Comments: When to say good-bye

“Our sweet Freckles, our Jack Russell Terrier was just diagnosed with primary lung cancer. She had been initially diagnosed with a livable collapsed trachea and was being treated with cough medication. It did not help much and then she started with little interest in eating and vomiting. I called my Vet and he had me bring her in for a chect X-Ray because these were not typical symptoms of a collapsed trachea. He looked at the X-Ray and saw a little bit of scarying in her bronchials, but nothing unusual for her age of 11 years. Another week went by and I could barely get her to eat. My Vet decided to have a Radiologist look at the X-Rays. The Radiologist told my Vet that Freckles had probable lung cancer (a bronchial carconoma type). We then brought her to the University Veterinary Hospital and they did an asperation and found it to be a primary lung cancer. We can have her lung lobe removed, but my Vet said it is a very painful surgery and that this type of cancer is not curable and would probably prolong her life for just a few months. We decided we could not put her throught the pain. That was a week and a half ago and I can hardly get her to eat. She lays around with no interest in anything but she will still go on a walk at the off leash park. She has lost alot of weight and does not look like herself. In my heart, I know that we should probably euthanize her, but I can't come to terms with it yet and I know that I am probably being selfish. My eighteen year old daughter is not even close to coming to terms with euthanizing her. My husband and are are pretty much at the same spot on how we feel about it. Some days I can get her to eat some soft canned dog food that I bought, and then the next day she will barely touch any food. I go to bed at night thinking that we are being selfish by making her live like this and then the next day I can't get myself to think about euthanizing her. It is gut renching. I don't know if we are doing the right thing. As long as she goes on walks, we think she's doing ok, but she still won't eat much and I am afraid she will starve and that is a very cruel thing to do to her. I hope that I can make this decision soon for Freckles sake. I tried to copy the article you have on grieving to show it to my daughter, but it won't let me print it. I think it would help her tremendously.” — tana, Aug 17 2008

“I had to finally make the decision to put down my beautiful Smokey he was sixteen years old a little lhaso the joy of my life. The last year had been tough on him as he went blind, deaf and senality set in I was so concerned watching him trying to find his way around the house and knew it was time as he was not enjoying life as he once had, it broke my heart but when I saw him so at peace at the end I knew I did the right thing. Joan” — joanellen123, Jul 07 2008

“we had to send our beautiful darcy, australian shepherd home to heaven on 06-05-08 it was the hardest thing we have ever had to do. darcy was about 12-13 years old. i wonder if my heart will ever stop hurting. she was our angel our life. every where we look we see her beautiful face. she loved us as much as we did her. we miss her so much even though we know what we did was for our baby girl. she had a beautiful life, fun joy good food love kindness and respect. we will love her and remember her for all the love and trust she gave us all the days of our lives. our darling darcy we love and miss you. god bless you and may others as us had to allow you to go home in peace and let you run free with out pain. xoxo, mom and dad koz” — ebccdr, Jun 10 2008

“I just had to put my buddy Floyd down a few days ago. Floyd was a beautiful 12 year old boxer. I still remember the day we picked him up at the breeders house. He was so small. Floyd has seen alot of days with my husband and I. Moved into a few homes and worked thru all of ups and downs of life together. Floyd was healthy all of his life until the past 6 months. He developed a cancerous tumor which we had removed~ the surgery was tough on him and we vowed we would never do that again to him. The vet did tell us he was not able to get all of the cancer and there was a good chance it would spread. A few weeks after the surgery he collapsed in our family room. We rushed him to the vet and his heart was racing about 300 beats a minute. It should beat between 80-120 beats/min. We were able to put him on medication to help with his heart and all seemed to be going smooth. He slept alot, but he was 12 and for a 75lb (he was in great shape- not fat at all.. he was just a big dog) boxer life was good. I took him out for a short walk and he kicked up some dirt in the woods and fractured his leg. We didnt know what had happened to him, we thought perhaps he had sprained a muscle or had a pinched nerve because what he was doing when he yelped was so very common, he had done so many times before. We watched him for the night and my husband slept on the couch to keep an eye on him. As the night progressed, he got worse. He couldnt walk at all, began to urinate on himself and wanted to be left alone. He was distancing him from us. I took him to the vet in the morning after a tough struggle to get him into my car. (he couldnt walk and he weighs 75lbs) At the vet they brought out a stretcher to help me get him inside. The vet took one look at him and said he had fractured his back leg and he hoped that the cancer had not spread to his bones which caused them to become very brittle. Our worse nightmare had come true. The cancer had began to eat his bones, and his leg would not heal. His leg had swollen up and his gums were losing alot of color. His blood was pumping to his leg. I swear Floyd looked at me and said please.. I am in pain, I am tired and I cant do this anymore, it is time. The vet told us our options, which was only to amputate his leg and hope he was strong enough to make it thru the surgery. I couldnt cut off my babys leg and I knew deep down it wasnt a true option. My husband spent some time with him and then he asked the vet to come in. I held him in my arms and brought his face to mine and told him I loved him over and over until I heard him take his last breathe. The hardest moment and day of my lift. I loved my dog like a child and I am trying so hard to take comfort that he is no longer in pain.. I am in so much pain. I feel as if someone has ripped my heart out. His absence is felt everywhere. I look forward to the day we meet again~ ” — Dawn, May 31 2008

“My thirteen year old beagle has had some health issues. His glands by his throat were about the size of golf balls. When I took him to the vet last Sunday he couldn't see and hardly had the strength to get up and go outside by himself. I took him to the vet and he gave him a steriod and now they have gone done a lot. He can see much better as well. I realize that he can't stay on the steriods forever and have chemo or anyother type treatment is not a option at his age. It's so hard to watch their quality of life go so fast. I know that as soon as he is in pain or not eatting that I will make the right decision for him. It will be hard but I love him enough to make sure that he doesn't suffer for my selfishness.
Deb & Bozlee” — dweier1, May 27 2008

“Four Months ago , we had to say good bye to our 12 year old Boston terrier. She had developed some weird autoimmune disease and her ablitiy to control her urinary functions had noticeably decreased.We had worked with her for 2 years trying to sort the answer....It was the hardest thing we had to determine not only for Daisy, but how it would affect our other Boston Terrier.
Today I am at the computer trying to sort out the right thing to do with Winston. He will be 11 very soon and has not emotionally recovered from Daisy's absence. To add insult to injury, Winnie has been diagnosed with Cancer. Today our family has a terrible decision to make.With MANY tears,we need to think about his health. He really loves us and tries to play like a puppy..But it is hard for him to breath, he chokes at night and has sores that will not heal. Surgery is not an option and the pain control appears to be making little difference. each day we see more symptoms and the question....can we keep him for another day...or do we decide that to say goodbye today...We wish our dearest friend could express his wishes.It is such heartbreak. Thank you for this web site as it has helped us to weigh the issues. It is so tough ..in many ways worse than /the same as the death of a close family member
Nancy from Canada” — bdemontmorency, Apr 17 2008

“Last July I had to put my best friend to sleep as he had congestive heart failure and then developed renal failure. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and I have been through some pretty rough times. I had never had a dog who I had bonded so close with and spent so much time with and helped to get back up to walk when he was three and became paralyzed in his back legs. He was a mini dachshund. But, we worked through it and he came out pretty well on the other side. I'm still not over missing him but I realize that he is no longer in pain and he is running around and playing again. I know I will certainly see him again and he will be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge and that gives me such comfort.

Gail & Hansie” — glbest2003, Feb 20 2008

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