Brady: A Pet Loss Story

The following pet loss story was sent to DoveLewis Pet Loss Support Director Enid Traisman from Beth Parrillo.  Please feel free to submit your own pet loss story here.

We got Brady when I was in 7th grade. I remember I begged my parents for a puppy for months and they kept denying me. One night they called me into the room where the computer was and pulled up the picture of a litter of the cutest puppies. There was one staring at me in the picture with a blue string around his neck as a collar and I knew it was meant to be. Fast forward 11 years and Brady had been through everything. He survived two ACL/MCL surgeries, walked with two dislocated knees for probably around 5 years of his life and you wouldn’t even know it. He loved trying to chase the squirrels in the yard, never catching one and when the first snowfall came around he was the happiest pup! In February of 2015, Brady started having seizures. The vet said it was common for older dogs and eventually put him on meds. She said it was probably just epilepsy since all of his labs came back fine. But he kept having them about every 2 weeks even with increased medication, and with each one his legs got weaker and weaker. On April 28, at 2am Brady started having cluster seizures, every 40 minutes. In between he was restless, agitated, not himself at all. I knew it was time. The super hero dog wasn’t going to survive this one. I sobbed hysterically on top of Brady when we got in the room at the Animal hospital. I knew this day would come but nothing could prepare me for how it actually felt. He was my best friend. He was there for me when my parents got divorced, when I got my first car, my high school graduation, when we moved (twice), my first break-up with my high school boyfriend. In the chaos of life, he was the one thing I could count on and now he was slipping away from me. My boyfriend, me, and my parents stayed with Brady until he was gone and I just kissed him and told him I loved him. It’s been 3 days and I don’t know if I’m ever going to feel better. I just miss him, his companionship and the feeling of unconditional love and kisses he always gave me. The house is eerily quiet without him even though he wasn’t a loud dog, his absent is felt. I find myself not wanting to come home because he won’t be there to greet me. But I find peace in knowing that I loved him probably more than I ever loved anything or anyone and I did all I could for him. I know he’s running around in heaven right now watching over me, not wanting me to be sad. He’s in a better place and life must go on. Until we meet again Rufus, I love you forever and always.