I adopted the lovely dog Badger (page 19) in ' the lucky ones ' in 2007.
Very sadly, on Thursday, Tom and I had to make the decision to put Badger to sleep. His back legs had become so weak, and he had difficulty getting up, and keeping his balance whilst walking etc.
I shed many tears, sobbing in fact, knowing that the dog would not be long for this world. However I found a great joy and relief in finding a treatment called 'Red light therapy'. I got this treatment for him every week for 3weeks initially, and then once a fortnight. What a difference it made to him.. It gave him his strength and balance back to a satisfactory level. He no longer fell, and i was so pleased. I also altered how i fed him.
As we were on holiday, he was with our brilliant dog walker/sitter Veronique,but sadly, his condition deteriorated rapidly, and needed rushed to the vets as he had developed a condition called 'nystagmus', an eye condition causing severe dizziness, which,added to his poor mobility, was not good.
He was kept overnight,and tests showed that he probably was brewing some kind of tumour on his lumbar spine,causing his head to be rigid to the right,rendering him doubly incontinent.
We came home from holiday to this news. Thankfully, Badger had responded Angus's ( Lomond Hills Veterinary Clinic )treatment, so Veronique had him again, knowing we were due back the next morning.
So, we picked him up. We lay him in his bed in front of the radiator, and for the last 3-4 hours of his life, he was with us. We spoke to him, stroked/cuddled him, saying things that you do.
We asked for his injection to be given him in Toms van, to save any upset/distress lifting the dog out etc. Dear Angus came out in the rain, and was so so kind, and so so gentle. I was in the van with the dog, and cuddled him close speaking to him till he passed..
Although i am sad, it was the right thing to do and it was the right time to do it. I feel lucky and thankful to have been home in time to be with him, as things would have been so different if this had happened even a couple of days before.
So, thankyou Celia and Jimmy for letting me have Badger. I am so glad he was mine, and so glad i was with him at the end. I miss him already. xxxx

Run free dear Badger. Very sorry to read this sad news. I am glad you were there to say goodbye to him.
Michele

Hi Fiona,

We feel your pain. Having lost our Billy only 3 weeks ago after a short illness.

We were with Billy at the end when he had to be helped over the Rainbow Bridge to ease his pain at the small animal hospital in Glasgow and like you were glad to be with him at the end.

You just have to make that decision when it matters most and we are at peace knowing that we did the most loving thing we could for our beloved family member when it mattered most. One of the responsibities of being a ambassador for Greyhounds.

Try to think and enjoy all the good times and it does get just a little easier as time goes on. When we got Billy's ashes back it also helped give us closure.

We had Billy for 8 years he was on page 24 of the lucky one's re-homed by us only a few months after Badger. He is yet another of the "Heroes of 16" that has gone to the Rainbow Bridge this year.

R.I.P. Badger

Thinking about you

George, Morag & Lassie

So very sorry to hear your news Fiona.

Run pain free dear Badger. There are lots of your friends over the bridge to play with.

Thinking of you all

Kaz Brundell

Thankyou Michelle. xx

Oh no, that is so sad too. Sorry you had to lose your beloved Billy. I am having Badger cremated also, i am putting him under a wee tree in our front garden. I will look for black and white flowers to put around it, as that was what colour he was, and i will put a wee plaque/ornament there. So he will be with us forever.
It is easier of course, like you, to know that keeping the dogs would have been cruel. It has left a hole in this house anyway.
Thankyou for your message.
Thinking of you, and know just how you feel.. xx

Thankyou for your message.. Yes i am sure he will be with his mother 'Boherash Scorcher' and his brother could also be there.. His legs looked like a pair of banana's when he was being born, so he earned the name ' Banana Boots!' apparently ! xx

So sorry to hear about Badger, yet another hound at the bridge. I know what you are going through, I lost my big guy less than two weeks ago to cancer and I still find myself looking for him but I try to remember the pleasure he gave to me, as you should.

You gave him the final gift of life, letting him go, free from pain once again.

Take care.

Anji x

Thankyou Anji. It is really hard.. However i know Badger couldn't have lived that way.
Sorry to hear about your boy.. Its heartbreaking xx

Hi Fiona.
So sorry about dear Badger. Thanks for taking him into your home and giving him a great life.
He was a real character.
RIP dear Badger. Run pain free across the Bridge.
Jimmy and Celia.

Thankyou Celia and Jimmy.. Yes he was a lovely character.. Quite a cool guy, nothing seemed to phase him.. Except squirrels, deer, and of all things, hedgehogs!
I will bury his ashes under a tree Tom planted in our front garden. He will always be with us.
We still have Tinkerbell (aka Babe) she is empty in the head, but i love her dearly.. She is just so sweet, and her tongue hangs out most of the time due to her lack of teeth.
Hope you are both well. xx