bad news...

I am sitting here in tears as a write to tell you guys that my pal, my bud, my only friend that would be happy to see me no matter WHAT, has been diagnosed with an extremely aggressive and painful type of bone cancer and has less than 6 months to live, "closer to 2". We're discussing putting him down, but can't bring ourselves to do it just yet.

Sorry to post this here, but I thought you fellas might want to know, might care...

Here's a couple pics...

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3660/01919ov0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/6093/1212191hf0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/3185/img3555iw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

You can't really get a feel for how big he actually is in these pics, but he last weighed in at 156 about 3 months ago. Him and me's gonna drink a few beers tonight, I figure it can't hurt him any at this point.

Gotta go.

I'm so sorry Jim, that is terrible. I can honestly say that I know how you feel. I am a huge dog person and have owned 2 all my life. They become part of the family and a piece of your life that you just don't want to let go. I have lost 3 dogs and currently have 2 right now. I lost one to hip cancer, another to old age/strokes and the last one (who was personally mine) to I guess old age (she was only 13, and the previous one lived to be 21, both human years).

I can't say I would be able to put down my pet either, too tough of a decision. At least he had a good life and looks like you two had good times. Again, I'm sorry.

That sucks man I know how it feels to know that you're going to lose your best friend.

Man I'm really sorry to hear that. I'll have a couple for both of you tonight!!

that sucks ass man. yeah. pets are there for ya when you feel like no one understands. i know you'll do the right thing..whichever it is.

Make sure you spoil him, Jim! My dog is 16, and I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose her. I wish they could live forever.

I'm sorry to hear that. I love my rottweiler more than any pet I've ever owned.

I feel for ya.

TS

Sorry to hear that Jim, the dog I grew up with is about to go one of these days and I know how you feel.

Thanks fellas.

That sucks, and so is life, you know what they say, 2 things are constant, and taxes are done ....

Almost one of those times it makes ya think of that genetic cloning.

I'm sorry to hear this Jim. Loosing a pet is like loosing a family member. Make the most of the time he has left. I have a dog thats 18 that may only be around another year or two so i know how you feel.

Man, that sucks.... its almost kinda like he was part of the forum family too... cause i kept hearing so much about him. Sorry to hear that.... you have to look at the positive side of things, though, and accept them. that disease will eat away at him... so he will be much better off not in pain and not relegated to a life of inability. Because a preacher helped me realized what good comes of things like this, I was able to deal with the death of my grandmother much better....because its true.

Thanks guys, it just totally sucks because he's only 6, and really (for now) otherwise he's fine. I never figured he'd make it to 10, but 6??? Really takes the wind out of my sails.

Again, Thanks.

My complete apologies sir. I know how you feel to lose a member of the family like that. Last November I had to make that decision to let go of our 15yr companion. Have strength and I will salute with a drink tonight.

yo where the fuck have i been??? i totaly missed that...awwwww man not earl?? the dog who we all thought was you for a damn year???? who else are we gonna get to bite the shit out of people, and chase the squirlles out of my damn car?? thats messed up man, im sorry im so late with this.

Thanks. He's actually not doing too well, this may happen a lot quicker than I had hoped. It's mainly in the bones in his leg which makes them weak, which means he could break his leg easier... and with how big he is... We try to keep him inside and relaxed but the crazy bastard hates animals on tv too so, he may very well break his friggin leg jumping at the tv. If he breaks his leg its straight to the vet for him... there's no getting better at that point. This really sucks.

I'll have another, don't you worry about that, just it'll take a while.

Thanks. He's actually not doing too well, this may happen a lot quicker than I had hoped.

See I'm the other way around, I;d rather have it over quickly vs. watching something/someone die in slow progression. :2cents:

They said at midnight, my mother in law would last through to the morning and that we should all go home and get some rest in preperation for her death in the morning. Well, we all got back home, just sat down and cracked open a nightcap beer and then got call it was happening now. Me personally made it a little easier as it more of a shock.

Well if he was incapacitated or in so much pain he couldn't walk, eat, stand, etc then I'm with you... no need to make him suffer. I wouldn't want to do that to him. He's still happy still plays, still jumps at the tv and chases joggers, just afterwards he hobbles along for a while. The pain medicince must make it feel alot better.

The problem is he's not a person where they can tell you how much pain they're in, just hafta infer it. Right now it seems as though he's pretty happy, considering the circumstances.

EDIT: What I meant by he's not doing to well is that his leg is swollen up pretty bad at his knee. Which means the cancer is eating it away (yuck). With him weighing 164, and jumping on it, it's only a matter of time until he breaks it. If he doesn't take his medicine, he's in a pretty good amount of pain.

Well fellas. My buddy is gone. I'm gonna stay off for a bit, just not finding too many things interesting right now.

Well fellas. My buddy is gone. I'm gonna stay off for a bit, just not finding too many things interesting right now.
Sorry to hear that man... I know how painful that can be. I lost my dog to the same thing and in the same way... They never make it as long as they actually predict. :(

Holy Shit man... that happened Waaaaaayyy too fast. really sorry to hear that man.

Well fellas. My buddy is gone. I'm gonna stay off for a bit, just not finding too many things interesting right now.
I totally missed this info. I read it in your "ok ok ok, headers" Sorry to hear it he seemed like an awesome dog and friend, at least he is not in pain anymore...

J

Now that sucks man!!! very sorry to hear this. I feel ya. I am in the same stuation with kidney problem on my pet. She is gonna die in a couple months too. :(

i noticed u changed your name jim...maybe u should have kept it as earl....we all got such a kick outta that back when we all first met...but if the pain of looking at that everyday is killing u, then we all understand! im sorry for your loss man... he was a great dog and we all loved the stories of him stealing food off the grill and taking large dino shits on our cars lol.

I'm with you Jim. July 5, 2005 I had to put down my dog "Jake" that I had for 15 years. I got him when I was only 10yrs old. It was a very difficult time for me and still is to this day. I hope you're able to move on better and faster than I have.

Sorry to her that dude.

sounds cliché, but he's gone to a better place. i know it's hard not having him any more, but he's not in any pain now.

sorry to hear that man :/ get better soon.

Yeah thanks guys. Changed my name just because the humor of it is gone for me, it was only afterwards I realized that that is my screen name like... everywhere, lol. I really loved that dog.

My NEW problem is that my kids already picked out a new dog... and I ain't real nuts about it, I guess I'll warm up to it... eventually. Friggin Border Collie. WTF? 164 pound Rottie to a 50 pound hair ball that herds sheep.








Wonder if this sumich'll eat brussel sprouts?

sry to hear this jim. guess he went faster then you thought. Its harder still to decide to get another dog or not because if they're your buddy for so long, they can really never be replaced. I may be in the same boat soon. My 17 yr old dog has now started having kidney issues and he wets the carpet about every other night which he never has done before. His protein counts are sky high so it may be kidney disease. He takes about 8 pills twice a day and we changed his food to another type so hopefully he will improve. Figures im going on vacation next month and he starts having issues.

Dude I cried like a 6 month old baby with a thumb-tack in his diaper for about 3 fucking days. That was without question the hardest thing I've had to do... to date.

What worse... I have no one acceptable enough to raid the kitchen with me a 2 in the morning, or to eat jalapeno's and sopresatta with. Makes for some lonely assed nights working on your car too. Hopefully this new guy can hang.

I was going to get another Rottie, but I know I'd start comparing it to Earl, and that's not fair to the dog, me ... or Earl. Then I figured maybe a Bullmastiff... supposed to be good with kids and will also be a very good deterrent.... and what happens? My wife shows my kids a black and white pile of lint named "tank" and all of a sudden I got 3 kids crying their asses off about a new dog... which sends ME into a new bout of depression about Earl. WTF? Will women EVER learn to leave men the fuck alone? (At least for a little while anyway).

I feel for you brother, I really do. My solice is that at least I was there for him at the end, and I hope my wailing like a little girl didn't upset him. (edit) We were going to wait until we got back from our vacation this week coming up, but I didn't want him suffering in a kennel, and on top of that he could barely walk on that leg at all, so ... I know I did the right thing, he was in pain, but you know... If you've never put a dog down, and you're planning on staying with him while they do it... it is a VERY hard thing to watch. They don't just "go to sleep". They claim its humane to have a vet put them down, but this was my second dog I've been through this with, and umm, it don't seem all that great for them... which makes it pure hell for you. If I coulda stopped crying for a minute I'd probably have choked the vet, but she got out of there pretty quick.

I got REAL depressed (who am I kidding, heh, I still am) but talking about it makes it easier. I know that this is corny and all, but it's nice to have you guys and to be able to come in here and talk about this stuff. Thanks guys.

we're here for ya man. my dog has been with me since i was 3 yrs old and i can't imagine having to put him down. I hope he pulls through this kidney issue. I know he's almost 18 yrs old and he's gonna go sometime but theres no way you can possibly prepare emotionally for them not being around anymore.

I'm with ZL1 we are here for you man, or anyone that needs to get stuff off their chest.

hell yeah. we're all here man. nothing corny about crying over something important to you. or talking about it. dont worry, collies are smart you'll warm to it eventually, although im sure you'll never forget about earl. i like big dogs better too, they seem more human. but i bet you'll still like it.

anyone that needs to get stuff off their chest.


I dunno if I'd be so liberal with this bunch :uhoh:

kidding of course.

I dunno if I'd be so liberal with this bunch :uhoh:

kidding of course.
Your right...lol

Your right...lol

No sir :nono:

It's wrightz28 :smooch:

No sir :nono:

It's wrightz28 :smooch:
smart ass :slap:

smart ass :slap:
He is a smart ass.

But it should have said

You're wrightz28.

well vet just called back and said my dog has kidney disease which will eventually lead to kidney failure. he's on meds and we changed his food to lower the kidney protien counts. They could not give us an idea of how long it would take his kidneys to fail. Basically said this is all we can do for him. This blows :frown:

Sorry to hear about Earl, we all knew he ment a lot to you.

damn ZL1, thats fucked up too.. :/ hey, you know about that pet food recall thing right? maybe your dog ate some of that..you should check on that man :/

damn ZL1, thats fucked up too.. :/ hey, you know about that pet food recall thing right? maybe your dog ate some of that..you should check on that man :/
no, he did not eat any of that dog food o death. he only eats r/d or k/d dry food that you buy at the vet. he's had health issues here and there but nothing too serious, but he's almost 18yrs old so i'm not that supprized but, yea, it still sucks. a friend of mine worked at a vet for a few years and he said the dog could go down hill within a month or it could be another year or so before his kidneys completely fail. thing is now he has no bladder controll so he pisses on the damn carpet just about everyday :banghead:

I went through the exact same thing when my childhood companion was diagnosed with bone cancer in one of his legs.
He was also a Rott,,,,,his name was Rotty.
The vet told us that they could take his leg, however, the cancer had probably already spread throughout his body.
It was a hard decision, but we felt it was best for him.
Sorry to hear about your future loss, god bless.

man this is just crazy... what we need here is man get-away!! big ass fishing trip...sum beers, junk food, and crazy ass stories!! some of us have been through alot the past few years, and i know some time just chillen with the hommies kicking back a few cold ones is in order!!

man this is just crazy... what we need here is man get-away!! big ass fishing trip...sum beers, junk food, and crazy ass stories!! some of us have been through alot the past few years, and i know some time just chillen with the hommies kicking back a few cold ones is in order!!
agreed :thumbsup:

I opt for clay pidgeons :D

Although the thought of this bunch with firearms and alcohol, probably screams for stiffer gun laws. :icon16:

:thinkerg:

Okay, we shoot till the first sign of things going out of control and then go fishing.

I suggest we shoot until we run out of beer cans to shoot at... things will be out of control as soon as we arrive.

And I got $100 for whoever can spell "EARL" in a burnout.