breath and drink she makes, every single day I watch her like I'm crazy. It's hard to work unless she is next to me; it's impossible to go out even to the gym as I want to spend all my time with her. I feel like I'm going through grief already while she is right next to me and I feel so wrong in doing so, but at the same time I can't stop thinking about it. I have supportive friends and family but I feel so alone in this suffocating grief of her impending death.

I seriously mean the title—thank you. There are so many posts of people suffering on here so I really appreciate you helping me.

I’m sure my story is similar to so many others here, but to me, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I just had to put down my 11-year-old Shiba, who was acting like a puppy just a few days prior. In hindsight, I guess there were signs, but nothing that really stood out besides his usual picky, stubborn behavior.

Last Friday, everything seemed normal. He picked through his food to get to the good homemade toppers I put on top of his kibble. Saturday morning, we woke up to spots of vomit around the house. It was just bile and a brown mixture, nothing with food in it. He didn’t eat that day, but he was drinking plenty of water, so we thought he had an upset stomach.

Sunday came and he still wasn’t eating, but he was drinking lots of water. Sunday night, he showed some interest in kibble, plain chicken, and an apple slice, so we thought, okay, this is normal.

Monday came and he didn’t eat, but he was home by himself with no vomit. Monday night, is when everything began to change rapidly. He became completely obsessed with drinking water and going to the door. He wasn’t peeing nearly enough to match how much he was drinking and this continued several times until he eventually vomited up a huge amount of plain water. It was absolutely terrifying and felt unreal to see how much water he was holding

That night we got to the ER around midnight, and the wait was about three hours. Long story short, it turned into FIVE HOURS! During that time, he vomited another huge amount of water and had two spots of black, tar-like feces. The doctor finally came in and said the stool was actually digested blood. They kept him for half a day for treatment, pain management, X-rays, blood work and testing that cost $2,000.

Later, I got a call saying he was severely dehydrated, which didn’t make sense considering how much water he had been drinking. They saw a large white spot on the X-ray and asked if he may have eaten a foreign object, which he absolutely did not do. That was not something he did and we were home with him prior to this happening. They said it could be that, or a mass pushing on his stomach and possibly causing an ulcer. After they suggested an ultrasound and another 24 hours of treatment and monitoring for an additional $4,000, I said I just couldn’t do it.

They offered another option: discharge him with four different medications and see how he responded. I took that option. When he was brought into the room for us to take him home, he completely ignored us. Normally he greets us with a wagging tail, jumping around and excitement. This time, nothing. He wanted to nothing to do with us. We knew something was wrong.

When we first arrived home, he was sleepy and lethargic but not interested in food at all. He then became more and more obsessed with drinking water and going to the door. It was non stop. We could not get him to take any meds at all no matter the bribe. Now he is completely unsure of what to do: sits down, gets up, backs up, stares at nothing, lays down, turns over, changes positions, starts crying, non stop loop. At 1 am I take him for a walk because he’s so uncomfortable. The walk went well but he’s not peeing much if at all instead of the usual 50 times a walk. Once we stop, he won’t come in and is going as far away from me as possible on his leash (20 feet) and is turning away from me and laying in the grass which is wet and cold. I wake my wife to take him back to the ER.

I woke my kids at 4 a.m. to say goodbye, because we weren’t sure we’d be bringing him back home. When we returned to the vet, we met the most amazing, compassionate doctor I’ve ever met. You could tell he was a truly kind human being, and he was almost crying with us.

At that point, we made the decision to say goodbye. When he came back in, he literally tried to walk through us to leave. We bent down to hug and kiss him, but he kept avoiding us and trying to move away. Finally, he moved away from us to go and stare at the corner behind the door. We were alone with him for maybe two minutes at that point. I rang the bell for the doctor to come in.

We held him, cried, and said goodbye.

I’m heartbroken, confused, and blaming myself, wondering if he may have been suffering and if we could have done something sooner.

I thank you for your time and would love to hear from anyone who has a similar story or faced these type of events in such a short amount of time.

To everyone else grieving, MY HEART IS WITH YOU. I'm so sorry for your loss.