Well I have to add our Ben to this board, we lost him just before xmas last year, splenic tumor at the age of 14 and a half, here one day gone the next.I was in a daze for a week or so, I dont remember xmas, only thinking how strange it was for him not to be there not wanting his xmas turkey dinner.!!

We got him at 5 weeks old, a Lab/x that had been adandoned, in a skip with his litter mates.I can now look back and know he had a wonderful fulfilling life, and I am glad that he came into my life as he taught me so much.

We know have a new pup, and he has brought joy back into our lives,but we will never forget our Ben...........

You'll never forget your Ben - but you will start to remember him with a smile, rather than a tear {{hugs}} Margot

After reading your post I too had to add our Ben to the board. He was a Golden Retreiver/Collie cross. Like your Ben, he too died of a splenic tumor. We had him put to sleep on July 20th this year at age 13years and 2 months. He was 8 weeks old when we got him. At the moment we cannot bear to have another dog, but maybe in time this will change, we just miss him so much right now.

Hi.
I know how you feel, I still miss my lad every day,there will never be one like him again.I know we now have a new pup a Goldie, who has brought joy back, and we love him to bits, but no one will repalce my lad.

The only consolation is that it was very quick,and he did not suffer a great deal,but we did, !!!--. Hope they have met at Rainbow Bridge,the two Ben's to-gether.........

Kathryn.

Hi Kathryn,
Yes I very much hope they have met. Our Ben loved to play with other dogs, and I hope they both found loads of playmates at Rainbow bridge.

He died a week after being diagnosed and during that week he had some days where he was quite poorly. He had been having the odd off day for a few weeks before that, but as he was always back to his usual bouncy self the next day we just put it down to old age and slowing up. But during that last week he was having more off days than good and must have been bleeding quite badly. We couldn't watch him suffer any longer, and early Sunday morning we and called the vet. The moment we had been dreading had arrived. I held his head in my arms, I whispered everything would be ok as he looked up at me one last time, and as he closed his eyes, I said goodbye.

I am so happy that you have your new pup to love.

Reading your posts have helped me, thank you.

Marion

Hi Marion,
Glad that I helped you, it is always hard and I still have a weep when I think of my Ben, we lost him within 36 hrs, on the Wednesday morning we went for our usual walk, in the afternoon, he collapsed, I rushed him to the vets and they had to operate on him later that evening. They removed his spleen and he came through the op, but they did tell us it would be touch and go for 24 hrs.
We went to see him the next day and the look on his face said it all, it was a "Mum get me out of here," but of course I couldnt and he was wired up to drips etc.
Later that evening I rang to see how things were going and they said he had deterioted a little but still ok, then about and hour later my vet said you better come, I think he is giving up.
She knew him well, he had always been a fighter, and when we got there he didnt recognise us.So we had to let him go, it was quick and peaceful.

The days that followed, as I am sure you will know, you go round in a daze, the following day it was my birthday and I just did not want to celebrate, xmas came and went,and I thought of him daily, my pal had gone.

Now as I said we have got a new pup, a handful!! different, but I have to say does do some things the same as Ben. Hubby thinks it is him come back to us, in another dog,! I wish I could think that but have to say I wonder at times?.

Time is a great healer, they say, and only now can I look back and see that he didnt suffer too much, and I know that my vets gave him pain killers, and all the attention they could,and I only hope that he didnt suffer too much. I just wish that I could have been with him,more on his last day, and I hope he dosent think I deserted him.

We have his ashes and I always talk to him every day,which is a comfort,friends say that your first dog always has a special place in your heart, and I am sure that is true.

Hope your pain gets less, and they are now running free to-gether at the bridge.....

Kathryn.

Katheryn,
I have tears running down my face after reading your story. I am glad he didnt suffer too much, and I am sure he never thought that you had deserted him, he knew you loved him to bits.

With Ben we had the choice to have his spleen removed or not. After gathering all the facts about this illness we decide not to have it done. I will always feel guilty about this. It may or may not have given him a few more weeks or even months but we could not bear to have him go through a major operation as he was so poorly by then.

I too have his ashes. My intention was to scatter them where he loved to go on his walks in the woods, but so far I havent been able to part with them.

Just talking to someone who has lost a dear pal to this awful illness, has been of comfort to me and hopefully as time goes on I shall be able to remember all the good times and not dwell on the bad. Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond.

Marion.

Marion,
If I have helped then good....we all have to talk to feel a little better, we didnt really have a choice with our Ben's spleen op, the tumor had already burst and he was bleeding internally, when the vet said they had put in a drain and blood had come out it was to op or die.........I knew I had to give him that chance.
My poor lad pulled through only as I said before, to fail the next day.People say it does get better and it does.......a little..........I love our new boy to bits, and will do the best for him, but our Ben was special, and so was yours......
I dont know if you intend to get another dog, but all I can say is you will know when you want to, we didnt straight away, we went and saw litters, until we saw the litter Paddy was in, and we both knew, he licked our hands and then went and wee'd on hubby!!, we knew that was it.
If its any consolation when I was talking to our vet about splenic tumor's they are more common than people think, and always seem to get dogs around the 13/14yr mark.If it happens to a younger dog the prognosis is much the same, 6 months possible max, so at least our boys both had long fulfilling lives.
Take Care.
Kathryn.