As most of you know I have a 14 year old lab cross, he's going downhill fast. His back legs only work 45% of the time, the rest of the time he has difficulty standing, walking up stairs and sometimes will just collapse.
His breathing is irregular, he pants so loud the neighbors can hear him. He's almost completely blind and deaf.
Here's the thing, he does seem to be in pain at times, but most of the time he seems okay. We've been giving him pain meds prescribed by the vet, they help alot.
He still loves being with his family, still wags his tail when he sees us, sleeps at the foot of my bed content to be by my side.
In my heart I know that it's time to make the dreaded appointment. If anyone else came here to ask this question I wouldn't hesitate to tell them it's time, but it's always easier to give advice then it is to take it?
I hate this part of being a fur mom. I hate making this decision because I never know if it's really time. I always feel that my pets will let me know when they they're ready and I'm not getting that vibe from Indy, but is it because I don't want it to be the end?
We adopted Indy 1 month after we got married. He's our baby, our first child. I can't imagine not hearing his paws clicking on the laminate, not hearing his panting, not seeing his beautiful wise face.
I need someone else to tell me if it's time. I can't make this decision, I've been putting it off for quite some time now and I'm worried that he's suffering because of my greed.
He will love you for the mercy you will show him. if only we can do this for our human loved ones who suffer everyday! be with him hold and love him as he enters eternal rest. he will know you love him because you are showing him with this last act that you do in fact love him and appreciate all that he has given you.
I wrote this to a friend several weeks after Thomas's death:
On Thursday, March 4, 2009, I gave permission for my soulcat Thomas Jefferson to be euthanized. He had what turned out to be severe congestive heart failure, had been breathing heavily/rapidly and sleeping a lot. Since his death, I've been through the anger, bargaining, depression, and denial stages over and over again. I don't think I will ever get to acceptance.
The house is so quiet (he was a very vocal cat), everywhere I look I see him, and Rasputin, our even-older cat, walks around the house crying. My stomach is not happy, I break into tears a lot, and I wish I could rewind the tape to before that terrible day.
There is a huge hole in my heart. Thomas was one of a kind, totally my cat and I was his person. I can't begin to explain how it worked but it was a bit of magic in my life. I'll miss him until the day I die and hope to find him waiting for me.
Thomas had a good morning his last morning. He was blanketed by the early spring sun as he sat for a while in the window that looks out onto the back yard. An old magnolia tree is right outside the window, and birds and squirrels often cavort on its branches. That window was one of Thomas's favorite perches. He'd figured out how to hide behind the window curtain and not scare away the wild animals.
He napped for a couple of hours and then, while I lay on my back on the living room carpet, hunkered down on my chest (as he often does), nose to nose, and gave me a couple of licks on my chin. His fur was like that of a teddy bear--not hair like a regular cat, but thick fur. I rubbed behind his ears and along his cheeks and told him how much I loved him and what a good cat he has been all these years. He closed his eyes in contentment (and agreement). I told him he was going to see the kitty doc-doc in the afternoon and we would find out what was wrong, why he had such trouble breathing, and why he was so tired all the time. He licked my chin one last time and jumped off my chest.
Thomas Jefferson will be in my thoughts every day for the rest of my life.
Oh Alty he is so wise looking he reminds me of my Buddy who I just lost recently. We had to take him to the vet. My husband and I miss him really bad. I know this is very hard but I knew when it was time for Buddy He came over to me the night before and laid his head on my lap and looked into my eyes for a really long time, I asked him(yes I talk to my fur family like people) if it was time for me to let him go, He just looked up and and licked my hand. I am am crying for you. I know you will miss that wonderful face but at least you have your pictures to always remember him by. I hope my husband gets steady work soon, I need a new companion as my Annie is getting up there, She is starting to have a hard time getting up the stairs now, I know I am going to be in your shoes soon. I will be praying for you.
People that don't love pets, or don't have pets in their lives, they'll never understand what those beautiful creatures mean to the people that love them.
There are people that laugh at you when you say that your dog is like your child to you. He is though. He's a big part of our family, not just some "dumb" animal, not someone or something that can just be replaced. He's unique in every way, he brings joy to me and my family daily. He's been there for us through so many hard times.
Indy was the one that stayed by my side after my father died and I wouldn't get out of bed. He stayed with me, snuggled with me, gave me comfort and never asked for a thing in return. The only time he left was to go potty and have a drink or some food, and then right back by my side.
Indy was the one that slept under the crib for the first few months after we had Jared. Every time Jared cried he'd come get me. Jared's own private nurse maid.
Indy has been through alot. Epilepsy, getting hit by a car, babies, other animals, trips, you name it. He took it all in stride, never complained.
Indy was always the first to greet me in the morning and the last to be with me at night. Now he can barely get up to wag his tail. His eyes are shadows, but his soul remains.
I can't imagine my life without him. I don't want to imagine it. When we got him I though "he's so young, the time will go slowly" now it's all gone and it flew by so fast.
I understand about the mood. The whole week before Buddy went to the vet was hard on every one around me. I was lucky that Buddy loved our vet. I have the vet that has a terrible beside manner with people, but the animals he is number 1 in my book. When a animal gets excited to see the vet you know you found someone special. Tom(our vet) had to leave the room, for Buddy as even he had a hard time saying so long, and see you later to a trusted friend was hard on Tom. See Buddy was more than just my friend he was also my angel when I had a seizure. He saved me from many a bad fall by pushing me to the arm chair or the couch. Annie alerts me also but being a cockapoo she can't make me sit down like Buddy did. Buddy was a black lab.
Lovely pictures Alty, he's a sweetie.
Sorry I wasn't online when you posted this.
Honey whatever you decide will be the right thing.
It's always a hard thing to do, deciding the fate of a pet but they always seem to know what you are doing for them.
We had a Great Dane a few years back that escaped over our back fence during a storm, he was in our next door neighbours paddock and the idiot shot him... twice.
He must have been in horrific pain but do you think he tried to bite, struggle or run away? No, he seemed to know that we were helping him.
I think it's the same when you are putting a dog to sleep, they seem to know when their time has come and you can almost see a 'thankyou' in their eyes when you make the decision.
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