Putting a dog "to sleep"

[Red Heeler]

I'm sorry for you, if indeed you do have to put your dog down. Saying goodbye to a pet is one of the hardest things to do. I've had to put two of my own down in the last two years. I still miss them.

As for replacing your dog, wait just a bit for the initial shock to wear off.

Good luck to you.

[i_heart_jason]

sorry to hear that. may your hearts heal quickly.

[pedro]

Sorry to hear that Ricardo.

I have a couple of friends here in Portland who have had this local guy do paintings of their dogs from photos after their dogs passed. Seems silly on the surface but the paintings are really incredible. He really captures each individual dog. I know it meant a lot to them anyway.

Here's the guys site if anyone is interested. http://www.drawandpaint.com/Dogs_1/dogs_1.html

There is also bar in town called "The Lucky Lab" that features a bunch of his paintings and lets you bring your dogs their. It's a cool place.

This one is actually my friend Todd's dad's dog. He had the painting done for his dad for christmas.

[redsfanmia]

My heart goes out for you Ricardo, My dog was lying next to me as I read your post and a tear came to my eye and then I hugged my dog and told her that I loved her.

[MrCinatit]

Our family went through it seven times, all but one from old age. It never gets easier.

[BoydsOfSummer]

I had to do it this time last year. We had a Yellow Labrador. It was by far the hardest thing that I'd dealt with in a really long time. I do not envy you, and I wish you the best. I was so close to this dog that I went to a funeral home and had him cremated and put in an urn. My wife decapaged it with pictures of him for me.

Same here dman. Only dog I've ever even thought about doing that with. She earned the respect though. Sincere sympathy for you Ricardo.


U.K.C Field Champion,Show Champion and one damn fine rabbit hound.

[RedsBaron]

Several years ago I had to take our golden retriever to a vet ER . It turned out he had terminal kidney failure, so he had to be put to sleep. It was hard looking in those big brown eyes for the last time, those eyes that trusted me to make everything okay, with me unable to do anything other than put an end to his suffering.

[Ltlabner]

You know, we can all act macho and tough. We can post and try to out dual each other on the threads. We can all strive to make the most clever post of the day.

But at the end of the day, when you look into a beloved dogs eyes and know that you are making a decision to end their suffering it hurts. When you see them looking at you with trust and love and they can't communicate it to you verbally it hurts. When the best you can do to let the animal know that you love it is to gentley pet it and cry as it's carried away it hurts.

They let you know they love you by being loyal, protecting and obeying you. They are excited when you come home. Thilled when you play with them and love to snuggle. They communicate their love with a wag of the tail or a playfull attitude.

Still to see those eyes and only wish you could communicate with them on a level we understand. To let them know how much we love them.

If that doesn't break your heart you are one cold individual.

[Rojo]

I think the toughest part of owning an animal is making a financial decision about their life. My folks had a Dobie that was fourteen years old and had all kinds of problems. They spent something like $3K before having to pull the plug. The thing is they could've spent more but there has to be a point where you make that hard decision. Your heart says to spend the money, but realistically, you can't always do that and still look out for the rest of your family.

I waver on the notion of running out and buying a replacement animal. It seems so diminishing like someone getting remarried right after burying a spouse.

[letsgojunior]

Several years ago I had to take our golden retriever to a vet ER . It turned out he had terminal kidney failure, so he had to be put to sleep. It was hard looking in those big brown eyes for the last time, those eyes that trusted me to make everything okay, with me unable to do anything other than put an end to his suffering.

I'm experiencing the same thing. My dog is really really sick with bone cancer, and I can't bring myself to look in his eyes.

[flyer85]

The dog came home from the vet last night. We prepaid the stuff to get everything done but he perked up some yesterday and the vet thought that he wasn't in a lot of pain and would probably be around for a month or two.

It is not an easy decision to make. Thanks everyone.

We have a picture of out dog as my daughter is quite a talented artist. It is a nice keepsake.

[Johnny Footstool]

I waver on the notion of running out and buying a replacement animal. It seems so diminishing like someone getting remarried right after burying a spouse.

A lot of people are apprehensive for that same reason. For me, it was an easy decision. My cat and I brought each other a lot of happiness, and I felt it was important to continue sharing that happiness with another pet.

Bringing that new cat home made all the grief melt away and left all the good memories of my previous pet. Naming the new cat "Griffey" also helped.

[MrCinatit]

This thread is fascinating in it is both depressing, and uplifting at the same time.

[IslandRed]

The hardest thing I've had to do in my adult life was having my cat -- best cat ever, of course -- euthanized. Not that there was any real choice to it, she had rapidly progressing cancer. But still... I remembered thinking to myself "where's an adult when you need one?" I was 35 years old.

When I was growing up, our family dog somehow got off his leash outside and ran into the road, was hit by a car. My dad found him, mangled, and buried him immediately so my sister and I wouldn't see. Only when he came into the house crying did my sister and I find out what happened.

Being a grownup isn't always all it's cracked up to be.

[Sweetstop]

My still beautiful, white and tawny-colored Shih-Tzu, Sasha, is 15 yrs. old. She has recently been diagnosed by our James Herriott w/ a squamous-cell carcinoma in her eye. He cautioned against surgery, which would probably require her eye be removed, since he didn't want us to have to pay for a surgery and then have her put to sleep a month or so later.

We're taking it day by day now. As long as she isn't in pain or suffering, we're going to wait..I'm already crying frequently, just thinking about it. Her best friend, Theo, another Shih-Tzu, died in my husband's lap about 4 yrs. ago. It's really hard.