Jake Owen mourns the unexpected loss of his dog Slash who died after his stomach 'flipped'

Jake Owen mourns the unexpected death of his dog Slash: ‘I didn’t even make it home in time to say goodbye’


Jake Owen mourned the unexpected death of his German Shepherd, Slash, with a heartbreaking Sunday Instagram post. 

The 39-year-old country singer revealed his dog died on Saturday evening after its stomach ‘flipped,’ and explained that even an emergency surgery ‘wasn’t enough to save him.’

Owen had performed a show in Wisconsin and tragically shared: ‘I didn’t even make it home in time to say goodbye.’

Unexpected death: Jake Owen, 39, is grappling with the unexpected loss of his German Shepherd Slash who passed away late Saturday evening before the country singer could make it home to say goodbye; pictured July 2

Unexpected death: Jake Owen, 39, is grappling with the unexpected loss of his German Shepherd Slash who passed away late Saturday evening before the country singer could make it home to say goodbye; pictured July 2

An emotional caption where he likened the death to that of a family member, accompanied a series of photos of him, as well as one of he and his two dogs by a vintage pickup truck.   

‘I lost one of my best friends last night unexpectedly.. the drs said his stomach had “flipped” and even with emergency surgery, it wasn’t enough to save him…I didn’t even make it home in time to say goodbye,’ he began. 

‘Slash was my youngest German Shepherd and the sweetest most loving dog I’ve ever had. He was more like a human than a dog. While my other pups would run free across the farm, Slash just wanted to be by my side.

Heartbroken: 'Losing a dog is like losing a family member,' he wrote while telling his followers to 'love on your dogs,' before it's too late

Heartbroken: ‘Losing a dog is like losing a family member,’ he wrote while telling his followers to ‘love on your dogs,’ before it’s too late

Dire situation: Owen revealed his dog died on Saturday evening after its stomach 'flipped,' and explained that even an emergency surgery 'wasn't enough to save him'

Dire situation: Owen revealed his dog died on Saturday evening after its stomach ‘flipped,’ and explained that even an emergency surgery ‘wasn’t enough to save him’

‘Losing a dog is like losing a family member. It was hard for me to even put this post together and share. Go love on your family. Go love on your dogs. See ya up there in Slashy. Love ya buddy,’ he wrote.  

The condition of a dog’s stomach flipping can be a life threatening situation and its most common in deep-chested dogs. 

Though it virtually means that the stomach fills up with gas or fluid, if the dog cannot pass it properly the stomach can twist and cause Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) which can lead to death. 

The Nashville based Made For You singer received an outpouring of support from country musicians including Chris Lane, Chuck Wicks, and Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town. 

Loyal companion: 'While my other pups would run free across the farm, Slash just wanted to be by my side,' he wrote of his youngest dog

Loyal companion: ‘While my other pups would run free across the farm, Slash just wanted to be by my side,’ he wrote of his youngest dog 

Owen was married to Lacey Buchanan from 2012 to 2015 and they share eight-year-old daughter Olive. 

Additionally he shares two-year-old daughter Paris, with fiancee Erica Hartlein. He proposed to her in December after three years of dating. 

Last June he spoke about the joys of ‘being home every day’ with his kids amid the COVID-19 pandemic, on Southern Living’s Biscuits & Jam podcast. 

‘I can’t tell you how much this last month … being home every day and the simple things of watching my little girl, as a 1-year-old, crack up laughing in the morning while we’re feeding her a bottle,’ he said. 

‘Usually I’d be calling her from wherever, from a bus, a parking lot … it’s been a really big blessing,’ he shared. 

Fiancee: Owen proposed to fiancee Erica in December after three years of dating, and the paire share a two-year-old daughter Paris, on top of an eight-year-old girl named Olive with ex-wife Lacey; pictured with Erica November 2020

Fiancee: Owen proposed to fiancee Erica in December after three years of dating, and the paire share a two-year-old daughter Paris, on top of an eight-year-old girl named Olive with ex-wife Lacey; pictured with Erica November 2020

source: dailymail.co.uk