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I have had to deal with the loss of more animals than I care to think of. Living out in the weeds, as we do, it happens with all to regular frequency , it seems. And it never gets easier. Making the decision to put your animal down is extremely painful. I know ,all to well ,how painful. The lengths I HAVE gone and still lost the critter. I recently had to put a beloved horse down. The vet would not come out...said they were to busy. This was my sons horse, and I had to end her suffering myself. I'm NEVER going to "get over it" as it were. I did what had to be done, thankfully while my son was in school. I would spare him that pain. Bd enough to have to tell him she was gone let alone how she went. Anyone who has animals , and is actually a responsible loving owner, will do whatever can be done to save a hurt or injured critter. But the brutal reality of having said animals WILL set in eventually. It's basically a gimme that you will outlive your critter. Don't have one if you can't take the pain of loss. Just love them and enjoy the time you have with them. They , most certainly will do just that for you.
Would it mean mortgaging your future (retirement, savings) so your pet can live?
Would you wipe out your savings for a pet when your SO or your children might need it for treatment?
Ohhhh. Sigh. As I said before there is a BRUTAL reality to having animals. For someone to go to the lengths described in the quoted post would be indicitave of a VERY disturbed and COMPLETELY unrealistic individual. Sadly, there probably are people out there like this. On a humorous note...LMAO my wife just called, one of the barn cats took a ride to work with her this morning and is awaiting pick up. Stowaway kitty.
Ohhhh. Sigh. As I said before there is a BRUTAL reality to having animals. For someone to go to the lengths described in the quoted post would be indicitave of a VERY disturbed and COMPLETELY unrealistic individual. Sadly, there probably are people out there like this. On a humorous note...LMAO my wife just called, one of the barn cats took a ride to work with her this morning and is awaiting pick up. Stowaway kitty.
Well, it is doing anything and everything possible for your pet...and I have known people who have done it sadly. I've also had people come up to me at the vet and say "if you love (engage whiny voice) your pet, you'll do XYZ"...if you don't you're a terrible person! Just the fact that the love/single procedure costs more then my yearly grad tuition is irrelevant.
As soon as my pet is suffering and I know there is no way to get them better I will opt to put them to sleep. I would expect the same thing to be done for me if someone had the right to make that desicion.
Dealing with a doggy problem now, I was wondering what people thought of how far would they go if their pet was sick? There are many different options for one to think of, but the main thing is at what point would one look and it would be over.
How much would be your limit of care on your pet? Is it a set number based on trauma, chronic conditions, and tempered by age? Would it matter if you knew the treatment and it was expensive vs. not knowing what is happening?
if my pet required major surgery to stay alive, then I would take her out back and put a 44 through their head at close range.
it does not mean I would like doing it, but spending major money on keeping an animal alive is just plain hogwash.
Well, it is doing anything and everything possible for your pet...and I have known people who have done it sadly. I've also had people come up to me at the vet and say "if you love (engage whiny voice) your pet, you'll do XYZ"...if you don't you're a terrible person! Just the fact that the love/single procedure costs more then my yearly grad tuition is irrelevant.
Yea ..and don't that just FROST ya when someone can be so flippant about YOUR animal. As if whatever situation you may have is just black and white and they,in their infinite wisdom and compassion, have all the answers. I'm sure glad I'm not a veterinarian. I wouldn't be any good at it, in the emtional aspect. Hard enough to deal with ones own critter issues. I still get misty about dogs I had when I was a kid, and cats and horses. Once you give them a name they just kinda get under your skin. But common sense HAS to be utilized when making medical decisions regarding animals. Nobody said that having pets/livestock ,whatever was easy. Sometimes there ain't enough money to make things better. Oh..and the hitchhiking barn cat has returned home safe and sound.....minus 7 of 9 lives maybe. His new name is Captain Jack luckiest pirate of them all. Add uproarious laughter.......
Last edited by NVplumber; 12-26-2008 at 02:35 PM..
Reason: added stuff
It depends on the situation: Will the animal will have a good quality of life after the surgery if that is what's needed? How old is the animal? What are the potential risks of the proposed treatment? I don't believe in carting an animal back and forth to the vet every day for shots and tests, (been there, done that, and when it gets that bad they are usually not long for this world anyway...) I have had much better luck with holistic, non-invasive methods in healing illnesses in my animals, and it is a much more comfortable approach for them as well as easier on the wallet. I did have a cat (2 at the time, now 12) who swallowed a sewing needle my roommate left unattended. The emergency surgery and all the etceteras ran me over $1,000, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat...she recovered 100% and is still going strong today. I do everything I can as far as preventative maintenance (awesome organic food & herbal supplements, home-cooked treats, regular check-ups/vaccinations, even brush their teeth...) but I don't believe in synthetic meds. for myself OR my animals except in very rare situations and don't really dig western medecine in general. My family knows I wouldn't want to be kept alive by machines, saved if I were going to be in a coma possibly forever, or live in constant, agonizing pain. I want my animals to have the same quality of life I want for myself.
There is also the issue of how we view death itself...if we are afraid of death, we want to hold on to our loved ones as long as possible. If we view it as tuning into a different channel or entering a different realm, we may not be so desparate to cling. I would not be selfish and force any of my babies to hold on if I felt it was time for them to be free to explore the next dimension. Ultimately, it is my belief that it is our higher selves who choose, and no amount of money or doctors will change what has already been chosen.
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. I recently had to put a beloved horse down. The vet would not come out...said they were to busy. This was my sons horse, and I had to end her suffering myself. I'm NEVER going to "get over it" as it were. I did what had to be done, thankfully while my son was in school. I would spare him that pain. Bd enough to have to tell him she was gone let alone how she went. Anyone who has animals , and is actually a responsible loving owner, will do whatever can be done to save a hurt or injured critter. But the brutal reality of having said animals WILL set in eventually. It's basically a gimme that you will outlive your critter. Don't have one if you can't take the pain of loss. Just love them and enjoy the time you have with them. They , most certainly will do just that for you.
. Stowaway kitty.
