Rainbow Bridge for our beloved Chloe

[Susan54]

If anyone remembers my story of my Border Collie having ostosarcoma around January of this year. I was on the old Board. She had her leg amputated up to the shoulder and was doing great with her Chemo treatments. She had 6 treatments and the specialized vet said he would check her in 3 months. We took her back and he said she needed 3 more treatments. In the meantime with her arthritis getting worse because of the hopping on her one front leg it did her back hind quarters in. She had previously been diagnosed with arthritis before her surgery. I questioned the vet and he told me she was in remission and the protocol for keeping her there was to do 3 more treatments. We did two and stopped. Chloe got very week and was urinating blood and could not even walk. I put her in the car and took her to her regular vet and she gave her a predisone shot for the arthritis and also gave her an antibotic for the blood in the urine. That was a week ago and Monday we had to put her asleep. I stayed with her the whole time. She was so week and was urinating on herself and had that look in her eyes that told me that it was time to put her to rest. My daughter carried her into the vets office because she could not even walk. She lasted 8 months from the time of diagnosis til now. She went down within the last two weeks actually. It was the hardest thing I ever did but I asked her at the end to "give mommy kisses" and she did. I had her buried in the local pet cemetery and I stayed til they picked her up. My husband and I are having her picture put on her monument and also these words "Our Chloe....God's creation and gift to her family. We miss her so much but I know that we did give her extra time. So when I see her come over the Rainbow Bridge to meet me someday she will be running with all four legs and be her energetic border collie self once again.
Thank you all for your support. Chloe was my best friend and a member of our family. Susan

[Christine]

Dear Susan,

I don't know you, but I do know your pain. May th wonderful memories of your Chloe sustain you now. Prayers for peace.

[Dianne]

Oh Susan,

Tears for Chloe. I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. You tried so very hard and gave her so much love.

I followed your story from the beginning. You were the best of dog-moms. ...so very, very sorry for your loss, but I do understand the "look in the eye" that says, "I'm ready to rest".

Sympathy to you and your family,

Dianne

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Oh, I am so very sorry for your loss. What a beautiful tribute to your "Gift from God" and how lucky was Chloe to have you as her mommy, and that you were able to send her to the Bridge. It IS the hardest thing we will ever do and sometimes the best gift we can give. Relief from the pain and sorrow of not being able to live up to her life's dreams, being your four-legged best friend. I cry for your loss.
We'll all be at the Bridge one day and we will all get to finally meet. I'lll be looking for a frisky Border Collie named Chloe.

[Dianne]

Susan,

Thank you for the sympathy for Lucky (died Sept. 11, 2006), but today is about YOU and Chloe.

There is a sense of calmness and relief to know a pet is no longer suffering. There is a peace that passeth understanding that comes to those who have lost. I am hoping that you also feel this peace.

Dianne

[tessa]

susan...my heart goes out. i have my own pup with osteosarcoma. she is not yet finished the chemo. it's so close to the bone to read of your chloe's passing. i'm so sorry. i can well imagine your pain.
peace and strength to you,
tessa

[Susan54]

Tessa,

Thank you for writing. We atleast extended her life 8 months from the time of diagonosis /amputation/ and treatments. She received 6 treatments. The onocologist said she was in remisssion after the first 6. He said the cancer was no where to be found. When I took her back to him for her 3 month recheck....he told me she need 3 more to keep her in remission and then in 3 months 2 more. That was the protocol. We did the first one which was the little chemo. She tolrated that one o.k. But the second one was the long one cisplation. She got very week, was falling when she went out and came back in. I took her to her regular vet and she told me that her arthritis must be acting up. She gave her a predisone shot and told me that she would eat and drink alot. Guess what? Chloe didn't really do either. We had to make her eat. I boiled chicken, Ground round and rice and fed it to her. Pure protein. She ate but she uncontrollable urinated all the time. Chloe had never went in our house in the 9 years we had her. She had also urniated blood. I called my vet on that and that was after that treatment. She said it must be a UTI. She got antobitics for it. Her last days..... She would nudge you and look back at her pad that was under her to tell you that she did it. We were suppose to see remarked improvement but we did not. She couldn't even walk to go outside. So she would give me this ....it's over look. I didn't want her to suffer and I didn't know what was going on...if she was in pain....or what. The vet told me that it would get difficult at the end with her and I would know when to put her asleep. As much as I loved her I couldn't let my proud girl suffer.

I even questioned the extra 3 treatments. She tolorated all of the other treatments (first 6) so well.

I guess we were just biding our time but.... don't get me wrong.....I would do it again in a heartbeat to keep her with us. She was such a great girl!

I hope your dog does well with the treatments. Be careful and look for signs if he/she starts failing or peeing blood.

Let me know how your dog does......

Thanks for caring

Susan

[tessa]

susan...i was up crying half the night. crying for you and your chloe....crying for me and my xena.

i've not heard of the follow up chemo before. i won't be surprised now if it comes up.

i just wanted to say that i've had, in the back of my mind, my list of 'bottom lines'. one of them is that i will let her go when she becomes incontinent. she has only had one accident in the house...when she was puppy...and she was sick. she pooped beside the door. she was so embarrassed and horrified...she sulked for days. then when i moved to australia...she had to go into quarantine for a month. i visited her every day and saw her distress when she had to go to the bathroom in her own kennel, but she was not allowed out. she was quarantined! she cried and cried and cried....and i would have to get stern with her and order her to go (she goes on command) so that it would be *my* fault and not her's. and then she would only go in the corner...so tight in the corner that it was sometimes on the wall.
personally...i'm totally fine with her becoming incontinent...but i know that she will not be. i've promised that i will not make her live like that. i will make the hard decision then too.
but for now, i must look away. i want to be happy in my last months with her, and pray for years to have with her, and not spend too much of this time crying.

my thoughts are with you and your chloe, susan.
xena has her own blog and you are welcome to come check in anytime to see how she's doing.

hugs to you,
tessa

[Cindidoxiemom]

It was the hardest thing I ever did but I asked her at the end to "give mommy kisses" and she did. ... her monument and also these words "Our Chloe....God's creation and gift to her family. We miss her so much but I know that we did give her extra time. So when I see her come over the Rainbow Bridge to meet me someday she will be running with all four legs and be her energetic border collie self once again.
Thank you all for your support. Chloe was my best friend and a member of our family. Susan

I am crying as I type this....I know your heart is aching and you miss your beautiful Chloe. We always say they will let yu know when it is time, and Chloe did just that.
My thoughts and prayers are with you!
Cindi

[Susan54]

Cindi,

Thank you for your kind words. I truly miss my Chloe girl. It is so quiet around my house. All of our kids are grown and married and my husband and I are empty nesters. Chloe always kept me busy with walks and frisbee and playing ball. I truly enjoyed caring for her. She was such a wonderful girl. She always knew what I was thinking before I said it. Border Collies are 90% mind and 10% dog. She was one smart girl. She is currently on Pet First Insurance brochure. She is on the back with her American Flag scarf on and she was a beautiful black and white with a blaze up her nose. They asked if they could use her story and picture for the brochure. Her story is on the wagging tails Spring 2006 Pet First website. We had Pet First Insurance when all this came about and they were great in paying for our claims on the amputation and Chemo treatments. We took it out because she had turned 8 and was starting with the arthritis. Little did we know what was around the corner for us.

Thanks again for writing........I find it very consoling to come to Rainbow Bridge web page. I appreciate everyone's words of encourgement.

Sincerely,

Susan

[Susan54]

Tessa,

Please don't misunderstand me on my Chloe's treatments. Your doctor may be totally different from mine. But do thoughly enjoy your xena now and for the months to come. There is no greater joy in knowing that you are doing all you can to sustain the life of your companion.

You will know when xena has done all she can also.

Love to you and xena! Thank you for consoling me in my heartbreak.......

Sincerely,

Susan