I dont live with my parents haven't done for many a year, but we share the pets, 2 cats, 1 dog

We rescued Sherry an 18 year,old Jack Russell terrier from the Dogs Trust after she was taken in after her original owner passes away last March. She was with the dogs trust for about a month before we all took her on we were told she had cushions and some hearing and eye site loss but otherwise in good shape the cushions was well controlled and she was coping well.

Shes been a brilliant wee lass far more active than was lead to believe, she would easily walk 3 miles if she wanted, but if she didn't feel like it, she'd park herself in front of you and frown, she gets on well with the cats and quite often they would come a walk with us all, with all three bouncing along beside each other.

Over the past week Sherry suddenly stopped being so willing and was generally flat in mood, we also noticed she had sore eyes, so off to vet

Today I was told she has kidney failure and probably 2 months to live if that

I know she is an old lass, but I kinda forgot the fact she was ill anyway she has been a right wee madam at times but you cant help but love her.

I wasn't prepared for what the vet told us its crushing

Sorry to hear your news. She sounds well loved. Just need to make the most of the time you have left.

Sorry to ask, but did you mean Cushing's disease?

Thats very sad but you did a wonderful thing by taking her on. Not many would have looked at a dog that age with conditions as she has. You've given her a loving home after she lost the one she had and you'll love her until the end. Thats all you can do for her now so try to take a little comfort in the fact that although your time together won't be long, it's very precious all the same. I'm really sorry for you, it's heartbreaking.

I did yeah wasn't sure I'd spelled it correctly

I loved her character shes also very very clever, her story appealed to the soft side in me.

Mum rang this morning said she was a little more bouncer, if you get me when out with smokey our youngest cat walking beside each other. She on a special diet now, She likes car rides but fussy about what car hehehe, she dont like mine but prefer my dads Honda and usually insisting on the front seat which she doesn't get

Thought so. One of my dogs has Cushings. Every day is a blessing but I know eventually his liver or kidneys will go.

Hope Sherry does well on her new diet. As long as she's happy, thats the best you can hope for xx

Exactly that happened to our family dog, Tess, last year
Literally over night went from being a ten year old 'puppy' to an old lady
So so sorry to hear your bad news, I really feel for you.
Make the best of everyday and moment with her xx

I'm so sorry. You did a really great thing though taking her in at her time of life and she sounds so loved, hope she picks up on her new diet x

Thank you everyone for your kind words, made me feel better about the whole thing, To put a happier spin on it, shes given my parents a new energy for life

Sorry to here your news, has he been given sub Q fluids and a renal diet?

sorry about your pet spend every miniute with her

Very sad news but mine lived for 3 years after the vet told me he had kidney failure and wouldn't live long. She advised me to put him to sleep as he was going to die soon anyway. I refused to give up on him. I fed him a special diet and gave him lots of love and attention.

I think its wonderful that you gave this elderly dog a chance. He's lived to a great age.

Dont know about the fulids but on a renal diet yeah

Thank you very kind of you to say that.

Thats the aproach we're taking .We've all agreed unless shes in pain or suffering we'll hang on as long as she does. Shes now blind in one eye, we have to bath them multiple times a day her eyes are itchy she gets drops for that now also, she dosen't like but lets us do it and doesn't like to be let off the lead now and will stop and stand beside you

I live some distance from my parents but I visit as often as I can, done a couple of midnight emgerancy vet visits she can recognise when I walk in, probably due to the fact I wear a his vis jacket.

As soppy as it sounds I'm greatfull to you all, I perhaps to my parents at least I have the "Lets just deal with the sitaution as it now" gotta admit privately I sank the last time I saw her

Just update. My wee lass died this evening at 7.15, Got a call this morning asking, How quickly can you be here ?, Got there by afternoon wee sherry looked as if she couldn't be bothered, rang emergency vet.

Dad had to drive cos I couldn't. I just wasn't able, Dad deals with emergences far different than I do hes drive like a pensioner, where as boot it Vet was lovely and I haven't said that about vets very often.

Vet gave us the choice of putting her on IV drips but that just prolongs things, her system is shutting down, her kidneys have already gone, she'd probably die tomorrow, I gave wee sherry a kiss on the head as she slipped away to sleep

Its 1.40am I'm spent, feel kinda empty

Am so sorry. xx

So so sorry for your loss OP. RIP Sherry xxx

So sorry to hear your sad news. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing how much you and your parents would have meant to her, letting her live her final years in love, well cared for.

Take care of yourself xx

sorry to hear that i know how hard it was with ossie

So sorry to read this, you were brave enough to let her go and that really counts.

We lost our old boy last year, I miss him lots but wouldn't change having adopted him. It's so sad they can't live longer life spans.

Take care x

I have a similar story. I moved out of my mum's house last january. I used to go back quite often to watch the Football and see my dog. In late Febuary of last year, my great Auntie phoned, said she'd come and pick me up but I need to be there now because Candy isn't in a good way and the vet has said it's the end of the line for her. I dropped the phone and collasped with shock. When I was more with it, I went and stayed all day with her, cherishing my last moments of my best friend. Vet came round later that evening and put her to sleep. I couldn't contain my tears for days after. On the funny side, I go to my fatehr in law's to watch the Football now and don't think I've been to my mum's since so tells you how much I enjoy spending time with my mum/sister

I picked her out of the litter when I was 4 years old and she lived to a very old age of 16. Almost like she was waiting for me to move on before she passed. I named her and whenever I got bullied in school or I was upset about some girl, she'd ALWAYS cheer me up. People say that people who call dog's (or any other animal if you're not a dog lover) their best friends are sad acts then I'm the biggest sad act of all because she was my best friend for my entire life.

One year on, I'm married with a 2 bedroom flat, 16 fish, a cat and a bearded dragon. As much as I love my animals that I have now (and I do love my animals) I don't feel half as much for them as I did for Candy. Not a day goes by where I don't think about her.

They really do become part of the family. I hope you don't mind me sharing my story on your thread, I didn't want to start a new one just for this.

Wishing you all the best with keeping the memory alive.

Course not its a lovely touching story

The wee lass had already been to her normal vet on Monday just for a hows she doing check, Vet did some tests, said some of her levels are off the scale, her kidneys are shutting down already also asked about the diet, Not very good I said, vet continued, we're in the end game.....shes a month at least, never mind the diet, just her give what ever the heck she wants, on the plus side her eyes look better

That afternoon we took her to her favorite park, she did that sit down and frown in protest thing when tried to head back

As the week went on she's been ok considering, it was Saturday morning she just dived, I arrived that afternoon, she never bothered when I went to see her.

I was still lets just deal with it mode, that broke at 6.30 when the wee lamb walks slowly over to my seat and stands beside me, I felt like she was I'm done, goodbye couldn't hold it together

I came back here at 1am, had to be dragged from the car by a pi$$ed neighbour, the hugs and kiss she sneaked in the end was nice though, I had an accident sometime ago which smashed my knees and right hip, so when I got back I was on the point of kealling over. I just was dealing with Sherry's situation didn't matter at that point how I was.

Its been nearly four years since i had to make that decision for my little ossie and i still miss him even with the whirlwinds we have now they weren't a replacement for os he was one of a kind looking back i am so glad we had him cremated his little casket sits beside my bed so he is there to say goodnight too you did the right thing for sherry as did your parents at least she had a nice home for the final stretch in time you will feel better about still weepy but better xxx

Aww it's sad when a pet gets to the end of the road. 18 is a wonderful age for a dog and she's been very fortunate to spend the later years of her life with a loving family.