Comments on: The sad day and long night of good-byes http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sindy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-237351 Sindy Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:21:58 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-237351 I too, won't forget 2007. I thank Sandi for her early alerts to Nutro Cuts and Gravy 3oz tins which caused me to stop feeding my Tigger before the actual recall which I strongly believe saved his life. I have since thanked every day for my furkids and in a way I am sad that I fear they may leave me too someday. I am glad that I learned so much about cat food and veterinary care which I would never have done in the past. I love and appreciate every day with Tigger and now Cleo (calico) has joined us too. No matter what they do, good or bad, I love them completely like they love me. I too, won’t forget 2007. I thank Sandi for her early alerts to Nutro Cuts and Gravy 3oz tins which caused me to stop feeding my Tigger before the actual recall which I strongly believe saved his life. I have since thanked every day for my furkids and in a way I am sad that I fear they may leave me too someday. I am glad that I learned so much about cat food and veterinary care which I would never have done in the past. I love and appreciate every day with Tigger and now Cleo (calico) has joined us too. No matter what they do, good or bad, I love them completely like they love me.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-237077 Gina Spadafori Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:33:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-237077 Oh Bernie ... you make me cry. You bring so much to this space, even when I don't agree with you. :) Bless Brandy's memory, and salmon cookies for Scoutie. Oh Bernie … you make me cry. You bring so much to this space, even when I don’t agree with you. :)

Bless Brandy’s memory, and salmon cookies for Scoutie.

]]> By: Colorado Transplant http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-237064 Colorado Transplant Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:58:22 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-237064 Bernie, although your situation is unique to you, I also have a lot of guilt about the end of life for past cats. Either I did not treat them medically at the right time, I euthanized them too early or too late, or did not seek the right doctor. The animals put their trust in us, and sometimes we let them down. For me, I never get rid of the guilt. Only thing I can do is give my "now" cats better medical treatments sooner, suspect poisoning in foods (which I never expected from the big name companies), and try to know when it is their time to leave this earth. However, the anger for the poisoned food will live with me until the day I leave this earth. My cats got pretty sick. Your Brandy died. So many other cats and dogs suffered and some died. It should never have happened, but it did. Bernie, although your situation is unique to you, I also have a lot of guilt about the end of life for past cats. Either I did not treat them medically at the right time, I euthanized them too early or too late, or did not seek the right doctor.

The animals put their trust in us, and sometimes we let them down. For me, I never get rid of the guilt. Only thing I can do is give my “now” cats better medical treatments sooner, suspect poisoning in foods (which I never expected from the big name companies), and try to know when it is their time to leave this earth.

However, the anger for the poisoned food will live with me until the day I leave this earth.
My cats got pretty sick. Your Brandy died. So many other cats and dogs suffered and some died. It should never have happened, but it did.

]]> By: Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-236813 Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:29:30 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-236813 I am a secular humanist and an agnostic to borderline atheist. Yet when I lost Brandy it ripped me up in ways I did not expect. She had been getting sicker and sicker and I was getting pressure from the family to have her put to sleep. She had started messing in the house since she had to pee all the time and at night I could hear the to nails clicking on the kitchen floor downstairs. I became very tuned into this sound and would immediately rise to let her out so that I didnt have to hear the admonishments again. I knew that she had bladder tumors which sometimes made it hard for her to pee. What I did not know was that the melamine in the food I had just gotten her (and she liked) was making her produce excess urine and making her already uncomfortable condition much worse. Then she developed a fever and stopped eating and obviously was very very sick. Yet she would come to me and ask me to pet her and rub her ears and we would look at eachother, she with a worried and tired look and me with fear of what might be coming. I did everything I could to look for improvement so the day would never come or be put off. At one point I made an appointment with the vet but then for a time she improved after being off her food. Then like an idiot I fed her more !!!!!!! ;-( She got worse again and for three days I struggled with it. Finally I made another appointment thinking that just maybe... but I knew what I was going to do from the start. I took her out to the farm one last time where we had spent so many hours together and she loved. But it was cold and icey and she was in no condition to appreciate it. I stopped and bought her her favorite - Chicken McNuggets of which she ate some which gave me a glimmer of hope. On the way back to town she always knew the way and was anticipating getting back home and to her bed. But when we passed the turn she let out a little whine and looked at our street with her ears up and an anxious look. It was like she knew.... I just said... "Not this time, girl... Not this time..." She led me into the vet's office and sat at my feet patiently while I petter her and held her thinking that I could still just get up and take her home. Then the girl came and we went in the exam room and I had that terrible conversation with her. Niether of us knew why she was sick and I didnt even insist on one last exame. I even turned down the possibility of catheterizing her to relieve the pressure thinking it would just cause her pain and prolong the agony both she and I were going through the entire week. They brought out the syringe and the tube with the needle and I held her head in the crook of my arm and she pressed tightly into me. And then suddenly she just fell away from me onto the floor. I looked down at her sleeping form and all I could say as the tears and the snot began to pour down on her was "Oh, Brandy! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I petter her there as long as they would let me but the urine was leaking out of her now relaxed body and the vet put her hand on me and said that Brandy was now gone and they needed to move her because of the mess. She asked me if I wanted to have her cremated but I said no... I have a place for her. The NEXT MORNING while watching the today show I learned about the recall... Frantic, I went to their website and found the link to Menu and read to my horror that Sprout Beef Cuts and Gravy was on the list and the news reports said that many more lots were involved. I have not cried and screamed like that for any human. I think I was crying for Brandy and screaming for myself for having made a bad choice. A very very bad choice. It is nearly a year now... March 15th that this happened. I saw this blog yesterday but could not bring myself to write anything as I remembered the events of that day and its aftermath. I took Scout out there for a good run but while he was churning through the wet snow I took the picture below with my cell phone. http://www.newistech.com/Brandy1year.jpg It is a terrible picture, but it was a terrible time. Alone in the cold and desolation sleeps my old friend. Scout is sleeping quitely on the couch having worked off his energy after a week of confinement from my working out of town. 2007 is a year best done with. But I will not soon be able to forget it. I will never forget Brandy. Beware the ides of March. I am a secular humanist and an agnostic to borderline atheist. Yet when I lost Brandy it ripped me up in ways I did not expect.

She had been getting sicker and sicker and I was getting pressure from the family to have her put to sleep. She had started messing in the house since she had to pee all the time and at night I could hear the to nails clicking on the kitchen floor downstairs. I became very tuned into this sound and would immediately rise to let her out so that I didnt have to hear the admonishments again.

I knew that she had bladder tumors which sometimes made it hard for her to pee. What I did not know was that the melamine in the food I had just gotten her (and she liked) was making her produce excess urine and making her already uncomfortable condition much worse.

Then she developed a fever and stopped eating and obviously was very very sick. Yet she would come to me and ask me to pet her and rub her ears and we would look at eachother, she with a worried and tired look and me with fear of what might be coming. I did everything I could to look for improvement so the day would never come or be put off. At one point I made an appointment with the vet but then for a time she improved after being off her food. Then like an idiot I fed her more !!!!!!! ;-(

She got worse again and for three days I struggled with it. Finally I made another appointment thinking that just maybe… but I knew what I was going to do from the start.

I took her out to the farm one last time where we had spent so many hours together and she loved. But it was cold and icey and she was in no condition to appreciate it. I stopped and bought her her favorite - Chicken McNuggets of which she ate some which gave me a glimmer of hope.

On the way back to town she always knew the way and was anticipating getting back home and to her bed. But when we passed the turn she let out a little whine and looked at our street with her ears up and an anxious look. It was like she knew….

I just said… “Not this time, girl… Not this time…”

She led me into the vet’s office and sat at my feet patiently while I petter her and held her thinking that I could still just get up and take her home.

Then the girl came and we went in the exam room and I had that terrible conversation with her.

Niether of us knew why she was sick and I didnt even insist on one last exame. I even turned down the possibility of catheterizing her to relieve the pressure thinking it would just cause her pain and prolong the agony both she and I were going through the entire week.

They brought out the syringe and the tube with the needle and I held her head in the crook of my arm and she pressed tightly into me.

And then suddenly she just fell away from me onto the floor.

I looked down at her sleeping form and all I could say as the tears and the snot began to pour down on her was “Oh, Brandy! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”

I petter her there as long as they would let me but the urine was leaking out of her now relaxed body and the vet put her hand on me and said that Brandy was now gone and they needed to move her because of the mess.

She asked me if I wanted to have her cremated but I said no… I have a place for her.

The NEXT MORNING while watching the today show I learned about the recall…

Frantic, I went to their website and found the link to Menu and read to my horror that Sprout Beef Cuts and Gravy was on the list and the news reports said that many more lots were involved.

I have not cried and screamed like that for any human. I think I was crying for Brandy and screaming for myself for having made a bad choice. A very very bad choice.

It is nearly a year now… March 15th that this happened. I saw this blog yesterday but could not bring myself to write anything as I remembered the events of that day and its aftermath. I took Scout out there for a good run but while he was churning through the wet snow I took the picture below with my cell phone. http://www.newistech.com/Brandy1year.jpg

It is a terrible picture, but it was a terrible time. Alone in the cold and desolation sleeps my old friend.

Scout is sleeping quitely on the couch having worked off his energy after a week of confinement from my working out of town.

2007 is a year best done with. But I will not soon be able to forget it. I will never forget Brandy.

Beware the ides of March.

]]> By: Colorado Transplant http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-236747 Colorado Transplant Sun, 02 Mar 2008 23:45:17 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-236747 I believe my Batman is a reincarnation of my cat Cindy. I wonder if anybody else thinks that cat souls get reincarnated. For me, death is always a great traumatic event. However, learning of paralel universes, reincarnation, and spiritual souls surviving make it less overwhelming. I do not distinguish between human souls and animals souls. Maybe one of the reasons is my cats are like children to me, only less demanding in some ways. I believe my Batman is a reincarnation of my cat Cindy.

I wonder if anybody else thinks that cat souls get reincarnated.

For me, death is always a great traumatic event. However, learning of paralel universes, reincarnation, and spiritual souls surviving make it less overwhelming.

I do not distinguish between human souls and animals souls. Maybe one of the reasons is my cats are like children to me, only less demanding in some ways.

]]> By: VJ http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-236172 VJ Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:04:49 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-236172 What a wonderful idea 2CatMom. My heart goes out to all as I sit here with tears running down my neck. It never gets easier. Seems the more pets we have, the more painful it is when we lose one. What a wonderful idea 2CatMom. My heart goes out to all as I sit here with tears running down my neck. It never gets easier. Seems the more pets we have, the more painful it is when we lose one.

]]> By: 2CatMom http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-236160 2CatMom Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:14:43 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-236160 Gina - maybe you could make a nice poster for her shop with Wally's picture and a short statement about Wally's trip across the Rainbow Bridge. That will spare her having to explain to everyone, but also will let her customers, who probably really liked her dog, know what happened. You could also put a statement in that if people wanted to do something they could make a donation to a particular shelter in Wally's memory. Gina - maybe you could make a nice poster for her shop with Wally’s picture and a short statement about Wally’s trip across the Rainbow Bridge. That will spare her having to explain to everyone, but also will let her customers, who probably really liked her dog, know what happened.

You could also put a statement in that if people wanted to do something they could make a donation to a particular shelter in Wally’s memory.

]]> By: Colorado Transplant http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-235897 Colorado Transplant Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:51:49 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-235897 Sad, sad, and more sad. The ones that are alive help us get through the grief, I believe. Sad, sad, and more sad.

The ones that are alive help us get through the grief, I believe.

]]> By: Nadine L. http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-235895 Nadine L. Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:43:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-235895 Tears on our pillows. We know about that and not so long ago. Many of us here can empathize. Sorry to hear this sad news. Tears on our pillows. We know about that and not so long ago. Many of us here can empathize.

Sorry to hear this sad news.

]]> By: cheryl http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/comment-page-1/#comment-235888 cheryl Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:27:27 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-sad-day-and-long-night-of-good-byes/#comment-235888 drag your fur kids in bed with you - soft warm fur works wonders. drag your fur kids in bed with you - soft warm fur works wonders.

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