Ever had to euthanize your pet?

[Alcibiades]

9296--

Blue Heelers are incredible dogs. Sooooo smart. A friend had a red one that could add up to 7 and subtract from 5. No kidding, the dog actually had abstract thoughts such that to the vocal question "What is five minus two?" for example, the dog would bark three times.

 

[Dark Jedi]

had my first cat at the age of 5. Lee Roy was a orange and white striped cat. had him for over 20 years. best cat I ever had and very loyal. everytime I was sick. he was right by my side and let me know he would never leave my side. the cat thought he was a human. one day while I was in the air force. my mom called me up at work and knew something was wrong as she nevered called me at work. I got on the phone and asked her whats wrong. never said hi nothing. she said its lee roy. she got back from the vet and he has cancer and wont eat. she said you want him put down by the vet or let him pass on his own. I said I will be home the next day and take him to the vet. I want to be the one to take him. as he was always there for me. I wanted to be there for him and show him I will never leave him. now its funny a B-52 Crew Chief suppose to be tough as nails and nothing gets to him. I was crying on the phone. I got my leave the next day and drove 1400 miles from Shreveport LA. to VA. got home still in my BDU and took him straight to the vet and held him in my arms as the vet put the injection in him. and he looked at me and did something he never did before. he purred and I broke down and told him I loved him and he passed away. he is buried in my back yard along with my sisters cat.

is it hard to have a pet thats part of your faimly for years to be put down? yes it is but I just think is it fair to that pet to suffer so I can feel a lil better not having to make the dession of having him put down. no it isnt fair. it maybe hard but I just think atleast he is no longer suffering.

as I typed this I got all teary eyed and this happened over 10 years ago. guess its true a faimly pet can be just like your son or daughter. you never really get over it. . I have another cat and shes like almost 10. so I dread the day I have to put her down. as we have a son now and loves this cat. so it will be doubly tough for me.

sorry for the long post.

 

[Auto-Union]

 

[Santo Fontana]

I had a 16 year old lab, we put him down because honor was important to him, and deaf, blind, and partially paralyzed was not dignified for him. I have no regrets.

I had a 1 year old pit that became aggressive towards anyone I didnt know and all dogs, despite the fact i had her spayed and took her to training classes and took good care of her. She got nothing but love especially from my sister. She bit my cousin and she had to get stitches. That sealed the deal.

People and especially family always have to come before dogs, and I know a lot of people who have bad/dangerous dogs, but they love them too much to put them down. I understand but they are wrong.

 

[9296D21B14]

Alci,

Just for fun, I gave my blue heeler the ACT and he scored well enough to be admitted to LSU.

PS to above story. Because at the time the heeler was also a come along, I didn't know his rabies vaccination status. While I healed from his accidental bite, he sat in quarantine while I had a ten day panic attack. I went to see him three times a day while he was at the vet's for walks and treats. As he is clearly a full blooded Australian cattle dog by appearance, the thinking was he was probably a lost or abandonned working dairy dog and hence at least vaccinated and MY doc refused to do the rabbies vaccine on me. Easy for him to say. Small comfort in knowing my widow would have been on easy street if that bit of medical advice had been mistaken. I often tease my heeler by telling him I have a bullet with his name on it for his bite. I pray he meets a better end than that. This is a pretty sad thread. I have spent 30 years in the child welfare system being paid trying to "rescue" children. If I am allowed any time on earth during retirement, my hope is to help with animals. At least they wag their tails...

 

[Benzadmiral]

I wasn't there for this one, but I still miss her.

Marie-Antoinette was a bushy-furred black cat adopted by my lady friend Miss Linda. For two years of that time, M-A lived with me; she moved into the space vacated by the Maine Coon I wrote about above. Demanding and determined to be royalty, that was her. But she was also incredibly smart. She adapted to circumstances better than any cat I've ever known.

Liver disease got her earlier this year, at age 13. She passed away overnight at the veterinarian, so we couldn't be there. Now, of course, Linda is calling her a saint -- the same cat who used to exasperate Linda no end by crying loudly for meals and stealing her earrings to play with. Go figure.

-- Paul W.

 

[Dark Jedi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Benzadmiral:
I wasn't there for this one, but I still miss her.

Marie-Antoinette was a bushy-furred black cat adopted by my lady friend Miss Linda. For two years of that time, M-A lived with me; she moved into the space vacated by the Maine Coon I wrote about above. Demanding and determined to be royalty, that was her. But she was also incredibly smart. She adapted to circumstances better than any cat I've ever known.

Liver disease got her earlier this year, at age 13. She passed away overnight at the veterinarian, so we couldn't be there. Now, of course, Linda is calling her a saint -- the same cat who used to exasperate Linda no end by crying loudly for meals and stealing her earrings to play with. Go figure.

-- Paul W.

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it is funny how people can get frustrated with a pet or person. then as soon as that pet or person died. they call them a saint and only talk about the good tehy did. never remembers the bad

 

[JHZR2]

One day I was driving home from grad school, and went the back way... it is the way that goes through quaint towns and farming communities instead of the interstate.

When going through one of the towns, out popped a springer spaniel, which went ringht into and under my car. The car wasnt damaged at all, and though there was no real bump, I assume that I either missed it because I was slamming on the brakes, or because the dog was too small and soft.

There was no blood, ot even in the mouth... but I of course stopped and got out, worried and eventually teary-eyed. The poor thing died in the arms of its husband and wife owner.

Nothing I could do, nothing they wanted of me. But it was one of the toughest things on the brain that I can recall. To watch the eyes glaze over as it drifted away was painful, i still see it to this day.

Ive not had to do an official 'put to sleep', because we never had anything but fish. But that experience makes me never want to have to. I know well enough how it feels, and its terrible.

My fiancee and I now have a little cat that she rescued from a horse barn (it was a 8 week old living there with sisters and brothers, but no owner). It is a wonderful companion, and we love it so much. When it ate the nickel and stuff (previous post), I really feared the worst. I cant imagine how Ill feel when the day comes. Sometimes I worry about it at night, which is even worse, and must be a mental issue with me.

JMH

 

[k1xv]

All this reminds me of an old Elvis Presley song from back around 1956 called "Old Shep". Here are the lyrics.

When I was a lad
And old shep was a pup
Over hills and meadows wed stray
Just a boy and his dog
We were both full of fun
We grew up together that way

I remember the time at the old swimmin hold
When I would have drowned beyond doubt
But old shep was right there
To the rescue he came
He jumped in and then pulled me out

As the years fast did roll
Old shep he grew old
His eyes were fast growing dim
And one day the doctor looked at me and said
I can do no more for him jim

With hands that were trembling
I picked up my gun
And aimed it at sheps faithful head
I just couldnt do it
I wanted to run
I wish they would shoot me instead

He came to my side
And looked up at me
And laid his old head on my knee
I had struck the best friend that a man ever had
I cried so I scarcely could see

Old shep he has gone
Where the good doggies go
And no more with old shep will I roam
But if dogs have a heaven
Theres one thing I know
Old shep has a wonderful home

 

[Master ACiD]

when i was about 16 i had to put my cat down. my dad handed me a handgun and i took the cat out behind the shed and did what needed to be done. it was pretty difficult.

years later when my beagle got sick and never recovered, we took him to the vet and had him put down the easy way.

years after the beagle, now my dachsund is getting old, losing weight. its happening all over again and i dont know if i can deal with it. i found a taxidermy place that would stuff her in a dignified position. i think that may be the best route to go.

 

[Cogito]

My neighbor just paid $300 to have his cat put down. I thought that the cost was excessive.

 

[labman]

The $300 sounds out of line. Did it include cremation? I think I heard as high as $500 for a Lab. The last dog I had to have done about 7-8 years ago, the vet quoted $60 including cremation. Of course, he may have shaved the price because it was a former dog guide. Even though the dog guide school would have reimbursed me, I opted to bring him home and bury him. Still legal to do so here. This was a dog that was only mine from Thursday until Saturday. It still hurt. I haven't contributed much to this thread, because I don't handle these things very well.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

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Originally posted by Footpounds:
"If there are no dogs in Heaven,
then when I die I want to go
where they went."
Will Rogers, 1897-1935

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Rogers has nothing to fear. Although it's just rank plagiarism: "All Dogs Go to Heaven..."

 

[Benzadmiral]

quote:

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Originally posted by schwartr88:


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

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Hmph. When I get there I'll probably find my late Coon cat will have made himself unpopular with the other cats. He'll take his time strolling up to me, and then start right in with "Where've you been? When's dinner?" -- almost as if we'd never been apart.

For his sake I hope there's a good supply of Nine Lives in heaven!

-- Paul W.

 

[beanoil]

Yes, I have had to help with that decision. It is never easy. My daughter is special, and wheelchair bound. We tried adopting several dogs when she was young (6 months old) but many were too quick, aggressive, or just did not fit. We located a Cocker at the local pound. Not very healthy looking, abused, dirty. She had just arrived from a rescue mission. We brought Buffy home, shaved her, cleaned her up, and brought her to meet my girl. Buffy made a lap or two around the house, and plopped down next to my girl. They seemed to take to one another. We kept Buffy overnight, and things went well- very well. We took Buffy to the vet for an exam and shots. Our vet said Buffy was OK, but were we aware she was chipped? He scanned the chip, and called the owners. Seems Buffy was a purebred Cocker from a reliable breeder near Chicago, and was stolen 3 years prior. The owner only asked one question about us, wanting to know if Buffy was going to a good home. The vet explained he knew us, and relayed the story of my girl, the finding of Buffy, the bath, and vet visit. They agreed that Buffy was in a good place, and we had a new family member! Buffy stayed with us for 10 years, every day, hanging with us, going camping, travelling, and in general, being a friend when sometimes there were no other friends. She was the best dog.. ever, for us. We finally had her put to rest when she could no longer walk well, had virtually no teeth left, and was in pain. Hard? Yes very hard. Buffy cannot be replaced, and we miss her every day.