Sometimes I feel so guilty

[pippersmom]

With my previous dog Buffy a Jack Russell, I was so ignorant about so many things and it makes me feel so guilty that I didn't know any better. I THOUGHT I was feeding her the best food by giving her Iams, I didn't know to check treats to make sure they didn't come from China and I always bought just cheap grocery store treats. I thought you were NOT supposed to feed any kind of people food so she never got fruits or veggies. I didn't know that rawhide was bad for them, I actually thought it was good because it helped clean the teeth. I just feel so bad that she didn't get the best of everything because I was so ignorant. Now I know better and Pipper does get the best and its all because of SM. Thank You SM for teaching me so much and I still have so much more to learn so I can give Pipper the best life possible!

[Furbabies mom]

I know how you feel Kathy, I feel guilty about the same things, but I know that my dogs(at the bridge) were very loved, taken care of, given medical care, and also lived to be in to their teens. I don't think they held any thing against me, and I'm sure that Buffy thought that you were the very best mommy in the world!!

[Snuggle's Mom]

I don't think that any of us should feel guilty since we really did not know any better and thought that we were all doing the very best for our Dogs. At least we do have a place to come for and were lucky enough to gather so much information that has helped all of us out so much. So please, don't be so hard on yourselves. Any and all mistakes that we might make are "learning tools" and be thankful that we have learned so much by coming to SM.

[Zoe's Mom88]

I too feel guilty about he same stuff. I was just thinking that same thing to myself the other day about my last fluff who passed Kyra. I loved her with all my heart. : (

[Maidto2Maltese]

I held some guilt for a long time with Missy and her diabetes.,... I had let her get way too have for her stature. She was doted on in all ways but that also included giving her goodies....we were killing her with kindness!
Though it's higly likely it would have happened 'eventually'.. I have no doubt that the excess weight triggered it to manifest earlier than possioly would have.
As to other pooches before that... I think back to when I was very young and we had a dog named "Pal". Pal was a mix of mixes LOL.. but what a great dog. Back then... no vaccines but for distemper and rabies... and I don't recall back then that he had to keep going back for rabies... but it's possible. He never had yearly checks... never went to the vet in fact for anything I can remember. He ate 'home-cooking".. not dog food. There was little in way of commercial foods then ( yes I'm OLD! LOL ) Not because it was felt to be better... but just they way people did back then...whatever we had...Pal had... along with probably some not so great scraps as well! . We never bought treats... if I had a cookie...Pal got a cookie. So basically Pal never got anywhere the care and diligence as to foods/vet checks etc. my later dogs have gotten...but feel no guilt....times have changed, and today it's not pampering to do all we do... it's a necessity. That necessity comes from todays 'world' with so many more threats to pets via diseases, contaminated/inferior foods etc. I don;t think it was as bad even 20-30 years ago as it is today!
That dear sweet dog lived to be 16 years old.. his muzzle was pretty grey by then.. and poor dear got hit by a neighbor right in our driveway where Pal was laying and driver didn't see him. Who knows how much longer he'd have gone but for the accident. He was a tad bit slower but other than that showed no signs of being 'ill'.

[Bailey&Me]

I know exactly how you feel. Our first family pet was our cat, Isaiah who we had for 12 years before I adopted Bailey. It was around that time I joined SM and started learning about healthy food choices. I then realized that the food we had been giving Isaiah all those years was absolute crap (Friskies, Meow Mix) and I felt just horrible! I tried to switch him to good quality food immediately but it was much too late. He had started to go downhill around that time and got diagnosed with mouth cancer a few months after that. I have no doubt in my mind that all those years of eating nasty by-products and chemicals and who knows what else that was in that low-quality food caused him to get sick. My poor baby went through a lot of pain and suffering his last few months. I did every thing I could think of to help him but it was too late...I couldn't save him. It's been almost two years since he died but I am still trying to deal with the guilt I realize now that I had made a lot of other mistakes with Isaiah, other than food...poor vet choice, too many vaccines, etc...but all I can do now is not to make those same mistakes with Bailey and future pets. Thank goodness for SM!

[silverhaven]

Yes, I feel the same about my poor Sophie. She also ate Iams for her 14 years, which caused huge bladder stones. We did what the vets said at the time didn't we? I did give her some people food, but really only occasional bits. Milk bones were her treat, she loved them.

[Yogi's Mom]

These above post are so so true. Yes the times sure have changed,so please
everyone dont feel guilt--You all just didnt know. Whats important is now you do and you have made get stride to change all that. It a blessing for Sm,And the chance to learn this wealth of information. Nickee In Pa*

[Rocky's Mom]

I know what you mean Kathy...I feel the same way about my last dog, a beautiful mini schnauzer. I also didn't have the time for her like I have for Rocky. But she did live till 16 years old. So I guess I did something right. I just wish I had more time for her. I was busy working and raising a family. I have a lot of guilt about that. I also didn't know what I know now and I know a lot from SM and the wonderful gals here, always so willing to help out.