I have mentioned before, but Scout is not doing good. Scout is our soon to be 15 year old Golden Retriever. He hasn't been doing great for some time, but this week he has definitely taken a turn for the worse. He didn't eat for 4 days, yesterday he ate some from Hunter's hand. This morning, he got up from his bed and was going to go with me to the bus stop with the kids. He got about half way there, and his back leg started going all weird. He fell over and had a seizure. It's his third this week...that I know of. I called the vet, because I wanted his opinion/advice about when to say when. He doesn't seem to be in much pain...he is getting some good meds for arthritic pain. But he is getting close, and it's sad. I was talking to my friend Shelley this morning at the gym (she has a Golden named Heidi) and she was reading someplace about how Goldens will hang on, past their prime just for their owners. She asked me if I had said bye yet. And it might be kind of weird, but I already had. In fact, it was kind of interesting, I had a good talk with Scout over the weekend about just that. Wouldn't you know it, he has gone down hill since then. The vet thinks that he has a brain tumor, not sure and we'd have to have an MRI done to be sure, but that's what he thinks.
Scout has been the best dog ever. Hunter wants to bury him in the backyard...I can't do that. I don't want parts getting dug back up, gross! All of the kids have really stepped it up helping with Scout and loving on him, but this has definitely been the hardest on Hunter. I'd let that kid take care of me anytime I was sick. Every morning I hold my breath...thinking this could be the morning we find him. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to take him in...but it's getting close.
9 comments:
oh heather - i'm crying. mostly for hunter. that picture! scout has been a great dog... the seizures & body failures though - that can't be fun for him to go through or for you guys to watch. i love you...
Sorry sis! I'm so so sorry. He hasn't missed a day of Hunter's life, or any of your kids for that matter. I have such good memories of watching Scooter running around your backyard in Barrington as a puppy. Ahhhh. He has been such a good dog. I love you.
PS, maybe my memory is of him running around mom and dad's back yard??? But I swear it is the Barrington house.
He ran around a lot at the Barrington house, were you there when Hayley started chasing him, and he was attached to a stake in the ground and it about snapped his neck? Hayley do you remember that? Ahh, it was kind of funny though.
I love how everyone remembers that I almost snapped his neck like it was on purpose! It was an accident and I was probably 13.
Ah, I"m so sorry. My sister has dogs and those dogs are family - -one of them was so ill and old and it broke her heart when that dog had to be put to sleep.
Wish I could help!
I don't remember you snapping his neck, Hayley! If I did, I would never let you around my dogs. haha.
Oh, Heather, I'm sorry. I did read your later post to hear he was having a good day. I'm glad that you are OK with not making him suffer past his due. I like Scout. Doggie seizures are no fun. You are right this will be hard on Hunter, but can you imagine how dull life would have been without all these memories that your family has of him as a member? I feel sorry for kids who don't grow up with family pets. As hard as the loss will be, I think it helps teach a valuable lesson about life and death and love and loss. Whew, sorry so long. Give Hunter and the rest a hug and pat Scout on the head from me:)
Sorry to hear about Scout, Heather.
Here's to good memories and/or better days and strength during the tough days and/or tough decisions.
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