It's just a dog.

[::: :::]

Jimmy, idahospud & Boissal
Peace to your families

[JimmyCarter]

Thanks for the kind words all.
Winston went in for emergency surgery last Friday after doc said the spleen mass looked “angry” on ultrasound and the bladder mass came out positive on urine test for cancer.
Apparently spleen mass was just about ready to burst so timing was fortunate. He came out of surgery with no spleen and missing a small piece of his bladder. Long term prognosis for the bladder cancer doesn’t sound good, but he’s back home for now so we’re all happy! (except for the fact that we cancelled our Aruba vacation to watch after the little shit and all we get in return is pee on the floor!)

[riser4]

Thanks for the kind words all.
Winston went in for emergency surgery last Friday after doc said the spleen mass looked “angry” on ultrasound and the bladder mass came out positive on urine test for cancer.
Apparently spleen mass was just about ready to burst so timing was fortunate. He came out of surgery with no spleen and missing a small piece of his bladder. Long term prognosis for the bladder cancer doesn’t sound good, but he’s back home for now so we’re all happy! (except for the fact that we cancelled our Aruba vacation to watch after the little shit and all we get in return is pee on the floor!)

Does he get bacon from now on?

[riser4]

I rarely check this thread as it's usually too heavy, and today is no different.

Ms Boissal lost her beloved Bosco a while back, he was living his best life one day and gone the next morning, undiagnosed GI tumor that somehow ruptured. At least he didn't suffer but the abruptness made it really hard to stomach. Not a month later we had to put her 2 kitties down at the same time, they were both geriatric messes. She was hurting bad and after 3 months of it not getting any better she found a Facebook post about a senior lab needing to be rescued from a kill shelter in the UT boonies. She went to check her out and came back with the sweetest most decrepit chocolate beast. Behold Lenora:

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They had no info about her at all, she was dumped at the shelter overnight. Not chipped, no collar, nothing. She was at least 12 and in miserable shape with laryngeal paralysis, a condition that looks like an asthma attack in humans. We thought we wouldn't last 1 day at the house, the stress triggered some attacks and she could barely breathe, let along get up and move. Ms Boissal was on a mission to provide her with a few good months so she hunted down a vet that could fix the issue surgically. No guarantee a dog this old and unhealthy would survive but we went for it anyway (Ms Boissal did, I kept my mouth shut cause I know better than argue with her about how much should be done). Turns out I should have had more faith in the old lady's will to live cause the surgery did wonders. She recovered quickly, got a lot more active, and lost about 15 lbs of lards. She was able to go on a bunch of camping/biking trips with Ms Boissal, some short backpacks, daily walks, and overall had the best of times. She was a ravenous poo eater, living with us was complete heaven for her: we have 2 cats, a dozen chickens, and are 3 minutes from a park where people apparently don't believe in cleaning after their dogs.

She had more health issues down the road, turns out she wasn't fixed and started bleeding one day, we thought it was doggie periods but she had an ovarian tumor. Surgery #2 took care of that and she kept trucking along despite her terrible arthritis. Eventually one of her gigantic lipomas turned out to be cancerous and that was the end of her. Not a pretty end either, a lump on her butt turned into a sore and eventually an anal fistula (charming I know) which Ms Boissal patiently cleaned and packed twice a day. We have a vet neighbor and friend who saw her daily and has no patience for people who go overboard for a suffering animal, we knew she'd tell us if we were ignoring signs that it was time. It never happened, Lenora slowed down dramatically at the end but kept living it up, going on short slow walks, occasionally dashing away to eat a poop, eating her meals voraciously, and clinging to Ms Boissal like her life depended on it (it did). Then one day we came back from the park, she laid down, tried to get up a few times, and gave up. She looked a bit panicked at first and had some weird neurological symptoms, it was clear the time had come. Vet friend came over 15 minutes later and we sent her off within an hour of her last walk. That was 3 weeks ago. We expected her to live for 2-3 months at most, she was with us for about 16, and I still couldn't type this without getting some stuff in my eyes.

Here's to Lenora, always smiling, one of sweetest most loving creatures I've ever met. She loved being brushed, napping on the couch looking like a loaf, napping in the grass looking like a corpse, napping under the hammock on camping trips, getting stuck under fences but not caring, stealing unripe tomatoes, and running around in deep snow. Hopefully she is her kind of heaven: a field littered with poos from exotic creatures, the perfect buffet.

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RIP

[JimmyCarter]

Does he get bacon from now on?

Not solely, but yes. (And he prefers rotisserie chicken)

[JimmyCarter]

Boissal and Idaho, so sorry for your losses. The tributes are awesome though - Winston would happily sample exotic yard shit alongside your good boys/girls.
I feel lucky my last post wasn’t one, but the inevitability of it is staring us in the face.


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[Art Shirk]

People who adopt old dogs are the best kinda people there are.


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[garyfromterrace]

Boissal, Ms. Boissal, idahospud, so sorry for your loss. All of your dogs were as lucky to have you, as you them. Damn, and bless this thread.

[riser4]

Not solely, but yes. (And he prefers rotisserie chicken)

Rotisserie chicken is lit!

[BmillsSkier]

People who adopt old dogs are the best kinda people there are.


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Art is right. Again.

God bless ya old dog adopters.

[dan_pdx]

Vibes to Boissal and Idahospud, I'm sorry to hear about your lost family members. Jimmy, hope Winston keeps truckin' on for a good long while.

[liv2ski]

People who adopt old dogs are the best kinda people there are.


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This

[BmillsSkier]

I lost my best friend today.

Yes, I have my son, who is also my best friend, and I have my young Border Collie, Shep, who is Connor's great grand-nephew, but I still lost my best friend today and I am so incredibly heartbroken about it.

Connor turned 17 in April and without getting into details, this dog saw, shared and helped so damned much in those 17 years that it's impossible to summarize. He was my wedding gift months before I got married; we saw love, we saw loss and I don't say it lightly that this dog literally saved my life when I was at my absolute rock bottom. He was young and spry to the very end until he fell asleep in my arms today at 4:45pm.

To borrow a phrase from Art, this dog, my friend, was my savior. He's why I'm here today. No question about it.

He ran like a 4 year old until he was 13, then settled for long walks till he was 15. Covid walks around the neighborhood garnered him many, many "you're so handsome!"s and he was the most steadfast hiking buddy me, and now my son, could ever ask for.

Like many, he's been with me through so many life events and stages and I'd be remiss if I didn't give a glimpse into a few. I miss you terribly, Connor; and my heart hurts so fucking bad.

[riser4]

Sorry man.

[tgapp]

Gosh Bmills, I'm absolutely devastated for you. So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing. 17 years is a wonderfully long time, and yet, not even close to long enough.

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[::: :::]

What a good boy Connor is, Bmills
What a lucky boy to have you as his person
RIP Connor

[Supermoon]

Vibes to you and your fam Bmills. Connor was a great dog and you gave him a great life. 17 years is such a gift for a pup but I’m sure only makes this moment that much harder.

[garyfromterrace]

What a good boy Connor is, Bmills
What a lucky boy to have you as his person
RIP Connor

Can't say more or less than this. So f'n sorry Bmills. Peace man.

[zion zig zag]

RIP Connor, what a fine looking best friend.


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[JimmyCarter]

Ahh shit I’m sorry Bmills.
Connor sounds like a damn good boy and a great friend. May he rest in peace.

[mcphee]

Goddamn. Sorry Bmills.

[TNKen]

Something in my eyes.

A life well lived for both of you. Sorry for your loss.

[Boissal]

BMills, vibes to you and the fam. Connor was a regal beast.

[PNWbrit]

Sorry for your loss BMills.

Connor was clearly one of the best dogs.

[Mustonen]

I’m sorry, bmills.