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Putting down a pet


renaissancewoman101

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How does one decide when it is best to do it. My piggie Skittles has been having problems with her back legs for the longest time. It was just only recently that it got worse. I took her into the vet to be seen and after x-rays and blood tests, it was determined she has severe arthritis in her back legs and spine. She was given pain meds and antibiotics. That helped.

 

Just a week ago, she suffered a bout of bloody urine and we had urine tests and cultures done. Nothing significant. All this has cost me over $500.

 

The last few days, I noticed she was favoring one leg over the other one. Dragging herself around. Still alert and hungry when I feed her. But I can tell she's in pain.

 

Tonight when I got home, I found her laying there in the shavings. When she saw me, she perked up and dragged herself over to me. Her fur was stained with urine because I think she peed and just lay in it. She looked at me and I fed her and she was happy. I know she is suffering and it is probably time to let her go.

 

I don't want to do it.

 

I am afraid.

 

I am hoping she will stay alive with my expert love and care until Sat. I am going to take her back to the good piggie vet. Maybe he will have some answers. But I dont know.

 

She is suffering.

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It is really hard to say goodbye but if she is suffering maybe it is best to let her go...

 

I was always inconsolable each time one of my family dogs was put down, but it was always done at the right time - when they were in pain that could not be repaired.

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I would see all of the options first, like you said, go to the good vet. If they say that there is nothing left to do and she is suffering then she may have to be put out of her misery....I know it's the hardest thing to do in the world! but she will feel no more pain.

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The good vet is up in LA, TWO HOURS north of here. I have an appointment on Sat to take her in to be seen.

 

The hardest thing is that she is alert and when she sees me, she drags herself over to me. She eats and drinks by dragging herself over to the water bottle and hay. I just handfed her some mash and she ate that out of my hand. She has trouble moving so she lays in her pee.

 

I hate having to do this type of thing alone.

 

Especially the putting down of a beloved pet.

 

I dont want to do this. T would NEVER come with me to deal with this. He's a sissyboy when it comes to this kind of stuff.

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Putting down a pet is an agonizing experience...but the humane thing to do if the pet is suffering. It sounds like your pet is suffering. I know people who had dogs who were quite ill but they refused to put the dog down...they couldn't let go. Sometimes you have to put aside your own feelings of grief and loss in order to do what is right and humane for your pet.

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The good vet is up in LA, TWO HOURS north of here. I have an appointment on Sat to take her in to be seen.

 

The hardest thing is that she is alert and when she sees me, she drags herself over to me. She eats and drinks by dragging herself over to the water bottle and hay. I just handfed her some mash and she ate that out of my hand. She has trouble moving so she lays in her pee.

 

I hate having to do this type of thing alone.

 

Especially the putting down of a beloved pet.

 

I dont want to do this. T would NEVER come with me to deal with this. He's a sissyboy when it comes to this kind of stuff.

my bf had a dog that had bone cancer and could barely walk. He was suffering but he was still responsive, like your piggie. He would wag his tail and get happy to see my bf still. he decided to put him down. But even on the way to do it the dog was sticking his head out the window and acting happy. It sucked because he was a big malamute and could barely walk. the thing is, animals respond differently to pain then we do. They hide it alot and act like nothing is wrong. But we can see that they are physically suffering. I know it's terrible, don't you have ANYONE who can do it for you or at least go with you??? that would help alot if you have to put her down.

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No, I don't have anybody to help me with my pets. These are things I deal with alone.

 

My only choice tonight is that I take her to the emergency vet that I went to the last time and have them take a look one more time and then make the decision.

 

I want to hold out till Sat because then I take her up to LA to the expert piggie vet and he can give me one last diagnosis or prognosis, and if I make the decision up there, I can at least hang out with T afterwards (I hope).

 

I wasnt going to post this but I don't know what to do. I have to go and pick up my other piggie that got a spay done, and now to deal with this.

 

And I have another BUSY day tomorrow with work.

 

God, I hate being alone sometimes.

 

Skittles has been through so much with me. She came out here with me to CA in my car. She has had a lot of illnesses in her life. Survived all with my help. Got spayed last year. She means so much to me. All my pigs mean a lot to me.

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I'm sorry to hear of your trouble with your pet. I am an animal lover and have a career based in the animal field. I also have a pet sitting service on the side and here is the advice I give clients who have ailing pets and making the decision as to when to put them to sleep. I would make a list of the things your pet LOVES to do. As your pet starts declining to do the things they love then the answer as to when to put your pet to sleep becomes more clear. The bottom line is that you want your pet to have a healthy and fun life but once they start declining in health and are not doing the things they once love to do then the human as to step in and decide when they have suffered enough and are not living a high quality of life. I have two aging pets myself and I have been dreading the day that I will be in this position to make the same decision. Good luck and I hope this helped.

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Ren,

 

I am terribly sorry about Skittles. Poor thing. I can understand the agony and pain you feel at the moment. I have a kitty and I would be heart wrenched with a decision like this. You do not want your pets to suffer but you do not want to lose them.

 

Perhaps keep a very close eye on Skittles for the next day or so, keep her on her meds and if nothing changes, then you can go Saturday. I really do not have any defenitative advice for you because I honestly do not know what I would do if it were me. But you do have my sincerest empathy and support in what ever you decide.

 

((((BIG BIG HUGS))))

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I've PM'd you hun.

*hugs tightly*

 

If it has to be done, do it. It'll hurt, I know it will, but if Skittles is in pain, it's for the best...

 

See what happens.

 

You've got my support, as Kellbell also said.

 

PM me anytime you want.

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I am going to wait till Sat morning to make the decision. I am taking her back up to LA to the well-renowned guinea pig vet. I just picked up my other piggie tonight from the rescue lady (I had Peanut Butter spayed and in order to only pay $40 for the spay, the rescue lady that I got her from, had to take her into the vet for the spay).

 

At least if I have to do it on Sat, I can have the rest of the weekend to grieve.

 

It is hard.

 

Maybe after my piggies all die, I will take a long hiatus from having pets. I am not sure if I can deal with the pain of all this.

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Saturday for a pet in pain is such a long time. I know my parents just put one of their cats down. He had been with the family for over 16 years but was in such pain. I think and this is just me that its selfish of a person to keep a pet alive because they are not ready to let go. If you do go to the vet all they can do is give Skittles pain meds. It will only buffer the pain and not take away what ails her.

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EH, Skittles is on pain meds right now. She's been on pain meds for the last few weeks. When the meds wear off, she can barely move. After she has the meds, she moves around a bit. She is alert and hungry, so I hand feed.

 

I don't want to do this alone and part of my decision hinges on the fact that if I have to make the decision Sat., I can hang out with some friends afterwards. And I have the weekend to grieve.

 

I dunno. I love Skittles very much, more than many of you guys can understand. She came from a rescue group, undernourished and scared, about 5 years ago. She had been abandoned and picked up by the local shelter. A guinea pig rescue took her in and I adopted her. I took GOOD care of her, fed her the best foods, got her vet care whenever she needed and doted on her. She lived with other piggies and had a decent life. I loved her then and I love her very much now.

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Hi Ren,

The vet I worked with for many years would tell his clients....When the animal quits eating and drinking, then you know it's time. He said, when an animal is enough pain to stop doing those two things.....it's the end.

 

I'm sorry your going through this. I've had to do it too, it's one of the hardest things we will ever have to do.

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I really don't know what to do with Skittles.

 

She perked up again with all the pain meds and is eating and drinking and moving around a bit, dragging on her leg.

 

It is like night and day with the pain meds. But a life dependent on pain meds, is that the right thing??? And she will get worse, not better.

 

I dunno.

 

I guess I'll find out on Sat.

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Ren,

 

You are a great owner. I cannot imagine how agonizing this decision is. If Skittles is eating and drinking, responding well to pain meds, perhaps she can wait until Saturday. Just keep a very close eye on her.

 

You have my support in what ever you decide.

 

(((HUGS)))

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Aw I am so so sorry to hear about your piggie. It's an agonizing decision.

 

I have had animals put to sleep in the past (cats) because of organ failure. I could have waited until they died naturally (a few days) but I could not BEAR to see them suffering. It's awful to watch an animal suffer and to feel helpless.

 

But it does sometimes get to the point where euthanizing them is the kindest thing.

 

I've never kept guinea pigs but my heart goes out to you. She sounds like a sweetie.

 

(hugs)

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Kellbell, she is responding to the pain meds. Those help her move around a bit better, but she is still hobbling around. I came home to find her hopping around painfully. She still eats (I saw her nibble on hay and I fed her some mash) and drinks.

 

Sat, I will have to make the long, two hour drive up to LA for the appt but I trust this vet very much. He is one of the best, if not THE BEST guinea pig vet around.

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It's ok if you wait until Saturday. If I were in terrible pain, I hope my husband would give me every chance before putting me to sleep. I've been through lots of pain, and I've survived. And at least you are giving her pain meds. That's helping a lot I'm sure.

 

Hang in there. Maybe they can help the poor baby.

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I'm back from the vet. He looked her over very carefully and he still thinks she has life left in her. Since she is still very alert and drinking, eating, peeing, and pooping, the vet wants to still give her a shot at life. He tells me to continue with the pain meds since they are working well. He also gave her a chiro treatment on her spine and legs (they have a machine for this). I left her at the vet for a few hours and when I picked her up, she seemed a bit better.

 

I know her arthritic ailments will eventually kill her, but she still has life left in her and she has come to bond with me. She used to run away from me or my hand. Now she comes sniffing around looking for goodies and treats from my hand. I have to give her a shot a life.

 

I love her too much and she means too much to me, to let her die right now.

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  • 1 year later...

forty eight hours ago I put down my Cocker Spaniel of four years..he was only five on thanksgiving..something was strange with his eyes..I took him to emergency vet clinic..he stayes twenty four hours..they diagnosed glaucoma both eyes high pressures and pain...I went at nite to get special meds out of town to help reduce pressures....next day a specialist opened up at emergency rate to diagnose...one eye should be removed other questionable...in one day he had become blind and was in pain..she gave me six meds..tablets, syringes..drops tablets.....and some of these would have to be administered near hourly........I was overwhelmed...he whimpered...I took him to my vet and requested they put him to sleep....I had nearly two thousand dollars in bills by now..I am widowed and retired,,,fixed income..but if the money would have helped him..I would have found a way.....I feel guilty and wonder if I did right...he was my best friend the void is immense...prayer is helping..I hope the pain goes in time....he helped me after my husband passed to leukemia at fifty seven..I retired...I had another Cocker in 04 we put down due to cancer, the following month my husband was diagnosed with leukemia..and survived about five months....in time it may make sense....I adored Freckles,,he was a pure bred parti colored...got the only real chair in the house..and I played the piano for him..he was loved...I am sure others have experienced similar experiences..and survive..he was loved..and I guess we can be glad we have such love to give but such a hole in my heart..I pray to find another to care for..they are such companions....but so hard to put them down...I figured I would suffer so he wouldnt have to.......I am sure it gets better in time but for now.....its tuff

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