Anyonehad to put down a pet?

[neverlander]

We lost our Princess...I can't seem to get over it. Kinda silly huh? She came from a shelter, we do not know how old she was, but she had to be put down. She went blind and seemed like she was hard of hearing. The last two days she just layed around. I have to wonder if we did the right thing. I miss her, even though we have 3 other dogs and 4 cats.

[XemaSab]

1. Yes.

It sucks.

I'm sorry for your loss. :pals:

[Roon]

2. I had to put down two kitties within months of each other

Dolly had kidney disease and Piggy quit eating when my ex and I broke up.
:hug:

[Broken_Hero]

3. Yes,

I had to put down three pets...and I regretted doing so, but it had to be done....:(

[malta blue]

4. Oh neverlander....

I am so sorry for your loss. Princess will be waiting for you at the bridge, along with my Cosmic Charlie, Dona Meche, Pigeon and Kobe cats. Those are all my babies that I have lost in the past 10 years. :cry:

The first three wewre my childhood and college life pets. My poor Kobe was tragically hit by a car last summer. ;cry:

I have never lost a dog, but I have been trying to prepare myself for that moment, as my Luna dog is 15, has s pretty serious cataracts, obvious signs of hearing loss, and really had issues maneuvering on the snow and ice this winter. :(

You never completely "get over" the loss of your pets, as they will always be with you in your heart. The pain just eventually turns into the beautiful memories you carry with you....

RIP Princess.

:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

And welcome to DU :hi:

[Roon]

27. Beautiful memories..

My ex found Dolly as a kitten living under a dumpster at a Taco Bell close to his work. She had brothers and sisters but Mama was nowhere around. She was feral and my ex spent his whole lunch hour catching her. He brought her home and she spent the first year living under our bed. She only came out to eat and use the litter box at night.

She finally came around and started becoming a regular cat. Her only hangup was when people came to the door. She would run and hide. The only time she would come out when strangers were around was when they brought fast food and she could hear us unwrapping them. Then she would be there in an instant, waiting for her cut.

I have one picture of Dolly but I have no way to scan it. Once I get it scanned I will start a kitty thread in her honor. I loved that Kitty and I mourned a long time when she passed. I am still mourning a little bit............

[malta blue]

39. roon - thank you for sharing that wonderful story about Dolly...

I love the fact that she came out for fast food - what a throwback.

My old Sapa cat who now lives with DUer hedgehog was 5 weeks old when I got him and I had to feed with with a dropper or my finger. He was, and still is, a tough kitty and once he was older, he went nuts over Taco Bell. My roommate would eat it every day and douse his food with the super hot sauce and then proceed to empty all the household ashtrays into his trash, and once he walked away, the cat would go in for the kill. He LOVED Taco Bell scraps, hot sauce, ashes and all - just loved it. :shrug:

[Roon]

43. You're welcome

Sapa sounds adorable!

[Contrary1]

5. Yes. Too many.

Archie, my poodle/schnauzer buddy. He was probably 17. He had epilepsy and was blind. I made 3 appointments and canceled, before I could bring myself to take him. The vet said it was a kindness. And it was.

Mikey the wonder dog...What a character he was! Loved to wade in water after a heavy rain and yip at whatever it was that he saw. He was about 14 years old, when he went down in the hind legs, and lost control of his bodily functions. Given his unique personality, and how much he enjoyed life; I didn't think about this for very long.

Smokey, the beloved kitty. About 14 years old. I loved her dearly. When I was going through chemo, she refused to leave my side. One night, when I was having terrible hot flashes from the treatment, she decided to perch upon my head, which was probably the warmest place in the house. A couple years later, she developed one infection after another, and was unable to keep food down.

Stitchie, Smokey's grandson, who developed FELV.

Bob, the stray kitty I adopted. Very sweet lap cat. He was diagnosed with FELK. He stayed with us 6 months more than the vet advised. When he refused to eat, and did not want to sit on my lap for his evening hug and brushing, I knew he was telling me that it was time.

I have lost many others, strays, feral cats, rabbits...

I miss each and every one of them, but; in the end, I know that I did the right thing. I had to think about their quality of life versus how much I wanted them to stay with me.

You did do the right thing. I hope you will eventually find some comfort in that.

[alphafemale]

6. Yes, just this January.

The vet gave us this poem.


The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
then you must do what must be done
For this, the last battle, can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand,
Don't let the grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest
Your love and friendship stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,
What is to come can hold no fears.
You'd not want me to suffer so;
When the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend
And stay with me, if you can, to the end.
Hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

snip

The rest at link.

http://www.la-spca.org/pet_loss/comfort/last_battle.htm

Here's my sweet girl Isis.

[michreject]

7. Yes.

Yes. I had to put down my beloved Yorkie in Jan. I had her since birth. She would have been 16 yesterday (3-15).

Still tears my heart out.

[SammyWinstonJack]

42. ...

:hug:

[Wcross]

50. I held these guys in my hands minutes after they arrived.

It will break my heart when they leave.

[michreject]

52. No doubt

And it will too.

[TZ]

8. Yes

My old cat Turtle in 2005. She had cancer and was in very bad shape at the end. I miss her still.

[hobbit709]

9. We lost 3 last year, and 3 in the 3 years before that

It's not easy but sometimes you have to do what needs to be done. I still miss them all. Your Princess definitely looks like one.
This was our Boo in her prime. We had her for almost 17 years.

[mike_c]

10. I'm so sorry for your loss....

It's a hard thing to do, but part of the contract, IMO. You did the right thing. Understand that you gave Princess a life she might not have had otherwise. Helping her end it humanely was your last act of kindness for her.

[sarge43]

11. Yes, several

The downside of loving small birds - Wolfgang, Gertie, Mad Max, the Rug Warrior, Alfonse. They find a place in our hearts and leave emptiness when they cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Our African Gray, Louie, is fighting her last battle. She's old and has an infection. When it's her time, my husband will be shattered. However, we can't let them suffer to avoid our pain. We take on that pain so that they may find peace. And we will find our peace again; their memories do become a comfort and even a joy.

Welcome to DU. You'll find the political battles fierce, but when one of us is in trouble the support and help is total.

Rest in peace, Princess.

[smokey nj]

12. I'm so sorry

:hug: RIP Princess

It's not silly to grieve the loss of a family member. We've lost two of our kitties, a year apart from each other almost to the day and I still miss both.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. Yes, and it's never easy

I've had some put down by the vet, a couple I put down myself. One is no easier than the other.

You'll remember their feats and follies forever.

:hi:

[mitchum]

14. My condolences to you and everyone who knew and loved Princess

We had to go through the same thing with our 14 year old boy a year ago. That decision was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life.
For the next few weeks, I walked around constantly aware of his absence. It was overwhelming.
But believe me; it does get better.
You are not silly or wrong. What you did for Princess was an act of love.
peace,
mitchum

[stuntcat]

15. Princess was so lucky I think

so lucky to end up with someone who cares about her, a lot of animals don't.
We did this with our cat Jake a couple of years ago. I'd inherited him from my Dad so that made it harder, but he was 17 or 18 years old and he only got up for dinner, and we gave him shots twice a day for diabetes which was traumatizing all of us.. we couldn't make it to the kitty litter much anymore..

All we can do for them is make their lives easy and comfortable and it looks like you did a lot of good for Princess :hug:

[lizerdbits]

16. Yes

I had 2 cats growing up we got when I was 2. One was put down when I was 19 the other when I was 20. It was hard but they had long and good lives. They both had tumors and weren't candidates for surgery due to age and one also had an enlarged hard and fluid in his lungs. The tumors were also behind the eye so that's got to be tricky surgery, I guess they'd take out the eye. We also had our dog put down we'd had for about 12 years. She lost use of her back legs so she just laid around and we had to take her outside to relieve herself holding her back side up with a towel. That's no way for a dog to live and nothing they could do was helping her. I think it was harder to see her like that than to put her down.

I'm sorry about your Princess. :( At least you gave her a loving home and she didn't die in the shelter or get put down there before having a good home.

[youthere]

17. I'm so sorry neverlander...

we had to put down our beloved Blackie (a black lab...I know, original name, huh?) five years ago. He'd suffered 3 strokes before we finally had no choice..his entire back end was paralyzed and he would just lay there and whine. It was awful. I still miss him. I was never a "dog" person until I first saw him and he stole my heart, because he was such a big lovable doofus with this giant mole on top of his head (we jokingly called him "knothead").Even though we've gotten another dog since, and we love her to pieces, there isn't a day I don't come in the house and expect to see him there..thumping his tail and waiting for me. Putting a loved pet down is a difficult and painful choice, and I'm so sorry you had to go through it.:hug:

[graywarrior]

18. Yes

I'm still not over putting Mickey down. Best dog ever. And that was 1985.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. yes. n/t

[auntAgonist]

20. Yes .. we did last June.

It still makes me cry to think of losing him. Tarn was a handsome gentle Rottweiler who had bone cancer at age 6. We had to let him go ...

:hug:

I'm sorry for your loss.

aA

[tpsbmam]

21. Yes -- nothing silly about it......

I'm so sorry you had to go through it and you're missing her so. It's trite, but it does get easier. I got my first dog as an adult when I was 18 -- an absolutely wonderful abandoned pup. He was with me into my 30's...'til I was 35 to be exact -- my entire adulthood at that point. Having to put him to sleep broke my heart and I swear, I thought I'd never get over it. He had a gourmand's appetite -- he loved most things (grapes and tomatoes were the exception). The first few times I ate spinach I sobbed -- he loved it and I always saved some for him when I ate it. It got easier over time, but it's definitely a process. I'll always miss him and all of my furkids (and sometimes even feel a little teary about them), but I'm mostly left with the love and happy memories -- I wish the same for you.

[mondo joe]

22. Yeah... my favorite cat ever, Roshi. A congenital ailment caused him to be unable to

hold down his food, so he'd barf up just about everything he ate. As it got worse we decided to put him down before he was really starving, because it seemed cruel to wait until then.

He was such a sweet boy, even at the vet's office he was completely friendly and obliging.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

23. We've done it twice, and it's just horrendous

Don't beat yourself up - you did what you believed was best to help your puppy and ease her suffering. It'll take some time for you to recover from the initial grief - you'll never get over it, but you will feel better with time. RIP Princess - you were beautiful and loved on earth!

[haele]

24. Yes - They know when it's time to go -

It's not in their nature to show pain, as in the animal kingdom, something like that shows a weakness that's dangerous to the group, My childhood pet, a St. Bernard, got to the point where she just lay down, didn't get up to eat, didn't want to relieve herself. Before Xmas, my Willy Bear (in sig file below) suddenly developed an aggressive cancer on his jaw and tongue - within three weeks he went from a healthy, still somewhat playful, alert, loving old cat, to spending his entire time under the bed and refusing to come out, even to eat slurries I had made of baby food, broth, and ground meat or vanilla pudding (he loved vanilla pudding) when I brought it to him - he couldn't clean himself, and that seemed to make him even worse.

It hurts, and you always wonder if it is the right thing to do. But the alternative is to watch them continue to slide downhill physically, frustrated and frightened, until they starve or die of some sort of organ failure; they don't understand what's going on, and can't make the "leap" to die with dignity on their own - they trust us, we're their mommies and daddies. So we're the ones that have to make the hard decisions.

Peace, your baby loved you, and needed you to help her retain what comfort and dignity she had left.

:hug:

Haele

[Connonym]

25. yes

more often than I care to think about. It's one of the most difficult decisions to make but can also be the most loving (although it doesn't necessarily feel that way at the time). I'm sorry for your loss. She was beautiful.

[x-g.o.p.er]

26. I've had to put down three dogs

And it sucks. It sucks ass. All three of the dogs were tough, but the German Shepherd was the toughest. We got her from a shelter that was going to put her down, because her leg had been broken when she got hit by a car. Previous owner didn't get it treated, so it was a mess. We spent a ton of money to get her leg to the point where she could use it again, and then it started to get bad again, the bone got infected, and we put her down. It's been 10 years, and I still miss that dog.

My heart goes out to you.

[Madrone]

28. Not yet. But probably soon.

:cry:

My first pet as an adult and first cat EVER is in pretty advanced renal failure. I don't know how long we have, but I think it will be sooner rather than later. He's dreadfully, horribly thin. Just waiting....waiting...

It truly is horrible. I'm sorry for your loss. :hug:

[applegrove]

29. Yes. We had to put down the family cat. He couldn't control his bodily functions.

I cried when I said goodbye and then again several times in the days that followed. Gerry was a great cat. Always met you on the walkway to the house with a few loud meows.

I lose two other cats but one was a kitten who got hit by a car. I held that sweetheart in my arms the whole time he was growing from a kitten to a cat. I couldn't look at another kitten for years after that. I missed him so much - and felt so guilty that I had let him outside.

[Maraya1969]

30. 5 so far. I've adopted several older pets and though it is great having

them and I am glad to be able to give them good twilight years the whole thing bites the big one when they have to go down.

I can tell you that when I look back I think I waited to long for most of them and feel a little guilty about allowing them to suffer.

I was so bad with my one dog Rusty who was an old beagle with all sorts of illnesses, (many that he had when I got him) that people had to tell me to put him down and finally a friend came over to my house and did it because I was too upset to take him to the vet. I think sometimes you don't realize how bad an animal is getting if you
live with them day in and day out and you someone on the outside to make you see what is really happening.

Now I have had Duke for 1 1/2 years and he is now 17 I am dreading the inevitable. I also am taking care of my friend's 17 year old cat even though she has kind of moved next door. I know that she is getting real bad and I am the one who is going to have to take care of things.

I have only had one dog that died from a short illness before I took him to the vet. I just thought he ate something bad.


Anyway you are not alone and I am very very sorry for your loss. You did the right thing. It seems that most of the time humans can be made comfortable during a long decent to their death, (like my Dad with cancer had morphine and nurses and just passed quietly but after a long time). With an animal it's just not like that.

Your Princess looks like a little Princess. You did the right thing. You'll be together again someday. :hug:

[Forkboy]

31. Yes, a great friend of 17 years.

My father and I went to the vet, both of us blubbering away, especially as the cat was still playing and feisty as ever that morning. But he had jaw cancer and couldn't eat anything, and had lost over ten pounds in just a couple weeks. He wouldn't have lasted more than few more days the vet said, and they would be painful for him.

We took him to the top of a mountain, shovel in hand and him in a box, on a day that was in the 90's and humid, and buried him there looking out over the valley.

I miss him all the time.

[Faygo Kid]

32. Yes, but having one hit and killed by a car was far worse

Portia made it to 11 with cancer. Greatest dog in canine history. I spent a few thousand on her, but eventually the time came, and I held her while the deed was done. I was sad, but had done everything I could, and that was comforting.

Then I rescued Sasha, a mistreated Lab-Pit mix. Sweetest dog in the world. Took her to the park one evening and let her off her leash to play. She spotted a dog across a busy road, and ran after it. She was a month short of two years old.

I was devastated. That was seven years ago last month, and I don't think I have recovered to this day. So putting a pet to sleep when you have done what you could and they had a good life is not the worst thing.

By the way, we are one cat short of your experience - three dogs and three cats here.

[swag]

33. It's not silly at all. I confess I never understood the profound grief of

losing a pet until it happened to me.

Take care. I'm so sorry for your loss. She sure looks like a sweety.

[femmocrat]

34. So sorry for your loss, neverlander.

She was a beautiful dog.

Ours all went from "natural causes", but I know what you are going through. I think they are grateful to be relieved of their suffering. They can't tell us, but they know when it is time to go.

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. I have never been with them. Either I was a kid or I was away at college, so the

kittehs I have now would be the first ones I will be there with. (However, I have patted kittehs who got clobbered by cars and tried in some way to ease their passing.)

[Sheltiemama]

36. Yes, twice.

I had to have my two Shelties put to sleep three and a half weeks apart last year because of different forms of cancer. A year later, I still struggle with it, though I know it was the humane thing to do. That was the only way to stop their pain. From visiting a forum on pet loss on Yahoo after their deaths, I can tell you that it's normal to wonder if you did the right thing.

Princess was lovely. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[NNadir]

37. Yes. Our cat dragged himself home with his entire rear end paralzyed.

He may have fallen out of a tree. He was always climbing palms.

I held him when he died.

The vet was very compassionate.

My wife and I were inconsolable for quite some time.

[triguy46]

38. Yes. One of the greatest, if not greatest responsibilty of a pet owner...

demonstrating love, mercy and compassion.

[neverlander]

40. Thank you all so much!

We are thinking now about getting another new baby.
I think about having 4 before and maybe we can save another now.
Maybe that will help me. Knowing her loss enabled me to save yet
another lost and abandoned baby.

[sarge43]

45. It will help, neverlander.

And a loving tribute to Princess.

[liberaltrucker]

41. Unfortuately, yes

Our beloved Alex



LTwife is an RN and wanted to do the deed. The vet gave her enough
ketamine to kill a 9 lb cat. He had cancer and was suffering.
A simple, painless injection in his tail ended his suffering.

LTwife has given human patients many shots over the years. That
one to our pet was very hard on her. He's buried in concrete in
the back yard. RIP, my feline friend!

[flvegan]

44. I've lost 3 in the last year.

It's never easy, but one has been very hard on me.

I'm sorry you've had to go through this. Princess was a very pretty girl.

[Scout]

46. yes, i've done it before and will have to do it again soon....

it sucks.

We have to think of them first, even though it is very difficult. Give yourself time to grieve, losing a pet can be very traumatic.

[huskerlaw]

47. Yes.

I had to put my cat Alex down a few years ago. He had FIV and was clearly uncomfortable, so I felt it was the only humane thing to do. That didn't make it any easier. I cried so hard at the vet that day.

But I strongly believe that when we make the decision to take care of a pet, part of that responsibility includes doing what's right for them in the end. Even when it's extraordinarily hard for us.

I have since gotten 3 more cats. It does make the loss of Alex easier, knowing that I've saved other cats. Two of them were from the shelter, and goodness only knows what their fate might have been. The third was rescued as a tiny baby from a planter outside my office. She likely could have been adopted out to another family, but she's completed our little family perfectly.

I'm so sorry for your loss, but do consider adding to your family when you're ready.

[jobycom]

48. Sometimes that's the hardest grief to shake, aside from close family.

I lost my cat and a friend in the same month, and I know I grieved more for my cat. The friend was in his 90s, so it wasn't a shock. The cat I'd had for ten years. He helped me write my thesis, lying on my books while I wrote. Helped me deal with an awful marriage. Then one day his kidneys died, for no reason anyone could figure out. The vet said it was like he was poisoned, though he was an indoor cat and there was nothing he could have gotten to. We had to put him down. He would have lived another day or two in intense pain, but even so, it was hard.

I couldn't even tell the vet to do it, I had to get my wife to handle it. I was in tears for several days. I remember breaking down and having to pull off the road once to cry. I've lost friends and a foster brother and barely shed a tear, but that cat crushed me.

I got two new cats a couple days later. Helped me through it, making me move on. Some people choose not to replace a pet so quickly, but it worked for me.

Good luck.

[Wcross]

49. Yes & I hope someone is kind enough to help me leave when its time.

I had to put Angel down last August, I still miss her terribly. She was dying of kidney failure, she let me know she was ready. I will think of her from time to time until the day I die.

I feel absolutely NO guilt. I would want the same for me. I held her as she died, she knew she was loved. :cry:

[badgerpup]

51. Yes.

It's part of the contract; we do what's best for THEM. Even though it hurts enough to break your heart.
It's loving and respecting your animal companion enough not to drag out their final agony and letting them go with as much dignity and grace as possible.

[raccoon]

53. Yes. In '97. nt

[Tyler Durden]

54. We came close this weekend.

Sneezer had a second bout of Canine Vestibular Disease, so bad he couldn't eat or drink since last Thursday. He turned the corner this weekend in the hospital and comes home today, but if he hadn't been able to eat by last night or this morning, we'd have faced your sadness.

The great tragedy of our companion animals is that we shall outlive them.

[momto3]

55. Yes.

I had to put down our 15 year old black lab last summer. We had her for most of her 15 years. i still miss her terribly, even though we have other pets. :cry:

You are not silly. I am sorry for your loss.

:hug:

[MissMillie]

56. When you act out of love for your pet

you're doing the right thing.

RIP Princess.