Euthanasia and your pet

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

I have a 15 year old cat who I've had for 13 years. I know he's been getting older and from the moment I saw this thread being bumped periodically, have dreaded the thought of posting here.

A week ago, he started behaving differently. Was lazier than normal, hid/slept in the basement from time to time, abnormally bad breath, noticeably became skinnier to the point where I could feel more spine when petting him, and his eyes just looked off. He looked sad. Like he was ready to give up.

We thought and were hoping that this was the result of us bringing a new cat into the house 2 weeks ago, and that he'd come around...but we were wrong.

Today my wife took him to the vet and they confirmed the worst: Kidney Disease.
I lost a cat 25 years ago to the same thing. I know it's fatal, and he'll die soon, but not much more about it. Any insight would be awesome.

The vet did some under skin hydration, and gave him some appetite enhancers and something for his stomach. Mentioned that he could last a week, but they would play it by ear and my wife can/should bring him back for more hydration when needed.

Here's where I'm in a clusterfata of mixed emotions...
I just left town yesterday for a week of work. I won't be back until Thursday night. I gave my wife some instructions that if he's hurting, I was/am ok with him being put down, but would much rather the vet do whatever they can (hydration, pain killers, etc) to hold off until I get back, providing he isn't suffering. I get back Thursday night and would be ok with putting him down on Friday.

I just really want to be there to say goodbye. Is that unreasonably selfish of me?

I hate everything about this, and even more so because I'm so far away and cannot return for a week.

NO..it is not unselfish. Do the right thing for your cat when you do get back though.

[bigtmac19]

So sorry to hear this JonDuke. I think what you are doing is fine, you've covered every possibility at this point. I think it's wonderful that you realize it's important to be there for the cat when he goes.

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

I don't know what line of work you do but is there any chance you can shorten your trip?

I'm a contractor on an O&G site. I asked my site boss today, and thankfully (or not) he went through the same last year. So as much as it feared me to ask to leave for a cat, he was actually very sympathetic.

I asked if I could leave this afternoon, fly home, put the cat down tonight, then fly back tomorrow morning, all on my own dime.

Amazingly, he OK'd it at first, because I have no jobs today, but upon checking the schedule for tomorrow, saw that I'll be needed...so it's a no.

I tried to bring it up with my boss for the company I actually work for, but there's no way I'm getting coverage. I didn't have high hopes for them to approve it anyway.

My wife knows I really want to be there, and I hope he lasts until Thursday, but I again gave her the green light today to make the call if he seems to deteriorate. I trust her judgment.

[Igster]

Good luck JonDuke. We're pulling for you and your cat. Indeed times like this are awful, so I wish you the best my friend.

[Suzles]

I rescued a 17 year old cat a few years ago. He was in a terrible state and badly neglected. I rushed him to the vet and was told I would be lucky if he survived two weeks (end stage renal failure). We went home and managed to keep him well hydrated by every other day administration of fluids sub cut. He seemed to look forward to these thirty minute sessions as they obviously made him feel better and would purr all the while. He was also suffering from hyperthyroidism which we had a gel medication made at the IDA on Glenmore Landing (rubbed onto the skin inside his ear). We had him pretty stable at one point and had him for a wonderful six months before his liver failed him. I am glad I didn't have him put to sleep straight away but gave him a fighting chance and after all the abuse he had suffered he had six months of love. End stage renal failure is manageable if the cat is kept well hydrated, still eating, pooping and peeing. I'm sorry JonDuke what you are going through but I think YOU will cope better if you are there at the end. In my thoughts ....

[JonDuke]

Thanks for all the thoughts! A pre-Xmas miracle just happened.

My boss found someone to cover for me. I will fly home Sunday night. The vet is closed Sundays so I'll have that evening to say farewell. I'll put him down first thing Monday morning, then leave Calgary that afternoon and back to work that night, and resume normal duties Tuesday morning. I've been stressing about this tons. So even though I'm putting my cat down, I'm ecstatic that I get to be there and will deal with the financial costs and other emotions later.

I just can't believe this worked out and am completely grateful that both the site boss and my own boss approved this.

[Cheese]

Im happy you get to be there JonDuke...and just so you know I cried like a baby when I put ours down.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Im happy you get to be there JonDuke...and just so you know I cried like a baby when I put ours down.

We all do. Losing a member of the family tends to bring tears. I hope everything goes as good as it possibly can JonDuke.

[PIMking]

sorry to hear jonDuke! I'm still sad about my cat but it will get better

[Suzles]

Thinking of you today and tomorrow JonDuke.

[JonDuke]

You guys are all awesome. Thank you.

I made it home last night. Was able to say my goodbyes and be with him at the vet today as he was put down.
It was still tough, but I was thankful that he had enough left in him to wait for me to get home.
This is Harley:

Spoiler!

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

You guys are all awesome. Thank you.

I made it home last night. Was able to say my goodbyes and be with him at the vet today as he was put down.
It was still tough, but I was thankful that he had enough left in him to wait for me to get home.
This is Harley:

Spoiler!

I'm so glad that you were able to be there for your furry friend.

[CofR]

So sorry to hear JonDuke, what a beautiful cat! Glad you were able to make it home and be there for him

[redforever]

I listened to the Vet show on QR77 yesterday (Sunday) and they had a gentleman on talking about grief, in particular, grief after losing a pet.

He said the reason we feel so much grief for our pets when they pass is our pets are never judgmental. In his words, "no matter if you have a good or bad day, when you get home, your pet greets you and interacts with you the same and tries to work its way to the kitchen table".

He also mentioned that one of the worst things you can say to someone who just lost their pet is "I know how you feel" because in all reality, you don't. He suggested that you say "How do you feel" instead.

Also, never say "He/she was just a pet" because they are more than that...

And in the end, it is not the pet you miss so much but rather the emotional connection you had with that pet.

The gentleman has a book out about grief, the name of which escapes me...but I think if you go the archives link on the QR77 web site, you could listen to the show and get the name of the book.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by redforever

He said the reason we feel so much grief for our pets when they pass is our pets are never judgmental. In his words, "no matter if you have a good or bad day, when you get home, your pet greets you and interacts with you the same and tries to work its way to the kitchen table".

I think that's part of it, but also the part where we make the choice for them. We make the choice to put them down. That was the hardest part for me. They don't have a say in it other than how unhealthy or whatever problem they are facing.

At least that's how it felt for me. It's a big decision to make for someone, even a pet.

[bigtmac19]

So sorry for your loss JonDuke. I'm glad you were able to be there.

What a beautiful cat!!

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Igster

I think that's part of it, but also the part where we make the choice for them. We make the choice to put them down. That was the hardest part for me. They don't have a say in it other than how unhealthy or whatever problem they are facing.

At least that's how it felt for me. It's a big decision to make for someone, even a pet.

You can't feel bad about it. The fact that it bothers you at all shows how much you cared for your pet, and that means you made the hard choice with love. You did the right thing.

This Christmas has sucked. It started with our dog Gelli (short for Gelinas) not eating and being tired right before Christmas. She had done something similar last year and had snapped out of it after a couple of days, so I didn't think of anything at first. So finally I took her to Fish Creek emerge where they took an xray. They said something was weird in her abdomen and that they suggested we go to CARE to get an ultrasound. Long (and very expensive) story short: she had a mass by her pancreas. They did surgery and got most of it out and sent a sample for biopsy (which we still haven't received)on Christmas eve. She did ok for 3 days (even though she knocked out her feeding tube and wouldn't eat anything other than peanut butter) and on December 29 she passed away quickly and hopefully without any pain (she was very medicated).

brownah and I had gelli for 1/4 of our lives. She loved the water. She loved her peanut butter. She was too smart and she loved people more than she liked other dogs.

RIP Gelli Aug 28 2004 - December 29 2014

[Suzles]

So very, very sorry for your loss. RIP Gelli.

[Igster]

So sorry to hear Puxlut. Can't stand hearing stuff like this, but especially right around Christmas.