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Excellent advice. We lost our 11 year old pit mix almost 2 months ago. He was the most loving dog and my best friend. He had a cancer that took him very quickly. We could have done surgery, radiation and chemo but it would not have prolonged his life much longer. So we watched him deteriorate over a month’s time until we had to say goodbye at the vet’s office.
I had joined a canine cancer Facebook group after he passed wondering if I had done the right thing. Some people subjected their pets to painful surgeries and treatments. Some which worked. Most did not. I read about CBD oil to control pain and beat myself up for not knowing about that. Clinical trials, etc
After a few weeks I left the group. I couldn’t bear to see another sick pet and I also realized it did no good second-guessing myself.
As the previous poster said, our pets have relatively short lifespans no matter how much we do or how much we love them. After reading your post, you have done your best for your pet. You were there with him and knew his condition first hand. Remember “it is best to let our pets go a day too early than a day too late.”
I am fairly new in this grieving process also. I told my husband I didn’t want a Christmas tree this year... Knowing we did the right thing for our pet does not make the loss we feel any less. But I am also relieved that he is no longer suffering. And again, just trying to remember that our pets are here only for a short time. We need to love them and then let them go. Be good to yourself and know you did the right thing.
So sorry for your loss... I hadn't realized how old this original post was when I replied to it -- hopefully that pet owner has long since healed -- but it's always timely, as we're always having to deal with this, it seems.
So sorry for your loss... I hadn't realized how old this original post was when I replied to it -- hopefully that pet owner has long since healed -- but it's always timely, as we're always having to deal with this, it seems.
Last night we said good bye to our 12yr 3-day old Boston Terrier. The night before last he went from being perfectly fine to almost catatonic. Couldn’t stand, no appetite, shallow rapid breathing, blue lips and tongue, etc., etc. He seemed perfectly fine the night before last. On the drop of a dime he turned really bad and was getting worse. Took him to the emergency vet and was gently advised there were no good options and that due to not being able to breath he was suffering. The vet guessed either congestive heart failure, cancer, or blood clots. With the vet’s “guidance” we made the ultimate decision, which now the day after I’m truly second guessing. Some internet posts indicate that if CGH failure we might have kept him going a month or perhaps maybe up to another few months or maybe a year - as the vet also said. But if cancer, not as good of a chance and if blood clots nothing. There just weren’t any good options. A few months ago he really started to age quickly becoming bald, hard of hearing, bad eye sight. It all seems so unreal. We loved him so much. In some ways he was a pain in the ass but he was our pain in the ass whom we loved beyond imagination. When Caesar thought it was time to eat, that being every 20 minutes, he’d stare at me Burning a whole right through me. I’d say,”later,” he’d walk away then 5 minutes later start staring again. I’m having a very hard time dealing with this.
Our 8 months younger BT appears confused but seems to be adapting better than I anticipated. I just hope I didn’t make the wrong decision. He went so peacefully with an unforgettably beautiful face - like when he came to live with us at age 7 weeks.
Last edited by Fredmillard; 02-01-2020 at 04:49 PM..
You didn’t make the wrong decision. When a vet suggests it you know it’s time. My Maltese got CHF and lived 6 months. She spent all her time in bed and didn’t want to be held anymore. She was on 3 different medications 3xs a day. Then she had a stoke, screamed, peed herself and fell over. It was horrible. Hugs)
Last night we said good bye to our 12yr 3-day old Boston Terrier. The night before last he went from being perfectly fine to almost catatonic. Couldn’t stand, no appetite, shallow rapid breathing, blue lips and tongue, etc., etc. He seemed perfectly fine the night before last. On the drop of a dime he turned really bad and was getting worse. Took him to the emergency vet and was gently advised there were no good options and that due to not being able to breath he was suffering. The vet guessed either congestive heart failure, cancer, or blood clots. With the vet’s “guidance” we made the ultimate decision, which now the day after I’m truly second guessing. Some internet posts indicate that if CGH failure we might have kept him going a month or perhaps maybe up to another few months or maybe a year - as the vet also said. But if cancer, not as good of a chance and if blood clots nothing. There just weren’t any good options. A few months ago he really started to age quickly becoming bald, hard of hearing, bad eye sight. It all seems so unreal. We loved him so much. In some ways he was a pain in the ass but he was our pain in the ass whom we loved beyond imagination. When Caesar thought it was time to eat, that being every 20 minutes, he’d stare at me Burning a whole right through me. I’d say,”later,” he’d walk away then 5 minutes later start staring again. I’m having a very hard time dealing with this.
Our 8 months younger BT appears confused but seems to be adapting better than I anticipated. I just hope I didn’t make the wrong decision. He went so peacefully with an unforgettably beautiful face - like when he came to live with us at age 7 weeks.
Sorry to hear of the loss of Caesar. It is never easy to make the euthanasia decision but it sounds like it was the right decision here because he would have suffered. It shows that you are a compassionate person and conscientious companion for your dogs since you made this choice and also since you wonder about it. I have had to have a couple of cats over the years put to sleep and have always felt terrible about it despite it being the compassionate choice; I just think that it is natural to feel that way. Take time to grieve and don't let anyone try and tell you how long to grieve or how to do it. Also take the time to remember the good memories with Caesar and the funny things like him being a pain in the ass by wanting to eat every 20 minutes I've also found it useful to do something in the memory of pets I've lost such as a donation to an animal cause.
You will never 100% 'get over it' but I will say that the pain does get better with time. It becomes less acute and the good memories overtake the pain. It is 100% normal for you to be having a hard time dealing with this right now.
Sorry to hear of the loss of Caesar. It is never easy to make the euthanasia decision but it sounds like it was the right decision here because he would have suffered. It shows that you are a compassionate person and conscientious companion for your dogs since you made this choice and also since you wonder about it. I have had to have a couple of cats over the years put to sleep and have always felt terrible about it despite it being the compassionate choice; I just think that it is natural to feel that way. Take time to grieve and don't let anyone try and tell you how long to grieve or how to do it. Also take the time to remember the good memories with Caesar and the funny things like him being a pain in the ass by wanting to eat every 20 minutes I've also found it useful to do something in the memory of pets I've lost such as a donation to an animal cause.
You will never 100% 'get over it' but I will say that the pain does get better with time. It becomes less acute and the good memories overtake the pain. It is 100% normal for you to be having a hard time dealing with this right now.
Lovely post! All true. I've felt I've waited too long (and the pet has suffered) or acted too soon (and second-guessed myself after). It's hard to ever feel completely "good" about that decision, yet we have to make it...
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I've also found it useful to do something in the memory of pets I've lost such as a donation to an animal cause. 
