Now it's Rowdy's Time

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Oh, come on Powers That Be, how much do you expect one person to take??:919Mad:

Rowdy is old, older than Molly at 14 yrs.........will be 15 come July. He's lived his whole life outdoors. It's not the cold. Rowdy has a coat like a polar bear, you couldn't find his skin if your life depended on it, even wet. Not to mention he's decked out with so many straw bales it looks like a mini fort in his kennel.....which has tarps to block the wind/wet and a roof built by sister in law years ago. Unless it's in the 20's, you can spot him panting in his kennel. So, no. It's not the cold. Besides, it's cold but it's been warmer today than it has been all week.

Due to his age and the fact he had so much trouble moving around, I've been a bit anal about checking on him several times a day.....easy because I do it when Maggie goes potty. He was up and moving fine (for him, he's slow) this morning and again around 2 pm. I just took Maggie out to potty about a half hour ago and he didn't respond to her coming into the yard. Sent up a red flag so I called to him. He didn't respond. So I called again......as I approached the kennel.........I didn't get a response until I went it and got up close and petted his head. I was also taking him supper.......kibble and warmed up baked chicken, quite a bit of the latter.

He wouldn't get up. He turned away from the chicken. Now Rowdy *might* refuse kibble once in a while.....but never people food. Again I tried to coax him up....and well......I noticed his breathing was similar to Molly's and that did it. I came in and fetched Travis to bring him inside while I grabbed something warm for him to lay on and to cover him up with. He's lying on the kitchen floor on a flannel sheet covered up with a microfiber blanket. I don't know that he was cold......but unless he pants I won't remove it. I don't know how long he was "down" and if his body temp dropped.

He did "sit up" (sort of) to drink a bit of water.....back legs he's not moving at all, front legs he's having issues as they're stiff movements and not a lot of control. Not a lot of mouth control either for that matter although he did manage to get some water down.

Normally being inside stresses him. He seems somewhat oblivious other than he is close to us. Maggie is stressing as she wants to check on him......but I don't want her bothering him. He appears at least as bad as Molly was the morning we took her in to the vet. He might improve as he warms up but I seriously doubting it. He has that same labored breathing. :(

Since I caught it not long after he went down (thank heaven he didn't have it happen after supper it would've been hard to tell in the dark)...and it's friday.....I'm gonna pray like mad the vet has a Sat morning appointment and I can get him in before monday. Travis does not want to see him suffer the weekend.....nor do I for that matter. I worried he wouldn't make it through the winter as it was but he had improved to the point in late fall where I couldn't justify putting him to sleep at that time.

I just didn't expect it to be a week after losing Molly. omg

Rowdy, you see, is my hero. Molly protected us from intruders multiple times. Rowdy did his best to save my life when he and I got hit by that truck and I lay unconscious on the street. Even hurt himself, he ran home for help.

I'm glad he is in out of the cold and is now as comfortable as I can make him. It's the least I can do for him. And I'm praying like mad it will be one of those saturday mornings our vet happens to be open. It might be because when i tried to get Maggie's stitches out they were closed on Wed......they tend to do that if they're going to have saturday appointments.

Someone up there must think I'm a LOT stronger than I think I am. Right now, and I admit it might be because it's only been a week since Molly, I feel like I just keep getting one blow after another without much chance to get on good emotional footing in between. :crying::not_fair:
 

Marcie Mac

Just Plain Ole Tired
Am so sorry Lisa. Poor baby. Hovers when they can't tell us what is wrong.

Mine are getting up there and I don't even want to say how much money we have paid the vets this year trying to keep them both going. Maggs got into a fight with Danny's pit, then when she was in there getting sewn up, her stomach turned and they had to go in and tack it. Then Tilly got an infected uterus and had to have emergency surgery. They are 13 and 14 years old. SO and I don't handle it well when we have to take them in :( The cold weather here has done a number on both of them with their arthritis kicking up.

Hope your vet has an opening in the morning so you can get him seen to.

Marcie
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
:( :( :( I'm so incredibly sorry. This happened when I had to put down our beloved kitty that belonged to difficult child years back, and two days later had to put down our beautiful cocker spaniel. I think there's some sort of jinx in these situations or something. It's really just tragic to go through pet loss at all, let alone twice so close together. I hope the vet is available tomorrow. I'm glad your pup is indoors with you now. Poor Rowdy :(
 

Tiapet

Old Hand
I'm so sorry :( any chance this too could be his reaction to Molly being gone? Kind of like a broken heart syndrome but delayed? You are thinking of cold but it may be depression? I don't know. I know you know your dogs but just thinking outside the box so that maybe it's not so drastic.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I'm hoping Tiapet is right but my gut says you are probably on target. Everyone here knows that I am not a "big" dog or pet person but I got teary eyed just reading your post. I remember what it was like when we lost Logan four years ago or so but I can not imagine even contemplating the loss of two loved friends. Sending support and hugs. DDD
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Rowdy passed away about a half hour ago.

Maggie suddenly started acting crazy in the dining room........play crazy like she after Molly passed. Rowdy lifted his head to look to the left........I went to him (I've been sitting less than 2 feet from him since he's been inside) he wasn't looking at Maggie.....I dunno what he was looking at......... maybe Molly had come since Maggie was acting the way she was........and he passed. I was there with him as he passed just as I was for Molly. He was warm and comfortable as I could make him. He didn't cross over out in the cold, alone or afraid. However Maggie went a bit nutty and is not acting herself even now. :(

I'm telling you all, I'm a strong person........but I can't take losing anyone else right now. Too many losses in too short a time. Too many whom I counted on to make me that strong person.......and now I feel like an empty shell of myself. :crying:
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Lisa,

I'm crying with you... But at least he didn't suffer for a long time, and you were with him. Now he's with Molly...
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Oh Lisa, I am so sorry! He was such a beauty, he looks like he's smiling in that picture. His heart was breaking for Molly and now they're together. ((HUGS)).
 

HaoZi

CD Hall of Fame
*HUGS* honey. Perhaps he couldn't bear to be parted from his dear Molly. He was certainly handsome!
 
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DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Gosh - this is all just so sad...

I'm so sorry!

There's no chance of tainted dog food or anything like that - was there? I'd hate for anything to happen to Maggie, too!
 

bby31288

Active Member
Oh Lisa, I'm coming into this a bit late! Hugs to you. I'm so sad. Losing our pets is so hard. I'm glad you were with Rowdy!
 
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