Rip, Dear Maya Went To Heaven Today

[Labsmum]

At about midday today, 1-6-05

Maya, my 15 year old yellow labrador retriever was PTS at the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. His quality of life had deteriorated to the point I think he may have been suffering too much. I had consultation from a vet who agreed it was certainly the most kind thing to do. I write in tears but also with fond memories of the adventures we shared. I will find this very hard but not impossible because life has to go on. I am grateful to have had had the blessing of a doggie companion for the term of his natural life.

I post a pic of him smiling when we went back to the Maribyrnong for a visit recently. Say a little prayer for his truelly loyal soul please,

many thanks,

Kaye (Katey on the forum, I am really Kaye)

How do you ever get over it? I suppose you do not and you put your energy in to helping new young dogs get a happy and healthy life, driven by the love that sparked the enthusiasm. Ie like Maya, the old boy whom we lost today.

He was my rock, my boy, my diamond boy. Truelly beautiful. I am so gratefull to have known him. Sorry, I cannot remember being as gushy as I am right now. Probably never before have I felt such a loss as I do over this boy. Life will go on however. I do not know what else to say. I am far too emotional. It is probably better if I say nothing else. Just send him some prayers please and let him know I loved him completely. He knows that I think.

[bommy]

Kaye,

It is very hard to get over the loss of a pet & it is harder I think when you are the one that makes the decision to send them to the bridge..

Take comfort knowing you made the right decision for him & he is now running free at the bridge, playing gaily with all our loved ones that we too have sent to the bridge

Jacqui

RIP MAYA

[Guest LittlePixie]

So sorry Kaye....

RIP Maya.

[Labsmum]

I am in tears of flood. It does not seem real. Is he really gone? I am going to write to the vet too to reassure her. She was crying too. What a horrible job to leave her with. To kill my dog whilst I ran away?

[Toohey]

Kaye, I don't know how to help ease your pain. I dread the days when my two will have to leave and can't even bear to imagine how I will cope without either of them, and recover from the loss.

Maybe find a new doggy freind to love, and in the meantime allow yourself to cry and grieve for your beloved Maya.

I wish they could live as long as we do

[Bundyburger]

Sorry. RIP Maya.

[cavNrott]

.

Edited March 14, 2009 by cavNrott

[RnB]

15 is Grande! Your dog is released physically, from pain and wear and tear

The rest no doubt lives on...for true love never dies

Thinking of you and understanding such a sad selfless situation as I too have numbered days b4 the time is right to release a dear old friend.

He wouldnt want you to be sad, stagger on rejoicing for having known and spent time, with such a dear friend.

Sue

[greyhoundangel]

Time doesn't make it easier, I speak from experience. Having it happen more often does not make it easier.

I try and find understanding, although most times I can't.

The only thing that I hold dear is that I had the chance to know and love them, that can never be taken away from me.

Run free at the Rainbow Bridge Maya - I'm sure Jade and the gang would love to play.

Mel

[Guest cloverfdch]

I am so sorry Kaye. Rest easy Maya.

The rest no doubt lives on...for true love never dies

[blacklabrador]

;) From one who knows the true love of a labrador

Run free Maya

[Labsmum]

I hope time does make it better. I could not stay in these doldrums. Maya would not like that at all. I must write to the vet who had the job of giving him the injection. She had tears too. What a job, what a hard job. I just ran out the door and could not face seeing him die. My last memory of him is his smile, his partly blind eyes and his angelic smile through his angelic, gone white, labrabor yellow hair. I felt like I just abondoned him. I still feel very guilty. Maybe I could have nursed him on. Maybe I could have lived with the poo that hapenned every night.

I tried to.

Rest in peace dear boy. I love you forever and always will. You are the best dog in the whole world. Rest in peace. I love you entireley.

[Labsmum]

On the way home, yesterday now, I saw a human funeral happenning. Maya left so humbly, like he lived. No 100 people came in suits and pretty dresses. No arrangement of flowers for him. No limosines to drive him in a fancy box. I was actually puzzled about why not!

I have two other labradors, two girls, Bella and her daughter, Heidi, they are sitting on the floor, wagging their tails, wondering why I am behaving so differently to normal. Thankyou everyone. Maya is still walking around the house, I can still hear his footsteps. Thanks Blacklabrador. Time to get strong now and feed the girls some good tucker.

(edited for spelling)

Edited June 1, 2005 by Katey

[Labsmum]

I do not want to be a snob about breeds of dogs. Maya was a labrador retriever. He died yesterday at 15.5 years of age. I just need some time to get over it. Ie his death. F---k, never love a lab, they are too hard to get over!!!

I have two other ones and must stay together to be able to feed them and show them some fun. I will do that. Yes. I will do that. Avanti!

[Rozzie]

They're always with you Katey.

[jans]

Kaye, I am so very sorry for your loss and what you had to go through for your friend. I had to do the same thing a few months ago too - my best friend of 15 years had lost his quality of life and I made the decison to take him to Lort Smith too.

The hardest thing to cope with for me was having to make that decision. For the weeks leading up to it, I used to pray that I would wake up in the morning and find he'd left me for the bridge. That was a selfish thing to hope for, becasue I didn't want the burden of making the final decsion for him. Maybe that's what you are going through too. I too said to myself after the event that I could have put up with the burden a little bit longer but on reflection there are different kinds of suffering and I really beleive that Rex wanted to go, was ready to go, but it was my selfishness and my lack of courage that dragged it on.

Give yourself some comfort that as a dog lover, you probably gave that dog the best life in the whole world, and he wouldn't have exchanged his 15 years with you for 30 years with someone who didn't love him as much.

Take heart - each day will be a little bit easier

[Labsmum]

Thanks Jans. I think you might be right. The dear boy had lost his dignity. There is no point or kindness in extending the details.

On the happy side, we crossed the Nullabor together and went as far north (WA) as Kalbarri (from Melbourne). He had the holiday of his life, golden boy on golden Aussy sands. Red dirt boy! We had a lot of happy camping holidays, did lake hops around NW Victoria (looked at the map and went from one lake to another). Every time we stopped he was bouncing to get out of the van to go and explore. We felt safe wherever we stayed with such a determined gaurd dog. He would show his teeth if anyone/thing threatened ..... but what a good actor!

There was one occassion where he ran off too far and nearly got lost. We could not see him because he was the same colour as the sand.

Another strange thing about Maya....can anyone tell me why or how?...He only had fleas when he was a pup. He was on homeopathic flea tablets for about 2 years and after that he never got a flea again. My two girls do not get fleas either. I do not have to use any medication at all. No 'revolution' or whatever product. That is a bit strange don't you think? I do have a very good vaccuum cleaner. a Wertheim. I am not boasting but it is very good if you have furry animals and carpets. Does anyone have any opinions about why Maya never had fleas?

So he had 13 years with no fleas, so maybe you are right Jans.

PS I talk 'we' but I am only me, well I am 'us' in fact. It is more cool to have a boyfriend or a hubby. I did then and was not lieing. (how do you spell that word?) Somethings just do not work out, sometimes.

Maya did.

[V.A.H.]

Kaye

ALL sympathy

been there done that!

I allowed my boy to go on too long I felt later, with NO quality at all left--

at 17 for small breed it was one hell of a life

Now i have such lovely memories, I can only wish you the same.

its a kindness to see them off and I believe they understand

God Bless you--I find having another dog is the best therapy and does NOT detract from ones love of the passed one

Val

[puakenikeni]

Kaye: My. You must have some wonderful memories of your Maya. RIP gorgeous one. ;)

Your post made me cry a river of tears. The love you shared was beautiful.

[Labsmum]

Thanks again all you kind folks. I think what I have found so hard is having to have made the decision to have him PTS. I am having trouble with feeling "guilty" of killing him. I was nearly going to walk out the door with him and say we might come back later.....He was so stoic that I think he would have lived with any amount of pain until he dropped. An excellent dog trainer told me in his early days that he had so much enthusiasm for life, "almost too much". Quoting the dog trainer. That was Maya and how he was. Even at the vets before being PTS he was looking for a treat, an extra nibble. (Labradors love their tucker). I thought to ask for it but didn't and feel guilty now about that too.

Even the vet cried about having to put him down. I sent the hospital a card to thank all the staff involved. It was a sweet card, it had a photo of a labrador puppy and a big bunch of roses on it. I just said thankyou because they had the hardest job. I just walked out the door and could not face seeing him pass. Most I can remember is his smile. Even on that day he smiled. Crickey. He was so beautiful that boy. I grow plants and am a horticulturist but nothing I've seen flower is as beautiful as he was.

Katey