Adventures in Pet Sitting - Sad
One of my jobs this week had me spending a few days with Cooper, a Golden Retreiver, and his 'sister', Ruby, a German Shepherd. The morning of the day the job started, I got a text from Cooper's mom. She said he wasn't himself - he'd had a small seizure - and would I be extra vigilant when I got there. Of course, I said I would and would send her an update when I got there that afternoon.
When I arrived, Ruby was her usual rowdy self, but Cooper was no where in sight. I let Ruby out in the back yard and went in search of Cooper. It was too quiet and I had a bad feeling about the situation. I found Cooper under a desk upstairs, already gone. I checked for breath, heart beat, and even pain response. Nothing.
Damn.
By this time, Ruby's making a ruckus outside the backdoor. I snag her favorite treat, a raw chicken leg, out of the fridge and leave her out to work on that. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out how to tell the owner her dog has passed away. This is the first time I've had to do this.
Damn.
So, after a couple deep breaths to steady myself, I make the call. At first she thought I'd said Cooper had passed out. I repeated myself only this time I said he was gone. I could hear the disbelief and her hoping she was hearing me wrong. After describing, gently, what the situation was and trying to console her as best I could over the phone, I urged her to call her husband. She said she'd talk it over with him and call me back. I told her I'd stay as long as necessary. Several round of calls later, she had made arrangements and decided to come home. (She was nearby, sitting for her grandkid while her daughter was away.)
When she got there, and after Ruby got done with her welcome home dance, I put Ruby outside again and the owner headed upstairs. I stayed downstairs til the first shock of her grief passed, then went up and helped her bring him down. We placed him in the back of her van. A few hugs later and reminders not to blame herself, we went back inside.
Ruby was now our next concern. Since Ruby didn't have her playmate, we set her up with a stuffed bone to have something to do. She took to that right away, which made us feel better about leaving her alone.
The owner texted me later that evening and told me the vet confirmed what we suspected. Cooper had had some sudden, fatal event that could not have been prevented. Even had he been at the vet, they couldn't have done enough for a positive outcome. I was so glad to hear that there was no reason for guilty feelings for the owner!
On my last visit, I left a picture of Cooper (the only one I had) in a place she would normally expect to see him. She texted later to thank me as she doesn't have that many of him herself. It's going to be hard, but we'll carry on and remember that bright smile!
Rest well, Cooper.
Dang it. You have mentioned Cooper before ---- RIP Cooper.
This bums me out.
You did a nice job of everything there Deb.
Thanks. I was 'winging it'. Mostly, I didn't want to say the wrong thing. It's helped a little to write it out. Maybe it will stop replaying in my head now.
It also helps to have an objective opinion for feedback and support. I appreciate that more than I can say. Thanks again!
That's so sad, its horrible losing our furbabies they leave a massive hole :(
Too true. Coop was 11 or 12, I think. Not so old, but not young either. He was a mama's boy, so she's taking it a little harder than her husband. She still has Ruby to love on, too, so that should help. Thanks for your response!
I know how she feels I lost my gorgeous German Shepherd Sheara a few years ago,it rocked my world, I still cry over him
Yup, still cry over my Chinsu. We lost her April '08. It's never easy. When it's unexpected it can really throw us for a loop. My coping mechanism is to actively remember the good stuff even though I'm a sloppy mess. Eventually, the tears dry up and smiles come easier. It's a rough road, but what they give us is worth bearing the inevitable hurt.
So very true, just wish they lived as long as us :)