Dog Death
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You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
I put down my dog of 12 years today. She was suffering from several ailments, including kidney failure and deteriorating bones.
I can't help but feel like I should have gotten a second opinion before putting her down or that there was something else I could have done. For sure, she was in bad shape, she had been on the decline over the last year. But what if I had waited a little longer?
Also. In my stupid anger, I rejected the offer to receive her ashes, but now somewhat regret that decision. Anyone have experience with this?
The dog is gone, dude. She didn't have retirement plans, she didn't plan to go visit the grandkids, she didn't have a plan for the rest of her day, either. She was probably happy to see you while she was being put down and that's it.
Would you rather have waited until she went severely downhill and started having seizures and was in incredible pain? It's better to let her go just before that start happening, so don't blame yourself by hanging onto it.
>>17084350
I recently had to put down one of my dogs earlier this year. He didn't have long, but it was still tempting to wait as long as possible. What made us decide to go ahead and do it now was this specific perspective: It's better to do it when they're still themselves. Like, for my dog, it was better to do it when he still had energy, when he still seemed mostly normal even though we knew he wasn't. If we'd waited, my last memories of him would've been him coughing and being unable to chase our other dog like he loved to do
>>17084350
I'm so sorry, Anon. Putting down a pet is fucking heart wrenching. 12 years is a good, long life. She loved you, and you loved her and you'll always have that. You couldn't have prevented her from suffering (or maybe it would've been at an expense you can't afford).
Her ashes are just a totem. You don't need them to remind you of what a great dog she was.
I'm being overtaken by feels, but there is a brief post about "how many dogs is a life?" I haven't read this author's play, but it reminded me of how fortunate we are to even have one in our life.
http://cowbird.com/story/38721/How_Many_Dogs_Is_A_Life/
>>17084350
Our dog is almost 12 and is going through the same thing. The one thing we've learned in this process is that all vets are completely retarded.
Our dog went from "he's fine" to "whoops he's in liver and kidney failure" over the span of a few days all because of multiple vets who misdiagnosed him.
>first vet refused to issue him an general anti-biotic despite clear signs of systemic infection, because "lol xDDDD I'm not a real doctor"
>second vet refused to run a liver panel despite clear signs of liver deterioration, because "lol i decided on becoming a vet after i failed my liberals arts degree"
>we (not the vets) finally discover the cause of the illness as being from a recalled product
>third vet refuses to even look into it because "lolol multiple class action lawsuits are just anectdotal. all medical knowledge in the world is on our personal vet website"
tl;dr: Yeah OP you should have gotten a second opinion. Or maybe just research yourself, because you might as well be talking to people with Downs Syndrome.
>>17084350
few years ago the last two dogs I owned kicked the bucket. they were relatively old. First one just had a constant seizure a few mins after waking up, spasming all over the floor. had to rush him to vet to euthanize. second one wandered off from me late at night and got hit by a car.
this was just after I spent about $300 in vet bills on both of them to fix their gums. I was 18 and $300 was a lot of money since i worked minimum wage, and affording their vet bills was the main reason I got a job.
i still think about them sometimes, but I never really cried about it, and my mom thinks im a psycho because of it. dogs are so stupidly content just to be with you. 12 years is old for a dog, and most people will tell you bothering to treat their ailments at that age is only slightly delaying the inevitable.
>>17084476
You're right. I've heard from others that they regret prolonging the inevitable.
>>17084489
I never thought of it like that. My dog was sick and I still thought it was too soon. My dog was definitely too feeble to be her old self again.
>>17084537
It hurt/still hurts a lot. It's selfish to say, but I want to fast forward to the eventual day I accept it
>>17084606
I agree on the second opinion. Something tells me my dog would not have been able to wait in her state though, so I have to accept that.
>>17084710
I'm sorry to hear that. I would have been overcome if my dog's death was so sudden and violent. I guess I should find solace in her having been put down gently.
>>17084350
12 is not a bad innings for the pupper. Just remember she went in her later golden years. I prefer burial in a nice place they would have liked. If the state park gets dug up they're gonna find 5 dogs, & I wasn't the first person to lay pupper to rest there
>>17084350
I got my dog when I was 2 years old. He was the kindest sweetest dog in the world and never hurt a fly. Once he found a baby bird that fell out of a nest. We were all outside sitting on the deck and he comes up to us just stared at me A few seconds later we all hear a chirping noise and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. After a bit, we realized it was coming from him and in his mouth was a little baby blue jay he was trying to give to us. Just the most caring dog iI had ever seen. His favorite thing in the world was pizza. If you told him "Pizza's comin!" he would freak out and run around and wait by the door. We would give him the cash money to pay the pizza delivery guy. he was always kind to strangers and everyone else.
When I was 18 he had gotten really sick. His kidneys were failing and he could barely walk. It got to the point where he couldn't control his bladder and since he couldn't stand anymore he ended up peeing while laying down. He would lay in the room between the kitchen and the living room so he was always able to be around us but still out of the way. My family decided that it was time. Now, we aren't rich so doing this costs quite a bit of money but we were able to scrounge up enough to do it. The night before, we all pet him and say all of our goodbyes, except for me. I couldn't do it and told myself I would do it the next day.
He died overnight. It was like he knew what was going to happen so to not make us spend the money and take him to the vet he passed away on his own. As to be kind and not be a bother to anyone I never got say goodbye to my most loved childhood friend.
Just be happy you were there for her OP. That's all that matters.
>>17085049
Dogs are the best. :( Gonna do a messy cry now.
>>17085081
they are and it's ok because I tear up every time I think of him and his pizza loving antics.
>>17084350
It is better that her life ended on the note that it did. Had you waited, she would have been suffering and potentially unhappy.
She passed happily and lovingly- that's a much better death than most creatures get.
Don't worry about the ashes-
Do you have something else to remember her by? A collar or her favorite toy maybe?
find something of hers that reminds you how she used to play or of her connection to you
>>17084350
>>17085049
>>17085081
This thread is sadness incarnate.
Threads like this make me so sad OP.
I'm so sorry your dog died.
I'm going to be a wreck when my dog dies. She sleeps in my bed every night and won't sleep with anyone else. She waits for me even when I'm downstairs at ungodly hours.
I'm going to uni next year so I've been trying to get her to sleep without me but she just sits outside my door and cries until I let her in.
Sometimes when I'm laying in bed with her and I think of what it will be like when she dies and I start crying.
She's not even sick or old or anything she's like 4 I just love her so much
Pic related, live action shot of my baby trying to sleep (unsuccessfully)
You'll always have the memories with your dog op. she was a good dog.
You did the right thing. I remember a pet that wasn't put down in time. . .
It's better that they didn't suffer. I know from experience...
>>17084997
Thank you.
>>17085049
Your dog sounds like the cutest thing ever, I'm sorry to hear that. I believe that even in her last moments my dog was still trying to comfort me as she always had whenever I cried in front of her. She went out worrying about me and not herself.
>>17085081
They are.
>>17085104
It makes me glad to read this. I feel slightly better about not prolonging things.
>>17085161
Your experience reminds me of my own. I use to worry about her health from a very young age. I realize now I should have been less worried and enjoyed her youth as it is a fleeting thing.
>>17084350
It would be selfish of you if you would have let her suffer any longer. You did the right thing and she had a good life with you.
Stop worrying about this.
Losing a dog is one of the worst things in the world, OP. But it's the last kindness you can show them after a life of happiness together.
With modern technology it's easy to keep a dog alive well into its late teens - the problem is the dog will have no quality of life when it's that old, as was the case with yours. Dogs don't think or ponder, their only interaction with our world is what they can physically interact with and sense. When a dog gets old, it loses its senses - and in turn, it loses its means of having any place in the world. Giving it mercy from that no matter how painful it is for you is the best thing you can do.
When I lost mine, it hurt a lot for a long time. But now when I think about her I don't feel sad because I know that she'll live on through the lessons she taught me, as cheesey at that sounds - the hard shit in life like breakups or losing a job don't seem quite as hard when you've went through the pain of losing your best friend.
And most importantly, don't let it destroy your love of dogs. It's common for people to feel like if they get a new dog they're 'replacing' the old. Take some time to yourself but don't be afraid to get a new dog and start the journey over again. If there's one thing your dog wouldn't want it's to be so scarred from this experience you never want to get a new companion again.
>>17085519
Adopting a pet(always get from a kill shelter you sons of bitches) is amazing but at the same time you know you just got a ticking time bomb of depression and sadness.
I have two cats now and when they go I'm not going to be able to deal with that. There is no way.
>>17084350
>>17085161
>>17085571
Oh my god, one of my 10 year old cats passed away last year and I still haven't gotten over it. I miss him so much, my whole family cried that day and those that followed so much the vets were impressed, still ask me about my remaining cat to this day as they remember me... my remaining cat didn't use to be this affectionate but now he's always around me, purring, seeking my company, sleeping beside me. I'd kill to protect and make him happy...
I cuddle up and hug him and kiss him (not on the mouth) and tear up to the thought of losing him as well. I just can't, animals are little angels...they're my only friends..
This thread is a nightmare, seriously, but oh man my heart goes to all you pet lovers..
>>17085943
My first cat is turning 11 now... I really can't bear the thought of losing her
>>17085943
12 year old girl detected.
>>17086082
>fucking idiot detected
Literally kill yourself. No one will care. Not even care a fraction of what they would if their cat died.
OP again
>>17085515
>>17085519
I like this, of letting go before they suffer, but of course I feel badly about not having her around anymore. I hope I accept my decision soon
>>17085571
My dog was a rescue, actually. She had been poorly treated as a pup and she was like you said, a mess. We turned her around though.
>>17085943
>>17086036
Love them dearly. Prepare for it, but wait to see the signs of old age first or you may worry yourself to death.
>>17086036
? cats live to 17 easily, i thought.
we had a cat make it to 26. but this was in the country, so she got all the fresh air and exercise and fresh killsand mental occupation animals need. housepets are doomed to stress, confusion and over time slow chemical poisoning (how many cats get liver and kidney problems; eating canned food)
i'm sorry you're scared for your pet. reading these responses just baffles me. take better care of your aninals, yo, they aren't babies they are adult creatures that need constant stimulation and exercise and nature.
got my roomy's cats some catgrass because they were barfing nonstop. she had had them for ten years and just let them go on puking everywhere, giving them specialized food to try and help it; like nawl how bout you give them some wheat grass to settle their stomachs; didn't even occur to her to google the problem and find out. she loves her animals TO DEATH but affection is not enough. they are animals, they thrive from things different from people.
and for the love of god never hug your dog and entrap them, it freaks them out because that is a threatening thing dogs will do to each other when dominating.
>>17084350
sometimes diagnoses with pets differ from vet to vet because they just want money and yeah. honestly if she was crying while she was laying down then yeah id put her down. if she still had fun going outside i wouldnt have. but thats done and only thing you can do is treat the next dog better or dont buy a sick dog that you cant look after. not like theres dog ghosts either so dont feel too bad.
>>17086518
Wow your cat lived a long time. Two of my cats lived to be 18 and 19 and everyone was surprised how long they lived. Our other one had diabetes. He lived 13 years.
>>17086790
I always feel like Vets reprimand you for one thing or another.
Maybe it's my own self-conscious, but they seem an irritated bunch
