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<sigh> I'm still missing my sweet Chrissy-girl, terribly.
I thought I was just going to leave it up to the vet and the tech. DH was determined to stay with her to the end. But I just loved this dog SOOOOooo much, it was going to kill me to watch her go.
I didn't think I'd be able to stay. It just didn't seem like something I wanted to experience. But once we were in there, with blankets on the floor, and the lights dimmed, she was really fighting the sedative. (always the guard dog, doing her duty to keep us protected, she was curious at every movement going on.)
As anxious as she was, they gave her two doses of sedative. I got down on the floor to hold her head and rub her chest; rubbing her chest always calmed her down. Her head would pop up when someone else walked in the room, so I needed to be there to reassure her, ease her worries, calm her down. So when she finally decided it was time to rest, I couldn't pry myself away from her. She needed me there.
please dont feel that way! you werent being selfish!
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Originally Posted by theroc5156
If you can make it through these threads without shedding a tear, you have no heart or don't like animals.
Nobody likes that fateful day of putting a pet down. I am sniffling here at work right now just thinking about it. I had a beautiful Retriever/Labrador mix that we had to put down two years ago. My father had to do it because I just couldn't drive up and say goodbye. I regret that now because I owed it to her.
I have a VERY affectionate border collie now and she is years away from being put down (hopefully). It does cross my mind every now and then that I will have to bring her because my wife will be a mess. After reading everyone's opinions, it made me realize how selfish I was with my first dog by not being there. I will be there with my current dog right till the end with crying eyes.
another beautiful story. i think your grandmother did the right thing. if an adult cant handle it well then a child certainly shouldnt witness it. sometimes i think it would be better if our pets died at home by just falling asleep and not waking up. i also think that most of us have an option to find a vet that will come to our home to do it. i think this would be less frightening for our pet friends. this is how i will do it from now on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wi_Girl
Ugh I'm sitting here practically bawling my eyes out. These stories are all so very touching. I feel for all of you who have had this experience...I did have to put a kitten down when I was like 10 or 12 years old but we didnt stay. I felt horrible and thought about it all the time but I think my Grandma thought it might be a bit traumatizing for me since she knew my deep love for animals.
However, now I plan to be there when that day comes. I havent had to face it yet with my beloved Tazz. I hate to think of that day, but I know it will eventually come. I already told my husband I will probably need to be medicated after it happens. This dog means so much to me, he was there for me when I almost lost my husband to a pedestrian/car accident (he was the pedestrian) and when I almost miscarried my child around the same time. I often wonder how I would have gotten through those nights with my husband in the hospital without him. I know I couldnt have done it without him. He kept me going when I thought my world was crashing down on me. When his time comes, I want to be there for every last breath, holding my best friend in the whole wide world. I love him so much, just like he has been with me forever.
maybe it's best for you to hold it together for your dog's sake and not lose it till they are actually gone. just comfort them, talk to them, sorta fool them into thinking everything is all right. the hardest part i think is the days and months and even years after it's all done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitBullMommie1206
I have never had to go through that, but when the time comes, I will definitely, without a doubt, be with my baby until the very last moment! I know it will kill me, I get choked up just thinking about it, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I wasn't there with them, you know? Part of me thinks it would be best, for my dogs, for me to not be there, I mean, when I watch a dog get put to sleep on Animal Planet I cry so hard! I'm a complete mess after watching that! I can't imagine how I would be with my dogs! I would be worried that me being so upset would upset them, but I don't think I could let them be put to sleep and not be there.
After reading everyone's opinions, it made me realize how selfish I was with my first dog by not being there. I will be there with my current dog right till the end with crying eyes.
No...don't feel selfish...I think there are times in life we can handle certain things and times we can't, or at least we don't think we can. I've had to have several pets put to sleep and whoever posted that after you get home is the worst time is right. I don't know in that regard if being there makes it better or worse. I think we second guess ourselves and think it could have waited, or we rushed it, or what if??? And the what ifs aren't there - you just know when it is time, but it is a heartbreaker of a decision to make.
I have 7 dogs now - one is an almost 16 year old Rottweiler. I know her time will come and I'll be called to do the hardest thing once again. I honestly am not sure how I'll make it through but I know I have to give her the final gift...and that's what it is, a gift. I'm just as attached (or more) to my dogs than some of my best human friends. But I'll do what I need to and pray that one day someone will have mercy on me too and not continue my life just for the sake of continuance...there's just nothing pretty about dying, but it can be done with dignity and peace and that's what we owe our pets.
When put my Golden down stayed hardest thing ever done but no tears til it was over and had vet crying also..I knew was for best and had to be with her til last breath as she was with me through good and bad times.It was my way of saying goodbye and will meet again.
My first dog was a border collie that we got when I was thirteen years old. Though he was with us for only two years, I have never been more attached to anything in my entire life. He had swallowed a rubber band that eventually got wrapped around his intestines. The surgery had complications, and we were forced to put him to sleep. My little brother was only nine at the time, so I stayed with him to comfort him in the waiting room. My mum went back into the room with Sam and stayed until the end.
If we had to put our current dog to sleep, I think I would stay with her. I'm older now, and I think I could deal with it at least a little better than when I was fifteen. Rosie has been a part of our family for two years now, so hopefully I won't have to go through that pain for a number of years.
I have done both. The real regret is the cat who was in surgery when they found advanced cancer and I had them not wake her up. I felt like I did not get to say goodbye. I have always felt better about being there.
In most cases, I am having to support my husband but when I was there alone, I cried as much as I wanted to.
Wow, I havent cried like that in a long time. All your stories were so touching. My cat Mickey developed diabetes, and it attacked all his organs. It seemed like it happend over night. He was in the hospital for 3 weeks, and they said he wasnt getting any better, so they let me take him home for a day to spend time with him, and then we were going to put him down the next day. Well I brought him home, he was so happy to be with me, he kept purring, and trying to talk to me, but couldnt get much out. He couldnt stand up or sit without falling over, it just broke my heart. All I did was cry and hold him. So I took him back to the Vet later that day. I didnt think it was fair for him to be home and struggling. He went into cardio arrest, and passed...
My other cat Butter Boo, he got sick the week before Memorial day. We took him to the Vet, he wasnt eatting or drinking and was very wabbly when he tried to stand. I had to carry him to the cat box, and where ever he was trying to go. So he was in the hospital for like 4 days, they couldnt get him to eat, they were giving him fluids interveinisly(sp?), the Vet tried told me he had spinal cancer, even though all the blood tests they did didnt show any cancer. This vet was trying to tell me I had to put him to sleep...it was the best thing for him. I went there, held and talked with Butter Boo, I asked if he was ready to leave this life. I kept getting the feeling he wasnt. So I told the Vet give me till the holiday weekend is over and we will see how he feels, then we will decide. So I took him home, and he ate for me, then he drank for me. I carried him around for 2 days, and took him to the kitty box, and gave him his meds, then the 3rd day, he just walked!! I cried I was so happy. And as of right now, he is curled up right next to me on the bed. Just as happy as he could be. He wasnt ready to go and he let me know. I still have no idea what was really wrong with him. Sorry for making this so long. But if there is a chance that the animal can get better, please try. I am so grateful that I still have my Butter Boo. Losing Mickey was so hard, I wasnt ready to loose another just quite yet.
your cats couldnt ask for a better mother. you are so sweet and loving!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suzet2262
Wow, I havent cried like that in a long time. All your stories were so touching. My cat Mickey developed diabetes, and it attacked all his organs. It seemed like it happend over night. He was in the hospital for 3 weeks, and they said he wasnt getting any better, so they let me take him home for a day to spend time with him, and then we were going to put him down the next day. Well I brought him home, he was so happy to be with me, he kept purring, and trying to talk to me, but couldnt get much out. He couldnt stand up or sit without falling over, it just broke my heart. All I did was cry and hold him. So I took him back to the Vet later that day. I didnt think it was fair for him to be home and struggling. He went into cardio arrest, and passed...
My other cat Butter Boo, he got sick the week before Memorial day. We took him to the Vet, he wasnt eatting or drinking and was very wabbly when he tried to stand. I had to carry him to the cat box, and where ever he was trying to go. So he was in the hospital for like 4 days, they couldnt get him to eat, they were giving him fluids interveinisly(sp?), the Vet tried told me he had spinal cancer, even though all the blood tests they did didnt show any cancer. This vet was trying to tell me I had to put him to sleep...it was the best thing for him. I went there, held and talked with Butter Boo, I asked if he was ready to leave this life. I kept getting the feeling he wasnt. So I told the Vet give me till the holiday weekend is over and we will see how he feels, then we will decide. So I took him home, and he ate for me, then he drank for me. I carried him around for 2 days, and took him to the kitty box, and gave him his meds, then the 3rd day, he just walked!! I cried I was so happy. And as of right now, he is curled up right next to me on the bed. Just as happy as he could be. He wasnt ready to go and he let me know. I still have no idea what was really wrong with him. Sorry for making this so long. But if there is a chance that the animal can get better, please try. I am so grateful that I still have my Butter Boo. Losing Mickey was so hard, I wasnt ready to loose another just quite yet.
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I know it will kill me, I get choked up just thinking about it, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I wasn't there with them, you know? Part of me thinks it would be best, for my dogs, for me to not be there, I mean, when I watch a dog get put to sleep on Animal Planet I cry so hard! I'm a complete mess after watching that! I can't imagine how I would be with my dogs! I would be worried that me being so upset would upset them, but I don't think I could let them be put to sleep and not be there. 
