Heartbroken and Devastated. No Words.

[gd4]

Hello,

I have been a long time visitor to this page. Recently, we added a new puppy to join our little girl pup, Trina Joy. I inquired before we did for advice on adding a new member to the family and was given great advice. I returned to share that Angus and Trina Joy became instant friends and inseparable.

Today, two days after Angus was 6 mo. old, he died this afternoon suddenly. He was happy, playing, ate normally, all good signs, normal bm. I visited him in his baby pen 45 min. after letting him out and him being totally normal and eating treat with sister. He appeared to be sleeping but started shaking his legs. I thought he was dreaming so I pulled his tail and he didn't react. He cried out a few whines and immediately became lifeless. I immediately grabbed him from the pen and he released urine and was dead. Totally lifeless. I panicked and put him in the car to vet. They confirmed he was dead on arrival. Vet stated she didn't think there was any poisoning or unusual act. He must have experienced an aneuryism or heart issue. He did not vomit or bleed. He was totally normal but died instantly. Lifeless.

We fell in love with him because he had the best temperment than all our Cairns, he was a happy and loving dog, easy to train. Trina loved him. I don't know how she is going to react. She was with me trying to save him. She is 6. I am heartbroken. I cannot sleep. I keep replaying in my mind what I could have done, if someone could have entered our yard and I missed him eating something on his potty. Vet stated poisoning does not work like that. This was instant. No signs of distress prior or physical reactions.

I have no words. I am heartbroken. I had three dogs before but this just stuns me. I am so hurt. I did call the breeder to inform but nothing more for compensation that I am aware and the money doesn't matter. I loved him with all my heart. We all did. I am so sad.

 

Gina

[Dogcoat lady]

Oh Gina,

I am so so sorry to hear of your loss of Angus. Hugs from us all, these dogs are gifts.

[bradl]

Oh that's shocking and awful  I'm sure comfort is hard to come by right now but know that many are wishing it for you. 

[sanford]

It was terribly sad to read of the shock and grief of your loss. I can only wish for better times ahead for  you and Trina Joy.

[Hillscreek]

 Dreadful news. I remember Trina. Terrible shock for you. Time does heal though it is hard to believe right now. No cairn will replace her but I like to think that out there somewhere is a cairn waiting till you are ready to welcome him/her. That cairn will never be Trina but will bring new joy to you. And memories of dear Trina will always be in your heart.

[gd4]

Thank you, all.

Angus was a beautiful little boy. One of our best temperment pups, smart and a joy with his big sister. Our hearts are broken. RIP Angus Maxwell Rylee.

 

[pkcrossley]

oh my gosh i am devastated to read this. especially since this is almost exactly how i lost my Teddy in 2015. no illness no nothing, just suddenly dead after his dinner. there are so many reasons this is a special hurt. i subsequently learned that unexplained death is dogs is a well known phenomenon. it doesn't help. you loved Angus and gave him the best life he could have here. that's all he was asking for. 

[pkcrossley]

Gina I saw your post on the related thread, and I hope you saw the note there from CairnRescueLeague. it holds some clues, only some. a sudden death like this, particularly of a puppy, is something no one can prepare for, only part of why it hurts so much. Dogs cannot tell us of subtle symptoms, and some of the conditions that can take dogs have few or no symptoms anyway. We still feel like we are the powerful ones, we are the protective ones, we should be able to prevent anything from hurting our dogs. It is very hard to learn we can't. 

[gd4]

Thank you, all for your kindness and support. We are devastated as nothing in my life with dogs ever happened to this nature. When we have a sick dog and have to prepare him for death, it is painful. However, to lose active and happy pup who appears totally healthy...he was active, playing in the yard and absolutely fine, only 45 minutes prior and he died in front of me in his baby pen. Beyond words. I am broken.

To help you all and share with others, please stress how important it is to find reputable breeders, even if costly. They will check the dogs at 12 weeks for genetic disorders. This will not catch everything but hopefully, prevent what I think happened to Angus. The breeder who I purchase him is useless to help but I am reaching out to the families of his littermates and hopefully, they can test their pups. I learned a good lesson on selecting breeders.

https://www.ctvsh.com/services/dogs/breeds/cairn-terrier#:~:text=Your Cairn is more likely than other dogs,liver cannot remove toxins from his bloodstream effectively.

If anyone here knows of professional and reputable breeders (I don't need a show dog), please pass along to me. I know we will get another little boy in the future. I am in the Chicagoland area of IL.

Thank you.

Gina

[gd4]

I cannot locate the Cairn Rescue post that you mentioned in the other section. Can someone please send me the link? Thank you. Gina

[bradl]

Gina, I believe this may be the post pk refers to ...

(click on the title in the gray box to go straight to the post by cairnrescueleague)

[gd4]

Thank you so much. Gina

[Kathryn]

Gina - my heart goes out to you. We also lost a Cairn, T Bone, to sudden death and it is heartbreaking. I  questioned for so long whether there wasn't something I could have done differently that might have changed the outcome. There wasn't-- because as with your Angus there were no signs. Please don't dwell on the what-ifs...

Trina will need extra attention and that probably will be good for you - you can comfort one another.

I do feel for you. Losing a beloved family member is always hard, and harder yet when you had no reason to expect it. Hugs.

[gd4]

Thank you, Kathryn. I am going through a terrible time blaming myself for signs I missed. It is just awful. I am so hurt and we do want to find the right male puppy for us again in the near future to give our love to and companion for Trina Joy.  It is such a heartbreaking experience.

 

Gina

[Catalyzt]

Oh, Gina, I am so, so sorry for your loss.  I'm just a mess even thinking about it.

It is so hard to avoid the doom-loop endless rumination about 'should haves' and 'could haves.'   The rational part of your mind probably knows that it's most likely that Angus would have passed no matter who he was with or what he was doing; he just got dealt a crappy hand.  

I am so glad he had an adoring Cairn sister and a great family to live with during his short life.  And I am glad you were near him in his final moments-- as terrible as it was for you, and as frightening as it may have been for him, I have to believe it would have been worse if he was  alone.  

Spike and Bartleby and I will remember Angus in our evening prayers.  Perhaps it's silly, but we will try to reach across to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge to Freddie, Dennis, Presto and Zippy, and tell them to look for, and watch over, the little Cairn soul that crossed over.  Rest in peace, little one.  

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Catalyzt

[Eliz222]

Gina, I'm so sorry for your loss. I have been reading your journey over on FB, but just want to pop in here and give you a virtual hug. ((((hug)))).  I hope you get some answers from the breeder soon.

Give a hug to Trina from us too. 

[gd4]

Thank you, Catalyzt and Eliz222 for you messages. I am heartbroken and besides myself. I miss Angus and I've never experienced this with my other 3 Cairns. It is awful.

Gina

[Toto-lee Cairn]

This caught my eye this a.m., and I find I do not have words for such a loss.  'Tragic' comes to mind, but I know, too, that like you I would be reeling.  I am sure your use of 'awful' is an understatement.  My first Toto, adopted when he was close to 10, lived to be 18, and when I  lost him, I was still bursting into tears every time I came across something of his.

Time is the only thing that will help.  I could not move on, and my close friend here actually found a Cairn puppy for me.  When she asked if I wanted to go look at him, my reply was, "No.  You know as well as I do, I'll bring him home."  And I did.

What an awful way to lose your puppy, for you and for your Trina.  We all send you our 'skritches' and hugs.

[gd4]

Thank you, Toto-lee. We remain devastated and hopeful for the right pup to love again. Gina

[CairnCapers]

Gina I am so sorry for the sudden loss of your beautiful little boy. Having no answers why it has happened makes it even more devastating. 

Sending you hugs 

 

 

[gd4]

Yes, it is truly devastating. Thank you, CairnCapers. Gina

[Toto-lee Cairn]

I hope you are feeling better by some measure, if only 2%.  It is hard, and slow-going, getting over a buddy like what we have.  We lost Rupert in January, after celebrating his 14th birthday in December.  We brought home the puppy the end of May, and it has helped us heal.  

Just know I'm thinking of you, for what it's worth.

[Moto-Rama]

Sorry to so late in replying to your terrible news. I've had a few pets who's passing was pretty unbearable.  So when I read about Angus I was kind of speechless. 

We just don't get to keep them long enough, even whether they're elderly or just pups... it's hard to adjust to their absence.

 

[Toto-lee Cairn]

Just this morning, January 2nd, this appeared in my email.

The worst part of loving a furry member of the family is having to deal with the loss of one.  Here, there is no one who does not understand the hurt, and the pain.  To anyone who has ever loved a dog, this is a part of that, and it just stinks.

[Otis’s Mom]

I am so sorry for your loss. I know this is late, I haven’t been on this site for a while,  words cannot express. My Otis Ray is seven years old and I have had him since he was three months old, a couple years after my husband died so it’s just me and him I made a perfectly clear that if something happens to him, I cannot fathom having another dog, he is my whole life. I am so so sorry. May God bless you today and every day. I hope you’re doing better.