That really touched my heart. Sorry for your loss.

Sharing your story might also help another dog owner recognize the signs and act quickly. So for that as well, I thank you for sharing your ordeal.

I am so sorry for your loss.

I'd thank you all individually, but that'd be a little long. So, thank you all, once more.

My wife and I are pulling through. The majority of the tears have passed and we can talk and even joke about him without tearing up. Having Duke to focus on has really helped. We also treated ourselves to a nice dinner and a trip to the local zoo (or what Sacramento calls a zoo, anyway).

By the way, Angela, your signature just cracked me up.

 Quote: Scott Garrett

.... The majority of the tears have passed and we can talk and even joke about him without tearing up.

That is the milestone that we all fear will never come at first.

It honors the dog who is gone when we can remember the way he lived and not just the fact that he has died.

Another forum member (Bob Scott) has posted that they are worth every tear. It's so true.

I'm sorry for you loss Scott, it's always difficult.

That's funny about the Sac zoo, because I was thinking the same thing when we went there a few months ago.

 Quote: connie sutherland

 Quote: scott garrett

.... The majority of the tears have passed and we can talk and even joke about him without tearing up.

That is the milestone that we all fear will never come at first.

It honors the dog who is gone when we can remember the way he lived and not just the fact that he has died.

Another forum member (Bob Scott) has posted that they are worth every tear. It's so true.

Awesome post.

Something I've been thinking about lately was how he'd run around like crazed beast after a bath. We called it "the galloping sillies". He'd run around the perimeter of the back yard as fast as possible, while play growling and groaning and his tongue hanging from the side of his mouth, hit the ground for a furious back roll (still growling), then get up and take off again without shaking off...bits of grass flying off as he went. When he was young he'd do that until exhausted, then lay there panting with those crazy play-with-me eyes and his tongue still hanging from the side of his mouth. He had a leather soccer ball, which he had until it was literally only a few patches, that he'd sometimes pickup and carry with him. I think we have some vhs of it somewhere.

This just popped into my head. We have a picture of him (stored somewhere) when he was just a few weeks old, happily trotting away from a bag full of packing peanuts that he ripped open and spread everywhere.

Continuing that line of thought. I swear that dog was half goat. Some extremely considerate person threw their empty soda can into my yard one day and he shredded it into 1/2" sized pieces without cutting himself once. When we had our purebred rottie for a time, when Rasta was 1-3 years old, the two of them took a 4' tall palm tree all the way down to the ground. That required an emergency trip to the vet, too, because he became impacted. Who worries about their dog eating a tree? The vet said they gave him some super strong laxative and had to air the place out for 45 minutes the next morning before they could go in.

All of these things and more earned him the life-long nickname of "damn dog".

 Quote: John DeKruyff

I'm sorry for you loss Scott, it's always difficult.

That's funny about the Sac zoo, because I was thinking the same thing when we went there a few months ago.

Thank you.

No doubt. The place is unfortunately stuck in a catch 22. They can't improve the exhibits without the funding from visitors but, people don't like to go there because of the poor exhibits.

A couple things that might help a bit are to make a memory book and donate in his name either to your local shelter or to a canine health organization earmarked specifically for bloat.

I am brand new here, but am a long time dog owner and lover.

So, so sorry for your loss. The pain seems to go so deep; the main consolation I can offer is that your dog enjoyed the best home he could possibly have had for his entire life with you and your wife. He knew he was loved and cared for.

Best wishes,

Lesley

Oh, gosh, what a picture:

'The vet said they gave him some super strong laxative and had to air the place out for 45 minutes the next morning before they could go in."

Be sure this goes into his memory book.

Ditto Connie.
That one made me laugh out loud!