Saying Good-Bye to Coco

Posted on by buildingtheloveshack

Just over a month ago, we received some very bad news. It all started with a cough.

Coco got a cough. We took him to the vets in the middle of the night. He had what sounded like Kennel Cough, but he had been vaccinated for Kennel Cough and so did the dogs he played with.

We started him on a weeks supply of antibiotics and while he was on them, there was no cough. A few days later the cough was back, only much worse. Another trip to the vets and this time we did chest x-rays.

It was the middle of the night, but we were able to get a radiologist to look at the x-ray. He seen an enlargement of the heart. This was not good news.

The next day we had an ultra-sound of his heart done, this confirmed the bad news, Coco had Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy is fatal in dogs.

We did the research and spoke to others whose dogs had this disease. With some very expensive medications, he was given months to a year. We were hopeful and started him on his meds.

He was a champ about the whole thing, taking his pills with no complaints, over 20 a day, and was looking great. He was playful and eating well. His coat was shiny and the sparkle was in his eyes.

Coco seemed to be doing great, and so we thought we would had more time with him.

From the time we got the diagnoses for Coco, I had one thought, the Love Shack. Coco would not live to see Spring and stay at this favorite places, The cottage. That thought ate away at me.

On Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago, I woke up to a feeling we had to go to the cottage. We had other plans that day, but the plans were changed. I didn’t tell husband about the urgency feelings I had, but we needed to go to the cottage.

We packed up the trailer and headed to the cottage to work on the bedrooms.

The weather was beautiful and we spent the day with Coco, as happy as he always was. He played and was the first one to jump in the bed, once we had it together. We had an awesome day.

That evening, all was well. Coco ate fine and played well. He got tired his usual time and we went to bed.

In the middle of the night Coco woke us up, he was dreaming. He was kicking his feet and chasing squirrels in his dreams. Husband and I woke up to check on him. He let out a little bark at the squirrels in his dreams and then in the next breath, he was gone.

Coco died from sudden death, he had a heart attack, just like they had told us he would. We got only 3 more weeks. Not months or years like others had with their dogs.

Cocos last day was filled the way his life was. He was happy, he played well, ate well , spent time at his favorite place and died in bed with mommy and daddy.

We are relieved that he did not suffer and his life was full to his last moments.

The heart wrenching pain of loosing him, was beyond words. We had all gone through so much together, he was my best friend, confident and our baby.

Coco got me through some pretty tough times over the past 5 years. For that, I will be ever grateful.

For those who have never had a pet, animals are family. They are the fur babies. You build your life and home around them. And usually you like them or rather love them more than most people.

The love is pure. There is no judgment, no explaining , it is simple and easy.

Coco’s loss was felt by many. There were many tears from family, friends and neighbors. Coco was loved. He had a beautiful life and in giving him one, he gave us one.

This Sunday, we will go to the cottage for the first time since we lost him. I am sure there will be tears at the Love Shack.

Coco’s  Photo album

 

baby
Coco at two weeks old

 

3-months
Coco at 2 months old

 

4months
Coco at 3 months old

 

6months
Coco at 6 months old

 

graduation-from-puppy-school
Graduation day from Doggy School

 

20160327_144635-2
April 2016, the day we bought Coco a beach.

 

coco-1
Coco, the last photograph taken, checking out the bed.

 

We have over a thousand photographs of Coco and more memories than that.

 

 

 

 

 

40 thoughts on “Saying Good-Bye to Coco”

  1. Pingback: Saying Good-Bye to Coco – Building The Love Shack

  6. While I’m terribly sorry for your loss, I am also glad for you that CoCo was such a special part of your life and family. It is truly a blessing that you can remember his last day as being so happy.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you so much. My friend is really struggling but wants to keep her boy as long as possible. She is well over $1,000 behind last I heard, not considering future costs yet. We love our fur babies so much, don’t we? I’d not have it any other way.

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    1. We are having a memorial piece made for the cottage for him. We had his paw print done and a photo I took a while back. That will be hung in the cottage, it will be his final resting place. We would have never bought this cottage if it wasn’t for Coco. He loved the area and the neighbors. It was his favorite place.

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    1. I don`t think I ever really got over loosing our first Dobe Rocky 10 years ago. I don`t think you get over it. Going up to the cottage the first time was very hard to do. The Cottage is Coco. We bought Coco a beach. The cottage will forever be Coco`s.

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  21. Your story of your wonderful Coco really touched my heart… We lost our beloved Mollie 4 years ago. She was a beagle/terrier mix. She loved going out on the lake, and I had bought and was fixing up an old sailboat shortly before lymphoma claimed her. We christened the sailboat “Miss Mollie” in her honor and memory.

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  23. I’m so sorry about Coco. I’ve just been catching up on your blog, it’s captivating. Thank you for discovering mine so I could find yours. I’m glad you have another dog.

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  24. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story about your companion Coco. I’m deeply touched and tears are gushing from my eyes. My heart goes out to you as you grieve the loss of your dear friend.

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