Missing Ruby

Remember our beloved Chow Chows that have passed on.

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Adrian
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Missing Ruby

Post by Adrian »

We have recently lost little bear. I have not posted on this forum before.
We had our girl for 9 years. We spent months finding the right breeder and eventually collected our baby in December 2007 from Lincolnshire. She was a shaded red. There were ups and downs. These included several ops, from removal of grass seeds to the more serious of a full doggy hysterectomy. She would never really show how much discomfort or pain she was in and never showed any panic.
She loved her short walks and would regularly plow into the ground face first and roll over onto her back waving her legs in the air, then refuse to continue unless I offered the baby bell.
She was fed morning and eve with soaked dry food and water was always available but in smaller quantities due to the way she would wolf down her food and guzzle most of what was in her bowl regardless how much was in there causing her to burp and blow off..
Looking back over the last few years she suffered with wind more and more and I would rub her back the way she liked it.
Ruby was the kindest natured girl. Some people say that chows are aggressive, not our girl. I introduced her to every dog we met. She had a lot of friends. Even if we met a bad tempered snarly one she wouldn't be fazed and never rose to the bait, she would just look up at me and we would walk on. We have always had cats as well, and they would all play together in the home, cuddle up at night and when one of the cats passed our girl missed her terribly.
I would wake at 5 everyday so I could take her out, she would do her business because she didn't really like to do her toilet in her garden and sometimes I would stress because she would want to walk further than I knew she would be comfortable with and getting her home would rarely but sometimes end up with me carrying her the last little way. Similarly during the hot months the same thing would happen when I would take her after the sun went down and it would be getting late and me tired. I would brush, groom and give our girl a trim, bath and advocate once a month and was actually a dab hand at making her look like the proudest little daddies girl.
Last Thursday 20.08 I got home and the wife had just fed our girl, unusually she stopped eating and greeted me at the door, normally nothing stopped her finishing her dinner.
We went to the lounge and had our daily greet ritual. How I loved her and she knew this everyday, we had to pop to the shop for something and when we returned our girl was panting with a rasping to her breathing so I called the vet and took her straight down. After an x Ray it showed that her breathing pipe just after her laryinx was inflamed and swollen causing her breathing difficulties. She was given injections of steroid and mild sedative to ease the discomfort and reduce the swelling. We got home and let her rest. I slept on the sofa listening to her snore as usual until 2 am when she got up, I could sense that she even seemed unsure why she had got up so I stroked her and she then made her way to the back door, I thought she wants to go into the garden to pee as she hadn't had her walk that evening so I went out with her.
She started to retch and what could only be described as hyperventiIating. I woke the missus and off we went to the emergency vets 14 miles away.

Our baby died in the wife's arms before we got there. Her stomach had twisted. The house now feels like an empty shell, our remaining cat walks around meowing calling out for her. There's no constant request to open the back door so she can go and lie on the decking. No bouncing fur ball having her silly half hours or trying to hump a cushion.
I will be collecting her ashes early next week and bringing her home.

Ruby gave us more happiness and contentment than any amount of money, holidays or material possessions could ever give and she wanted for nothing as I would always put her first. She has left leaving the biggest hole in our lives.

This has been easier to type as trying to talk about it is impossible without breaking down, thanks for reading our story.
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Laura
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Re: Missing Ruby

Post by Laura »

I am very sorry for your loss. I know the pain of loss but not a sudden one like you have just experienced. I can't imagine how awful it must be. My condolences.
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Chloe (left) Shuggy (right)
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kingalls
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Re: Missing Ruby

Post by kingalls »

So sorry for your loss! RIP Ruby! Whether the loss is sudden or over a period of time, it always hurts. Be thankful that you were with her when she crossed the Bridge. Ruby is pain free now and waiting to see you again at the Bridge.
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
ski
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Re: Missing Ruby

Post by ski »

This is heartbreaking. I am so very sorry for your loss. You gave her a great life and you should have some comfort in that. I have two male chows, 11 and 12. The older chow is having many health issues and we just take it a day at a time, being grateful for each day.
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