Tyson's Last Truck Ride

[wvwolf]

This email has been rated R by me for blood and gore.

Background:
When my sister moved in, she brought their dog with them. His name was Tyson.

9/15/04
Tyson was playing in the yard tonight. He was running in big circles through the yard. He ran down in front of his house, and must have got his cable wrapped around his foot. It pulled the end of his foot off. I ran down, put my arm around him, and clamped my fingers around his leg right above where his foot came off to try to stop the blood. Then I started yelling for help. The woman next door came over, and they got my mom in the house. My mom started calling vets. None were open, so she just got the answering machine. Tyson remained fairly calm during the whole ordeal - my mom said I was taking it worse than he was.

I find it amazing that no vet will take an emergency call unless they already see the animal.

I find it amazing that no vet will take an emergency call unless they already see the animal.

I find it amazing that no vet will take an emergency call unless they already see the animal.

We tied a tourniquet around the lower part of his leg to try to stop the bleeding. I kept my fingers clamped there also. The neighbor finally gets ahold of a vet in Fairmont, and told us they would stay open. My dad came home, and we loaded Tyson in the back of his truck in the lower half of his doghouse. I road to Fairmont in the bed of my dad's truck with one arm clamped around the dog's chest and the other hand clamped around his leg. By the time we got to Saltwell Road, it had been almost two hours. He was starting to rest his head on my arm. We finally arrived in Fairmont, and went in. My hands and part of my arm were covered in blood. My dad held him on the vet's table. The vet was going to stabilize him, and get him ready to amputate his leg tomorrow, but he was a stocky built dog and wouldn't have done well on three legs.

The decision was made to have him put to sleep. (I'm almost positive that he wouldn't have made it through the night, anyways - while we were still in the yard he started shaking were he was going into shock.) The vet asked if we wanted to stay in while they performed the injection. We did. I was covered in blood, had just spent the last two hours with my hand clamped around his leg, and rode in the open bed of the truck for 25 miles; I wasn't going to leave him. And so, he was put to sleep.

I remember sitting in the yard holding his leg watching him bleed to death, knowing that I couldn't wave a wand and heal him. Also hearing that none of the vets were open or would see him. I remember asking God to please let someone be open, and finally someone stayed open.

I don't know what purpose this served or why it happened, but there is one. I trust God for that.

He wasn't "my" dog, but I played with him, and I have this tendency to grow attached to animals... Well, when I say he wasn't "my" dog - I didn't buy him, but had kind of adopted him as my own. I would have been sad for awhile, if we had given him away... So, I guess in a way, he was my dog. He didn't completely bleed to death in my arms, but he didn't have much time left in this world.

Farewell Tyson, may you rest in peace.

[121Traffic]

You are a brave soul. God bless you and I'm sorry for your loss. :sad:

[mcsap]

Some dogs can be a better friend than a person.

[metallicat]

I am sorry for the loss of your dog, who was no doubt a friend and a family member.

[andytelford]

Some dogs can be a better friend than a person.

mc is right on the money with this one. my best friend was my dog tip. I had him for almost 16 years, and when the time came to put him to sleep, I was balling like a baby. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, other than saying goodbye to my dad for the last time. :(

[Puddle Pirate]

Sorry to hear about Tyson. A very sad story, indeed :(
Makes me run over to my dog and give him a a hug.

[goldstargirl]

How sad :( (I know the feeling of your loss, my kitty of 15 yeas died today and I had to bury him) :( I am sorry for your loss

[Mike Romeo]

Sad news man, I had to put a dog of mine down a few years ago. It was the hardest things I've ever had to do in my entire life. Hope all is well soon.

[wvwolf]

Makes me run over to my dog and give him a a hug.

Please do. You never know when your life or their life will be demanded from you. If anyone wants me to go on about that subject, send a PM or email...

Yesterday, it felt like my heart was ripped out, and river danced on... Today, its more of an above average tap dancer feeling... :(

[wvwolf]

Makes me run over to my dog and give him a a hug.

Please do. You never know when your life or their life will be demanded from you. If anyone wants me to go on about that subject, send a PM or email...

Yesterday, it felt like my heart was ripped out, and river danced on... Today, its more of an above average tap dancer feeling... :( I guess it will take time for the image of his foot hanging there to fade away.

I'm just glad that I was home, instead of my mom being here by herself...

[andytelford]

hang in there, and always remember all the fun your critter gave you. time will make things better, and you'll always have the memories. I think of my dog tip just about every day and laugh at his stunts, like refusing to move when I was mowing the grass with a riding mower & my leg in a cast, or him going in the basement at an ungodly hour & acting like he couldn't climb back up, until I got ready to pick him up, then he'd look at me & run up the stairs !

[Seand442]

Some dogs can be a better friend than a person.

I have never met a dog I didn't like. The same cant be said for people.

Sorry for your loss.