Putting your dog to sleep

[NJHalo]

I am getting close to that point. Sixteen year old Bichon that has been a saint from day one.

 

She has dementia, and is relieving herself indoors on a regular basis.

 

Vet said we are on borrowed time, but I just don't know when to say when.

 

Has anyone had to make the decision?

[red321]

Yes.

 

Absolutely sucked. The best advice given to me by a family friend who is also vet. Don't think about what is best for you, think of what is best for the dog.

 

edit: oh, and I'm very sorry to read what you are going through.

Edited January 22, 2015 by red321

[mtangelsfan]

Had to do it, I agree with red. 

 

You have to think of the dog first. 

[Tank]

had a dog with a hip displacement problem. wasn't a cheap fix, plus the dog was over 10 years old. was very relieved that i was away at college and didn't have to deal with it in person, but it was tough the first time we came home and she wasn't there. 

[NJHalo]

Vet told us to keep track of good days and bad days. The bad days are far outnumbering the good days now, despite my denials

[mtangelsfan]

I think you know what to do but just don't want to do it.  Not that I blame you, it sucks and you will miss the dog tremendously. 

[Brandon]

Ugh. Sorry to hear. This is one of my biggest fears.

 

I like our little dude more than some people.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Its very tough. I remember seeing my dad cry like a child when we had to put down our Golden Retriever. He had that dog before he met my mom. Such a wonderful dog she was.

 

Its tough, but you have to do what is best for the dog. My yellow lab is getting to that point right now. She's about to be 12. Her hearing seems to be going, her hips seem to be hurting. She's still energetic and all, but you can see her slowing down. Its hard.

 

Be strong through it all, it is never easy letting go. I am sorry for your predicament. 

[Blarg]

I've had to do it twice and never have felt good about it. My best friend is a vet and performed the procedure on the first dog we owned as a couple. It is extremely quick and painless for the dog. I couldn't go in for the second one, my wife and son did while I stayed in the car.

[gotbeer]

Feel for you.  My dog is going on 17.  She is pretty much blind.  She sleeps a lot, bumps into everything, and probably because she is blind is very clingy to people.  She occassionally does go to the bathroom inside.  But usually that's when she's been kept inside for a long time.  So it's usually not her fault.  

 

Odd thing is.  There is a stray that hangs around the outside of the house.  If the stray walks by, I guess my dog smells her, because she perks up, and will either start barking or hunting.  But because she's blind, she could bump into the cat, and it takes her a while before she realizes it was the cat, and by that time the cat has walked away 3 feet where the dog can't find her.  

[red321]

Every decision you make ask yourself...is this for you, or for the dog.

[NJHalo]

Forgot to add, the dog is deaf, has cataracts, and has a benign tumor on her adrenal gland.

 

She still gets around OK, but I do find her stuck behind furniture, and walking around the house like she is lost.

[NJHalo]

Many people, including myself, often regret that they didn't do it sooner. It is such a relief for the dog. 

 

In both instances (years apart) my dogs somehow knew what was coming and had their best days in months. They both waited by the front door anticipating leaving and were calmer than they had EVER been at the vet. In fact, they were calmer than they had ever been in their lives. When we asked the vet what he had given them to tranquilize them he told us that he had given them nothing, that most of the time animals "just know". We knew both times that they were letting us know that they agreed with the decision and were so relieved to pass.

 

It is one of the hardest things a person can do but it is also a very Spiritual experience.

Tearing up just reading this.

[mtangelsfan]

Give your dog one last great day filled with the things you know they love.

[red321]

Give your dog one last great day filled with the things you know they love.

 

bacon

[2002_halos_II]

Forgot to add, the dog is deaf, has cataracts, and has a benign tumor on her adrenal gland.

 

She still gets around OK, but I do find her stuck behind furniture, and walking around the house like she is lost.

 

 

 

It's tough but needs to be done at some point.  I'm with the folks who felt (belatedly) they waited too long.

[1nutkruk]

Toughest decision to make but I agree with others, think about the dog rather than yourself.  We had to put down a dog and a cat between November 2013 and February 2014.  I was devastated about the dog but my daughter took it harder because she loved them both.  

 

It took me over a year to say yes to my wife and daughter about adopting another dog which we did this past weekend.

 

My thoughts are with you.  Our pets are a part of the family.

[NJHalo]

Just got home from work. Walked thru the door, and the dog took a shit right in front of me.

[Stradling]

My girlfriend had to put down her family's dog last year. Obviously the dog was up there in years and was not doing to well. What she did is the absolute way I will put down my dog, Champ, when the time comes. She had the vet come to her house, and the entire family was there and got to be together and got to say goodbye to the dog. The vet, when they were ready, injected the dog in the house, while he was being petted and comforted by his family. Just typing that and thinking about my dog puts tears in my eyes.

[Jay]

They have mobile services who will come to your home and euthanize your pet in its own bed, in familiar surroundings. Many times at the end our pets are in the hospital and the decision is made but in your case the mobile service might be preferable.  It's really pretty quick, much harder on the humans than on the pet.  It's very hard, like losing a child really.  I felt worse when we put our dog down than I did when my parents passed.  Isn't that awful?

[Stradling]

They have mobile services who will come to your home and euthanize your pet in its own bed, in familiar surroundings. Many times at the end our pets are in the hospital and the decision is made but in your case the mobile service might be preferable. It's really pretty quick, much harder on the humans than on the pet. It's very hard, like losing a child really. I felt worse when we put our dog down than I did when my parents passed. Isn't that awful?

Beat you by one minute.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Sorry to hear you're going through this because when the time comes you have to say goodbye to a member of the family.  As others said think about the dog because she obviously can't walk up to you and say she's ready but she can definitely show you some signs.  

[TobiasFunke]

Sorry to hear that you're going through this NJ. I wouldn't wish the death of a family animal on my worst enemy.

 

This is a pretty cool thing that Buzzfeed did a while back about a family that was putting down their family dog. I teared up just re-reading it right now. Warning though, it gets you emotional.

 

 

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/this-story-of-a-dogs-last-day-on-earth-is-beautiful-and-hear#.wh7Q6EKyY

[1nutkruk]

My girlfriend had to put down her family's dog last year. Obviously the dog was up there in years and was not doing to well. What she did is the absolute way I will put down my dog, Champ, when the time comes. She had the vet come to her house, and the entire family was there and got to be together and got to say goodbye to the dog. The vet, when they were ready, injected the dog in the house, while he was being petted and comforted by his family. Just typing that and thinking about my dog puts tears in my eyes.

We did the same thing with our greyhound in 2008.  It was still very hard on me.  My wife sat next to him as he peacefully left us.  

[red321]

 

Sorry to hear that you're going through this NJ. I wouldn't wish the death of a family animal on my worst enemy.

 

This is a pretty cool thing that Buzzfeed did a while back about a family that was putting down their family dog. I teared up just re-reading it right now. Warning though, it gets you emotional.

 

 

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/this-story-of-a-dogs-last-day-on-earth-is-beautiful-and-hear#.wh7Q6EKyY

 

 

Dick...almost made me cry.