When its time to put your pet down, do you stay with them?

Question

A friend of mine has had to put a few pets down over the years. She holds them while the vet administers the drug and stays with each one of them until they are gone. She says that she can't leave them when they need her the most. They are scared and don't know what's happening. She says that comforting them is the least she could do for them after years of being her beloved pets.
I haven't had to put a pet down yet, but I know the time will come. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.
My question to you all is... When it comes time to putting down your beloved pet, have you/will you, be there until the very end??

Answer 1

:*(
i got teary eyed reading your question and cried when reading some of the answers...wow..i've actually never thought about it before.....
but i would definitely want to be there until the end. You are the person your pet is the most attached to. Especially if you raised them since they were very young they have almost a maternal connection w/ you. Yeah, it would be incredibly painful to be there when your pet dies but i think it would be much more painful for your pet to spend his or her final moments scared and alone wondering where you are. It almost seems selfish not to be there. sometimes you have to force yourself to be strong for someone else.
one of my fears has always been dying alone..... and i wouldnt wish this on anyone, especially my cat. i love him more than anything.

but, not necessarily everyone has to eventually put down a pet, i never have, and i hope that you never have to experience it either.

Answer 2

I have been there for only one pet when it came time. The others I was too young and my parents handled it. I spent time with her outside of the vets office when it came time to say goodbye and told her she'd been a great pet, that I loved her very much and I would miss her a lot however, she was in pain and I didn't want her to suffer anymore. I was there when the vet administered the drug and talked to her and petted her while she went to sleep. It is one of the hardest things that I have had to do, but I didn't want her alone when it was done, I needed her to know I was there with her every step of the way.

It all depends on the individual if that's something that you want to be there for, some people find it difficult to do. But I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I wasn't there in the final moments as she passed. I know it's hard to do but don't think about it until you're faced with the situation, it's depressing and I still to this day miss both my cats dearly and get teary when I think of them. I now own a young dog and I think of how many wonderful years I'll have with her while she's here. I love her dearly and don't even want to think about the day she won't be with me anymore.

Answer 3

Oh man, reading your questions and the answers so far, I'm getting teary-eyed at work. :( I've never had to put a pet down yet, but I've had my dog (we got her as a stray) about 8 years ago. I love her more than *anything*. She's getting much older now, but I think she has more character now. I know the end is nearing, but I'm just taking it one day at a time. I honestly think I would have to be there for her until the end. She's been there for me when I was upset and sick, and I would never be able to live with myself if I left her alone with strangers.

I'm going to go home and give her a big hug and a kiss now.
Have a great day.

Answer 4

Yes, I have had to make this difficult decision once. It was very hard. I did stay with her and I watched as her breathing went from being very labored to being very even. The doctor prepared us for the second shot which basically overdosed her. There was no struggle from her. It appeared that she just went to sleep. It was very difficult for me for weeks afterward. The guilt can be overwhelming. It was so hard because she was very much a part of the family. Looking back, if I had the decision to make again and the conditions were the same, I would have to make the same decision. She had struggled with so many health problems for so long and we had always done everything possible to keep her with us. She tried very hard to keep going but every day was a struggle for her. I will always miss her. But now, I feel like we did the best thing. We knew that her condition would take her from us soon if she survived this episode and I did not want to come home someday and find that she had died alone and may have had to struggle or be afraid. It does offer some comfort when they know you are there. There is no easy answer. But I don't feel guilty any more---I feel sad.Even though we rescued two dogs that had been abandoned by their owner and we have provided a great life for them, she will always be top dog and our number one "kid". Yes, stay with them until the end. They would do it for you.

Answer 5

This has me teary eyed as I think of my adorable, loving 12 year old tabby who died last year. Thankfully I didn't have to face that issue as he died in a basket in the car while I was driving him to the vet. I didn't realize if he was really dead or I was in denial so I took him in and the vet said yes he had died. I then took him home and buried him in the back yard and now i have beautiful purple flowers with a little angel and a little cross where my baby's final resting place is. I'm just thankful I didn't get to the point where he had to be put down. I don;t know what I would have done. All you people are so brave. My cat was my special little boy. I still miss him.

Answer 6

It does vary from person to person. The thing you need to know is that when you take a dog to the vet to be put down they actually put them to sleep before they "put them to sleep". You can ask the vet to let you hold the dog while s/he is being knocked out and then leave before the drug to send them to puppy heaven is put in the veins. The big thing is if you can't handle it then it's best for you to not be there. If you are upset then the dog will know something bad is happening. So the best thing is to see how you do. The nurses in the back wont be upset or in a fit so the dog will feel like everything is normal. It all depends on how you handle the situation yourself. Good luck to you.

Answer 7

It is painless if done properly, except for us the humans. I foster the senior dogs for the rescue until their quality of life diminishes. Not a easy decision at all. Yes, I stay with all of mine throughout. Even if they know the vet it is still not the same as being held by their person. And I prefer to bury mine. That is also something to consider, where you might be able to bury.

I have had to let quite a few pass over the Rainbow Bridge, but I rest easier knowing they were spoilt rotten when alive! You can always take a friend along for moral support and to drive you home.

Answer 8

Maybe you should be but I just couldn't how can you watch the life leave something you love so very much? I brought my Grandmas dog to be euthanized and I went in the room with her and was there through the procedure. I will NEVER do that again. It was horrible and the image (that wouldn't be there if I didn't watch) haunts me terribly. I think if you keep your cool and the staff takes your dog into the back the dog isn't going to be half as upset as if sitting on the exam table horrified because your squeezing him/her and balling your eyes out. Nobodys pet well just plain no one wants to die seeing someone is pain. Then you can cry in the waiting room and when its over you can take the peaceful body and give it a good burial.

Answer 9

I get teary eyed just thinking about it also. But yes, I would stay and give as much comfort as I could until the end. It really hurts to even think about it, especially since I have one dog who is very old, has arthritis and a few other ailments and might not be able to hold out until the end of this year.

We have a wonderful veterinarian who allows me to stay with them even during spays, neutering and other surgeries.

Answer 10

When we had to put down our beloved family dog, I decided not to stay in the office with her, as I could not bear to see her go. After I stepped out of the office for a few seconds, I realized that I should not of left her alone in her final moments. I ran back in the room, but it was too late. I still fell guilty 6 years later. If I do have to put another of my cherished pets down, you bet I'll be there 'till the end. I wouldn't want to die alone