RIP Skippy - Paw Talk

kunecka · #1 05-13-2008, 02:42 PM

Poor Skippy lost his battle about half an hour ago.

I loved him very much, he was our only pet. We had lots of great times with him, he was funny and had a huge personality.
Now he's not suffering anymore...

Garuru-Wolf · #2 05-13-2008, 03:34 PM

That broke me apart! That is so sad! *hugs*

MañasMom · #3 05-13-2008, 09:29 PM

Oh no! When I saw the title of your post my heart just sank. I am so very, very sorry for your loss of this precious little soul. He is loved by many, and made all of us laugh with how cheeky and smart he was.

Such a precious boy, and so strong. He fought long and hard, and you fought right alongside him. But you never sacrificed quantity for quality with Skippy. You knew he had been having an especially hard time lately, and you made sure he was happy and comfortable.

You made him feel special, and loved and I know he never once felt lonely in your care. You spent so much time with him, and I know he treasured it as much as you did.

Please know that my heart is with you, and that I am so very, very sorry for your loss. I visited the pet loss support group message board in my signature after losing my last Degu, and I found a lot of support and comfort there. If you need to talk to others who know what it means to lose a beloved child, I know they will welcome you as they did me.

I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I am sending you the world's biggest (((((((((((((((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))))))))))))))) now, and for as long as you need them. Please feel free to email or PM me if you need to, or want to.

mulder · #4 05-14-2008, 06:00 AM

OMG i'm so sorry! you did your best, and you were there for him, you're right now he's not suffering, RIP little one

Cazsamps · #5 05-14-2008, 09:51 AM

Aww no i'm so sorry. HUGS for you. RIP Skippy xx

kunecka · #6 05-14-2008, 01:11 PM

Thank you very much, everyone.

MañasMom, yes, I'm in the process of registering for the lighthouse board. Thank you once again for your words, you're right, Skippy was very precious and I tried to do my best for him. But it's really hard, especially remembering that three days ago he was still running around (slowly though) and ate some of his favorite peanuts. It happened so fast but I guess it's better that way. Right now I'm going through my folders, looking at pictures of him. I'm trying to focus on the good times we had together. I think he had a good life as he was surrounded by people who loved him.

Georgia163 · #7 05-15-2008, 02:48 AM

Awww poor little guy.. at least he's not in pain = [ Big (hugs) coming your way =]..

jacko · #8 05-15-2008, 03:16 AM

Awww.. thats so sad.. RIP skippy.. XOXOX

kerriejw · #9 05-15-2008, 08:27 PM

hello, im kerrie and ive just finished reading your story about yourself and skippys battle and my heart truly does go out to you, so much so i had to join to tell you.

id had my degus for 8 1/2 years before my donna died ever so suddenly so i know how you feel, today i also had a scare with dennis, my younger brothers degu its been a long time suffering and i can only hope he isnt in pain because he has a swollen eye and is now having seizures where he seems to lose awareness but doesnt seem to be in pain and thankfully 20 mins after he collapsed on my lap he was up and running again he even leapt over his food bowl! hes now 9 1/2 years old so im just i suppose hanging on at a bit of a tether. ive been asking my parents to take him to the vets but theyve already decided in their minds that the vet wouldnt be able to do anything and its too expensive, i personally cannot bare to put a price on a life but im doing all i can with my healing because i cannot take him to the vets myself due to my disability.

this probably is not much of a consolation and you probably think im a bad mother but i would like to offer my healing thoughts to help make sure that skippy feels better now hes going over and also that my thoughts will be with you too as someone who has already known losses of a little one.

hugs anyway for you both!!

kunecka · #10 05-16-2008, 09:01 PM

Thank you, Georgia and jacko. You're right, at least Skippy's not suffering anymore.

kunecka · #11 05-16-2008, 09:12 PM

Kerrie, thank you very much for the healing thoughts and nice words. I am sorry you lost your Donna, too. Pets are just so precious and they bring so much joy into our lives!

I was surprised at the degus' age! I know that they can live up to 10 years but I've never known anyone who's degu would actually live for over 6 years!
I don't think you're a bad mom, you show a true concern about the degu's health, which means you love him! I'm sorry your parents don't want to take him to the vet. At least I would keep him warm. Skippy loved his hot water bottle - I took a plastic soda/water bottle, filled it up with hot water, and put it into an old cotton sock. He basically spent this past spring sitting on it!

Now I just keep looking at pictures and try to remember the happy times we had. I know time heals everything but the beginning is hard...

kerriejw · #12 05-18-2008, 02:32 PM

we really are lucky to have them, its true. im glad you were able to take comfort and time does heal but i remember the pain just as easily today as i did then. for donna when she died, i buried her in a special place in the garden and marked it with a large stone and bulb flowers so that in her death she can bring life anew each year, ive also left space for dennis next to her and will give him some flowers too. when they are both reunited i will inish the memorial with a small fence etc and visit them as i already do my donna, talking to them bout the good and bad times and how much your missing them its a way of coping and letting them know they are still loved and always will be.
thankyou for the instructions on the hot water bottle, ive always been worried about having plastic in the cage and could not have imagined how it could work but this seems such a promising way as both my degus always like material things, sleeping in my top go searching under covers and today i recorded dennis playing under a throw just going in one end and wriggling around till he came out another before diving in again at another point, i wonder if skippy enjoyed doing this. well thankyou for the bottle idea and hope the pain will ease soon because our memories are all thats needed to keep them alive and if you have those memories, then so do they

kunecka · #13 05-19-2008, 12:33 PM

I miss Skippy terribly but I'm really trying to focus on the happy memories. I made him a small grave in the corner of our backyard and planted some flowers there. I think I should take a picture of it while it looks nice as I am a horrible gardener. That way I'll have a memory once we leave our house in about a month. I talk to Skippy a lot in my mind, constantly reminding him that I love him very much.

For the hot water bottle - I was also concerned that Skippy would chew right through it but he was perfectly happy just chewing through the sock. I checked it every time I refilled it to make sure there were no bite marks that could eventually rupture. He also chewed on the cap but that one is pretty durable. The other day I bought some vitamin enhance water at Whole Foods and the bottle was very thick and durable looking. So you can look for a bottle like that.

Playing in bed - yes, sometimes Skippy would also go underneath the cover, tunneling his way from one end to another, but mostly he liked being on top so that he could be aware of what's going on around. They're are just such smart animals, fun to watch and play with!

Thanks again for your thoughts, I am doing better then I was last week. You're right, memories are precious and as long as we have them, we're not completely alone.

kerriejw · #14 05-21-2008, 01:53 PM

yes a picture of it would be great, when i first buried donna i was unable to make more of a memorial than to place a large smooth stone to mark the grave, as you are leaving so soon if you wanted you could mark skippy's grave with a small bush such as roses, something that the next occupents are unlikely to want to remove, that way his resting place could stay intact forever more.
it truly is good that you are still connecting with him, talking to him and thinking of him, he can hear you, its true and no doubt he travels with you even now, watching over you, if you close your eyes relax and think/talk to him he will come to you in your minds eye and even if you cannot see him he will still be there with you.

also thankyou for the tip, i have yet to find a bottle sturdy enough but i reckon he would possibly enjoy such a treat so i will continue to look.

ifiwasahamster · #15 05-21-2008, 03:34 PM

i am so sorry i havent logged in for ages and i just have and read your message i am so sorry that skippy is no longer with you in this life i am sure he will be waiting for you as he loved you very much he could not have wished fot a better life than the one you gave him
you must always remember when you are sad that skippy had a wonderful life and he was very very happy
i truly am so sorry for your loss x