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.
Why is it so hard to part with your pet? Even when you know their illness is irreversible and euthanasia is the humane thing to do to prevent further pain and suffering to them.
Because you love them so much. And because you know they don't understand what is going on with them when they are dying. They are looking at you and trust you for help but you are powerless.
One of the things I realized that made it so difficult to have my last dog euthanized was that with a family pet the dynamic is so much different than it is with people. What I mean is that we as pet owners are completely responsible for making that decision to have them put down. While a vet or anyone else may offer advice, it is ultimately up to the pet owner to make the call. It adds another component to the process that in most cases we don't have to deal with when it comes to our fellow human beings. Those decisions are usually made or highly influenced by medical professionals. If I had to do it over again I probably would have had him euthanized sooner. But I don't regret it at all, it was a tough decision to make and a lot of responsibility being in charge of another living creature's life.