Hugs @rosered55.
I have had to put 2 beloved beagles down (one recently) and it broke my heart both times. But it was the right thing to do at the time.
The best advice I have ever received in my life is “go with your gut”.
OP here again. My dog died yesterday, with the assistance of a veterinarian from a service that only does in-home euthanasia. Deciding when to have the procedure done was difficult; my brave and resilient dog was still eagerly eating and going on walks while coping with the gigantic tumor in her mouth. But her last day was good and we didn’t wait too long. Thank you for the support.
Oh! So. hard.
I like the idea of an in-home service. I didn’t know that was possible. When it’s our turn to say goodbye to our handsome little man, we’ll look for one.
A big hug for you today @rosered55 Give yourself time to grieve.
Hugs, @rosered, and thanks for coming back with an update. I hope you have no more concerns about the choice you made. IMO, it absolutely was the right one.
Hugs. You made the right choice.
Hugs rosered.
@Midwest67, our regular vet clinic also does house calls for euthanasia, but I’m extremely glad to have chosen the specialized service instead. The providers’ goal is to make the family and the animal comfortable, and the vet, herself very kind, succeeded in this goal. Here’s just one example: the vet gives treats to the animal during the first injection, as a distraction. My dog was happy to eat throughout her illness but was on soft food and having to use some ingenuity to get the food to the back of her mouth to swallow it. The vet came equipped with spray cheese, which my dog very eagerly licked up.
So sorry. If it’s any consolation, you still have some time to spend with your dog saying a long goodbye. I didn’t when our dog died. It was sudden. My 13 year old dog got a clean bill of health at the annual checkup on a Friday. He got sick on Sunday. Back to the vet on Monday. They didn’t see anything immediately wrong and told me to just observe and bring him back if he got worse. He got worse on Tuesday, xmas eve. I planned to wait until after xmas. I had to take him to the emergency xmas night. He died the day after xmas. Between xmas and going to the vet, I had hardly time to say goodbye.
Yes, I was very glad to have the time to say good-bye.
More hugs, rosenred.
You can’t ever second guess what’s passed and all the “what ifs”.
Hugs rosered. It is so hard to lose a beloved pet.
Our dog died unexpectedly from cancer a few months ago. We didn’t know about it, and I’m very glad for that blissful ignorance. He enjoyed life until the end and we were lucky to have no difficult decisions to make.
Hugs again! Your dog loved you and is at peace now.
I prefer to err on the side of euthanizing them sooner than absolutely necessary rather than waiting until the suffering is too hard. We had a lab die from oral cancer and I took her in when she was still loving walks and treats but was fussing at the tumor whenever she wasn’t being distracted.
I had waited too long for a pet rat and she was suddenly in horrendous distress. Fortunately the vet was a friend and helped us out at 3:00 am.
Sorry for your loss, rosered.
I’m so sorry, rosered. You gave your dog a very loving gift – the gift of not suffering through the terrible days ahead. She was fortunate to have such a caring family. With a little time, I hope the memories of her will bring you joy.
Rosered, I’m so sorry, but glad you had the time with your friend and that your sweet girl had treats and walk til the end. I found the at-home vet such a comfort. Be gentle with yourself.
Nice avatar @rosered55
So sorry.
But she knew she was loved, and she didn’t suffer.
Sympathies on the loss of your loved friend and companion.