In Memory of our Beloved Armani!
 

Our beloved Armani...our baby boy passed away last week. It still seems like a bad dream...I have never felt so much grief or pain. Sometimes I feel like my heart has been ripped from my chest. Even though he was with us for only 19 months, he had stolen our hearts and became the center of our world. He was my best friend...

Armani got sick about 10 weeks ago. He started sneezing one morning and suddenly started to become very lethargic. I noticed he was bleeding out his nose (not alot, but a little). So, I took him immediately to the vet who told me he probably had a sinus infection and gave us an antibiotic. By the time I got him home he was almost completely catatonic. He didn't know who anyone was, wouldn't walk, laid on his side completely still and stared blankly at nothing.

I took him immediately back to the vet who did blood work on him and put him on an IV. For over 6 days, no one could tell us what was wrong with him. He didn't improve and the saddest part is he didn't even recognize me when I visited him (which was 3 times daily). On the 7th day, when I was holding him I noticed his right eye was extremely swollen and there was blood near the lower part of his eyesocket. When I pulled his hair back, it exposed a maggot! Or as the doctor called it...a cuterebra!

I took him immediately to a different vet (an internist) who ran numerous test on him and he finally determined that he had sniffed up a cuterebra, which hatched in his nose, burrowed through his nasal cavity, through his frontal lobe of his brain (hence the brain damage), and out his eye socket. The brain damage was permanent and there really wasn't anything else they could do for him. He had numerous health issues over the following 2 months and last week he finally succumbed to his numerous illnesses.

My heart broke when I held him as he took his last breath. I cried so much...and still cry daily when I think of him. He was my best friend, my daily companion, my baby boy. My life will never be the same without him and as I promised him....he will NEVER be forgotten.

Before Armani died, my husband and I adopted Bella and Baci to help with the loss of our baby boy. Even though Armani was here physically, he wasn't the same puppy we once knew and loved. The puppies are adorable and loveable and already follow me everywhere just like Armani always did. Having them has helped me with my grief, but I'm not sure I will ever be the same since the loss of my adorable baby boy...:cry8: I miss you baby...take care in heaven my little angel and always remember how much I loved you and I always will....:love::iheartu:

Sweetie, I hope your pain eases up and you find happiness again. God Bless your Little Armani. God has a special place for our furbabies and you will see him again :love:

I am so very sorry for your loss. How heartbreaking.

I am glad that you found YT though. Maybe this will help someone else recognize the signs. Would this have been treatable if the first vet had recognized and treated it sooner?

Each and every pet we have is unique and each grief is a pain felt in your heart for a very long time . Those people who never understand that pet grief is as real as any loss , have never loved an animal companion in the true sense . My heart goes out to you . I have known and share your heartache .
Take care .

I wish I could say that if the vet had noticed it sooner it would have saved him...but who knows. Most likely the cuterebra had entered into the brain already, but the internist did everything possible to keep him alive. This is a very rare case of this type of thing happeneing to dogs...and I still ask God daily why him? He was the most wonderful, obedient, and loveable dog...everyone in our family misses him dearly.

Thank you for your reply...it's so nice to know that there are others out there that understand the type of love I had for my baby boy and understand the grief I feel.

Thank you!

I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my 17 month old two weeks today to brain abnormalties/liver problems. I lost my 10 yr. old Yorkie to cancer last year. Both were terrible losses but when they are so young I think it hurts differently and it makes it so hard to understand. Elaine

I'm so sorry for you loss. To lose a fur baby so young is so hard. Our prayers are with you.

Oh hun my heart goes out to you. I know exactly what your going through. I lost Lilly a year ago from now and when she died in my arms I thought I was going to die. I still cry...she is very much a part of my life. They are all different in their own way and she was so different. Lovable girl and always with me. I miss her so much... I wish I could take away the pain hun....I wished someone took it away from me when I lost my girl. YT is great support. You can let it out here and it feels so good to talk to ppl that understand you. None of my friends and family understood what I went through when I lost her. I was depressed and didnt want to talk to anyone...didn't even want my other furkids around me. I finally had to realized that I couldn't be that way with them and came around. I'm also a proud mommy of a rescue...After Lilly I made a promise that the next furbaby would be a rescue....and thats what I did. Although Gabby will never replace Lilly she helped heal the open wounds.

(((hugs))) to you

Gloria

I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I can only imagine the pain you are going through and pray that God will comfort you.

Thank you!
 

Thank you to everyone for your condolences and wonderful words of encouragement. I'm so glad there are others out there that understand the type of love I had for my baby boy...and the incredible grief I felt when I lost him. He will live on forever in my heart...and in our home. There are pictures everywhere of him everywhere and he's the screensaver on my laptop.

I'm very lucky to have such beautiful, loving and adorable puppies (Bella and Baci) to help me through my grief...they are 5 months old and are so loveable.

If I didn't have them, I don't think I could have pulled myself out of my depression and grief.

I will love you forever Baby Boy....my...Prince Armani Pucci!!!!

It is so heart breaking how you lost him. I created this for you.

So Beautiful Jeri :love:

I am so sorry for your loss.

I am so very sorry for your loss. As you can see by my signature, I lost my little Grasshopper in 1986 (he was 15 when he died) and lost Sugar in 2001 (she was 19). I still cry when I think about my little Yorkies and how much they meant to me. My thoughts and prayers are with you. :love:

We are so sorry for your loss. Rest in peace Sweet Angel Armani.

I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. Armani is very lucky to have you as a Momma. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs to you and your family.

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost one of my Yorkies young also, he drowned in a neighbors pool and I know how helpless you feel and you wish you could have protected Armani!! I have felt the same way and many others have too. You just have to look at it that you were privileged to have loved and spent any time with your little Armani. Hopefully in time, you will remember him with a smile instead of a tear...sending you hugs and strength.

Jeri, That was a beautiful memorial you made for Armani, it was very thoughtful.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your precious Armani. He was very lucky to have had you for his Mommy and will be watching over you until you are together again. Heavenly Peace as you sleep, Armani.

I am so sorry for your loss.

ditto

What kind of brain abnormalities? When did it develop? Was his liver problems based from a liver shunt? Just curious!

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a beautiful boy. :(

:cry2:That\'s about what I look like now. My feelings over anyone losing a beloved family member really hits me pretty hard. Maybe because I still cry when I start to talk about my almost 16 year old Chihuahua who died last year. I\'m so sorry you have to go thru this too. Thankfully we have our two Yorkster kids to care for and help ease the lonelyness.
What a horribe thing to have happen to that poor little baby. Did the Vet. say where those things come from? This is scary for me now.
Hugs to you.

I\'m so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family. RIP little one.

So sorry to hear about your loss. *hugs* The pain does ease in time but it seems to never go away completely. You did everything you could for him and he enjoyed his life with you.

im so so sorry, your words have me in tears as i write this.. the thought just
scares me to no end... may god help you heal. my heart is with you and
so are my prayers.

I write this to you with tears streaming down my face. I feel your pain and my prayers are going out to Our Lord that he wil hold you so close, comfort your broken heart and give you peace in remembering that this life is but a breath of air, you will see your precious Armani again and then be re-united "FOREVER" never to have to say goodby.

To love again is to heal, this is something I strongly believe. As long as we are still here on earth there are those who need our love. I am so thankful that you have two babies to love and care for. There is never a replacement, however, they are there and you can take all of the love you have , poor it onto them, and one day truly your tears will dry and your smile returns.

Armani is happy, healthy, and patiently waiting for you! He is free and at peace, May You Be Also.

Patti

I am terribly sorry to hear of your loss. Such a tragic story and something I have never heard of. Thank you for sharing it as I have learned something new.

Hugs and prayers to you during your time of loss.

Honey, I am sitting here bawling my eyes out. What a terrible thing to happen to that beautiful boy. Thank you for sharing your story and
giving us information on yet another illness that can happen to our
babies. My you find comfort in your two new furbabies and may
Armani R.I.P. You have your wonderful memories to help you go on.


Hugs,