If I lost my dog I would be in a state of depression nothing could get me out of for... days, weeks. Who knows. She's basically my child.

I think that is what pets end up becoming. Miniature children. I would argue my beagle is smarter than most young children. She knows some commands, comes when called, you can leave her alone for hours, she has an understanding of property, she can communicate, senses emotions, etc. Always happy.

You won't get unconditional love from anything other than a dog or a cat. I had several cats as a child, and I would still have one or two if I was not deathly allergic.

You have my sympathies. Hopefully after a while it won't be as bad and you can get a new friend.

Hi Lou, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It's been a long time since I lost a pet and hopefully it will be at least just long before it happens again. I will give my dog an extra big hug tonight. My best thoughts to you as you grieve. Renal failure is one of the worst things that can happen to a living thing and I'm glad to hear that she died with little pain but all your love.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

I'm sure you know that eighteen years is a remarkably long life for a cat. She had you to thank for that.

Be sad, but don't despair.

Man I've been trying for hours to post this comment, but each time I sat down at the keyboard I'd start to crack and have to stop. Now, near bedtime with three fingers of scotch in me, I think maybe I can do it.

I understand your loss I guess about as well as another human can. On March 28th, I had to say goodbye to Matilda, a 15 year old labrador retriever mix. She was my child. She was my friend. She was with me longer than either of my wives.

It's been almost three months and I'm still not 100%. I'm not sure I ever will be.

You have my absolute deepest sympathies.

{Insert amusing quotation here}

Over the years we've had dogs and cats, some of them pure bred and some of them mixed.  All of them, every last one, became an integral part of the family.  And, I can say without qualification, that when the day came when we had to let one of them go it was a very real shot to the heart and a hole in our family life.  Best wishes to you.  

Illegitimi non carborundum.

The kind words are a comfort.  I'm feeling better today...still sad of course, but not like the heartbreak of yesterday.  I'm very thankful that she didn't linger (or that I tried to make her linger) and that while uncomfortable, she never really suffered.

I also want to give a big general thank you for the whole TnT community.  I would have never posted something like this on some unnamed site.  I think it says a lot about TnT that while can argue vigorously and occasionally   bring the snark, this place is  safe enough to post personal stuff about pets, family, children, whatever.  

Again, thank you all.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

My condolences.

- derumi (del-me)
"Bobby Fischer? Man, that guy is crazy!" - Mike Tyson

My condolences as well...I've had a cat (or multiple cats) for most of my life, and I can't imagine not having one around...they really do become part of the family after a while.  I think I cried harder when my first cat died than I did when my grandfather died :-|