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"It's hard to say this, but after all this time and all this schooling, I've never had to assist or even be present for an adult canine or feline euthanasia. Well, I have to make an appointment to have my oldest dog put to sleep. She just turned 14 and she's been going steadily downhill for a couple of years now. We've been trying to hold out until spring, but it's not fair. She doesn't seem completely miserable, but I want to do it before she does become too miserable. If I'm honest with myself, I can say that if I saw a dog in her condition owned by someone else, I'd be tempted to turn them in to the authorities." Read more...
Another concern is for the other pets in the household; how do they handle missing their companion and best friend? While there are many Pet Loss and Grief resources available, one topic that is relatively new to the discussion is: what about the other pets in the house, particularly the "best friend" dog or cat?
Have you noticed any change in the behavior or attitude of the other pets in the house after the euthanasia of a family pet? Please vote in the poll (multiple answers accepted) and share your comments by clicking on the "comments" link below.
Related Reading:
- How Will I know When It Is "Time" To Put A Pet To Sleep?
- Understanding Euthanasia
Photo: A ceremony helps a child say goodbye to a beloved pet
Photo © Barbara Whiting, Guide to Stay-at-Home Parents
Comments
My wife _ now deceased herself _ and I had to put a dog to sleep who was less than two years old. This was after very able treatment at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. The veterinary professor who administered the drugs was crying along with us. Yes, it is tough on the veterinarians too.
To all Online readers and animal lovers,
Re: Dr. Lori Hunt, DVM from Westlake,OH
I took time to type this letter so anyone who reads will know that Dr. Hunt is not only a great Doctor (DVM) but a true and sincere animal lover.
Dr. Hunt is so nice, sincere, hard working, loving and caring person.
My dog Alexis is a female AKC mini-schnauzer, 5 years old and recently she became sick with “Cushings Disease” which changed to “Addison’s Disease”.
Many DVM’s tried to cure/stabilize Alexis as her body was shutting down (she was dying) with no cure.
Dr. Lori Hunt did not give up on Alexis and she came in to the clinic on Sunday (her day off) and did various tests on Alexis and then she found the right cure of our cute little Alexis.
Now, Alexis is back to herself, bouncing around, cheerful, playing, happy (although she has to swallow 2 pills a day) but THANKS to Dr. Lori Hunt (DVM) we have Alexis alive.
Regards,
Ben T
Sergeant Major (ret.)
President/Notary Public-State of OH
BPT SERVICES LLC
In the last year, I have had to help put my and my parents’ 3 cats to sleep, and have also suffered the loss of my bird Baby.
Snoopy, my 15 year old childhood cat, was diagnosed with ear cancer December 2006. I had several opinions from other vets for him, and this was terminal cancer with no cure. It was just a matter of time. The vets I worked with were very caring and we made him as comfortable as possible until it was his time. I decided his time by how lively he was. When he started showing signs of more pain is when we decided to not let him suffer any longer. He survived until the following June,2007 which at that time we also found that Molly, our 13 year old girl, was diagnosed with complete renal failure. We put them both down together with seeing their signs of distress. A week later Thumper, Snoopy’s bedmate of 14 years was rushed to the vet. He had early stages of renal failure, but was truly devastated by Snoopy’s loss and we were not able to get him to eat very much after Snoopy passed. He was all ready dying when we rushed him to the vet and they helped make the process more peaceful for him.
This was the hardest time of my life, and my cockatiel, Baby, of 9 years was diagnosed with liver failure and passed 4 months later. They are all together in a growing garden, and the Vets again were absolutely amazing and caring through every step.
I have noticed that all of my animals have been effected by every death. My parents’ surviving dog Chewy has been seeking more attention. In my household, Pugdy, our Senegal Parrot mimics Baby’s song, and Simon our other Cockatiel looked for her and cuddles her toys.
My cat had cancer and I had her euthanized yesterday. It was incredibly stressful for both me and my pet because of the way they immobolized her prior to the injection. They inserted a IV line and then brought her back to me for final goodbyes before the procedure. They had wrapped her up in a blanket, like a baby. She was terrified because she couldn’t move. I finally had to just let them take her from me. I didn’t want to be present for the procedure, so I left, distraught.
Why, oh why did they have to do it that way? It was not the peaceful goodbye that it should have been. Is this a normal procedure for animal hospitals?
Hi Lynette-
I am sorry to hear that your goodbye was stressful. My condolences on the loss of your pet.
Each vet/clinic will have their own procedure, but things should be discussed before the event to ease worries and answer questions.
Here are some resources for euthanasia and saying goodbye, as well as pet loss and grief:
Twilight Time: The Long Goodbye