Putting Your Pet to sleep...stay? or leave ?

Stay.  They have been there for us, the least we can do is be there for them.

I've never been to the vet to have anything put down...all of my animals died at home. I think I'd want to be there, instead of abandoning them...at least that's what I feel it would be like and I really couldn't do that.

~Zoo

[quote]Stay. They have been there for us, the least we can do is be there for them.



this is where your good heart comes shining through doc.

I hope you never have to make that choice then zoo, it really is a traumatic one.

I like the way Dr. Guy puts it too. Our two cats have been such good companions, through some sometimes difficult times. Their love really is unconditional. They depend on us for everything. For them not to have to be alone at the end seems like such a minor and comforting thing for us to give them in return. Death is lonely and scarey. Maybe a little less so with us there. Besides that, it would help us to grieve and that is good.

When timer died {he was 23 and I called him ol timer then} I thought I was going to lose my mind, I almost lost my sobriety over that one, but then I thought, what a disrespectfull way to remember my old companion, using him as an excuse to get loaded.

I killed my dog, Bubby. Not that I shot him, or injected him, or did anything deliberate to end his life. I took him to the Vet's and I demanded that the veterinarian end his life.

Why?

Because, for the third time in his life, he had attacked Sabrina - on this occasion almost ripping the nipple from her breast. I understood why he did what he did. I even sympathised with his actions, because of my understanding. But I could not rest until his life was ended, much as I loved him. And I did love him. I no longer trusted him.

Sabrina had raised him from being no more than a ball of fluff that would fit in the palm of her hand. She had hand-fed him through the long nights when she thought weakness would kill him. And on three occasions, for reasons that are perfectly understandable in the terms of a dog's life, he had turned on her.

I was utterly determined that he should die. And die he did. Does this mean I didn't love the Bubster? Absolutely not. He was a wonderful character and, in the main, a wonderful dog.

But dogs live for human beings, not the other way around. And sometimes it's necessary, no matter how much you love them, to kill them. Not 'put them to sleep'. Not 'euthanise' them.

Kill them. Deliberately and knowingly and lovingly end their lives.

And if you can't face that fact you have no business owning a dog, or any other animal.

I loved Bubby. I miss him even now. And I'm glad I had him killed.

This hurts to speak. I held his head in my hands as he died, and I kissed him as I said goodbye.

He was a good dog.

This alone is reason enough. I just got off the phone with you simon, and both your replies and your voice touched me on so many levels I cannot begin to describe them.
You are a good man simon and I am proud to call you friend.

and in my humble opinion he had a good Master

I had a dog when I was a kid that lived with me from 6 months till I was in college 19 or 20 I think. My parents kept her going for their own reasons. She was suffering but they couldn't 'put her down.' She couldn't go outside on her own, wet all over the house when she was asleep, and had seizures every time she went out into the cold of winter. On Christmas Eve I had to listen to her crying out for hours. Finally she crawled up the stairs, because my dad had left her alone, and she died right there with me and dad gently rubbing her body. I remember watching her last breath and also putting my ear to her chest and listening to her heart as it slowed and then stopped. It was a horrible experience to watch her go through this. I would have rather had her go more peacefully at my (or the vet's) had.

Two years ago my bunny was dieing but the vet was closed. Actually I took her there and the receptionist was very rude to me, telling me I had to have an appointment and could come back in the afternoon. I knew she would be dead by then so I just took her home to die. When I told my husband what happened he called them and b*(^(&*d them out for treating me so poorly. I was with her when she died at home in a box, I don't think she suffered too much.

Last year my other bunny got very weak and could no longer get in and out of his litter box. When he got too weak to even get up out of his own mess and had stopped eating for a day I took him to the vet to be put to sleep. I don't regret this but it was a horrible experience. He was so weak and his circulation was so bad that the vet could not inject him in his ear. He said he'd have to give it to him in his chest. I just lost it right there. I didn't want to see that happen at all.

It's hard. My parents swore off having dogs after their last one died because it's too hard for them to watch them die or have to put them down. Me, I'd rather focus on all the years of enjoyment they give my life, rather than the last few months, and my loss.

Before I met my husband he had a dog that was too agressive and had it put to sleep when it was only 1-1/2 years old. Nothing had happened be he didn't want anything to happen either. He lived in a neighborhood with lots of kids. I'd do the same thing.

I've never had to put any of my pets to sleep when we owned pets as a child. However, our first dog, affectionately called Puppy, even after he grew up, was killed by an insensitive bastard when I lived in Jamaica! He gave him something to eat with glass in it and by the time we got him to the vet, it was too late. We couldn't prove he did it, (our neighbor) but we knew it was him because he hated our dog. I wanted to kill him!

Our second dog, Princess, was a wonderful and docile dog. She died eventually of old age. I miss her still. I have pictures of both of them even today!

It would be very hard for me to put any of my pets down. But if it had to be done, I would have to do it and I would stay with them.

sounds like some very pain filled experences, good thing I was not yer man at the time or I am sure there would have been some beatings handed out. Not saying that would be right, just saying to make what already is a painful time worse deserves some pain returned.

What kind of monster would kill an animal that way? Oh my God.. I am so angry right now I could spit!

you got that right, simon is a good man, and sabrina deserves a good man like him, as he deserves a great lady like whip.

My first response was...be there of course.

But then I remembered two cats I once owned. The first was ours for only a couple weeks and was full of some funky cat disease. We got it at the shelter and they asked us to return it (they "recalled" several cats). We did, and never saw it again. I imagine they killed it, I don't know. I had a baby in the house so didn't want a sick cat around and my husband got it, took the call, and returned it.

The second cat we had for a year. My oldest loved her dearly. But, she had a malformed ear canal. Bacteria grew in it, we did drops and pills every single day for an entire year. She would sling her head trying to dislodge the bacteria and wads of puss and blood flew out of her ear on the walls, the floors, everywhere.

I cleaned it up and was determined to keep her by letting her roam the finished basement when I wasn't in the house. Then one day when my youngest started crawling, she was cleaning herself and shook her head, he found some bloody puss in the floor and almost had it to his mouth when I caught it.

We took her to the shelter. My oldest cried so hard. But they probably killed her too. They only kept cats for about 7 days and then put them down. I couldn't get anyone to take her.

So, while I think the right thing to do is be there....I can't be a hypocrite about it. I don't know if those cats died, but they were kill shelters so I imagine they probably did.

I like pets, but I think they should enhance life, not make it a constant chore.

My husband assures me I just haven't found the right pet.

I assure him I have all the "pets" I need.

Reply By: Tova7Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 My first response was...be there of course.

sounds unusual experences tova, the right one will come along. For all the pain I had on Ol timers death I would not trade one day of the 23 plus years I had him.

Last febuary I had to put down my daughtson who was going on 16 years old. Her health decline was a gradual thing, and I tried to prepare myself. Honestly though, no amount of prepration can totally prepare you for the reality of the end.

It was a difficult decision to make, putting her down. But then I looked at what she was going through, comepletely blind, losing weight fast, in so much pain, I had to get past my own selfishness, and do what was best for her. What she was telling me I had to do for her.

When the day came, I stayed with her, because she stayed with me with I moved out of my parents home. She chose to come with me, and she needed me to make the decision for her. I can't say it was a peaceful leaving. She didn't know what was going on, and cried when the vet gave her the shot. I had to hold her down. Once that was over though, she relaxed in my arms and I held her and kissed her, until she took her last breath.

A year has past, and I still cry when I think about that day. My other dog, a boston terrier, is going to have to  be put down. this time, its going so fast. Last month he was fine, and now his heart is enlarged, theres fluid build up, and he's in so much pain. The meds we have him on isn't working, and It's like its happening all over again. Still though, when the time comes, I'll stay with him, because it would be cruel of me not to. After all the years of joy, laughter, and comfort he's given me, the least I can do is be self-less and strong for his well being.

It's never an easy thing to decide. But over time it gets better when you know in your heart you've done right by your companion.

Fortunately, or unfortuneately (however you want to view it) a couple of hours after I wrote this, my Asher passed on his own with me and his other momma besides him.

I say fortunately, because he took the decision from us, and he is no longer suffering, and unfortuneately because it was still hard on both of us to see, and it doesn't seem real at all.