Dealing with the Passing of a Border Collie

[Brett Chatz]

Hello, I made the crushing decision to put down my beloved BC at the age of almost 8. He had been vomiting repeatedly and despite 5 vet visits, medications, digital imaging and the like, the problem persisted.  The vomiting began in May and continued through June. Eventually, the endoscopy revealed an ulcer. The biopsies revealed aggressive stomach cancer. Needless to say I was rocked to my core - since Chummy had recovered from an external sarcoma at the age of 6 (on his face), barely 18 months earlier. I fell to pieces learning of the news. Chummy was my whole life. I absolutely adored this dog. I asked the vet what could be done. Nothing. No surgery. No chemo. No radiation. He said that the next time he vomits, I should bring him in to be put down. I could not bare to wait and have him suffer. I was literally falling to pieces with this adorable creature. So I took him in, and I have been broken ever since. You cannot replace the one you love, but you can learn to love again. These dogs are soulful and intelligent. I need them in my life to feel content - they are beautiful creatures. My search continues...

Edited July 2, 2020 by Brett Chatz
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[Never2manyBCs]

I am so very sorry for your loss. I have lost far to many of my beloved companions to cancer and it never gets any easier. My heart dog a BC to bladder cancer at 13, another BC to lymphoma at 12, a Rottweiler to hystiosarcoma at 8 1/2 years old, a BC to liver cancer at 13, 4 cats to lymphoma, a horse to cancer at 22 years. One never replaces another, but they do fill the void and offer us a whole new love.

When it seems that our sorrow is too great to be borne, let us think of the great family of the heavy-hearted into which our grief has given us entrance. And inevitably, we will feel about us their arms, their sympathy and their understanding.

- Helen Keller

Hugs,

Joellen

[SS Cressa]

I’m so sorry for your loss. 

[urge to herd]

It's so painful to lose them, especially so young. You and Chummy are in my thoughts today for the next several days. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

Ruth & Gibbs

[GentleLake]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. I lost my first border collie to cancer at the same age; it's soul crushing.

I hope good memories of your special boy will give you some comfort, and that you'll find a new soul to love again.

[diane allen]

I feel your pain.  Try to remember the good times, eventually it will be easier; but the pain never goes away.

diane

[D'Elle]

I am so very sorry for your loss of such a beloved companion. I know how it feels for me when I lose one I love so much, and it is terrible. 

You don't ever really get over it, but it is true as you say that you learn to love again. My experience is that a good medicine for the grief is to love another dog. I cannot be without a dog in my life, so that's what I do. I have heard that grief is love with no place to go and I think that's true.  Loving another dog doesn't take away from the love I still have for the ones I loved in the past, but it gives today's love  a place to go.

[aschlemm]

I'm so sorry for your loss.  You are in my thoughts.  I've lost the first two Borders I owned and my second pair are 10 and 13 years so I dread what I know is coming.

[Lawgirl]

I am so sorry for your loss.  I lost my Oscar suddenly to sepsis on 9/11 last year.  He would have turned 8 today.  I am struggling today.

[amc]

Anniversaries can be hard, Lawgirl.  <Hugs> to you, and I suggest you use a dose of D'Elles good medicine and show some extra love to the dogs in your life today.

Take care,

Amy

[Katflea]

Hi Brett.  I just saw your post. Our BC has been having the same symptoms as Chummy. She has been vomiting everyday for two months now. We first attributed it to a bacterial infection and then to a food allergy. We moved her to a hydrolyzed protein diet which seemed to take care of it for three weeks (she stopped vomiting) and then she started to reject the hydrolyzed protein and began vomiting. All of the blood work and imaging (Xrays and ultrasound) were normal. We have spent over $3,500 in vet care and the vets still cannot figure out what she has.  Would an endoscopy provide more insight into what is going on? I think an endoscopy is around $3,000.  Is that true?

[Brett Lance Chatz]

Hello everyone! Thank you all for your replies. It has been around 5 months since Chummy's passing. Time has made the loss easier to contend with, but I must say it is really the young Border Collie named Juno (Chummy's nephew) who has made healing possible. He's only 11 months old but he's got my attention 24/7. So to those who have questioned the nature of the disease that Chummy had - it was aggressive stomach cancer. The reality is that once a dog starts exhibiting symptoms, it's likely too late. The only way to know - Katflea is by way of an endoscopy. It's best to call around for costs. Mine were covered by pet insurance - thankfully. Repeated vomiting in BCs is not a good sign. The risk with stomach cancer is that it has already metastasized to the surrounding tissue and organs, lymph nodes, et al. Bloodwork often never picks up anything, neither do ultrasounds (particularly in the early stages). Diet can only help to alleviate a few symptoms for a short period of time. Cancer truly is the most terrible disease. It is relentless. Please stay in touch as I would very much like to follow how you are all doing. Take care, Happy Holidays!

[GentleLake]

@Katflea Has the vet checked for cobalamin malabsorption? I had a dog with it and vomiting is a symptom. Unfortunately, not all vets know to look for it.

If it is, treatment is quite simply vitamin B 12 shots that you can easily give yourself.

Hoping for the best outcome.