I’ve joined because I’d like to hear from others who have had to go through putting their dog to sleep.
My Australian Shepherd is 11 years old; she has an enlarged heart and an autoimmune disease that attacks her mucous membranes.
She has an ulcer on her paw which has completely deformed it. I’ve managed to keep her going for a few months with plenty of antibiotics and painkillers, but the ulcer keeps getting infected and the vet is worried about sepsis.
What’s so heartbreaking for us is that she’s still quite alert. Of course, she’s very tired, but she still reacts to her lead and her food bowl...
We want to be by her side until the very end, but this bloody guilt is so heavy to carry...
Thank you to anyone who can share a bit of their own story...
Translated from French
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Hello, this Friday I’ll be taking my Gaspard on his final journey. He’s 18 years old and only weighs about 14lbs now, and the vet told me there’s nothing more they can do. Ever since I’ve known the date, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I’m trying to give him lots of cuddles, and I take him out in the garden where he used to love running around so much. I’m sleeping by his side and I’d like him to be put to sleep here at home. I feel so guilty and I’m dreading Friday. I love him so much; he’s been the perfect companion, the loveliest dog. I know it’s for the best, but it’s absolutely heartbreaking. He’ll be cremated afterwards so he can stay close to me forever.
Hi there, your post really resonated with me because I’ve been in the exact same position. I went with my lovely Beagle, Jasper, for his final journey today. I don’t know how it went for you, but I’m absolutely devastated! I know this decision was the right choice, but I’m still really struggling with how difficult it was before and while he was being put to sleep... What about you? How did it go? A month on, are you still feeling just as distraught?
Hello, this Friday I’ll be taking my Gaspard on his final journey. He’s 18 years old and weighs just 14 lbs now, and the vet told me there’s nothing more we can do. Ever since I’ve known the date, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I’m trying to give him plenty of cuddles, and I take him out into the garden where he used to love running around so much. I’m sleeping with him and I’d like him to pass away at home with us. I feel so guilty and I’m absolutely dreading Friday. I love him so much; he’s been the perfect companion, such a sweetheart of a dog.
I know it’s for the best, but it’s breaking my heart. He’ll be cremated afterwards so he can stay close to me forever.
Hello
Your message takes me back five and a half years to when my Black, a 12-year-old Lab, passed away. He had Osteosarcoma in his shoulder and the outlook was terminal. I had promised him that he would never suffer; he was my boy, we had a bond like I’d never had with anyone else. That day when he refused to walk because he was in pain, I looked at him and it was as if he was telling me it was time to keep my word. I needed the help of my wife and son to find the courage to call the vet to come to the house. We stayed at home all afternoon and I cuddled him like never before; I knew then he would never leave my heart.
At 7 pm, the vet arrived and I settled Black on his sofa where he used to sleep, on a white sheet. While he was in my arms, the vet helped him find peace and he went to sleep serenely.
The hardest part was seeing him go.
But Black is still in my heart and he left me with so many memories that I’ll never forget him.
Since then, his successor has arrived; his name is Jack and he’s another black Lab. He doesn’t make me forget Black, but he brings just as much to our lives, and he’s the one who keeps things going—the love continues.
Wishing you strength.
Hi, I think it’s one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever have to make. They hold such a special place in our lives and are a true part of the family... but I think seeing them suffer is just unbearable. You have to try and come to terms with it; it’s so hard to let them go, but sadly it’s the kindest thing to do. Sending you strength... *****
I’ve been through this myself, and honestly, I didn’t feel any guilt. Anger, yes! Because my dog was so young. But at no point did I really feel guilty, even though it felt like I was killing my dog (which is true, in a way). But seeing him suffer simply wasn’t an option.
When something is incurable and your dog is suffering every day, it would be inhumane and incredibly selfish to leave them in pain just waiting for them to pass away on their own. It’s up to you to decide if the time is now, in two days, or in a fortnight. What I can tell you is that waiting won’t change anything; you aren’t ready today and you won’t be ready in two weeks. You’re never ready to have your dog put down, but when the time comes, you’ve got to do what’s right for them. You have to put them first.
If your vet is recommending it, it's because they know the illness will only cause more suffering from now on. There is nothing stopping you from getting a second opinion, though.
In my view, even though it's always heartbreaking for us humans, letting them go before they suffer too much is a true act of love and respect.
When you think about it, we do the same with people. The only difference is that we have significant resources to keep humans alive while keeping pain manageable. But I’ve seen enough people pass away, both close family and others, to tell you that when pain becomes uncontrollable, patients are released from it by the medical profession. And thankfully so.
My brother had to let his dog go, and he was telling me just recently that taking his dog to be put to sleep while he was still wagging his tail on the vet’s table was unbearable... But would seeing him suffer every day have been any more acceptable??
