Sort of a sad day in our house tonight!

[Ace]

No it's not another well known bus mechanic or conversion guru or even a relative for that matter that suddenly left us, so not to worry! What has happened was I had to make a decision to put "Pepper", our dog, to his final rest. He was our best companion since Susan and I hooked up about 12 or so years ago. I actually had him for the last 15 years and a GREAT dog he was. Very smart, and well behaved and like he always was, he never gave up, not even to the end! He still had a great mind and was still pretty alert but lately for the last few weeks every week and sometimes everyday meant a different trip to the vet because a new illness set in. He started out with a cough after drinking water. When it got to be real bad I took him and he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. Man did he have one too and he showed it in many ways! Well the enlarged heart was due to a leaky valve. The heart worked overtime for a long period of time and was a strong heart but not strong enough to keep the fluid build up out of his belly and lungs. He got drained of over a gallon of fluid twice in the last two weeks but then as we thought everything was going good, his movements became very slow and he showed signs of pain which we didn't know from what until today when I took him in and the vet told me his liver had stretched beyond limits and was the cause of the severe pain. He only showed it when touched in that area. Even today he still wanted to play but slowly. His breathing was labored over the last couple of weeks and the medications I was giving him helped that. He slept more each day and ate good but I felt like I was depriving him of his water intake as I was only allowed to give him 32 oz's or less a day. Trust me, that isn't much especially when he is taking lasix which dries him out and makes him thirsty. I managed to get thru that and he was getting accustomed to it too but today he looked so frail and almost had the look in his eye that told me that his time was up and for me to do something. I took him in with NO intentions of leaving him there but when the vet told me the next step would be to administer Morphine and he would probably deteriorate even more and quicker, I made the sad decision and Susan and I said our goodbyes! I never hurt like this in a long time and being just a dog and part of OUR family, he will be missed dearly, as when we came into our home where we were welcomed at the door by a smiling happy pup or even on our trips in our bus. He was right there waiting for the trip to start.
A lot of you knew him and knew his looks were not the best, being of the catahoula breed, but he was smart. VERY smart, except when he jumped out of the bus from the top floor while in Arcadia. After that I almost bought him a cape.  He'll never be replaced with another as good as he was. A TRUE friend in deed. One that IS, and will be missed, for very long time!

Just thought I'd pass the time away tonight and write a little about our friend, our companion, our dog "Pepper", who is no longer with us!

Boy, I sure miss him a lot and I probably will for very long time to come!

Thanks
Ace

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi ACE,

Sad story!     My Reguards to you and Susan.     He sounded like a good one!

Nick Badame

[Bosshosssport96]

Ace......sorry to hear about it,a sadness that only time will heal.........Frank

[HighTechRedneck]

My condolences in your loss.  I have been there twice myself with long time pets who had become a part of the family.  You are right, there will never be another one the same.  But if you give it a chance, there will be another one that will be uniquely different but will become just as much a part of your family and will gradually fill in the void you now feel.

[niles500]

Ace and Susan - sorry to hear of your loss -
everyone and I mean EVERYONE  knows of you all's constant companion and the mutual devotion between each other - no one has ever seen you without Pepper in tow, or visa versa, at any event - The only comfort I can offer is .... You did the right thing .... but I know you both know that ... just thought it would be OK if I said it ... Again I offer my sympathies and condolences - Niles

[Dallas]

Ace and Susan,

You have Cat and my heartfelt condolences.

I wish I could say something to make it easier, but I think there probably isn't anything I can say.

Sit back and reflect on the great times and the great love You and Susan and Pepper had together and hold those close to your heart.
Pepper may be gone from your sight but he can never be gone from your inner thoughts.

I know that there is probably little sleep going on tonight, and that's OK too. Let the tears flow, as those are what help the healing begin.

Ah, Hell, All the above sounds trite and artificial to me, but, please believe me, it comes from my heart.

Dallas

[wvanative]

Ace an Susan

My condolences go to you at this sad time, but as time goes on the memories will grow stronger and you two will have some very fond memories and some special  laughs and a few  tears of a very special dog. They are never a just a pet but are truly a family member. We had to make that same choice two years ago and it's never easy but you made it out of love for a dear friend. He is now out of pain and is at peace.

God bless you both
Dean

[JackConrad]

Ace & Susan,
   Our deepest condolences to ya'll.  It won't seem the same, not seeing Pepper with ya'll. He reminded us so much of our Blue Heelers. As the pain over his loss diminishes, you have many years of fond memories of him. This is definately the worst part of having pets.  Jack & Paula

[Ken]

Hi Ace I don't know you except for this board but tonight I feel your sorrow, ten years ago I had to do the same with my 12 year old Golden Retriever. Another really smart loyal dog. A dog that would give his life for you. A Dog that stayed in the motorhome for 2 hours in the driveway after our first trip with him because he liked it so much. Then a few weeks later my Mom passed away from Cancer. Wow I didn't know if I was punched or bored for a while. I felt guilty, I thought I was grieving more for my Dog than my Mom. Of course that wasn't the case, I hadn't lived at home for years but my Dog was part of my everyday life.  I wished that I could have done for my Mom what I did for my dog. Fortunately my Mom was at home almost to the end and then went downhill really fast, more like jumping off a cliff.

I have two Golden Retrievers born the day my Mom passed away. June 25 1996. I had gone to the Vet to pay the final bill for my last Goldie. The Vet recommended us to the breeder and the breeder to us. We ended up with a brother and sister from the same litter. These two are great dogs in their own ways not quite as out and out smart but fun, I call them the Goons. Katie is the brains, loves to chase and sometimes catch rabbits. Once I got A call at work to come home right away because Katie had killed a bunny then brought it in the house and popped one of it's eyes out on the floor right in front of my wife.
Angus on the other hand is a 120 lb lug totally motivated by food or anything he perceives to be food. I found a five dollar bill in his poop once when cleaning up the yard, that got a few laughs at the bank when I asked for a replacement luckily both serial numbers were still readable. The teller picked up the bill and said this looks like it went through the vacuum cleaner. I said well sort of. His latest was a box of 64 crayons. That made things colorful for a day or so. He just continued on never missed a beat.

Fast forward to now, the Goons just turned 10. I have a 4 1/2 daughter my only child,{God I sure wish my Mom could have seen her}. she is just getting really attached to them. I dread the day they go.
It will absolutely break her heart.

Ace you did the rght thing for Pepper. The way we care for our pets is one of the biggest things that makes us human. Pepper sounds like he had a wonderful life with you and Susan. Isn't it funny how if your not a dog person you wouldn't understand. Sort of like if your not a bus person you wouldn't understand.
If you ever bring that Prevost out to the west coast of Canada I'll have a spot for you in the driveway maybe we can share dog tales.

My heartfelt sympathy on your loss..... Ken.

[Gary LaBombard]

Ace & Susan,
We also send our condolences for you loss, we lost our Dashund two years ago after having her 13 years and going through her back operaton and anything else that little girl went through over those years all together as family. 

Anyone with a pet knows what you are going through right now and my advice is after the hurt eases up a little, go out and get another one to also fall in love with.  Not just as a replacement of coarse but to help you get over the grief and we did that but only we got (Two) new one's, little buggers just entertain us all day long and bring laughter and happiness in our lives again.  We will have them with us in Timmonsville for you to meet and we take them every place we legally can. 

Even the biggest & strongest man or woman alive would be heart broken after their favorite friend and companion leaving them like they do if the man or woman loves their animals as most of us all do, so hang in there and let the pain slowly leave but never the memories, in due time go get another homeless friend that you will fall in love with and I know will love you equally as Pepper did I am sure.

Believe me Ace & Susan, everyone reading your post and those of others in reply got more than one tear in their eyes as they relived those painfull loses such as you are now and thanks for sharing and letting us all go back in time as well.

Gary

[edvanland]

Ace & Susan:
My heart felt condolences are with you.  I have had to do the same thing more times than I care to remember.  All I can say as I sit here crying like a baby, with my two year old little miniture dashhound at my feet is she is not the same as any of the others I have had, yet she is more special than any of them.  Luckly my wife insisted we get her just six months before my wife passed away, and I really don't know how I would have coped without TRXIE these last two years.  We even had a gamble quail which owned us for 9 years.  Yes this is a very sad time for you two, but just remember all the good times he gave you, all the love and devoation you shared and know that you gave him the diginity of going in peace.  You will be with him again.
ED & TRXIE
MCI 7

[pete81eaglefanasty]

 Ace & Susan,  Sorry about your misfortune and our condolences, we who love our animals know what it is like.we lost a few, but the one that hurts the most is the one that died while on the road.  We had to bury her in a field by the highway, she was a blue ribbon collie.

                Pete

[Busted Knuckle]

Ace, I'm sorry to hear about Pepper, I know how it feels even though I didn't have to put Bo down I had to give him to a friend or the judge was going to put him down because he wouldn't stay at home and out of trouble. It's not quite the same, but at the same time it sorta is as both will be missed by their respectful companions! BK

PS Love'n it in FL on a "paid vacation"!

[FloridaCliff]

Ace & Susan,

Sorry to hear about Pepper.

As a fellow Dog  person I know too well how you probably feel.

These smart creatures have a way of getting inside our hearts and becoming adopted members of our families.

Always showering us with love and attention, even if we dont deserve it.

Acting like we have been gone a month when we just ran up to the store.

And in the end, you did the right thing for Pepper, even though the decision was hard.

Cliff

[RTS/Daytona]

Ace / Susan - Sorry for your loss - we have two Miniature Schnauzers - we would be heart-broken to lose either one

Pete and Janice   RTS/Daytona