Words cannot express the sadness I know you and your family must be feeling right now.
We were the proud owners of two beautiful black Labrador Retrievers from the time they were a couple weeks old to the day they passed on to doggie heaven.
Our female, Christie, developed cancer at approximately 12 years old. She was a part of our family and so we took her to the best specialist we knew and did all we could to give her the best fighting chance that we would give to any other family member. She had bone cancer that started in her leg which they amputated and assured us that through a series of chemo (sp?) therapy that she would get along just fine. And she did for a couple weeks. She actually got along just as well with three legs as she did with four. But, the chemo did not do the trick and a couple weeks later it did spread throughout the rest of her body and we too had to put her down to take her out of her pain after approximately $10,000 of surgeries and chemo.....would still do it all over again as they deserve the best chance in life as people do.
Our male lab, Chester, had arthritis for approximately two of the last of his years and we had to put him down after he could no longer get up on his own.....approximately four months after we had to put down Christie. :bang:
Yes, the good times do outweigh the bad, it just takes time to get over them at first.....to tell you the truth, you REALLY never do get over it, you just learn how to deal with it.
You and your family are definitely in our thoughts and prayers as we have been there and know the pain and hurt. It does get easier with time, but it will still leave a scar.
Only true dog lovers can understand this, but this is what we wrote about our guys once they were both gone:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR LITTLE BABIES
Sir Winston Chester Lyons
April 20, 1987 - July 3, 2000
AND
Princess Christie Nichole Lyons
November 5, 1987 - March 20, 2000
The tide recedes but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand,
The sun goes down, but gentle warmth still lingers on the land,
The music stops, and yet it echoes on in sweet refrains...
With every joy that passes, something beautiful still remains.
Why do we fell such a void, because you two were such the little humanoids.
We knew some day we'd have to part, but when you guys did you took our heart.
We miss you little fluff heads!
Love, Mommy & Daddy