I knew her time was near....

[jrabq]

…..but I can't believe she's gone. My best friend Ziba died yesterday, Thanksgiving Day. She got out of her bed and then fell over, unable to walk but holding her head up. After a while she started having seizures and I got her moved downstairs in preparation for the next step. The phone calls to the vet went unanswered, so I drove to the office not far away to see if they had any emergency contacts listed on the door, which they did (it would have been nice it they put that info on their answering machine, BTW). So I called the emergency number and got the details where to take her. Then my wife called and told me Ziba had just died in her arms. At least she died at her home, but I felt terrible for not being there. Her health had been going downhill for the last year or two, but it had been mostly mobility/hip issues. Just recently it did seem like something else was going on with her, but we couldn't figure out what it was. One thing we noticed was she had not barked in the last couple of months. Some days she looked bad, other days she looked pretty spry, wagging her tail a lot.

She was a couple months shy of her 14th birthday, I was really expecting her to last until then, perhaps even another 6 months to a year. I knew this was going to hurt, but it's hit me harder than I expected. Happening on Thanksgiving has made it even tougher. She was my best friend and hunting buddy for the last 13 years, the most special dog I've ever had.

Goodbye sweet Ziba, R.I.P.

Here's one of my favorite pics, when she was about 4, and the source of my avatar.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Sorry for your loss, even when you know that time is coming it's still a terribly difficult thing to experience. Relive the memories you had together!

 

[jrabq]

.. Relive the memories you had together!

I'll do my best, thank you for the comment.

 

[Irrelevant]

Sorry to hear. It's never easy, especially on a day we're celebrating all we're have to be thankful for

 

[HighDesertSage]

So sorry Jr. I lost my ollie boy in January. One of the toughest things I have ever gone through. I wish you and your family peace during this difficult time. Remember the good times.

 

[Nameless Range]

Losing a dog is as hard as losing a human family member. I have often thought about why that is, and I think it has to do with the fact that a dog maintains its innocence forever. They are perfect as themselves everyday of their lives.

I'm sorry for your loss. Something a friend told me when we went through this last year with our own dog, was to look at your sadness as a blessing, for you had a dog worth crying over. She gave you memories to be grateful for.

 

[noharleyyet]

Sorry jrabq....we are getting near the dreaded threshold with our oldest Golden, Bella.

 

[BlakeA]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

So sorry. Heart wrenching times but what a great life you gave her.
I know how you feel, I was fishing in Alaska when my first Brittany passed.

 

[ashersdad]

Been through that several times and it never gets any easier. Cherish the life you had with her and know that she lived a life most dogs can only dream of.

 

[406LIFE]

I'm sorry to hear this. I am acutely feeling this.

I'm in the situation now with my yellow lab where each morning may be the last. I let her eat off my plate, sleep where she wants, and pet her as much as I can.

Treasure the memories.

 

[jrabq]

Thanks for the kind comments, I really appreciate it. I'm trying to be thankful that she died at home, relatively quickly, I was dreading that I would have to make a trip to the vet for the "shot". But I am very regretful that I was not at home when she died, I was 10 minutes too late.

Here is a thread from 2 years ago when she was starting to have mobility problems, but still making it work!

Still some magic in the old dog.

During this duck season my dogs's age (12 in January) and physical decline have become very apparent; especially the last few weeks as the high water flow conditions on the Rio Grande have made it tough for an old dog (and me too). But yesterday she showed me she still has a little magic left...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Hurts the heart. Story behind the name Ziba?

 

[TheTone]

Dang, sorry to hear and good luck dealing with the loss.

Our older lab is coming up on 10 with some back issues and a knee we had worked on 6 years ago. I dread the day she is gone

 

[jrabq]

Story behind the name Ziba?

My wife was not real keen on getting another dog, so I told her she could name it to help things along. My wife is Persian/Iranian, and "Ziba" means something very beautiful (a women, artwork, or object in nature) in Farsi. My only constraint was it had to be a name I could yell out loudly. I named our new Lab "Maggie".

 

[sluggo6850]

Sorry for your loss. It is so hard when you lose Your best friend and hunting partner, but you still have many happy memories.

 

[BrentD]

I am sorry to see you lose your buddy. There is nothing that feels as bad. But hang on to those memories. You will have a lot of them. As so many others have pointed out the memories are everything. In the end, I think this is why we do any of this.

 

[Hunting Wife]

So sorry for your loss. I hope eventually the memories are a source of comfort.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

No good, sorry for your loss!
Matt

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Sorry for the loss always harder than ya think. Almost 14 years is a great run for a lab you must kept her healthy and happy. I bet she had the ultimate life. Hold on to the memories!