Sarah Silverman’s Touching Tribute to Her Dog

[warrior1]

Tissues will be needed.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jordanzakarin/sarah-silvermans-dog-died-and-she-wrote-a-touching-obituary

Duck, a frequent star of the comedian’s tweets and photos, died this week at the age of 19. Silverman posted a sweet note to her WhoSay page in remembrance of her best friend.

Duck “Doug” Silverman came into my life about 14 years ago. He was picked up by the State running through South Central with no collar, tags or chip. Nobody claimed or adopted him so a no-kill shelter took him in. That’s where I found him — at that shelter, in Van Nuys. Since then we have slept most every night together (and many lazy afternoons.) When we first met, the vet approximated his age at 5½ so I’d say he was about 19 as of yesterday, September 3, 2013.

He was a happy dog, though serene. And stoic. And he loved love.

Over the past few years he became blind, deaf, and arthritic. But with a great vet, good meds, and a first rate seeing-eye person named me, he truly seemed comfortable.

Recently, however, he stopped eating or drinking. He was skin and bones and so weak. I couldn’t figure out this hunger strike. Duck had never been political before. And then, over the weekend, I knew. It was time to let him go.

My boyfriend Kyle flew in late last night and took the day off from work to be with us. We laid in bed and massaged his tiny body, as we love to do – hearing his little “I’m in heaven” breaths.

snip

[Sunlei]

1. only bad thing about our lovely dogs, even our lovely humans is they never live long enough.

[callous taoboy]

16. This is why I can't bring myself to getting a dog.

I get too emotionally attached. I know that when my dog's time was up I'd be devastated. Don't want to go through that.

[CitizenLeft]

21. I've heard so many kind and gentle people say that...

... and those are exactly the people who should own dogs (and cats), the ones who get too emotionally attached. It's one of the definitions of love.

It does hurt, and the hurt goes deep the more you love them. The worst is when you question some decision you made about that little life that brought you so much joy, loading up on the guilt so that you don't quite get over it. But you get so much back. We rarely save them, they always wind up saving us. I've always given myself a week to grieve, and then I head for Petfinder.com. Bringing that new chaos into your life with a new dog does distract from the pain just enough, giving you time to heal a little.

Not criticizing at all, I just have always thought it a shame that people with the capacity to care so much shy away.

[get the red out]

28. My husband always said that

Until he finally relented and we adopted our precious Layla. We love her so much, I hope we can keep in mind one day, when her time is done (hopefully a long time from now) that others need all the love we can give as well. I don't think I did know so much about love until our dog taught me.

[snappyturtle]

2. ......

[OnyxCollie]

3. (sigh)

[HangOnKids]

4. Crying on a Thursday morning

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Another hole is left in somebody's heart whenever a dog passes on.

[ChazInAz]

6. AAww!

I always suspected there was a sensitive soul under Ms. Silverman's strange persona. One of the reasons I've always liked her.

[dionysus]

8. yeah... she's out there. but you can tell a lot about somebody by the way they treat their pets.

[joeybee12]

7. Aw...so glad he found a happy home...and spent many years in comfort...

[Kablooie]

9. Duck seems to be in sync with my dog.

Kira is 14 years old, we got her at the shelter 13 years ago.

She is in end stage renal failure and also is very thin and weak.
A couple of days ago she didn't eat anything and we thought she was going to go but we gave her sub-cutaneous electrolytes and she perked up by morning and started eating again. The electrolyte fluid seems to make her feel better and keeps her going.
Last night she even wanted to go for a walk and this morning she wagged her tail for breakfast.

She walks very slowly hunched over and sometimes seems kind of out of it but she is still keeping up her routine of wandering around to sleep at her favorite places in the house and still seems to enjoy being with us.

I read that for humans renal failure, once you stop dialysis, is one of the quietest, easiest ways to go. You become very tired, your mind gets fuzzy, you lose interest in life and fade away. I'm hoping it is the same for dogs.

[life long demo]

12. Sending prayers for you and Kira

[CitizenLeft]

22. wish I could hug you and Kira

Wishing you and Kira sweet times still to come.

[Blue Owl]

27. Had a cat with renal failure some years ago

Gave him dialysis treatments every few days and it extended his life for 2+ more years -- was so glad to have done that and it definitely improved his quality of life.

I wish the same for your dog Kira!

[bettyellen]

34. My 7 yr old cat bounced back well with a change of diet and

Fluids for about 6 months. I used KD and it took a while for her to take to it, but she ate it up for another 9 healthy years. I was able to stop the sub q fluid after 6 months.
Wish you the same luck!

[Kablooie]

36. Amazing.

Since she's so old, 14 a decent life span for her breed, I don't anticipate years more but at least the fluids will give us a little more time together.

[bettyellen]

37. Yes, the docs were shocked at how well she recovered

They gave me such a negative prognosis - that she would need thousands of dollars worth of care in the first few months, that I believed I'd have to let her go. But she really bounced back and had her happiness back, and I found out I could get the saline bags and needles on the net and do it myself - saving like 90% of projected costs where I couldn't have afforded it. Friends taught me more about dealing with renal problems than the vet ever did- so I thought I'd pass that info on. That KD did her real good for years.

[Kablooie]

35. Thanks all for the support.

Today the vet told me that if she continues to respond to the fluid therapy we might have a couple more weeks with her but there's nothing else they can do.

I looked into dialysis for dogs but it probably wouldn't be very effective for a dog her age.
The subcutaneous fluids works on a similar principal.
It helps clean out her kidneys so they can function a while longer.

Kira is my avatar as well as my puppy.

[Myrina]

10. K & R

Many, many new friends await Duck on the other side of the Bridge.

[life long demo]

11. That was sweet, sad but sweet. Someone is peeling onions again.

Why is it that whenever you read what people write about their dog passing, you immediately tear up thinking about your own experience going through it with your pets. It is just so painful. I think about my Sandy, Heidi, Penny, Bruser, Taffy, Sheba, Bridget and Skippy, all my dogs. And PussyKat, Marmalade, and Sam, the cats. I still have Miss Kitty with me. I know their spirits are all here around me.

[CitizenLeft]

24. I have pictures of all my babies on the wall at work.

They never leave me.

[alfredo]

13. knr

[UtahLib]

14. It makes my heart ache

to read such a sweet and tender tribute to a beloved companion.

[Martin Eden]

15. 19? That's a very long-lived pooch!

Our yellow lab Hunny passed away 12 days ago at the age of 16 years, 8 months, 21 days, so I know what Sarach is going through

[Skittles]

17. ....

Grieve not,
nor speak of me with tears,
but laugh and talk of me
as if I were beside you...
I loved you so --
'twas Heaven here with you.

by Isla Paschal Richardson

[Martin Eden]

20. Thank You

It's hard, but made easier by others who care

[CitizenLeft]

23. I am so sorry

Nothing anyone cay say will help, but I hope there are still furry ones in your life to ease the pain a little.

[SammyWinstonJack]

31. ...

[FLyellowdog]

18. ...

[Polly Hennessey]

19. Our best friends

To Callous Taoboy -- the time we have with our pets more than makes up for losing them. They are joyful, loving, sweet and the love and safety we give them is our gift to them. I just recently lost one of my Goldens to an invasive and fast moving cancer. By the time we discovered it it was too late, April 24, 2013. If only they could tell us when something is wrong. Devon, my other Golden is in intensive care recovering from surgery. It was discovered last week that she not only had a tumor near her liver but a blood clot had formed and was growing towards her heart. Ultrasound (how we discovered it) and expert doctors have given us more time with her. She is 12. If the clot had reached her heart we would have lost her. I am going to visit her this afternoon (her surgery was Wed).

When Murphy died in April the pain was great. I believe, however, that Murphy left me a gift in the form of another Golden. We have named her Caleigh and whenever I look at her I say thank you Murphy. So now I have two sweet girls - Devon and Caleigh. Once again, I say thank you Murphy --- you had to leave me but to make the pain bearable, you found Caeigh for me. Caleigh came to us about two months ago from the Southern Nevada Golden Retriever Rescue group.

[CitizenLeft]

25. even when they leave us, they're still giving.

Bless you and Murphy and your girls.

[RandiFan1290]

26. RIP lil Duck

He was also a great actor. I loved seeing him on the Sara Silverman Show.

[SammyWinstonJack]

29. I miss my little Sammy girl.

She was my best friend and constant companion.

I saw the world through her eyes and it was wonderful.

[rl6214]

30. I had to have a 13yo GSD put down this past year that I have had since finding as a pup

I know what she is going thru.

RIP Doug.

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. ...

[Rockyj]

33. Yes tissues are needed

Thank you for sharing that. When I get home from work today I will hold Bailey (my 10 year old Corgi) a bit longer...