I can't imagine people being cold hearted enough to do that. I held all of mine from start to finish.

I just think I owe it to my dogs to be there when their time has come. I don't know if they will be afraid but I want to assure them it's just like the fireworks and the thunder that makes them come running to be with me in those scary times.

Having trained working dogs so many years I wanted my own. My best friend was still alive at the time. I won’t use the language he used when I told him I had put down a deposit with a breeder in Germany. He was stoked for me. Well my best friend died months later, before I got my GSD imported late that same year in 2008. I raised her from 8 weeks, seeing her, and picking her up the first time as an 8 week old pup. She was 7.5 and she got Leukemia. It was awful to watch. This was a trained assassin in bite work, protection, obedience and S&R. An athlete. How quickly this went, was mind bending to me. A lot of vet visits, blood work, confirmation, name it. When I put food down this k9 would maul it. So when she refused to eat, well all it took was 48 hours of this and I made the call. Upon arriving at my vet, the vet assistant said we got her and she would take her back. IE, I could leave. I guess that is standard practice for all these assholes in society. I wasn’t having it. I refused her, and said I will be with my animal until. She hated the vet, detested it. I had been carrying her to use the restroom that week and she was 70 something pounds. So it was no big deal to lift her up, again, and put her on the table. My vet has horrible bed manners and speaks little but he did something for me, and my girl, that I will never forget. I held her, as usual, so she wouldn’t bite him. At this point the muzzle wasn’t necessary. He looked her straight in the eyes, like that grim reaper dude who has the little boat that ferries you over upon death. He locked eyes with her, and took her to the other side with that injection. My K9 had been painfully lethargic all week but once that venom was put into her blood stream, she jerked back, hard. He continued locking eyes with her. His eyes got big, and he had a look on his face as serious as that Leukemia. All of a sudden, her animosity went. Her tongue fell out of her mouth, and she was gone. It was all I could do, to not lose my shit in there. I choked it back. Thanked them all, and left. I held my shit together until I got in my vehicle where I cried like a damn newborn the entire ride home.

The next time, which could be this year, or the next, etc as my Maligator is getting up there, I’ll do the same. I could never bitch out and I never will. My K9’s have been more loyal, and deserving of my utmost respect than most humans, even family. I will always be there for them, until the end, until I’m in the ground.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
…. My K9’s have been more loyal, and deserving of my utmost respect than most humans, even family. I will always be there for them, until the end, until I’m in the ground.

Good to see someone respecting the unconditional love they give.
Sorry you lost your buddy.

That’s messed up so many of your vets’ clients were so heartless; I’m sure they remembered you specifically for standing up like that.

My Lily died in my arms 5 years ago. She had been struggling for a while. I took her out in the morning as I always did, she came into the house with me and laid down just inside the door. I knew it was her time and held her, told her how much I loved her and cried a river as she slipped away. I'm tearing up as I type this....

I will borrow a line from Shawn Colvin: This is the best thing and the very most hard. I have held 5 good dogs as they passed. Each one holds a piece of my heart.

I’m always on the floor with them and crying like a small child. Too many times now.

It is a miracle that I didn’t get a ticket trying to get my wife and myself back home from the company offices (normally a 4 hour drive on 101) to at least be able to say goodbye to our first dog (actually was Mrs. slosig’s before we married). The traffic couldn’t have been better unless the roads were closed, but 2.5 hours wasn’t quick enough and she was gone when we got there.

We’ve been there for all the others since. With the pets, the vet generally makes house calls. With the guardian dogs, they generally ride in the “dog truck” (a taco with a shell used for dog transport off the ranch) on the way in, then transfer to my work truck in the parking lot to hang in a more familiar environment in the shade. They work on a plate of goodies the vet brings out (including chocolate) and get pets while the sedative kicks in.

It isn’t fun, but I can’t imagine not being there for them.

I/we have been there with all our pets when the time came except for my dog when I was a teenager. I have personally dug each grave for them all. We had just put our last cat Jr down last Monday and the silence is deafening. We have had pets for the last 30yrs and will be taking a break for some time.

years ago, my exwife called and said she was taking our first dog to the vet with the kids. vet said dog didn't have long. i told my boss i was leaving and he can just write me up or cover me for an hour. i had to be there when it was time.

Dogs, and three or four horses. Horses are every bit as difficult as a dog, if it was special to you. I made a post a year ago about our GSD, Jade nearing the end of her life. The day we had to let her go was tough, of course, but much better than clinical euthanasia in that we had a veterinarian come to our house (like a couple others who posted in this thread). It was a beautiful day and we went out back on the elevated patio where Jade kept watch over her fenced backyard domain. The veterinarian specialized in this difficult event and couldn’t have been kinder to us and to Jade. I highly recommend this route. If there’s not a vet who specializes, I believe a lot of veterinarians from clinics will come out to the house. Her ashes are scattered in the yard she ruled over.

I have to address this before I post.

quote:

I was born and raised Catholic, taught that animals had no souls, just like rocks, which is one of many reasons I haven't been inside a Catholic church for nearly half a century.

I was too. I have never, EVER, heard such a thing in my life! “Just like rocks?!?” Boy did you talk to the wrong priest or nun.

We've had/have 6 rescue dogs since my wife and I have been together.
One or both of us have been there every time it was time for their passing.

Wife will say our current pup will be the last.
Then a month later, come home with another stray or rescue.

I'm fine with it.
We love our dogs like family, actually, more than most of our family.
Our pups have been a buffer to keep us from driving each other crazy for the last 19 years...

When it's Helga's time, we will be there for her.
We have already decided to have her cremated rather than buried.
The recreational property and/or the house, could be sold at a later date when I die.
With cremated remains, you don't lose access like you would when buried.

She's such a sweet dog, and the ONLY dog that I know about that has a pet horse.

IMG_20210408_160055246 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

If you can possibly manage it please consider using Lap of Love, especially if you have other dogs in the home. I feel it gives the others a sense of closure as well as the comfort of this painful ordeal occurring in your own home.

Some of you may remember the harrowing story I told of little Della being attacked by a neighbors dog who was always escaping their control & causing trouble. She died in my wife's arms as we rushed to the vet. The point is, I don't think the other dogs ever understood why we returned without her.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

I have to address this before I post.

quote:

I was born and raised Catholic, taught that animals had no souls, just like rocks, which is one of many reasons I haven't been inside a Catholic church for nearly half a century.

I was too. I have never, EVER, heard such a thing in my life! “Just like rocks?!?” Boy did you talk to the wrong priest or nun.

"Just like rocks" is my characterization of their teaching. They told us that animals had no eternal soul like humans, so could not enjoy eternal life with us. At death, they just ceased to exist. Even as a child in the 1950's I found that disturbing and depressing, since we almost always had some animal, cat, dog, or bird, living with us.

The next dog you have was sent to you by the last dog you had.

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

I have to address this before I post.

quote:

I was born and raised Catholic, taught that animals had no souls, just like rocks, which is one of many reasons I haven't been inside a Catholic church for nearly half a century.

I was too. I have never, EVER, heard such a thing in my life! “Just like rocks?!?” Boy did you talk to the wrong priest or nun.

"Just like rocks" is my characterization of their teaching. They told us that animals had no eternal soul like humans, so could not enjoy eternal life with us. At death, they just ceased to exist. Even as a child in the 1950's I found that disturbing and depressing, since we almost always had some animal, cat, dog, or bird, living with us.

I don't know that there is any specific teaching with regard to what actually happens with them. But, it is correct to know that MAN alone was created in the image of God, complete with a soul. To the best of my knowledge, the bible speaks of no other living things possessing that. I don't think that there is a passage in Genesis stating that man was created in the image of God...and Scruffy too!

I realize that that sounds heartless, and I don't mean to.

(Sorry to derail the thread...)

Well, somebody needs to read some James Herriot!

And as to the op. One of my jobs over life has been as a cvt. I’ve had many animals I’ve assisted to death, including my own. It’s never easy, always a privilege to treat them kindly and gently, and I could never understand those who walked away because “it was too hard”.
And btw, if you can, hold the tears. Right then, it’s about them, not you. Keep calm and hold it together until after the final beat. They NEED your strength and comfort right now, not to worry about why mom/dad is sad. They pick up all the cues, pheromones, etc. Make passing over a good place to go, not a place to be afraid of.

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
Well, somebody needs to read some James Herriot!.

Oh, I have. And I struggle with it too.

I agree with the OP.
I had a bunch typed out about our families Boxers going back to 1955 when I was born. But the post was going to be too long so I deleted it and now I feel guilty like Im not giving them the respect they earned.
Any way Mary and I had 2 Boxers, Jack and Boomer until we lost them both w/in 16 days in November.
The morning after the election I had to take Jack to the vet because something was wrong. they took him in on a stretcher and did an ultrasound. Something had ruptured and his abdomen was full of fluid, likely blood. I called the wife to get there ASAP and we let him go with us there holding him.
Boomer had been fighting DM since March of that year and progressively getting worse. he had gotten to where he would whimper at night and I'd kneel next to our bed and hold his paws until he fell asleep. We made the decision to let him go.
I took off that Thursday and Friday to spend the day with him (Mary works from home). Thursday night he got half of a Buckhead Beef New York Strip and then the other half on Friday morning. Bothe days I went out in the front yard and took him out of his chair and we layed in the grass and watched the world go by.
Then We headed to the vet. He loved everybody at the vets office and they loved him. He walked in there like a boss in his wheelchair. Then we laid down with him and he had a nice bowl of some coffee flavored ice cream with chocolate chunks. Then we let him go while we were hugging him and telling him what a great boy he was.
We had planned to have Boomer pass at home but when Jack passed suddenly first we just went to the vet since he always loved to go there anyway.
For both of them when I/we went out to the truck we just bawled like babies for a few minutes in the parking lot. Like I'm doing right now.