I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I never had a pet growing up, but the girlfriend and I have had a dog now for 5 years, and a cat for around 3. I'm sure I'll be a wreck when we have to put one of the down.
Putting dog down tomorrow. Thoughts?
- Thread starter Mtowncyclone13
- Start date
I'm pretty luck my last dog died on his own. Woke up one morning and it looked as though he had a heart attack before coming back into the house. He was pretty old for a 115lbs lab, 13 years. He had diabetes (insulin shots 2 times per day) and that resulted in cataracts. He loved popcorn. Even though with cataracts he couldn't see the pop corn thrown to him he could hear it it the carpet from across the room and then could find it with his nose. It was pretty amazing how good his hearing was. Popcorn doesn't make much noise when it hits the carpet.
I'm hoping when my current Golden Retriever dies its not because I had to make the decision. (we got a golden hoping for a 60-70 lbs dog. He's 100lbs and not fat at all. Probably one of the tallest goldens I've seen.)
I'm hoping when my current Golden Retriever dies its not because I had to make the decision. (we got a golden hoping for a 60-70 lbs dog. He's 100lbs and not fat at all. Probably one of the tallest goldens I've seen.)
[video=youtube;lJ7AfSO2fKs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ7AfSO2fKs[/video]
Well my workday is ruined. Gotta love up my dog when I get home. Even the cat.
Best wishes to the OP.
Well my workday is ruined. Gotta love up my dog when I get home. Even the cat.
Best wishes to the OP.
don't get caught up in doing too much and enjoy your time. You'll find that the memories last much longer than anything tangible...I spent the last couple of days with my dog just lying next to him and talking to him. Sounds corn-ball but we both felt better. I remember those moments much more than the photos I took or the things he left.
Not sure if it helped my dog but I spoke to him until the end. I would hope that hearing my voice and petting his head gave him some comfort.
Sorry man...my best to you and your family, including the dogs.
Not sure if it helped my dog but I spoke to him until the end. I would hope that hearing my voice and petting his head gave him some comfort.
Sorry man...my best to you and your family, including the dogs.
wish i wouldn't have just watched that. i closed my office door just as someone was coming in.
We are currently battling cancer in one of our dogs. Our goal is to make sure the good times are longer and better than the bad times. You'll know if it's the right time and you can stop the vet at any time. I can't read your whole post or the responses but I can add this. Remember that 1 day early is better than 2 days late and suffering.
My advice from the last time I had to do that:
1. Like you are going to do. Take the time and spend it with her.
2. Give her some of the "bad" foods she enjoys. For mine it was McD's french fries and popcorn.
3. Be with her when the vet sedates her. It's super hard but it's very reassuring that you are the last thing she will see
4. If possible go out and do something that evening. Don't go back into the house right away. All of those memories will be in the area you shared for many years. You are going to be very emotional already. Go to a movie a friends house or something else that night. It helped me a lot to TRY to forget what just happened.
I feel for you, it is so very difficult.
1. Like you are going to do. Take the time and spend it with her.
2. Give her some of the "bad" foods she enjoys. For mine it was McD's french fries and popcorn.
3. Be with her when the vet sedates her. It's super hard but it's very reassuring that you are the last thing she will see
4. If possible go out and do something that evening. Don't go back into the house right away. All of those memories will be in the area you shared for many years. You are going to be very emotional already. Go to a movie a friends house or something else that night. It helped me a lot to TRY to forget what just happened.
I feel for you, it is so very difficult.
It's going to be okay Mtown, been through this with dogs and cats. While I'm often accused of having no emotion, it is probably the most emotional I've ever been publicly and the only time so far my kids have seen me cry.
It isn't very consoling, but it is the right thing to do to a pet that is suffering, they can't tell you how they feel and it is one of our responsibilities as loving animal owners to take care of their final needs.
Get lots of hugs and kisses in, take plenty of pictures and give lots of love to the other pets. As I type this, my one cat that is still left is sitting on my lap. She adored her older "brother", but she has come through it OK after we had to put him down 2.5 years ago.
It never goes away, but the pain will get better. Don't worry about anyone that sees you get upset, anyone who gives you a hard time just doesn't know the joy that it is to have a loving animal as a friend.
It isn't very consoling, but it is the right thing to do to a pet that is suffering, they can't tell you how they feel and it is one of our responsibilities as loving animal owners to take care of their final needs.
Get lots of hugs and kisses in, take plenty of pictures and give lots of love to the other pets. As I type this, my one cat that is still left is sitting on my lap. She adored her older "brother", but she has come through it OK after we had to put him down 2.5 years ago.
It never goes away, but the pain will get better. Don't worry about anyone that sees you get upset, anyone who gives you a hard time just doesn't know the joy that it is to have a loving animal as a friend.
Good luck.
I haven't had to put a dog down but did run over a dog of ours with a piece of farm equipment growing up. That was harder on me than I imagined and I am sure putting one down won't be easy.
I haven't had to put a dog down but did run over a dog of ours with a piece of farm equipment growing up. That was harder on me than I imagined and I am sure putting one down won't be easy.
Do what's best for the dog in the long run. It's incredibly hard I imagine. We have a 6 year old dog, and I can't bear the thought of having to do that in a few years. Just think, you got to spoil and love something for the past few years and no one can ever take those memories from you.
Thoughts and prayers are with you Mtown. I teared up just reading this thread so I can't imagine what you and the mrs are going through right now. Just try to remember the positive times and know that hopefully someday you'll be able to see her again.
I feel for the OP going through this and appreciate this thread and others' responses in it.
Our 11.5 yr old Scottish Terrier (which is our first dog--mine of 11 yrs/wife's of 7 yrs) is currently battling bladder cancer and will probably need to be put down around the holidays. In Aug 2013 during a routine vet visit, the vet noticed blood in her urine. (We never noticed it, any activity change, or accidents.) X-rays looked to be bladder stones, so put on meds. Follow-up visits showed the stones mostly gone, however some mass in an area of the bladder which doesn't typically grow tumors. She started having accidents in the late spring of this year, which prompted return trips to the vet, which showed the mass in her bladder growing. We had surgery in the summer to remove it and have it tested. It metastasized, which our vet gave us about six months left in her and will either shut down her bladder or spread to her lungs. Thankfully it has been slow and the piroxicam and cosaquin have been keeping her "normal" this year.
Currently she is playful, loves to eat and go on walks, and acts like her normal self, other than being in diapers. I hug her every day and try to play with her most days. I get sad wishing that I had more time with her, however with an 11 month old daughter at home, some days become difficult to play/walk her as much as I'd like to. I still don't know what I'm going to do or if I'm going to go into work or not when the time comes.
Our 11.5 yr old Scottish Terrier (which is our first dog--mine of 11 yrs/wife's of 7 yrs) is currently battling bladder cancer and will probably need to be put down around the holidays. In Aug 2013 during a routine vet visit, the vet noticed blood in her urine. (We never noticed it, any activity change, or accidents.) X-rays looked to be bladder stones, so put on meds. Follow-up visits showed the stones mostly gone, however some mass in an area of the bladder which doesn't typically grow tumors. She started having accidents in the late spring of this year, which prompted return trips to the vet, which showed the mass in her bladder growing. We had surgery in the summer to remove it and have it tested. It metastasized, which our vet gave us about six months left in her and will either shut down her bladder or spread to her lungs. Thankfully it has been slow and the piroxicam and cosaquin have been keeping her "normal" this year.
Currently she is playful, loves to eat and go on walks, and acts like her normal self, other than being in diapers. I hug her every day and try to play with her most days. I get sad wishing that I had more time with her, however with an 11 month old daughter at home, some days become difficult to play/walk her as much as I'd like to. I still don't know what I'm going to do or if I'm going to go into work or not when the time comes.
It's obvious that you truly love your pet and you are absolutely doing the right thing to help her end her life with dignity. This one will be extra tough because you have had her since you married, and those two events are inextricably linked in your hearts.
Remind yourselves that you both and the other dogs have every right to grieve.
Be good to yourselves.
And remember: Lucky, lucky dog. Lucky, lucky owners.
Remind yourselves that you both and the other dogs have every right to grieve.
Be good to yourselves.
And remember: Lucky, lucky dog. Lucky, lucky owners.
It is a really painful thing - I cried like a baby every time we have had to do it.
But I firmly believe that it is the right thing to do. I have never regretted it.
They used to refer to it as "putting the dog to sleep" and that is basically what they do.
But I firmly believe that it is the right thing to do. I have never regretted it.
They used to refer to it as "putting the dog to sleep" and that is basically what they do.
Sorry to hear this. You're doing the right thing, and I commend you for that.
Sounds like you're doing everything right, by getting the pup's favorites for everything :yes:
Sounds like you're doing everything right, by getting the pup's favorites for everything :yes:
Had to do the same 4 years ago. Wife & I had her after 1 year of marriage & she was with us for the next 12. She had issues and we put he on medication that helped for about six months. It was a scare because one morning she just couldn't get up. The whole family thought we may have to put her down then and it was very sudden. She did not progress to this type of condition.
Something was failing her but vet couldn't figure it out. Think the medication we gave her was a steroid but don't exactly recall. She came back fairly strong but we could tell she had good days & bad days. That lasted about 6 months. Then one morning (I wake up well before everyone else in my household), she cannot get up from her bed and just looked at me and I knew. Took her in that day and had it done. Will forever haunt me.
However, a while afterwards my wife and I noticed pictures and videos with our dog and you could tell something happened with her health well before the first incident. We think she dealt with something long before she had her first event that spurred us to seek help with the vet. So, then my wife and I became saddened over the fact maybe we didn't realize she was in pain or dealing with issues long before & maybe we didn't notice because we didn't want to. In the end, I believe you will simply know it is time. That moment we shared was profound.
It was a crushing event for our family, but we knew we were a dog family and we would get another, but agreed to take a fair amount of time. Needless to say, I believe we were all despondent and very unhappy and by chance we came across another dog just 2.5 months later and enthusiastically jumped back in. It won't be any less difficult when our time together ends again, but I don't dwell on that. Better to just enjoy life with a companion who is all about making life enjoyable.
Best of luck to you.
Something was failing her but vet couldn't figure it out. Think the medication we gave her was a steroid but don't exactly recall. She came back fairly strong but we could tell she had good days & bad days. That lasted about 6 months. Then one morning (I wake up well before everyone else in my household), she cannot get up from her bed and just looked at me and I knew. Took her in that day and had it done. Will forever haunt me.
However, a while afterwards my wife and I noticed pictures and videos with our dog and you could tell something happened with her health well before the first incident. We think she dealt with something long before she had her first event that spurred us to seek help with the vet. So, then my wife and I became saddened over the fact maybe we didn't realize she was in pain or dealing with issues long before & maybe we didn't notice because we didn't want to. In the end, I believe you will simply know it is time. That moment we shared was profound.
It was a crushing event for our family, but we knew we were a dog family and we would get another, but agreed to take a fair amount of time. Needless to say, I believe we were all despondent and very unhappy and by chance we came across another dog just 2.5 months later and enthusiastically jumped back in. It won't be any less difficult when our time together ends again, but I don't dwell on that. Better to just enjoy life with a companion who is all about making life enjoyable.
Best of luck to you.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
You'll cry, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Our second dog was really bouncy the day we put him down. He could hardly see or hear, but he was spunky again for that day. It just makes it tougher.
Our second dog was really bouncy the day we put him down. He could hardly see or hear, but he was spunky again for that day. It just makes it tougher.
Mtown - there's no doubt the other pets will miss her too...ours did. Each time we lost one, our remaining cats would search the house, meowing at us the whole time. It takes a few days for them to adjust to the missing member, and you may find that they are more affectionate and needy for a while.
Our way of getting past the initial hurting was to build a mini-coffin, decorate it, label it with the name (and nicknames - even the profane ones), wrap the cat in soft cloth and bury him/her. There are five cats buried on the far side of the creek now - Fritz, Jezzie, Khannie, Smudgy & Garf (just last spring). I really hope it's a long time before there's a sixth. I still miss every single one of them.
Our way of getting past the initial hurting was to build a mini-coffin, decorate it, label it with the name (and nicknames - even the profane ones), wrap the cat in soft cloth and bury him/her. There are five cats buried on the far side of the creek now - Fritz, Jezzie, Khannie, Smudgy & Garf (just last spring). I really hope it's a long time before there's a sixth. I still miss every single one of them.
You dog following you around is her way of saying "It'll be OK and thank you for being a loving family".
When a pet stops eating, that's how they do it when it is time to go. They know and choose it when they reach their own individual point of no return.
If you need a little encouraging that the dog will be OK on the other side, here is a link to personal accounts from people who died and made it back (called Near Death Experiences or NDE's) and their encounters with pets that had died previously:
http://www.near-death.com/animals.html
Oh yeah, don't know if your local vet has a service like this, but here in Houston the company that cremates pet remains puts them in a nice wooden box with a name plate on them and even offers paw prints. There's even a pet memorial/cemetary for cremated remains. Sounds crazy to non-pet owners, but it does exist:
http://www.littlefriendspetmemorial.com/
When a pet stops eating, that's how they do it when it is time to go. They know and choose it when they reach their own individual point of no return.
If you need a little encouraging that the dog will be OK on the other side, here is a link to personal accounts from people who died and made it back (called Near Death Experiences or NDE's) and their encounters with pets that had died previously:
http://www.near-death.com/animals.html
Oh yeah, don't know if your local vet has a service like this, but here in Houston the company that cremates pet remains puts them in a nice wooden box with a name plate on them and even offers paw prints. There's even a pet memorial/cemetary for cremated remains. Sounds crazy to non-pet owners, but it does exist:
http://www.littlefriendspetmemorial.com/
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