Be with your pet in them final moments or not ?

[LuvourGSDs]

I know the time is almost near as our Golden is getting real bad.

I so don't look foward to doing what I know is right. It doesn't get any harder than this. I love her dearly being our first dog ever & the dog my small boys which are teens now grew up with. This is so hard & I know I will just be a wreak when the time comes when we lose one of our GS's. I have done so much with them & they have a very special place in my heart. I love them all, but you just have those special ones....

I need to make the decision to PTS & when. I hate the thought of calling & setting up a app. to do that.

I know I need to soon.

I just wanted to ask..............

Do you go back with your pet & be there till the end or not ? Is it bad of you if you just can't ?

It's going to be hard enough taking her lifeless body to be cremated. I 'm am choosing to do this.

Just wondered what to do.....

~Thanks~

[RebelGSD]

Absolutely. The least I can do for my dogs, that gave me lifetime of love and devotion, is to hold them as I send them on their way. It is fast and peaceful as they go, so you don't have to worry about that. The vet can arrange for the cremation, so you don't have to worry about that either.

[MaggieRoseLee]

I think it's a personal decision and NOT a reflection on how much you love your dog. Some people are strong enough to be there and say goodbye, and others would maybe such a wreck it would be upsetting for the dog.

So it's what's right for the individual and their beloved pet. And either decision is the right one for that specific circumstance.

[DianaM]

I think being surrounded by your loved ones as you pass is the ultimate final gift. If I were dying, I would want to have my loved ones with me. Our pets are there for us through thick and thin and while it is a personal decision, I think the very least we can do is be with them on the final steps of the journey. No one ever said it is easy and again, it is YOUR decision and since none of us walk in your shoes no one can judge your decisions and feelings on this private matter. I think the most heartbreaking moment is to see the life that was your pet leave behind a body that is just the shell that held your pet, but since my pets know me and trust me, I'll be there to reassure them. I've not been there when my bird was put down and I regret it. I was too young to really know better. With my ferret I was there. With Renji and all my future pets, I will be there.

Have you talked about cremation with your vet? Mine took care of transportation to and from the cremation facility and the facility did an exemplary job with my ferret. That was really nice, since I also wasn't really up to taking her myself to the facility.

ETA: I'm very sorry to hear about your golden. I hope you will have more time together.

[kbigge]

I don't think it's bad of you if you can't, but I think you would regret it later if you didn't stay with your friend through the very end. I think personally that our friends should have us with them in their final moments. And it's totally ok to be sad. I worked at a vet clinic for a while, and I assisted in many euthanasia's, and it is totally ok to be upset and cry, as long you don't get totally hysterical in front of your dog. But in my opinion, I think a lot of times the animal knows something serious is going on, and they need that comfort. I think you would be glad you were with her as she passed. My brother and I held our family GSD in our arms while our vet put him to sleep, and I will never regret it. We cried, but as we cried, we were able to comfort, pet, and hold our friend as he died. I have no doubt that Reno was glad we didn't leave him alone w/strangers in the end.

If it makes it better for you, I would see if your vet can make a housecall for the euthanasia. I'm sure your dog would be much more comfortable and less stressed if he was in his own safe place (and so would you), rather than the "scary, foreign" vet clinic. JMO. I know a lot of vets who don't normally make housecalls will make exceptions for euthanisia's. It's just something to think about.

I hope you can find the strength to be with her. It will be a memory you will cherish, I think - you held and comforted your loved one as they passed. If you just absolutely can't be with her, maybe you can have a friend that she is at least familiar with be with her instead. Maybe it will help you get through this if you can make a keepsake before she goes. Like make a mold of her pawprint or something? Or have someone take some pictures of the two of you together before hand? It's just a thought...

I'm sorry you have to go through this. It's never easy losing a loved one. You and your Golden are in my thoughts...

God bless...

[ellen366]

the decision of whether or not to be with your dog when he/she is euthanized is a highly personal one; there is only one right answer and that is the choice that you make; you and you alone must decide if this is right for you to do

personally, i choose to be w/mine and hold them until their lives slip away; it's hard, but it's the choice that i've made since i was old enough to decide; but, that is the choice that is right for me; it may not be for you

so, that being said, look deep inside yourself and decide what works for you; if you choose not to stay, i can assure you that your beloved pet will be held and comforted by a vet tech; you pet will not die alone

wishing you peace; it's a tough decision to make, but it's the most precious gift that we can give our dogs

[ken k]

thats a tuff decision to make, myself after having 40 years of GSD`s in my life, it gets harder each time, I have been there for them all, and there all on the mantle and will be buried with me when its my time, when it was time to put my Bo down it was 1am, glad there was no traffic out, it was hard to drive home crying hysterically

[rockhead]

Originally Posted By: DianaMI think being surrounded by your loved ones as you pass is the ultimate final gift. If I were dying, I would want to have my loved ones with me. Our pets are there for us through thick and thin and while it is a personal decision, I think the very least we can do is be with them on the final steps of the journey. No one ever said it is easy and again, it is YOUR decision and since none of us walk in your shoes no one can judge your decisions and feelings on this private matter.

Wow. I started reading through responses as I was contemplating how to word my own response. I then found that Diane took the words right out of my mouth and could not have said it any better. Bravo.

I can't imagine having not been there for Eich.

[Daisy1986]

Originally Posted By: MaggieRoseLeeI think it's a personal decision and NOT a reflection on how much you love your dog. Some people are strong enough to be there and say goodbye, and others would maybe such a wreck it would be upsetting for the dog.

So it's what's right for the individual and their beloved pet. And either decision is the right one for that specific circumstance.

I agree with Maggie. I was there with my JRT. My husband could not. He did not want that memory. I understood that. Everyone is different. It is what I had to do, the only thing I could live with, but the memory will always be hard to live with.
Losing a loved one is hard no matter what.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Kelly

[WiscTiger]

I agree with Jen

Quote:I think it's a personal decision and NOT a reflection on how much you love your dog. Some people are strong enough to be there and say goodbye, and others would maybe such a wreck it would be upsetting for the dog.

So it's what's right for the individual and their beloved pet. And either decision is the right one for that specific circumstance.

If you really don't think you can hold it together and end up bawling and upsetting your dog, I would say it would be better for you pal to go peaceful.

If you can hold the tears, then be with you pal and send them off with all your love.

My DH couldn't be with us when my first GSD went to the bridge. I wasn't outside when we let our mare go to the bridge, she and I had too many up and down times and I didn't want her to be upset by me being there.

The best thing you can do to prepared yourself. Educate yourself and ask the Vet questions before hand if you can. I will always opt for a Sedative shot first with some time for that to take effect, then the final shot.

No matter what you decide it is never never easy to lose one of our best friends. But the things that help me through it are knowing that I love my dog so so much that I will never left them suffer. Knowing that god had a plan when he decided that a dog's life wouldn't be as long as ours, he knew that there would be so many great dogs and only so many great families he knew he couldn't let us have one dog for our life time.

My thoughts are with you.

Val