BillsFanM.D. Posted May 18, 2014 Posted May 18, 2014 Sad to read that. My wife and I had to have our cat euthanized quite a few years ago. I left the vet with hugs from all the staff and a pamphlet for 'dealing with pet grief.' I'll admit I was a mess. I didn't even consider myself a cat person when we got him...but man do animals become part of the family. Sounds like your dog had a great 15 years.
PromoTheRobot Posted May 18, 2014 Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) I've had to put down 3 dogs and it's never easy. But as her caretaker only you know when life is too hard for her. My most recent event was "Loopy" a rescue chihuahua we only had for a 2 years. We answered an "pet of the week" ad in the paper to get her. They said she was 10 but we think she was really much older. They also failed to mention she was deaf. (Seems it happens to most chihuahuas when they reach their teens.) She was a sweetheart and she had a good year and a half. Then at the end she went totally blind, plus her sense of smell appeared to be failing. She had no input in her world other than touch so she would cry unless someone held her. She also became incontinent so we had to leave her in a pen at night which made her cry even more. At that point I decided it was time. You do what you can for them but let them go when you need to. Edited May 21, 2014 by PromoTheRobot
boyst Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Really sorry for your loss. I've done it a couple of times, and while it's never easy, you're doing the right thing. love the avatar. source?
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 . . . so we had to heave her in a pen at night . . . My brother Darryl don't like peta bread, but he still says that ain't right (he should know).
Gordio Posted May 20, 2014 Posted May 20, 2014 Our 15-year old schnauzer mutt Ginger has bladder cancer, and it's now bad enough that it's making it hard for her to urinate. She spends a good chunk of the day and night straining to urinate, and although she hasn't seemed uncomfortable by it, things seem to have worsened the past couple of days. So the wife and I think it's time. The hardest part is admitting that the time has come, especially for a dog that otherwise still seems playful and lively. The past couple of days have really seemed more difficult for her, though, and her days and nights are now preoccupied with the effort of peeing, so yeah, it does seem like the time is upon us. We got her when she was 6 months old and she's been a great dog all these years. I knew it would be tough, but you can never really prepare. Our 14 year Old Pomeranian has bladder cancer also. She just got diagnosed last month. She has mostly good days & some bad days. Friday I took the afternoon off after I spoke to my wife & kids and made an appoint with the Vet to bring her in that afternoon. I got in the parking lot, sat there with her in my car for nearly an hour & turned around & went home. I couldn't do it. I know the day is coming soon where I got to man up & do this but I am in the same boat. Most days she is so filled with life & still moves around pretty & does not seem to be in any pain. I just felt like the time was not right last Friday.
Steve O Posted May 20, 2014 Posted May 20, 2014 Thanks everybody. It does seem more and more like the right thing to do, but still a difficult thing to accept. The toughest part will be the emptiness felt in the house afterward. She's been there every morning and evening for 15 years. That's a big hole she'll be leaving behind. Take time to grieve. When the time is right, pick up another. Consider a rescue dog.
dib Posted May 20, 2014 Posted May 20, 2014 It's not like losing a member of the family, it is losing a member of the family
Security Posted May 20, 2014 Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) 15 year old cat had to euthanized on Wednesday last week. Really my wife's cat, but we have been living together for 10 years and married 7. Had some tests done on her at the Vet a few days before, she got a steroid shot. She had ashtma forever, vet said if she was open mouth breathing, it was likely time. She lives around the corner and came over the house to do it. Not sure my wife has really settled in yet with this. Still got the litter mate of that cat, her brother, and the 2 dogs. The dogs will be super painful when it happens. Edited May 20, 2014 by Security
Dante Posted May 20, 2014 Posted May 20, 2014 Very sorry. We have two 3 year old dogs and I can't imagine doing this although I suppose it's inevitable. I was listening to Mark Levin the other day and he was reading someone elses account of exactly what you are going through. I don't know who it was or even what context it was in because I missed the first minute or so. I was so embarrassed he had me in serious tears. I had to turn it off. Good luck to you.
IDBillzFan Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Take time to grieve. When the time is right, pick up another. Consider a rescue dog. Agreed. But don't just consider a rescue. ONLY get a rescue. There are so many amazing animals that need a home, there is no reason to do anything but get a rescue. That's all we have, and make no mistake, these animals KNOW they were rescued.
Rubes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Posted May 21, 2014 Agreed. But don't just consider a rescue. ONLY get a rescue. There are so many amazing animals that need a home, there is no reason to do anything but get a rescue. That's all we have, and make no mistake, these animals KNOW they were rescued. Yeah, we got her from the Humane Society. I remember when we went there to find a dog, my only request to the wife was that I wanted a lower-energy, runt-of-the-pack dog, not a high-energy, bounce-off-the-walls dog. We found Ginger, and she seemed to fit the bill. As we were signing the papers, one of the workers walked by and said, "Hey, great, you guys are getting Tornado." Turns out when we found her, she was just tired out from playing with other customers all day. Turned out she was exactly the opposite of what I wanted. Little did I know, she was exactly what I wanted. How little we know of ourselves. I'm not sure when we'll start thinking about another dog (we still have one who's also 15 but going strong), but in the last year a "Best Friends" no-kill rescue facility opened up at the end of our street. We'll probably volunteer there for a while once the other dog is gone, then maybe look into adopting only older dogs.
Azalin Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 I just had to have my 20 year-old cat put to sleep last weekend. it's the sixth time I've had to make a trip like that and it never gets easier. I'm sorry for Ginger. take comfort in knowing that you gave her a good & loving home.
IDBillzFan Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Little did I know, she was exactly what I wanted. How little we know of ourselves. We got our dog through a neighbor's coworker who rescued the mother. When I went to the woman's house, I walked in and was instantly surrounded by the puppies. I put my phone and keys on the ground while I bent down to pet them, and it was like something out of a Disney movie. They're all yapping and jumping and happy, but one of the dogs -- I schitt you not -- walked near me, picked up my keys in his mouth and sat by the door waiting for me. Two of his brothers live nearby, and he looks nothing like them. When people ask what kind of dog he is, we tell them he's a cockerhood. One part cocker spaniel and one part whatever else was in the neighborhood.
Rubes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Posted May 21, 2014 Our 14 year Old Pomeranian has bladder cancer also. She just got diagnosed last month. She has mostly good days & some bad days. Friday I took the afternoon off after I spoke to my wife & kids and made an appoint with the Vet to bring her in that afternoon. I got in the parking lot, sat there with her in my car for nearly an hour & turned around & went home. I couldn't do it. I know the day is coming soon where I got to man up & do this but I am in the same boat. Most days she is so filled with life & still moves around pretty & does not seem to be in any pain. I just felt like the time was not right last Friday. It was pretty much the same with ours. The only thing the cancer was doing was obstructing the outlet of her bladder, making it difficult for her to pee. We knew eventually it would become too much of a problem to keep going, despite the fact that she was still very energetic, not in pain, and enjoying life, but we didn't know how long it would take. Eventually her life was a complete preoccupation with peeing, to the point where she was barely sleeping much at night, just going out hour after hour. When she started leaking, we knew it was time. We had an in-home vet come and do the euthanasia, so she could be at home in her yard when she left us. That really helped, I think.
Gordio Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 It was pretty much the same with ours. The only thing the cancer was doing was obstructing the outlet of her bladder, making it difficult for her to pee. We knew eventually it would become too much of a problem to keep going, despite the fact that she was still very energetic, not in pain, and enjoying life, but we didn't know how long it would take. Eventually her life was a complete preoccupation with peeing, to the point where she was barely sleeping much at night, just going out hour after hour. When she started leaking, we knew it was time. We had an in-home vet come and do the euthanasia, so she could be at home in her yard when she left us. That really helped, I think. That is a terrific idea. Never even thought of that. I will have to keep that in mind.
MarkAF43 Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 I'm sorry to hear. I have 2 cats and I can't imagine myself being able to hold it together when it reaches this stage
Corp000085 Posted May 22, 2014 Posted May 22, 2014 That is a terrific idea. Never even thought of that. I will have to keep that in mind. One of our friends had that done. They called the vet and the dog actually passed before the vet arrived at the house. I suppose when it's time, it's time!
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