Agnes_and_Lucille

It has been a couple days but I have been too upset to post this.

Monday morning when I left for work, Lilly was fine.
Monday night when I got home, she wasn't feeling too well. I thought
she might have pulled something so I gave her a Tramadol. Lilly has
been in early-stage congestive heart failure since June 2008 but no
symptoms and I had been aggressively managing her diet, exercise and
meds, so she never had a single problem or symptom until Monday.

Monday night she began coughing and heavy breathing. I work for a
rescue with its own animal hospital so I called the director at home
and she told me to bring Lilly in anytime after 6 AM on Tuesday, we'd
xray her and up her meds. Lilly didn't feel good but she ate her
dinner and came upstairs to the bedroom on her own, and wanted to get
in the people bed. She rested but didn't really sleep so neither did
I. I got up and turned the space heater on for her because she was
cold but didn't want to be covered with her special pink plaid blankie
like usual.

Finally about 4 AM she asked to get down from the bed. I went
downstairs and got her a big drink of water. I knew she was thirsty
with a dry throat from the mouth breathing so although I never give
them water in my room I went and got her a big drink. Then she went
and layed on her doggie bed. She was quiet and seemed better so I
went to sleep.

When the alarm went off at 7 she was gone. She looked so peaceful,
like she was asleep. She never struggled or made a sound because I
know I would have heard her, I was barely asleep myself. It was such
a shock. I talked to our regular vet Tuesday afternoon--we were both
crying so hard we could barely talk--and she thinks Lilly threw a
blood clot and had a heart attack. Since she looked so peaceful she
probably went in her sleep. But our vet said, since she'd had a
Tramadol even if she was awake she wouldn't have been in pain.

I lost Agnes Marie Basset Hound to CHF and it was so hard to watch her
decline and then have to make the decision to send her to the Bridge.
I think Lilly loved me so incredibly much that she wanted to save me
all that pain, and chose her day and time to go, in her favorite spot,
with Mommy and Becky. Lilly never had a single symptom or bad day
until her last few hours. My heart is broken but I'm grateful to her
for that. She had a very severe heart murmur (5/6) and was only
given 6 months to live when this was diagnosed in June 2008...so she
lived more than 1 1/2 happy, healthy, wiggly years after she should
have been gone.

Lilly was very pawtite (@ 35 lbs), loved everything pink and pretty
and girly, loved everyone and being the center of attention at basset
events, loved to flirt with cute boy bassets, loved House of Puddles,
her late husband Lucien, her sister and BFF Becky but most of all
Mommy. She was a little hurricane who would attack any doggie that
dared to sit by Mommy (except for Lucien and Becky. Usually). Lilly
was my heart dog, there will never be another.

Hurricane Lilly ATB




My friend Jeanne Wells took that last photo. Jeanne does a photoshoot
at House of Puddles every year; I'm so grateful to her for taking that
beautiful shot of Lilly. You can see more at
http://www.jeannewells.com/prints/hop.htm And Jeanne said something
very comforting to me after Lilly died: Now she is everywhere. It
hurts, but that helps.

__________________
Melynda, the Momslave to Becky & Lilly, Lucille, Lucien (AT, Agnes (AT, and Max the Really Bad Siamese C@t (AT
Pawshington, DC (DogsnotCats)
Visit our Dogster page!

murraysmom

I'm so sorry for you loss. Our dachshund Hansel died of congestive heart failure a few years ago, he was a very old boy, but it ws hard to see him go. The photos you posted are beautiful. I love what Jeanne said " Now she is everywhere". Sincere condolences.

AmyB

I'm sorry for your loss. You obviously have many lovely memories of Lilly, which will in time replace the sadness you are feeling now. She was a beautiful girl.

__________________
Amy, mom to
Sadie (ATB, 6/9/06) & Spencer (ATB, 8/19/10) - always in my heart
and Clifford (gotcha date 7/2/11).

bcc11

What a touching tribute for a beautiful dog. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Colleen

twobassets

Losing them is so very hard but all of the love and joy we get is such a gift. Your friend left you with a beautiful sentiment and I think it is true - they are everywhere and always with us. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

__________________
Suzanne, mom to Prince Luther & Princess Sammy who think they are Royalty and require they be treated as such!
Sasha Foo ATB July 16, 2002

LuvOurBasset

I am so, so sorry for your loss of your gorgeous Lilly!

Love her pictures and glad she went on her terms and not making you make the final decision.

She sounds like she was very thoughtful Basset.

Please know we will all be thinking of you and Lilly and keeping you both in our thoughts!

Kathy

Yogi's Mom

I am so sorry for your loss. Lilly sounds like she was quite a hound. I hope someday soon you will be able to laugh and smile when you think of all the wonderful times you and Lilly shared.

Betsy Iole

That was a very moving tribute. Everyone who has lost a beloved hound shares in your grief.

__________________
Betsy, Mom to
CH Bugle Bay's Sin City Caper UD RE TD BHCA-VC
CH Bugle Bay's Sin City Cuppa Joe TD
CH Bugle Bay's AllUCanEat Buffet CDX RN TDX NA CGC BHCA-VCX, 1996-2008
"Bugsie" UDX NA NAJ CGC, 1991-2006

Jake's mum

We were very sorry to learn the sad news about Lilly, a very beautiful and obviously much loved Hound. It sounds as though she had such a peaceful end. Cherish those happy memories...

__________________
Mum to Jake Hound, rescued 9th April 2001, ATB 28th December 2009
Mum to Harvey Hound, born 16th May 1999
England

2hounds

A great tribute to a lovely girl. Sorry for your loss. Each time someone on here looses a hound, I feel the pain and cry every time. You're a great mommy to all those houndies and you give them the best in their final years.

~Heather

__________________
Mommy to Gibbs and kitty kitty Eva

Dear sweet Lily (ATB ) you will never be forgotten.