OMG, how drastic for you, no words can express the sorrow I feel for you and your family. The love and care you showed for lil piper I know sam had a good, wounderful, loving life with you. So saddened by this news.

May Sam rest in peace. How sad for everyone.

Oh Bobbie, I am so sorry.

RIP Sam

Bobbie, I am very sorry for your family's loss. Rest in peace, Sam.

Bobbie, I am so sorry to hear of Sam's passing. RIP Sam :love:

Bobbie, I am so sorry to hear of Sam's passing. RIP Sam.... I am sure Piper and your family will be missing you.

I'm very sorry for your loss :(

I think you should take notice and see if there's any connection to Piper being sick. There might not be but since her illness is still pretty much a mystery I would very seriously consider a necropsy.

That is an interesting point, maybe worth looking into to protect the other pups in the house if there is any connection. Hope there isn't, but you never know.

Omg how sad, I'm so sorry, I too would strongly suggest a necropsy is in order, gosh I'm so sorry you are going through so much, it's just too sad. Please keep us posted. I will keep you all in my prayers.

Do any of you know how much a necropsy is? At least $800 ...sometimes more. We looked into this for my son's pup who died last year.

I am going to suggest that the other pups be seen by a vet and blood tested to see if anything might be going on.

I'm so sorry for your loss. RI P, Sam.

Well since I'm one of the "any of you's" I'll answer and say no I don't have any idea how much it would cost to do a necropsy would cost. But I have to say that since it was never determined what just about killed Piper and now Sam suddenly died I was a little alarmed. It did sound like this was very sudden and unexpected. I'm not trying to cause a controversy but it just jumped out at me and I thought it could possibly be related to Piper's still unexplained illness. There are several other dogs in the house and I'd hate to see something else happen. I think Bobbie and her entire family have been through quite an emotional and financial ordeal already.

I agree and thought it was a good observation....I would also be concerned. That is why I suggested testing the other pups in the house to see if anything is going on with them. :) They have already spent a small fortune saving Piper (one bill was almost $9,000 and more is being spent to monitor her); so I thought it more prudent to spend the money to see if the others may have something going on as well. To spend $1,000 on a necropsy might be cost prohibitive.

How sad. So sorry for your loss. Prayers to your family... RIP Sam.

My heart breaks for you...I too would be very concerned, not only what happened to Sam and what made Piper so sick, but the relief of knowing there is nothing preventable from happening in the future. My sincere sympathy for your loss of Sam...

I am so sorry about your sweet Sam.

We will not do a necropsy. I say Sam was her usual self. Well, her usual self for us, is going outside to do her business, eat something and lay down. She was almost completely blind and deaf. She was getting slow in her old age. Saturday we had a big bbq and birthday party at the house. I did notice that she was just laying in her bed alot that day. But, I put it to all the people at the house. Yesterday morning when I got up I noticed she was breathing hard. She went outside and done her morning usual. Ate some breakfast and went and layed down. We had already planned to take her to the vet first thing this morning if she was not doing better. It was just our girl Sams time. We take every precausion to make sure our babies or safe. I don't and probably never will know what made Piper sick. I don't know what happened with Sam. I do know that she lived a long happy life. We did everything to save her when she was a baby and got Lupus. Never even knew dogs could get Lupus. 2 weeks at the Auburn University Vet Hospital and months of Chemo saved our Sam. She will be greatly missed in our house. Especially by Jake our 14 year old Shih Tzu who has had her by his side most of his life. I will say, Piper is taking really good care of him. I don't think his face has been licked that much in years. And he loves it.

What happened with Piper has made me scared to even let her walk on the garage floor, scared she might get something on her feet and then lick it off. So she now gets carried outside, put on the ground to go do her stuff, then picked up and put back into the house.

Our babies are spoiled rotten as my friends and family say. We do our best to make sure they are safe and happy.

So, our Sam is burried in our yard next to Lucy under a very large Cedar tree. There she will now rest.

What happened to Lucy Belle? You posted on FB that she passed away at the beginning of the year. Maybe you mentioned this previously and I missed it.

My husband had always wanted a big dog since he was not allowed to have dogs growing up. So, we got us a puppy. We had her for about 4 months. She got to grow up those 4 months with Jake, Sam, Lucy and Piccolo. They all got along really well. My husband got home after work and let them out which was routine as we didn't have a doggy door to our new house yet. They had been in the kitchen all day together. He heard Lucy yelping and went out to check on them, only see blood all over her. The puppy and Lucy had gotten into a fight for some reason. Lucy's face and neck was ripped open. The vet said that it would take multiple surgerys to help her. And that was not she would even survive the first surgery since she was 12 years old. And we did not want her to suffer thru all of that. So we had to let her go. And, then the puppy was adopted out. Lucy was a very vibrant and active 12 year old. I can not go to her grave area without crying. My husband blames himself all the time for just wanting a bigger dog. There is no blame here. So, no there was not sudden illness. Sam passed from old age, and considering everything she went thru in her life. She lived alot longer that the vet ever thought she would. Piper is doing amazing. What happened I don't know. We can make guesses all we want. Piccolo is a very active STUBBORN, loving dog. Jake, who is almost 14 years old now. Is blind in his right eye and only sees shadows with his left. He is also completely deaf. Piper has brought out a new life in him. He rolls over on his back and lets her lick all over his face and he plays with her. They will share the same bed even tho one is empty right next to them. I am going to miss Sam and Lucy. But, I am putting all my efforts into taking care of Piper, Jake and Piccolo. OH. And lets not forget my 16 year old cat Prissy. So, I don't take losing a pet very lightly. I have loved my babies for a long time. And they all have a place in my heart.

Update on Piper Girl
 

I have finally sat down and read all the threads posted about my Piper Girl. It was such a crazy time for us. I was overwhelmed reading all the support and prayers that we received from all of you. And it reminded me of the roller coaster ride we all were on. Our (all of us) Piper Girl is doing really well. Her blood work came in all good. Her Blood Glucose was up to 94. She is fiesty as every. And has put on some weight.
So here are a few photo's from this weekend. She is looking and feeling wonderful.

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It is wonderful seeing beautiful Piper doing so well.

She is such a little fashion diva.... nice that she has her own personal stylist/seamstress/grandma.:D

You certainly were on a roller coaster there, and now that is all behind you. It was a miracle that Piper survived, and now looking at her it almost seems like it was just a bad dream.

Love seeing Piper looking so well. She certainly is stylish...
I have to agree, a roller coaster ride it was, with may twists and turns. But she pulled through it all and looks great.

So happy to hear such good news on lil Piper girl. This lil sweetheart went through so much at such a young age and was such a lil fighter, lil Piper warrior girl. Happy that she is back to her lil Diva self. She is just adorable. She remains in my prayers.

I just read this thread, I don't know how I missed it. I am so glad Piper is doing so well and pray that she will continue doing well.

I am so sorry for your loss and I believe it was Sam's time. He was probably holding on long enough for Piper to come home. Once he saw that she was going to be okay and would be with you he knew he could leave you.

LadyJane, you are one special person to step up the way you did, giant kudos for you!!!!!

BTW - I tried going to the website of Piper's breeder and the site is "under construction".