For those not following on Twitter, MP's dog, Bongo, is ill.  I am a dog lover myself, and my dog means the world to me, so I can certainly sympathize.  A bond shared with a dog is like no other, they really are man's best friend.

So here's hopes and prayers that Bongo gets well very soon and continues to bring happiness to the Portnoy family for many more years.

www.myspace.com/6onsunday
http://www.youtube.com/user/YellowApeProductions (check out the Stimulus videos)

I hope Bongo stays well too.

I wouldn't know how to carry on with my life without my beagle, Lily, and thankfully I have many more years to spend with her.

Keep well, Bongo.

<------Bongo


Get well soon Bongo!!

Positive thoughts for Bongo!

With every step and every breath it's farther from youth and closer to death and the things I've realized now beckon me to shut my eyes and I will grow to the age of maybe eighty years in such little time. "Where Am I Going"-Gino Vannelli.

Anyone know how old he is?

9 out of 10 groupies prefer drummers.

^^^Just a guess, but since he appears in the making of SfAM, I'd say he's around 12.

My best wishes and positive thoughts for Bongo

Today was an incredibly tough day in the Portnoy home...my beloved dog Bongo is VERY ill and took a very quick and rapid decline..
 
I spent the day in the emergency room with her instead of flying to LA for NAMM (I plan on flying to LA tomorrow unless she has another setback)...and myself, Marlene, Melody and Max are devistated...
 
Please keep my baby in your thoughts and prayers....
 
Cancer SUCKS!!!
This is my 4th year in a row with a loved one battling this horrible disease...
 
MP
 
PS - just saw the inquiry on how old she is:
She is 13 and a half....we've had her longer than we've had Melody & Max...and as most of you probably realize by the fact that her portrait is tattooed on me, she is absolutely as precious as another child to me....indeed "Man's Best Friend"... 
 

 

Man, that's really tough news. Hang in there brother. Better days are ahead.

Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

9 out of 10 groupies prefer drummers.

It reminds me of "Marley and Me", a real and kind of hard story for us dog lovers, specially the ones who had dogs for over 10 years, and I know it is hard to digest this kind of stuff Mike, I've been there (specifically 2 years ago with my beloved Isis, 15 years of loyal and loved company to our family).

Once again, she'll be in my thoughts and prayers among with your family.

Peace

Mike, my family just went through a very similar situation last month with our dog of 14 years.  She too had cancer.  It is a really hard thing to see someone you love deal with this disease that is so devastating.  I know it doesn't change the situation, but I feel for you and your family as you are undoubtedly going through a hard time.  I can totally relate having gone through (and still going through) it within the past month.  I wish your family comfort and peace throughout this whole process.  

Oh man... I'm very sorry!
I have a dog who will turn 11 in a few months, and to only think that she's getting old and may be gone in not-so-long (hope not) makes me feel scared...
So I really hope Bongo will get better soon!

Get well soon Bongo <3. Hang in there, little girl.

Portnoy


Please keep my baby in your thoughts and prayers.... 
 

 
Done!
 
 
 
We lost our last rescue Boxer at 16 a few years back (system completely shut down) and it still hurts. Unforunately, I've been there on more than a few other times too. Just know you're doing all you possibly can. Hang in there!

I feel what you're going through, man. Back in April, i lost my dear friend of 14 years. She was great.

Me being a single child was... Special. Growing up, all i had was my parents and as soon as my dad walked in with that pup, it was like i added another family member. I lost her but i'll never let go of all the memories and times i had with her.

Best of luck to you and the family, Mike.

I can't tell you how sorry I am for you and your family. We recently lost one of our dogs to mouth cancer after a long 6 month battle. It was devistating as you said.

Our pets truly integrate themselves into our hearts and homes and we mourne them as if our own flesh and blood has passed.

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

im sorry to read this mike... :(

my thoughts are with bongo and the Portnoy family...

I'm terribly sorry, Mike!

My parents got a dog after I went to college and I still love the crap out of that Stella!! I can't even imagine what you're going through.

Best wishes, truly

'Have you ever heard of Dream Theater?'
"Yeah man...they play a lot of notes" -Bryan Nichols, Jazz Pianist

Im so sorry Mike
I have never had a puppy, but I would die myself for a Labrador..they are the best dog breed!

Carpe Diem !

Will definitely say some prayers for Bongo and you and your family.  Losing a pet is losing a family member.

As a dog lover myself, this is some crushing news. Heartfelt best wishes to the Portnoys and I hope Bongo is able to recover.

Knowledge without mileage equals bullshit. - Henry Rollins

Get well, Bongo, we're pulling for you.    

 

Bongo is such a lovely looking dog, hopes he pulls through

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As a cat owner myself I am can feel your pain Mike.

Best wishes for you, Bongo!

Sorry to hear about your baby, man.  That's terrible and cancer is a vicious disease that will, hopefully, some day have a cure.  Here's wish Bongo recovers/improves and can go on with minimal suffering.  My wife and I have a cat that we got from a shelter when we were first married (almost 17yrs ago) and know exactly how you feel as far as having another "baby".  My thought are with you guys...


Later - Mike

Yeah, I can play all of John Petrucci's music... At 1/4 speed!!!

Reading the TA Whirlwind booklet yesterday I noticed Bongo is the only Portnoy family member whose name doesn't start with an "M". I thought it was funny but that was before I read the bad news.

Hang in there little dog.

Best wishes for Bongo, my thoughts and prayers are with the Portnoy Family !!! Bongo looks exactly like my little dog "Olive" and she's like a daughter ...

Oh poor puppy! Get well Bongo!  

looks like just the sort of dog i'd like, small and friendly! Best wishes for him

http://www.liamgaughan.com/    lost the game?
Production / Performance / Tuition

I honestly hope for the best for Bongo. 

I love dogs more than people. My dog, Whiskey, has been my best friend for 10 years now and I can't even let thoughts of him not being around cross my mind. 

This must be tough for the kids... they don't know life without Bongo. So for their sake especially, I hope Bongo gets well very soon.

Mike really is a class act. Definitely shows how important Bongo is to him.

I can understand what you're going through MP.  

Lots of prayers going your family's and Bongo's way

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I'm very sorry to hear that.
Best wishes to Bongo and his lovely family!

 
Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best.

Get well buddy.

I am that forumer that once opened for Dream Theater. OH YEAH!

Best wishes for your dog to be in comfort.
My one cat from my 1st marriage which we had from 1996 (Beatrix) has cat lukemia, and her days seem to be numbered.  Very sad, as I hold animals in a much higher regard and affection than most humans.

Oh man, I'm so sorry to hear that; I'm a dog person myself and know how exactly is to see a member of the family going through difficult times. In behalf of myself and Robbie, my cocker, I wish you guys the best...

Toughts and prayers sent

John Myung once said:

Best wishes to you & your loved ones Mike!
My prayers are with you!

Just by incident I came across some some quotes from some more or less famous people about dogs, some days ago and thought I'd share them with you.
I only have the German versions of the quotes, so I'll try to paraphrase them as good as I can.


"Dogs have all the good characteristics as human beings, without simultaneously containing their flaws."
Frederick II of Prussia


"With a short wig of its tail, a dog is able to express more feelings than some people with their hours-long gossip"

Louis Armstrong, Jazz artist


"In the presence of a dog, humans become more human."

Hubert Ries


"A dog is the sixth sense of a human."

Christian Friedrich Hebbel

"I have many times thought about, why dogs have such a short life, and came to the conclusion, that this is happening out of pity for the human race; Since we are suffering that much anyway, if we lose a dog after 10 or 12 years, how deep would be the sorrow, if they would live twice as long?"

Walter Scott

Die Welt ist nur eine Illusion, wenn gleich eine fortdauernde.
Es gibt nur zwei Dinge die unendlich sind: das Universum und die menschliche Dummheit. Wobei ich mir beim Universum nicht ganz sicher bin.
~ A. Einstein ~

zoso


Im so sorry Mike
I have never had a puppy, but I would die myself for a Labrador..they are the best dog breed!

never go wrong with Labrador, I have a black one and he is 3 years old,

Get well Bongo, I miss your sweet bark in the SFAM session

I lost my dog, Stella, to cancer when I was 17.  Her vet was mobile, and because we could not get in touch with him, she wound up dying naturally at home.  It was incredibly sad and painful to see her suffer and to lose her.

In March of last year, I got my first dog, Queenie, a miniature dachshund.  (Stella was a family dog, while Queenie is MINE and my wife's)  She is my everything, and the bond I have with her is magical.  I can safely say, as I have known lots of dogs in my time, she is the greatest, the apple of my eye.

I know all too well what the family is going through, and Mike, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.  Please keep us posted, and once again, here's hopes for a speedy recovery for the baby girl.

Get well soon, Bongo!

www.myspace.com/6onsunday
http://www.youtube.com/user/YellowApeProductions (check out the Stimulus videos)

Hope all goes well.  I too know the bond of dog and man and how joyous and also painful that can be.  Good luck to you and your "family".  Just as I type these words I start to get emotional over my dog Mugzy who we had to put down less than a year ago.  Toughest thing we ever had to do.  To Mike and all the Forum members who have experienced this pain or worse this loss I found this poem that helped me through my loss; while I know Bongo is still with us, this poem expresses the bond that we share and the heartache we all will eventually endure.

A dog does not live as long as a man and this natural law is the fount of many tears. If boy and puppy might grow to manhood and doghood together, and together grow old, and so in due course die, full many a heartache might be avoided. But the world is not so ordered, and dogs will die and men will weep for them so long as there are dogs and men." -Ben Ames Williams