Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Vet made me hold my cat while he did it -I went nuts
Not right in the head for 2 years
It isn't right for everyone, and that is the only thing I dislike about this thread. My family didn't want me to see my mother die, I don't regret it, but it gave me PTSD and it would have been ok if I didn't do that.
ALL of my pets that were euthanized were sedated and fell asleep in my arms before they were taken away. I lost my precious boy Howie in March. I fed him before the procedure because food was one of his best quality of life issues. He sat on my lap for the ride to the vet and enjoyed it. He fell asleep in my arms and I held him until I was ready to let go. I put him on the table and I'm sure he was gone before I left the vet. I couldn't watch him die. It was by far more traumatic for me then it was for him.
Mt dog quit eating the day before I brought him in, but I took some butter with me to give to him and he ate that up. It was special treat he rarely got.
It isn't right for everyone, and that is the only thing I dislike about this thread. My family didn't want me to see my mother die, I don't regret it, but it gave me PTSD and it would have been ok if I didn't do that.
Yeah, that's the thing. The pet will be alive for only a few more moments. What really matters is how the decision is going to affect you, the pet owner.
When I was much younger (late teens, early 20s) I did this three times. Couldn't bear to watch a pet be euthanized, so I left them in the hands of the vet.
Then I finally woke up and realized that the pet's fear and need for comfort at such a tremendously difficult time vastly outweighed whether or not I could 'face it'. And when I finally stood with the first pet that I watched being euthanized, I thought, how could I ever NOT have done this?
To this day, it haunts me that I wasn't there for those pets in my early years...most esp. the dog I grew up with. He was devoted to me - despite being the family pet, he truly was my dog - and he was always petrified of the vet's office. But the day he went downhill, my sister's boyfriend wound up taking him in. I will never forgive myself for that.
Same.
They said they'd take her. So they carried her back. Told me to say bye there.
I just bawled and bawled out in the car. I was 15. I didn't know.
To this day, 25+ years later, I still have not forgiven myself for not demanding to bsck there.
The next dog (I was in my 30s), I sat in ICU with her and I brought the whole family that knew and loved her. The vet cried, my dad cried, my mom cried, my wife cried, my bro was out of town but on the phone...we all cried. But we were all there for her.
An article on Dailymail.com quoted a "tired, broken-hearted vet" in South Africa as saying most people don't understand that if they do not stay with their pet during euthanasia, the pet ends up frightened and looking around desperately for their owner as they are euthanized.
Broke my heart. Vets say it is the responsibility of the owner to be there. I agree...it's hard but our last responsibility to our beloved pet.
Keep in mind that the cultural norms about death in general and about the death of pets may be very different in South Africa or any other place for that matter and so that may account for why so many do not want to be present at euthanasia of a pet.
Just since retiring I've adopted 11 senior dogs and had to face that sad day of letting them go 8 times. My current 3 are each 12 years and and I know that most likely I will face 3 more losses in the next few years. It is never easy but knowing that for a few months or a few years some wonderful old dogs got to spend their time sleeping in the tempurpedic bed with me and enjoying good food, hikes in our pasture, etc. makes it bearable. I ALWAYS get much more from them than they get from me and such joy is priceless and far outweighs the pain of loss that I must endure each time I must be there as they cross over.
I feel especially sorry for those who have known the great love of a pet but when that one was gone they chose to never have to deal with such a loss again. They deprive themselves of so much fun and happiness.
An article on Dailymail.com quoted a "tired, broken-hearted vet" in South Africa as saying most people don't understand that if they do not stay with their pet during euthanasia, the pet ends up frightened and looking around desperately for their owner as they are euthanized.
Broke my heart. Vets say it is the responsibility of the owner to be there. I agree...it's hard but our last responsibility to our beloved pet.
I don't believe that for a minute. I think 90% of The Daily Mail's articles are BS. If the owner cares so much about the pet that they take them to the vet for the procedure, the majority will stay through the whole thing.
By shear coincidence we never had to put down any of our pets. They either got ill and died quickly, usually during a time when the vet was closed. Usually at least one person was around to comfort them while they were dying. I suppose it is slightly easier knowing that right then and there was "their time to go" vs driving them to the vet for the purpose.
By shear coincidence we never had to put down any of our pets. They either got ill and died quickly, usually during a time when the vet was closed. Usually at least one person was around to comfort them while they were dying. I suppose it is slightly easier knowing that right then and there was "their time to go" vs driving them to the vet for the purpose.
Yes. The decision sucks and who wouldn't want to die in their own home?
There are vets who will come and do a house visit to put a pet to sleep. Granted not every locale has this "luxury" but it might make the process easier in a home setting rather in something so clinical like a vet's office.
I was going out with a girl (been my wife for 37 years) who had 2 older dogs. Due to health issues, it was time to put them to sleep. Neither her parents, her 3 sisters, or she had the heart to take them to their fate, so Mr. Boyfriend was elected to do the deed.
When I arrived at the destination I took them both out of the car on their leash and handed them off. I felt terrible. Blue Boy never once looked back at me. She just quietly walked into the building in her usual arthritic gait. But Brandy was a different story. It wasn't that he was nervous or anything out of sorts, as he too just walked slowly with the gentlemen taking them into the building. When I was just back to my car, I turned around to take one last look as they were entering the building. At the exact time, Brandy turned and looked at me.
That look is something I will NEVER forget. Our eyes locked, and the stare he gave me was one of him knowing his fate. It was so obvious, and I swear I am not making it up. His eyes drilled through me like a sword. When I got home I laid into the entire family because I was really upset that it was me who had to face that, and it wasn't even my dog.
All of that being said, now with my first dog, if/when that time comes I absolutely will be at Bentley's side.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
