Sorry for your loss. I have been there many times during my life and it is never easy. Get another one to give that love. You need another and it needs you too for your love and you will get unconditional love in return.

Thank you all. Today has been tough. Everywhere you look, you expect to see her.

Reeda, our German Short haired Pointer is great company, but not being an indoor dog, she's never become family like Gracee...but she's offering a soft ear to scratch with no questions asked.

Gracee ingested a piece of foreign matter, a weed seed, a bit of foxtail, a sliver of grass. Most likely (we will never know for sure) it worked it's way down into her lungs (or perhaps something worked through her esophagus) and into her chest cavity. From there it festered and the infection began. You would have no way to know that this had happened. It just does sometimes. Why her and not Reeda?...a hunting dog that has run thru the weeds 100 times more than Gracee? It's not breed specific. Just a darn fluke. Hers and ours bad luck. Any dog can have this happen. When it happens to humans the pain is unbelievable. It's symptoms can be similar to pleurisy as the chest cavity fills with fluid and the animal/person can not breath without huge effort and suffering. In humans, morphine is used to ease the pain....yep, morphine.

Scar tissue further complicates things as blood does not flow thru this mess and thus, antibiotics are generally ineffective.

The surgery is at best a 50% deal. Many times the source of the infection can not be found and the infection kicks right back in after the pet/person has "healed". You would have to really question the logic of paying 6-9k for pet surgery with these odds. AND the post surgery pet is very likely to never be the same IF the surgery in 100% effective at routing the infection. In Gracee's case, she also had canine hip dysplasia. No odds at all for this 2.5 year old Dane.

Gracee went down hill very FAST. Two weeks prior, we noticed the heavy breathing...if we think back, maybe three weeks. When we "noticed" her breathing was labored at rest (2 weeks ago) we took her to the vet emergency room. The vet there (a good one) said the heart and lungs sounded good. They did. He did not take an x-ray (nor should he have) so he did not realize that the low volume in his stethoscope was a result of all the fluid in her chest, not in her lungs. He suggested perhaps her bad hips and the associated pain my be causing the labored breathing. We agreed and took the additional pain meds, tried them for a week or so...then when we were sure the breathing was not improving, but getting worse, we took her to our regular vet for an x-ray. His x-ray told us the bad news. We were referred to a specialist, but all specialist was able to do was an ultra sound to re-confirm the worst. They also were able to confirm the cost for the surgery.

During these last three days (the three during which we knew basically what we were up against) her breathing was noticeably more labored each 1/2 day....it's not difficult to see first hand how much she was suffering...yet she never let out a whimper. I wish I could say I am 1/2 the dog!

Thinking back, we "saw" symptoms for about 45-60 days. Lazy dog stuff...but Dane's by nature can be/are lazy. By then, it's too late. In fact, no one has told me there is ever a time when the animal has a good chance for survival.

What makes this so tough...Gracee looked and basically acted like her own crazy self...right to the end. It is incredibly difficult to look at the "normal" pet and over-rule your emotions to do the right thing. This haunts us as much as anything.

Hope this helps. Don't worry about your pet, you can't protect any pet from this weird illness.

Just don't forget to hug them when you go to bed at night!

Bob

Foxtail is nasty stuff. It can do the same thing to cattle and other critters.. Gets in a eye. Sticks between teeth and just works it's way deeper and deeper.

Had a German Shepard with hip dysplasia too.

As I said before I know your pain.

Just remember, Gracee will be waiting for you guys at the Rainbow Bridge.

Iggy,
You and I both know that's the absolute truth...it's just the dealing with the here and now that is difficult.

Bob

Bob,
Please accept my sincerest condolences on your loss, you have lost a good friend and companion. I've done it three times and it gets harder and harder each time. We have one consolation, we will all be together again some day. I was talking with my vet lamenting the short time we have with our friends and companions. On the positive side it allows us to expand our families. The hardest task we humans have in life is to live up to the image our dogs have of us. Take care.

Even with a dog living a full, long life they are with us for such a short time. In that time they fill us with so much joy and love that when they leave(especially suddenly) it is such a void.

Very difficult time. My thoughts and sympathies are with you as you and your family grieve your loss. Preston

I am sorry for the loss of your friend. We had to put our buddy down 10 years ago and we have yet to get another dog it's just to damn hard when they have to leave. Again sorry you pal passed. Larry

Bob,

Just got back to town to see your sad news.

My condolences and understanding added...

When it was my turn to lose a one-in-a-million dog at much too early an age, I couldn't help wondering...

How does a dog gain such a strong hold on people's hearts?

It's amazing, wonderful and sad all at the same time.

Len.

So sorry to hear of you loss. Hope you and the family are holding up well. I hate to hear of a loss of a kid/pet. Each one of these I read I seem to take a step back and try to make life a little better for my spoiled pup of 6 years. Sorry to hear of your loss again and hope GOD may bring a little bit of comfort to you and your family while you grieve. 66er

Thanks so much. Karli & I have read and re-read the wonderful comments and we really appreciate every single one of you.

As has been suggested in a number of your replies, it's going to take some time. Our friends (you and others) and our faith are cornerstones that make such difficult times also opportunities to grow. Thanks.

Bob

Thanks

Bob, thank you for the post above describing Gracee's illness. I'd never heard of foxtail or anything like it. I'm so very sorry for your loss and you can bet that my two are getting extra hugs and affection. May God send His healing mercies to you and your wife and help you through this heartbreaking ordeal.

Bob, I apologize for the lateness of my reply. I can't tell you how sad it makes me to here this story. I always liked the pictures you posted of Gracee. You could tell right away how special she was and what she meant to your family. Our condolences to you and Karli.

Bob and Karli - as others have said, you have our sincere condolences on the loss on your beloved companion Gracee. She was quite a hit with all of us at your range, I'm amoung the fortunate few that actually got to meet her and share the enjoyment of her company. She will be missed by all of us.

Someday there come a time when she will greet you again, as she romps over from the field near the Rainbow Bridge. Dan & Sue

May God help you guys through this...

I know the pain all too well myself...

Ya guys did not do anything wrong ... don't spend years second guessing... that dog likely had a ridiculesly good life better than most of us!

So sorry to hear Bob.

She's a beautiful pup. It would be hard not to fall in love with her.

Sorry for your great loss.