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I held my baby in my arms and kissed her head till she slept, and held her for a while after. It's been almost a year and I still cry for her. I had her for 16 yrs. But that's the last thing she would have, too, so I would do it the same.
I stayed with mine holding their paw or stroking them until they were gone. My doggies have meant so very much to me and they were always so loving and comforting. I would never have let them pass on without being there to the very end no matter how heart broken.
Their cremated ashes are on a shelf in our library and never far. I miss them to this very day.
I'm with pOWER Surge...still can't bear the guilt, will be a year. they said she was under a drug ...and not alert. so we didn't
My dad always did the duty. we always had a bunch of dogs growing up, lived ripe old ages with our angel-vet. Dad always took them. I shouldnt have clicked on this one/
im wondering about other's personal choices on this matter.
It's heartbreaking, but I stayed with my cat Cocoa while the vet at the hospital injected her and held her in my arms stroking her and talking to her till after she died. She was terrified being in the hospital and it took me a bit to calm her till the injection, and the vet, though he tried to hide it, was a bit annoyed and wanted to get it over with. My cat deserved to have someone she knew with her till the end and I'm just glad I had that chance.
It's SO very hard, though, I understand why some people can't do it.
Last edited by Artful-Thang; 12-04-2007 at 12:39 PM..
Reason: spelling error fixed
I've stayed with all of them. I always will.
The last one was the worst.
Pounce's personality (20 year old kitty, she'd just gotten kinda grouchy, she was not herself) had really changed, she was upset and she bit me. I'm not sure she even knew it was me, but that was a sad way for her to go.
I've stayed with all of them. I always will.
The last one was the worst.
Pounce's personality (20 year old kitty, she'd just gotten kinda grouchy, she was not herself) had really changed, she was upset and she bit me. I'm not sure she even knew it was me, but that was a sad way for her to go.
im wondering how common this is. i have always stayed in the room during euthanasia in order to comfort my pet and somehow i feel like it is my duty. it is a horrible experience to go through but i always thought it was the right thing to do. im wondering about other's personal choices on this matter.
I agree, but I cannot imagine not being there to comfort a dear dear companion. I have held every pet that has reached this point in their life, and I while gut wrenching, I cannot imagine not.
Just had to do this for the first time this Saturday. He was really ill, and it was time to go, and he was suffering, but I hated that he had to be in that place, I wish I could have had someone come to the house.
We stayed. I wanted him to feel safe, to have someone familiar there, to hear our voices and smell us around him. I was easier when he was sedated, his familiar snore made me feel like he was OK, and at peace.
Coming home was worse, and waking up the next morning even more so. His bowls are still filled. I keep getting that thought in the back of my head - "have to go walk the dog" "have to change his water" and I don't. The house feels empty. You don't realize how they are at the center of your life, your daily routine, until they aren't there any more.
12.5 years. Through marriage, kids, moving. That dog was always there.
Now he isn't.
It is so hard to accept the fact that the best thing we can do for a suffering pet is to let them go to sleep so they aren't hurting anymore. As much as I have adored devoted pets over the years, when it came time that I knew they were miserable and the vets said there was no possibility of improving I agreed to let them be put to sleep even though I knew some of them might live for another few days or weeks. As much as it tore me up to do that, I couldn't let myself let them live in pain so I could keep them with me a for little while longer. I've had animals for almost all of my 60 years. I had to put down one of my all time favorite dogs about two years ago. I stayed with Katy and held her untill I felt her body go limp and the vet nodded so I knew she was gone. I went and got in my truck and it was quite awhile before I could see to drive. I kept one of Katy's pups when she had a litter years ago. Ginger is now 13 years old and born in and raised in our house. I see signs of her health failing but she isn't suffering or miserable yet. But I know that the time will come too fast when we will have to go through this again. When she lays her head on my knee and looks at me with those big brown eyes and wags her tail, I see as much devotion as I've ever seen from a human. I'll stay with her and hold her untill the end. She has loved me all these years. I owe her that. Then I'll go and just sit in my truck for awhile.
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