uncouth
Boxer Pal
Hi all, thanks for providing this section of the forums to help those grieving find a semblance of closure in a community of like-minded Boxer owners.
I’ve often visited these forums to glean tips on taking proper care of my dog, and now find myself a member of the community for a much different reason.
Last night, while at an event, I received a frantic call from my girlfriend and her son. Apparently, our dog (Loki – 7 year old female brindle), had just run circles around them (usual occurrence around our household) as they got home from dinner, when she suddenly collapsed. My brother was able to help get Loki to the 24 hour AETC location just a block from our home, but the doctors there could not bring her back. Their best guess is that Loki suffered a cardiac arrhythmia. Her heart simply stopped.
I purchased Loki the first week after moving out on my own. One of my dad's famous rules was "You can have a dog when you move out." So I got one.
Since then my love of the breed spread to my brother, and even my parents. Both now own Boxers (a brindle female for my parents, and a brindle male for my brother).
In the past 8 years Loki has been the one constant in my life. She'd be the first there to greet me, and the first to know if something was wrong. Her canine instincts were finely tuned, indeed, and she often provided a soft pillow to lay my troubled head on. When my girlfriend and her teenage son moved in, she welcomed them with a friendly bark and a wag of the tail. We were a very happy little family for 2+ years, until last night's unexpected events.
Unexpected, because Loki was always a healthy dog. In fact, aside from an attack she experienced at the jaw of a loose pit bull in the neighborhood, her medical history is a short and boring one. She went in for her regular visits, got all of her required shots, and heartworm medicine, and was always found in perfect health. This makes accepting her passing all the more difficult.
In fact, acceptance is something I’m battling with. I still expect to hear her paws hit the floor as I come up the stairs and unlock the back door, her tail wagging in greeting, doing her crazy dance, butt shaking from side to side… I know only a day has passed, and grief has many steps along the way, but I find myself completely unable to function. Something I didn't experience even with passing of family members. I put on a brave face for my girlfriend and her son (who slept with Loki’s toys last night…) but really have a difficult time looking ahead.
I’m hoping some of you can pass along something that will help us grieve.
I also have a question related to the passing of a first dog. Did you end up getting another? How long did you wait in between? And finally, any regrets?
Thanks again for making this a place to share our grief, and allowing me to ramble. I often find writing can be cathartic, and this forum provides the canvas. It is much appreciated.
I’ve often visited these forums to glean tips on taking proper care of my dog, and now find myself a member of the community for a much different reason.
Last night, while at an event, I received a frantic call from my girlfriend and her son. Apparently, our dog (Loki – 7 year old female brindle), had just run circles around them (usual occurrence around our household) as they got home from dinner, when she suddenly collapsed. My brother was able to help get Loki to the 24 hour AETC location just a block from our home, but the doctors there could not bring her back. Their best guess is that Loki suffered a cardiac arrhythmia. Her heart simply stopped.
I purchased Loki the first week after moving out on my own. One of my dad's famous rules was "You can have a dog when you move out." So I got one.
Since then my love of the breed spread to my brother, and even my parents. Both now own Boxers (a brindle female for my parents, and a brindle male for my brother). In the past 8 years Loki has been the one constant in my life. She'd be the first there to greet me, and the first to know if something was wrong. Her canine instincts were finely tuned, indeed, and she often provided a soft pillow to lay my troubled head on. When my girlfriend and her teenage son moved in, she welcomed them with a friendly bark and a wag of the tail. We were a very happy little family for 2+ years, until last night's unexpected events.
Unexpected, because Loki was always a healthy dog. In fact, aside from an attack she experienced at the jaw of a loose pit bull in the neighborhood, her medical history is a short and boring one. She went in for her regular visits, got all of her required shots, and heartworm medicine, and was always found in perfect health. This makes accepting her passing all the more difficult.
In fact, acceptance is something I’m battling with. I still expect to hear her paws hit the floor as I come up the stairs and unlock the back door, her tail wagging in greeting, doing her crazy dance, butt shaking from side to side… I know only a day has passed, and grief has many steps along the way, but I find myself completely unable to function. Something I didn't experience even with passing of family members. I put on a brave face for my girlfriend and her son (who slept with Loki’s toys last night…) but really have a difficult time looking ahead.
I’m hoping some of you can pass along something that will help us grieve.
I also have a question related to the passing of a first dog. Did you end up getting another? How long did you wait in between? And finally, any regrets?
Thanks again for making this a place to share our grief, and allowing me to ramble. I often find writing can be cathartic, and this forum provides the canvas. It is much appreciated.
