How do I get through this?

Question

We have to put our dog to sleep. I've had this dog my whole life. Any addvice on coping with.
PLEASE no stupid answers.

Answer 1

My condolences to you and your family! I know how horrid it feels, I just had to put my 12 year old chow down on Saturday due to liver cancer. It is a horrible experience. Here are some poems that made me feel better, and I hope they can help you to. They do make you cry, but it helps relieve the grief and sorrow in a wierd way.

May I go now
Don't you think the time is right?
May I say good-bye to pain-filled days
and endless lonely nights?
I've lived my life and done my best,
an example tried to be,
So can I take that step beyond
and set my spirit free?
I didn't want to go at first.
I fought with all my might!
But something seems to draw me now
to a warm and loving light.
I want to go! I really do!
It's difficult to stay.
But I will try as best I can
to live just one more day .
To give you time to care for me
and share your love and fears.
I know you're sad and are afraid
because I see your tears.
I'll not be far, I promise that,
and hope you'll always know
that my spirit will be close to you
wherever you may go.
Thank you so for loving me.
You know I loved you too.
That's why it's hard to say good-bye
and end this life with you.
So hold me now, just one more time,
and let me hear you say,
because you care so much for me,
you'll let me go today.



Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Again, I am so sorry you are dealing with this, it is a pain that only time will heal.

Answer 2

Here's a little somethig that might help you with your loss..don't be afraid to grieve..your pet is a part of your family and will be missed.

A Gift.....
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> And the Lord said, " I will give you a gift, a
>>>>>precious gift that
>>>>> will gladden your heart and make your life richer and
>>>>>happier than you
>>>>> imagined possible. There is a small problem attached to
>>>>>the gift, a bit
>>>>> of generosity is required of you. You must, whenever
>>>>>the time comes, be willing
>>>>> to give the gift back to me. That will be a test of
>>>>>your confidence in how your
>>>>> life is unfolding. You must be willing to part with
>>>>>that gift even
>>>>> though it has become terribly precious to you. I do not
>>>>>ask you to be unemotional;
>>>>> you may grieve and cry and feel all the normal natural
>>>>>feelings that arise when
>>>>> you lose something precious. That certainly signifies
>>>>>that the gift was a
>>>>> true treasure to you and that it has been a blessing in
>>>>>your life.
>>>>>
>>>>> The difficult test is that you love me enough to
>>>>>permit me to
>>>>> take you treasure away from you so that it will be with
>>>>>me. You are faced
>>>>> with a dilemma; are you to risk some sadness and grief
>>>>>far down the road
>>>>> in order to gain immediate joy and companionship? That
>>>>>is your question;
>>>>> that is your choice.
>>>>>
>>>>> What I will give you will be a stranger at first
>>>>>but the manner
>>>>> and the nature of it will be to insinuate itself into
>>>>>your soul and to
>>>>> become part, a lovely part, of your life. You will
>>>>>find this new friend to be
>>>>> anxious to please and amenable to training. You will
>>>>>find that it becomes
>>>>> part of your family and will add much to the harmony of
>>>>>that family. It will
>>>>> teach you lessons you didn't know you needed and it will
>>>>>affirm its love
>>>>> for you in a hundred, nay a thousand different ways. It
>>>>>will bring joy in the
>>>>> morning when the day is just beginning and it will bring
>>>>>peace and contentment
>>>>> as it sleeps by your feet and asks nothing more than to
>>>>>love and to be loved.
>>>>>
>>>>> That stranger will become a friend and then a
>>>>>companion and a
>>>>> trusted ally. That stranger will teach you more than a
>>>>>little about its
>>>>> kin and the manners and maxims of the denizens of its
>>>>>world. You will see
>>>>> and hear your world through a new set of eyes and ears
>>>>>and, if you pay
>>>>> attention, you might get a bit of an idea of the
>>>>>importance of the world of smell.
>>>>> This isn't difficult knowledge to gather in the presence
>>>>>of this gift. You
>>>>> only have to watch, listen and hear.
>>>>>
>>>>> I can almost guarantee that when time comes for me
>>>>>to call this
>>>>> gift, this "loaner" friend, home you will be heart
>>>>>broken at having to give
>>>>> it up. If you have a heart at all it will break. But
>>>>>this is a loan and you do
>>>>> not really "possess" it. It is yours for a while and
>>>>>then it has to come
>>>>> home to me. You must be willing to suffer pain if you
>>>>>hunger for joy. You must
>>>>> be willing to lose it all if you are given the world.
>>>>> But even if your life
>>>>> will never be the same, you cannot help but change for
>>>>>the good. Your life will be
>>>>> spangled with memories of joy and satisfaction; of pride
>>>>>and humility. You
>>>>> will be left with wonderful memories and you will be
>>>>>left yearning to repeat that
>>>>> experience again.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll be there with another loan. I'll be there
>>>>>with a new being
>>>>> that will be as different from the first as different
>>>>>can be and you will learn
>>>>> to love it too. It will never be the way it was but it
>>>>>could be even better. All
>>>>> I ask is that you have an open mind and a heart that
>>>>>will hold a dog.

Answer 3

One of the saddest days of my life was 2 years ago when I had to put my dog to sleep due to an illness that couldn't be cured. Coping advice, there really isn't any. It is just one day at a time. You will be heart broken, nothing or no one will prevent that. Comfort will not come easily nor will it be welcomed. Time, each passing hour, each passing day, with each passing week, your heart will hurt a little less. Your memories of him will live on forever. Now and then you will see a dog that looks or does something to remind you of your dog and the emotions will come rushing back. As the span of time goes on you will be better able to control them. Your coping tool, is time.

The day before, I spent all the time I could with him. We cuddled a lot, he got his favorite food, went for a nice walk. I cried and talked a lot to him, he would just lay quietly with his head on my lap intently listening as almost to understand. I won't tell it made things easier, it didn't. I will tell you that I was with him until he said good-bye. That may or may not be right for you, you will have to make that decision on your own.

After my boy was gone for a little while, I was able to gather some of his memories. His collar, a picture, a piece of his favorite blanket, a toy, flowers(which I dried) and sympathy card from my vets office. I bought a beautiful shadow box picture frame and put the pieces of his memory in it and hung it on the wall where he use to like to lay. He is with me everyday in my heart, but this way I get to see him too!

There will be nothing easy about the day that is fast approaching. Two years have passed, I still cry and my heart still hurts. Even now in writing this all of the emotions of that day are all present. I try to comfort myself with knowing that he is not hurting or suffering any longer. But, even that doesn't make it any easier sometimes.

Love him always, because he will love you forever and give yourself time.

Answer 4

FIrst of all let me tell you how sorry I am. I know exactly what you are going through, I had to have my 14 year old akita put to sleep. She was in a lot of pain and she couldn't control her bowels anymore. I went with her and laid down in the floor with her and held her while she got the shot. It was so painful---I'm crying now remembering it. Just remember that he/she will no longer be in pain and will be a lot better off. Definitely read Rainbow Bridge. I will be praying for you as I know how hard this is for you. Also, I had her cremated and buried her ashes at home and a friend made her a headstone marker that I placed on her grave.

Answer 5

I'm so sorry to hear about this but you just have to think of it as a good thing for your dog. It's better to see him to be put to sleep then to see him die painfully. =( When your dog is no longer with you, just remember than he'll stay in your heart and he'll have you in his heart forever. Memories are strong thoughts that you can't just forget. Just treasure them and pass it on to your families and close friends. Think of it as a circle of life. There's no point of blaming yourself or others for what happened. I'm sure your dog wouldn't want to see you sad either. Just stay happy and so will your dog.
And when you feel that the time is right, you may try to get a new pet to keep you company when you're lonely.

=)

Answer 6

Losing a dog is really hard, I've lost several as well as had fosters that I have had to part with when they got adopted. All I can say as far as advice is to just remember what a wonderful life you gave your dog. Most dogs leave this world never knowing how it feels to be truly loved, and yours was very lucky to have had you. That's what gets me through is knowing that I was special to the dog and he was special to me. Then I start over with giving a new one a wonderful life. You'd be amazed how a new dog fills the whole in your heart.

Answer 7

Try to focus on the long life he had with an obviously loving, compassionate family. Give yourself several days to grieve and don't be ashamed or embarrassed. There are on-line pet loss support groups if you need to talk to someone.

It would be a testament to the wonderful relationship that you had with your dog to want to continue it with another dog.

When your family is ready, consider adopting from a shelter.
It really will help heal your heart and there are countless dogs waiting for a family like yours.

Answer 8

Im sorry you have to do this. It is hard to do especially when the dog ends up being your best friend, its almost like losing a family member. I was with my dog when I had to have him put down. They let me pet him and just be there with him until he drifted to sleep. I thought I was comforting him, but in reality I think by being there he was comforting me. It is sad. I cried for most of the rest of the day. Good luck. and just remember that he will no longer be suffering any pain that is currently ailing him. :)

Answer 9

same thing happened to me a while back, yes, it was hard, almost like a heartbreak, but as the year went by, i got over it eventually and i know you will do the same. as they say time heals all wounds, i actually believe that theory, b/c after a year passed when my cat died of lukimea, i found new love with a new animal, a puppy. she may not replace the bond i had between my cat, but she's what i've got now, what's here for me in the future is her, and my folks, and that's all that matters. sure, i still think of my cat from time to time, and i still keep her favourite toys locked away in a special chest i keep, to remind me of her, but i'm focused on the now and as a just said, nothing can replace your dog if she/he ment dearly to you, always keep it in memory and think back to the happy times you had with your dog, and it will never go on, you'll still have it in your memories...

Answer 10

Know that you have done everything possible for your dog and they won't have to suffer any longer. Remember your dog in the good days, going for walks, or playing in the park.

I went trhough this earlier this year. I still get a little teary-eyed when I think about her. But, I know I gave her the best life possible.

My heart goes out to you.