Puttin down my best friend...

CoNMaN

CoNMaN

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Jul 1, 2003
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My dog Chance (70lbs. Smokey Brown Lab/Weimaraner mix we think)hasn't really been himself these last 2 weeks. He went into the vet last week friday because he was in alot of pain. He would constantly yelp, and his back was arched and was extreamly tence. The vet said it was Neck spasims, and gave us some muscle relaxors for him. This week he has gotten better, but he just lays around and will only walk when he goes to get food/water/bathroom. When i came home from school last week saturday instead of my usuall greeting of running up to me and wimpering and howeling (he never barks, only wimpers/howels when he is excited) just lifted his head, licked his lips, and gave his tail two soft pats on the ground before closeing his eyes, and fallin back to sleep. Being at school this week has been hard. But last night i called home and asked how he was doing. And my sister said he was doing much better, he got up and walked to her when she came home yesturday! But this morning my mom called me and told me he is paralized in his front and maybe his back legs too. He can't stand up. I know its the best thing for him, it shouldn't be this hard to say goodbye.
 

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bigfoot150

bigfoot150

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Dec 17, 2003
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That is sad to hear man. I feel your pain. Putting a dog down is like losing a buddy in combat. You should take this time to reflect on all the good memories you had of him. You might also want to take a trip down to the shelter to see if there is a young pup that you can save from the same fate and build new memories with.
 

Leopardess

Leopardess

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May 3, 2003
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I'm so sorry:( I know how much that sucks. I've had to do it to my best friend (Hunter) too:( It's like losing a person.

It will be for the best...he'll end up chasing squirrels in the big dog park in the sky - and have all the Kibbles 'N Bits he wants.

It might seem hard at first to think about getting a new dog (and you definitely can't replace him) - but there are so many out there that could use a good home. And your dog's main goal was for you to be happy (seriously, that's all dogs want) so a new puppy might be a good idea in some time.

I hope you're doing okay:( Got any pictures you'd like to post of him?
 

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ashleigh

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Jan 8, 2004
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I'm sorry conman, you're right, you are making the best decision for your dog but it's not easy. The two things I think make it the most difficult are people who do not understand pets and see fit to tell you that 'it's just a dog'. it's like the others said- he was your friend. take all the time you need to feel crappy and vent here if you need to. The other thing is- don't second guess your decision, when you see your pet in pain that can't be alleviated, you don't doubt your decision, onec the animal is gone you start to wonder oh was it really that bad, etc. I second guessed putting my first horse to sleep for months and it almost drove me nuts. you have to trust that you know what he needs you to do, and you know. Anyway, take care, and talk when you need to. nothing wrong with having trouble saying goodbye.
 

CoNMaN

CoNMaN

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Thanks guys, It means alot to have a place like this to vent out. I had a long talk with a co-worker who went the other route when her dog had spinal problems (MRI, CAT Scans, Surgery, Daily Injections) and she said if she could do it over again, as hard as it is to do, she would do what we did. Its just not fair at all.
 

TurbineSurgeon

TurbineSurgeon

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Feb 27, 2004
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Dude, that really sucks :(

I had to have a 16 year old cat put to sleep last year, and then in January of this year, I had to have my black lab put to sleep. Before those two, I never had to face that decision, and it's one I don't look forward to making again. But alas, I have a very old and arthritic chocolate lab mix who was diagnosed with a type of cancer last year. I hope he goes in his sleep, but in case he doesn't, I'm ready to make that last trip with him to the vet and then cry in the parking lot (again).
 

C

colesea

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Oct 22, 2002
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Conman, we're all here with ya.

The decision isn't always an easy one to make, but when you think of the alternitives, you realize that length of life is not as important as quality of life. Chance lived a quality life with you, loving you as much as you loved him. When illness robs him of being able to live life to the fullest, then it is time.

Keep in mind that the stages of grief you will experience are natural and nothing to beat yourself up over. Allow yourself the emotions to work themselves out. Cry if you want to. Heck, I took a day off from work when we euthanized our family dog. Give yourself however long you need to mourn, and don't let anybody make you feel guilty about it.

One of the things that has helped my mom was that we set up an "alter" of sorts for our dog's ashes. We have a corner in the hallway where his toybox used to rest. She got a nice little corner nick-nack shelf, arranged pictures of him on the wall around it, and placed his ashes there with all his favorite toys and his collar and tags. Its a cute little memorial to him, it helped her grieve the loss of her "baby." We all still miss him, and it took a long while for my mom to even broach the possiblity of getting another dog. We knew she had made her peace when she batted her eyes at my dad and said, "You know honey, Sue at work just got an adorable little Lab puppy that looks just like Beamer...."

My dad still hasn't made his yet, so three years later, we are still a canine-less family. But my boyfriend's dog makes a good fosterling for us, and it is very gracious that my boyfriend can share his friendship with Jack with us. My dad loves Jack, and loves the fact that at the end of the day Jack goes home with us and doesn't need to be walked by him at 6am.

My dad is going to be an awsome grandpa!
~~Colesea
 

Cillana

Cillana

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Oct 22, 2002
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Sorry for your loss. :( I hate it when pets die, but the years of joy you have with them greatly outweighs the pain of the loss.

My aunt recently had to put down her dog, a springer spaniel. He had a form of dementia and had become increasingly more aggressive over the years. When it first started they had to keep him away from strangers, then he started growling and biting my uncle. Then he became possessive of their bed and bit my aunt. So they put him in his crate at night, but then he became possessive of that too. A couple weeks ago, my aunt was grooming him like always and he turned around and bit her hand really bad. Doctor said that if she wasn't holding the clippers, his teeth probably would have destroyed the nerve there, crippling her hand. They live in an RV since my uncle's job requires them to move alot, so they couldn't just chain him up outside. Plus someone else at the RV park could have been bit by him. They gave him many chances, but realized there was nothing they could do about it and decided they should put him down. My aunt really misses him. He kept her company while her husband was at work. Taking him out for walks everyday kept her from getting lazy and just staying inside. She hasn't decided if she wants to get another dog yet. They had another springer before this one that got hit by a car. They also had two cats before they moved into the RV that they had to give to my other uncle since they got severely car sick. They ran away soon after and we never found them. :( She said she was thinking about getting a bird instead of another dog.

I haven't had to put any animals down except fish. Other than fish I haven't lost any pets since 2000 when my parakeet died of a stroke. My current non-fish pet is a rabbit. He's about 3 years old now. Hopefully he will live a full 8 years or more.

Sorry if I rambled a bit...
 

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ashleigh

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Jan 8, 2004
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Sorry Cillana- you are right there was nothing they could do.
Conman he was a cute little guy- what a fun picture. I hope you're feeling better soon. I'm sorry I don't have anything more helpful to say but I really think it does just take time.
PS- may I ask what is wrong wirth your coworker's dog's spine? Do you know what breed it is? My dog has intervertebral disk disease, which is why I'm curious.
 

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