Did you ever have an elderly pet who was gravelly ill?

Question

And you had to be the one to make the difficult decision to have them put to sleep?

I have a thirteen year old hybrid wolf dog (she looks more like an American Eskimo dog) who has started to become ill since this weekend. She has been the sweetest dog ever since she was a puppy. She has never known a stranger. Last year when we got our another dog (a Pomeranian) she quickly took to him and treated him like he was her puppy. Four years ago I lost another dog due to the fact that she ran away and was caught in the middle of deer accident. Both she and my thirteen year old dog who were sisters (though not related by blood), and buddies. Where one went the other one had to follow. Before that I had a sweet Rottweiler who die suddenly due to poisoning by a neighbor. This is the first time that I've had to make this decision.

Answer 1

Yes, too many times, and each successive time as painful as the ones before. The first time was horrible, because they (an older dog and cat) had immigrated to Australia with us. When our next pet grew ill and had to be put down, I decided I couldn't bear to go through the same miserable feeling again, so we went out the next day looking for a kitten that bore absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to the 12-year-old cat we had just lost. We found two (helpless and frightened), and spent the whole day getting acquainted. It may seem callous, but it went a long way towards filling the void. Before Christmas we lost our lovely red-point Siamese through illness, and welcomed a pretty little black-and-white female into our home in time for the holidays.

The new ones are not replacements, but they take the edge off the sadness by demanding time and energy that would otherwise be directed toward our loss. Hope this helped.

Answer 2

Yes, I had a 19 yr old mix malti/poodle, It was the hardest thing I have ever done, she had a bad heart and had got to where her bronchial tubes was collapsing.This was the last stage of her conjestive hear failer. When I called the Vet and said I think we need to do something as I dont want her in any pain or misery, He said I have been waiting on you to make that decision, For Me it would have been better if he would have said I think its time.

Answer 3

Yes, I unfortunately have been in that position.

My elderly (16 yrs) dog was in the first stages of liver failure, had advanced cataracts was going deaf and had extremely painful arthritis. Basically he was an old chap who did not have much of a life.

I had taken him to the vets and the vet said that it was time to make the decision. I decided that it was not fair to keep him alive for my own selfish reasons.

Once an animals quality of life has got so bad I think it is the time to think of them rather than yourself. Although it is a painful decision to make I thought and still think it was the right decision to make.

I hope you make the right decision for you and your pet.

Answer 4

yes last yr a dog that I had ,had for almost 17 yrs had a cyst which turned out to be cancer on his liver . I had to put him down and now I realize that was the kindest thing and the hardest thing I have ever done in my life . I still grieve for him even though I have other dogs ,not one can take the place of him in your heart . good luck .

Answer 5

yes, my 11 year old Australian Shepherd had bone cancer and had to be put down due to the pain. I still miss her.

Answer 6

yes... i had a maincoon cat that was 15 years old... he had tumors on his stomic witch would of killed him sooner or later... so i made the decision to have him put to sleep so he wouldent have the pain... it was something very hard to do...