R.I.P. My Dear Old Toby
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:55 pm
Dear Jan & All
I am deeply saddened and very sorry to let you all know that we lost our dear Toby (born 27th February 1999, died 25th July 2011 aged 12 years 5 months) last night when out for his normal before bedtime walk on our local recreation ground.
He just collapsed and in front of me and died on the spot most unexpectedly and, most likely from a massive heart attack cum stroke. It was a very quick and painless ending to my lovely old boy who had 2 fantasatic years with us and who was a constant and faithful companion who gave me enormous comfort at all times when I was off work going through a really bad time in my life when we were delighted to acquire him from Jan on 19th June 2009.
He had a little turn just over two weeks ago when he went off his back legs and couldn't get up or walk but after a trip to our VET, she informed us that he had a very irregular heartbeat and had suffered some neurological problem between his brain and his back legs and prescribed him Metacam to get him back on his feet and to relieve his arthritis and inflamation, and much to my surprise he made a very speedy recovery and within only 5 or 6 days he was back on his feet and raring to go and wanting to on his usual long walks to his favourite places but we took it easy with him and only entended his walks slightly each day after he was getting much stronger with each passing day.
I have truly great memories of my dear old Toby, I distinctly remember Jan describing to me a "true gentleman" of a retriever and she was absolutely spot on, he was such a lovely, soft well behaved and loyal and faithful and caring dog who will be greatly and sadly missed by both my wife Anne and Myself.
But for now, he has gone to the bridge to run free and rest in peace.
Fortunately, for us, we still have charming little Cassie (aged 6 and a half) who we also rescued / adopted from Jan back in early March this year 2011 who settled in amazingly well and so quickly to her new home and her new pal my dear old Toby.
As you can imagine, she was looking a bit lost when we brought Tobys body back home light, she was with us when the shocking event to place and I maybe guess she is clever enough to realise something was badly wrong, we obviously didn't let her see or smell Toby's dead body which we lay in the garage overnight curled up in his duvet, but she was still walking about through the house from room to room looking for her old pal and even into the garden wondering where he had gone.
She wasn't too bad at 6am this morning when I left home for work but I possibly made the mistake of making a couple of final visits to the garage just to cuddle and caress my dear old Toby and I suspect that she may well sniffed him off my hands as I came past her back into the hall where she was still sleeping and was alerted by me.
I'm kinda glad he went the way he did so quickly and without pain, he looked so peaceful lying there in the middle of the recreation ground whilst I had to rush home and fetch the car and his favourite duvet and bring him back home.
Special thanks to the lads and lasses who were deeply shocked to see Toby at close quarters collapse and die on the spot, and who looked after hi mfor me until I got back.
Special thanks also to Toby's close friend Oscar and his owner Dave and Wife who helped me cary Toby over to the car and who accompanied me back home and who helped me lift Toby out of the car and lay him to rest on the garage floor.
My Dearest Toby...... I will miss you terribly as will Mum and Cassie, we will never ever forget you, you will be forever in our thoughts, we have treasured memories of you for the two great years we spent with each other and all the help and comfort you gave when I was ill.
Now go run free at the rainbow bridge and rest in peace dear old fella.
Thanks to all of you for taking the care to read my most untimely and terrible news
Sincerely Yours
Ian & Anne Pollington
I am deeply saddened and very sorry to let you all know that we lost our dear Toby (born 27th February 1999, died 25th July 2011 aged 12 years 5 months) last night when out for his normal before bedtime walk on our local recreation ground.
He just collapsed and in front of me and died on the spot most unexpectedly and, most likely from a massive heart attack cum stroke. It was a very quick and painless ending to my lovely old boy who had 2 fantasatic years with us and who was a constant and faithful companion who gave me enormous comfort at all times when I was off work going through a really bad time in my life when we were delighted to acquire him from Jan on 19th June 2009.
He had a little turn just over two weeks ago when he went off his back legs and couldn't get up or walk but after a trip to our VET, she informed us that he had a very irregular heartbeat and had suffered some neurological problem between his brain and his back legs and prescribed him Metacam to get him back on his feet and to relieve his arthritis and inflamation, and much to my surprise he made a very speedy recovery and within only 5 or 6 days he was back on his feet and raring to go and wanting to on his usual long walks to his favourite places but we took it easy with him and only entended his walks slightly each day after he was getting much stronger with each passing day.
I have truly great memories of my dear old Toby, I distinctly remember Jan describing to me a "true gentleman" of a retriever and she was absolutely spot on, he was such a lovely, soft well behaved and loyal and faithful and caring dog who will be greatly and sadly missed by both my wife Anne and Myself.
But for now, he has gone to the bridge to run free and rest in peace.
Fortunately, for us, we still have charming little Cassie (aged 6 and a half) who we also rescued / adopted from Jan back in early March this year 2011 who settled in amazingly well and so quickly to her new home and her new pal my dear old Toby.
As you can imagine, she was looking a bit lost when we brought Tobys body back home light, she was with us when the shocking event to place and I maybe guess she is clever enough to realise something was badly wrong, we obviously didn't let her see or smell Toby's dead body which we lay in the garage overnight curled up in his duvet, but she was still walking about through the house from room to room looking for her old pal and even into the garden wondering where he had gone.
She wasn't too bad at 6am this morning when I left home for work but I possibly made the mistake of making a couple of final visits to the garage just to cuddle and caress my dear old Toby and I suspect that she may well sniffed him off my hands as I came past her back into the hall where she was still sleeping and was alerted by me.
I'm kinda glad he went the way he did so quickly and without pain, he looked so peaceful lying there in the middle of the recreation ground whilst I had to rush home and fetch the car and his favourite duvet and bring him back home.
Special thanks to the lads and lasses who were deeply shocked to see Toby at close quarters collapse and die on the spot, and who looked after hi mfor me until I got back.
Special thanks also to Toby's close friend Oscar and his owner Dave and Wife who helped me cary Toby over to the car and who accompanied me back home and who helped me lift Toby out of the car and lay him to rest on the garage floor.
My Dearest Toby...... I will miss you terribly as will Mum and Cassie, we will never ever forget you, you will be forever in our thoughts, we have treasured memories of you for the two great years we spent with each other and all the help and comfort you gave when I was ill.
Now go run free at the rainbow bridge and rest in peace dear old fella.
Thanks to all of you for taking the care to read my most untimely and terrible news
Sincerely Yours
Ian & Anne Pollington
