Harley went to the bridge tonight.

[mr.coffee 364]

My sweet boy, oh my sweet boy, we loved you so much....

I'll come back and edit or comment with more info later.

Oh god I'm going to miss him so much. I can't breathe.

-m

 

[Sunlite 9,105]

I'm so sorry....

Sending love to you all. Heartbroken 💔 to hear this.

[mr.coffee 364]

Sigh....

Har was always such a sturdy guy, nothing could keep him down for long. A few weeks ago, he developed a head tilt and circling, idiopathic vestibular disease. He got some antibiotics and steroids just to make sure he didn't get any real serious secondaries, and seemed to be improving. Last week, he was starting to cough more and seemed to be going downhill a little, so we got lab work done. About the same time started getting picky about food, and eating less. He was still drinking water, but Thursday was the last time he ate on his own. Friday, we went back to go over the results of the lab work, which showed signs of infection, liver problems, gall bladder problems, kidney problems. We got a bunch of meds to start treating everything, but it was hard to get meds or food into him and he was continuing to decline. He was starting to cough more, and we went back to the vet yesterday. They send us to another vet for chest x-rays, and the vet there said he had so much fluid in his lungs that she couldn't make anything out on the x-rays. She said there were other things that it showed but those were all secondary, and she sent us straight to an emergency vet.

When we got to the emergency vet, they took him immediately for triage and put him on oxygen. They drained over half a liter of fluid from his chest cavity, and said they didn't even know how he was still standing. The fluid turned out to be full of cancerous cells, and even after the procedure and being on oxygen, he was struggling to breathe and in pain. They said he probably wouldn't live to make it out of the hospital. We knew he would never want to stay there alone, away from us, struggling to breathe and dying slowly. We couldn't bring him home to starve or suffocate or suffer, so we did the only thing that was left.

He was such a beautiful boy, always such a good boy. He was so sweet and such a part of our lives, and this apartment feels so empty without him here. There are a million little reminders everywhere I look and I know there always will be and I'm going to miss him so very much.

 

-m

[Sunlite 9,105]

I started to write here several times but tears fall, and it feels like I just can't find the right words to say. You did everything you could, until there was nothing left you could do. One day you'll meet again at the bridge and eventually those memories will comfort you till that time comes.

Sending love to you all....

-Susan 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Sunlite

[mr.coffee 364]

Thanks. I know there really aren't words. I'm still reeling, trying to catch my breath, trying not to cry all day. Thirteen years is a long time to get attached, it's like I can't even remember what life was like before Harley.

 

-m

[mel 251]

I'm late  on this post but so sorry for your loss.  I know what you mean by trying to catch your breath.  It's so hard losing them.  Their love and dedication when they leave us leaves a hole in your heart that is hard to withstand.  Wishing you peace.  I've been their several times.

[Marlene Gardner 50]

You did the right thing.  I always say "better one day too soon than one day too late".  Letting them go is the hardest yet the most loving thing we can do for these creatures we bring into our homes and lives.

In the arms of the angels with Bentley waiting for you.