Penumbra

Hi everybody. I just got the idea to dedicate a music compilation to my Great Dane who recently passed away. And with that, I also got the idea of discussing songs which may help others with the loss of their pet(s). Anyway, my tea is ready now, so I'll be back later with some recommendations. Peace.

First one is an uplifting song with a lot of energy:

Please feel free to add your own recommendations. Cheers.

Thank you both so much. It's by talking to people such as yourselves that's getting me through this.

With regards to my pet's presence, a candle went pretty crazy tonight. You know, no wind or anything, but it shot sky high. It was kind of like a "violent" hello. :)

Oh my God, it hurts so much... How do you get through it?? I'm having my uncle come down tomorrow for a few days as I don't think I can cope alone.

Thank you, Danois. And will do about the double digits club. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!

I hope so!

Yeah, it is. I guess I'll go to the vet tomorrow and see what kind of plan they can do for me. If I can't afford it, then I'll have no choice but to get a general cremation instead. But to be honest, I don't think I'll be too fussed either way. The most important things to me are that he wasn't stressed in the end, and that I got to see him off. Also, as morbid as it may seem, I got some photos and video of him after he died. I think this was mainly so my uncle (who couldn't make it) can see how he wasn't in any pain, but it's for personal reasons as well.

Thank you so much, Fiasco. Your post actually made me cry.

That's the way to look at it... now he is not only with his old Spaniel friend, but he's also with my parents as well. I'm sure they're all absolutely thrilled to see eachother. :)

Thank you very much, persephone. And amen about being at home. Actually, regarding that, I think that I can still feel his presence. And silly as it may sound, this makes it harder to decide whether I want a private cremation or not... The cost of a private cremation is about how much I've got in the bank. They will take installments though.

He's gone. His back legs were just getting too feeble from age. And sorry for lying, but it was my Great Dane who died today. He was 14 years old, and he was put to sleep in our backyard. Rest in peace mate.

I can't begin to explain how devastated I feel. It's like I can't properly function again yet. And I knew that this was going to happen on the day of his death. Why do they always happen too soon though.

Fiasco - Thanks. For some reason though, the mobile vet was closed as well.

Jumabaar - Okay, I might do that. And thanks a lot for the tip. Even though he's a Great Dane, we'll still give it a try. Cheers.

All of the vets are closed now. We're gonna call the dog's vet first thing in the morning. Being that the dog is 50-60kg though, the vet may have to come to the house...

Hi. My mate's dog has something wrong with the back of his heel. It's as if the tendons have snapped or something. The foot is just floppy, and it cannot support the weight of his body. He has already pooed and peed himself twice today. What can be done about this??? Thank you.

The fifth one looks like a wookie.

So sorry to hear that, zeebie. I won't say much else, as I don't want to say something which may make you upset. But let me just say that it's things like this that give me more respect for animals than the human race. And it's also things like this which really make me fear for our future. So I see where you're coming from. And you have every right to be angry. And I think that you should exert that anger in the healthiest way you can. Because although hate is a destructive emotion, anger can be quite a constructive emotion. And it does no good to keep it all bottled up anyway (not that you are). Sorry again for your loss. One day at a time...

PS - Don't forget that everybody has at least one story of trauma in their lives. You are by no means alone.

Huh. Entitled much?

Personally I think the world/country could be improved with many things, Pet Medicare is not one of them. The elderly & disabled should be more of a priority.

True. But you notice how I didn't elaborate on the pet medicare? I never said that everybody should be entitled to full cover or anything like that. My main point was that many animals get put down because the owners couldn't afford say $500-$2000. If you claim to be a pet lover, then surely you would be a little disturbed by this.

They do. Next?

When I start work again in October, I'll be paying to support unemployed people as well. It's just how the "community" is run. Unless of course you would prefer all unemployed people to be homeless...

Just another note, the states wouldn't run if it weren't for non-paid volunteers. Even politicians admit this.

What so all unemployed people do volunteer work? Thats news to me.

I didn't say that either. Thanks for putting words in my mouth.

What are you implying Penumbra? One can only presume that you are saying the unemployed are non-paid volunteers that the state relies upon to run effectively??? Otherwise your statement about non-paid volunteers has no relevance at all to this thread.

And no, I would like to see unemployed people being employed, not homeless.

And you are putting guilt trips on people that don't agree with your pet medicare idea with this statement

My main point was that many animals get put down because the owners couldn't afford say $500-$2000. If you claim to be a pet lover, then surely you would be a little disturbed by this.

No, only a dimwit would assume that. That's why I said "just another note" and put it a couple of lines away from the other note. And what I was "implying" with that other note is that our society runs on more than just taxes. If it weren't for those selfless volunteers in places like hospitals, we wouldn't have this society at all.

Right, and how can a person get a job if they're homeless? Because that's where the dole is sending a lot of people. It just isn't enough money to live on.

Now you are just creating a straw man argument. Well done.

Huh. Entitled much?

Personally I think the world/country could be improved with many things, Pet Medicare is not one of them. The elderly & disabled should be more of a priority.

True. But you notice how I didn't elaborate on the pet medicare? I never said that everybody should be entitled to full cover or anything like that. My main point was that many animals get put down because the owners couldn't afford say $500-$2000. If you claim to be a pet lover, then surely you would be a little disturbed by this.

They do. Next?

When I start work again in October, I'll be paying to support unemployed people as well. It's just how the "community" is run. Unless of course you would prefer all unemployed people to be homeless...

Just another note, the states wouldn't run if it weren't for non-paid volunteers. Even politicians admit this.

What so all unemployed people do volunteer work? Thats news to me.

I didn't say that either. Thanks for putting words in my mouth.

Wow, that's even cheaper than what the AWL charge. They'd charge more if a general cremation was included though, right? Anyway, I am sorry for your loss. It's only been a couple of weeks for me as well.

No I buried him at home, we have large acerage so we can bury them at home.

I thought that was the case. Otherwise, I'd be like, a free private cremation?? :) What was discounted from the euth price exactly?

Basically they discounted the whole price si it cost me nothing. I have spent a lot of money with them and used to work for them so while I didn't expect it I was pleasently suprised. My dog had been getting treatment for heart disease for 5 years adn apinal arthritis for 3 so we went through lots of medication and had lots of visits.

That explains it. ;) I have a good relationship with my vet, but it's only been going for a few years now. So although he does help me save money here and there, it's still nothing like some of the relationships you guys have. Hopefully this will change in time.

Actually, now that I think about it, my regular vet probably treats me better than my regular doctor. :p

Have a search on Consumer Reports website. They agree that pet insurance is a con and recommend that consumers will generally be better off selecting to try and get a healthy pet and keeping a buffer fund to cover unexpected veterinary expenses. True, people with unhealthy or accident-prone dogs sometimes get value for money from their insurance. That is how the insurance business works . . . the premiums of people whose dogs don't get bloat, rupture their cruciate ligament, etc. are used to pay the claims of people whose dogs do have such problems . . . and to pay for high salaries and expensive office space and advertizing.

I disagree here. My young 4.5 yr old dog - very fit and healthy developed diarrhoea which turned out to be cancer (he had it in the lungs, liver, spleen, intestine). This was over a 3 week period. He had not been sick before in his short life. The tests etc cost me over $2200.00 and I got back $1800 within 10 days of the bill being sent to my insurance company (Bow Wow Meow). I have never had an issue with the insurance policy and have found that the few times I have claimed for my other dog (which have been for large amounts), I am quickly paid. I don't have the thousands of dollars sitting there to spend on these unexpected vet bills (don't think many people would) and I can claim up to $12K per annum.

But you did in all of those cases, right? Or am I missing something? I thought that you had to have your own money up front, and then the insurance company reimburses you later...

Wow, that's even cheaper than what the AWL charge. They'd charge more if a general cremation was included though, right? Anyway, I am sorry for your loss. It's only been a couple of weeks for me as well.

No I buried him at home, we have large acerage so we can bury them at home.

I thought that was the case. Otherwise, I'd be like, a free private cremation?? :) What was discounted from the euth price exactly?

When my cat was PTS I asked the vet to make the arrangements and there was no charge and I was informed by her and know this to be true that just as in hospital waste and body parts post surgery etc, all deceased animals were transferred to a government run industrial site for disposal via safe and controlled closed incineration. Specific 'infectious waste' yellow biohazard bags are used.

Are you talking about the Animal Welfare League, zeebie? Because that's who took care of my friend after we ordered a general cremation (at the vet) for her. Great post by the way. And I'm very sorry for your loss. Just keep remembering that you were lucky to have her for the time you did. Because she could have left you when she was four months old. But she didn't... because you saved her.

They do. Next?

When I start work again in October, I'll be paying to support unemployed people as well. It's just how the "community" is run. Unless of course you would prefer all unemployed people to be homeless...

Just another note, the states wouldn't run if it weren't for non-paid volunteers. Even politicians admit this.

Cremation- you keep the ashes

Disposal- you don't

Yeah, but there's obviously different kinds of disposal according to others.

We had a 24kg dog euthed recently and the fee was $125 for euth only, we buried him at home. The vet waived that fee which I didn't realise until I recieved the bill in the mail.

Considering the amount of time we took and the fact we got him back in a lovely calico and gold bag with flowers on it I was quite amazed to see they had discounted the euth price.

So you buried his ashes? Sorry, I don't understand...

Thankfully I have not had yet to use it, but at least I know that if one of my young Iggies breaks a leg 80% of the cost will be covered by imsurance. Although I still have to pay it upfront and they reimburse me.

That's why there is no real point in people on the dole getting it. People who are working on the other hand should be alright.

FYI... About 1 to 1.5 years ago there were approx. 18 pet insurance companies and from memory 16 of those had the same underwriters. Now there are many more pet insurance companies but I can't imagine the underwriters being different. It's a re-badge (not necessarily a bad or good thing), but that's why there probably won't be that much of a variance between policies.

It's the same deal with human insurance companies as well.

Because we're meant to be living in a bloody community perhaps? Because there's shitloads of people who have to put their animals down for simple things like broken legs? Or maybe because most people own at least one pet in their lives? :laugh: You act as if people's taxes actually go to everything they believe in!

I didn't know about the band Saxon, just googled and see they were pretty big! I'm a bit young for them tho, born in 1979. I think my Saxon would like to think he was named after a heavy metal band, he doesnt really see himself as the small, blonde poodle he is, in his head he's totally a rocker. Funnily enough, my youngest dog is named Quinn, which I see was the surname of one of the Saxon guitarists.

Totally off topic, sorry, but interesting for me to learn!

Synchronicity. :)

I have no idea what the AWL does with the bodies of deceased animals. They would be subject to the same laws as everyone else. They may have their own facilities to cremate or bury the body.

I am sure some vets *could* waive the disposal fee. Just like a shopkeeper *could* decide to give you a loaf of bread or your landlord *could* decide to let you live rent free. But why should they? It's a business and businesses don't become successful by doing things for free. Your vet has to pay another company to take the body of the dog. It's only reasonable they pass that cost onto their consumer (owner).

I was told of a vet that would euphanize and dispose of the body for $80. But as we've been talking about, it appears that "disposal" and "cremation" are two different things.

Bloody oath. Also, I'm a firm believer in Medicare for pets. With all the crap taxes go on already, surely the average tax payer wouldn't mind some of it going towards pet health insurance. The average tax payer owns a pet, no?

Not really hindsight, dogs live 14ish years. We know that there is a good chance we will out live them...

I get people in at work who look at the pets at peace info and almost go into shock , they say that they can't stand to think of their pet dying and refuse to realise that their pet will die.

No one likes to think about it, but it's a fact.

I was not expecting my dog to die

At 3am he seemed ok, 5.5 hours later he was gone.

Like I said before, Teebs, it's a long story. This wasn't my dog, and the latest owner of her was a disabled person who only had her for about 2 years.

:) Penumbra, Saxon is the oldest of my three dogs (at 3 yrs old), my little 5kg Poodle x who introduced me to the amazing world of dog ownership!

You didn't name him after the band then? It's a good name either way. :)