Missing My Emma
Emma
I'm taking the day off from posting, as I am devastated over losing one of the finest dogs I've ever known.
Emma went missing sometime early Thursday morning, having gone out to roam with Sade and Chloe before the hot sun came back out.
Emma hates the heat and there was a 100+ heat index yesterday. I knew something was wrong as soon as the sun appeared and Emma did not. We've searched by boat on the shore and tromped through the woods and have only turned up a lot of chigger and mosquito bites.
In our search, we discovered that my aunt's elderly dog collapsed on Sunday and they had to help him make his transition to the next life later that day. Another neighbor's — more than 2 miles away — elderly dog disappeared two days ago, the second time he has tried to wander off to pass from this life (the first time this spring, he was found and nursed back).
It's been a long, hot and hard summer. Emma rarely wanted out until after the sun went down. Last weekend, our friend Mike, pointed out how hard it was for Emma to get around. It was true, at 11, she moved slower and her coat was no longer the shiny, healthy coat as evidenced in this picture taken nearly three years ago during our first full winter here. We were advised by our vet just on Tuesday to have two suspicious lumps removed from Emma's chest and leg.
I wrote on my K9 Cuisine blog how Emma once saved my life. I only wish I could have kept her with me forever.
Emma was my mother's favorite "Granddog" and if she is gone from our lives, she is now back with her Grammy, giving her a lot of nudges and in return, she is getting a lot of pets.
So sorry to read of your loss of Emma. It is so sad to lose our most precious friends. They are in our lives for such a short time…My two Peke's are full brothers (age 13 now) from the same litter so I know I will be having a double loss in the not so distant future as I see them both becoming old puppies. Take care and time to heal your heart and find your balance. A new love will enter your life not to replace Emma as they can never be replaced but to bring more Love to you and your 'pack'. Love Cindyt
Thank you, Cindy. This really has been a devastating loss for us.
Kerri — I am so very sorry to read about Emma. My Sally is old and can hardly get around any more, so I can relate to that end. I'm grieving right along with you as I know how much it hurts to loose someone or somedog in the family.
Thank you very much, Sharon.
Oh, Kerri, I am so, so sorry for your loss. As a HUGE animal-lover, I know how great that loss can be. I also know how hard it is when you don't get to say good-bye. (((((HUGS))))xxxxx
Thank you Nancy.
I'm deeply sorry to hear of your loss. And it is doubly hard when a beloved pet disappears and we don't have the closure of knowing what happened. Those days of waiting and worrying are really, really tough. My thoughts are with you.
Very tough, Melanie, and it brings a whole different kind of grief. Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you again, everyone. Still no sign of her at all. I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers for all of us. Dale and I are just heartbroken.
I am so very sorry for your loss of your beloved Emma, the others in your pack must grive also I'm glad you have eachother to comfort eachother in such a time.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire famile both furfull and furless.
–Judy in Texas
I am so very sorry for the loss of your beloved Emma, I know the others in your pack are also grieving and you all comfort eachother. My thousghts and prayers are with you and your entire family, both furless and furfull.
Judy in Texas
Thank you so much, Judy.
Hello Kerri, I am terribly sorry to hear about Emma. You have our best wishes and heartfelt condolences. Someone once said "Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." This is only too true…
We are so sorry to hear Emma is missing. We are sending prayers your way.
Oh Kerri– it is so painful to lose a beloved dog. I am so terribly sorry for the loss of your dear Emma. I know how special she was to you. You and Emma are in my thoughts, dear friend.
Thank you all. It's amazing how one dog can affect your whole life's rhythm. From cleaning (no more big black scary "tumble dogs" to clean as the rest of them are short haired), to the barking and howling they would all do to get me up to feed them on Saturday mornings (Emma was the ring leader so it was a pretty pathetic song this morning). I also will not be putting my house shoes up on the dresser at night anymore as it was Emma who loved to lay on them. It was a good ride for 9 years. You can't ask more from a dog than having it save your life, and she literally did once: http://blog.k9cuisine.com/dog-rescue-shelters/my-bbd-rescued-me/
I only wish we could have gotten to say goodbye.
There's a big hole at our little house right now.
I am hoping for the best. I am so sorry to hear the news.
Oh, Keri. I'm so sorry. We have an older dog who's been with us for 13 years. Losing her would be like losing a limb for me. I hope she'll somehow return home to you…
So sorry for your loss! I had never thought of the ravages on pets the high temps of climate change could produce, but it is something we need to take into consideration.
Kerri — how devastating this must be. I am so sorry. I will be holding you and your family and Emma in my thoughts. They are never with us for long enough.
Kerri — I am so, so sorry. I, too, have lost too many pets. Our last, Oliver Beagle, died 3 1/2 years ago and I still miss him so much — he was 15 1/2 and the love of the family. My prayers are with you.
So sorry for your loss.…I know how hard it is to lose a pet.
I am praying for you and Emma.
As I write this, my eyes are full of tears. I give you my most heart-felt sympathy to you Kerri.
I pray that she is over the "Rainbow Bridge" and she is at peace.
I only know the loss of pets too well. I that I can say, Kerri, is I am so very sorry for your loss, and that all us greive with you.