Euthanasia and your pet

[onetwo_threefour]

My best bud passed away at home this morning...



His name was chiot (shee-oh) and he was the smartest pup I've ever known.

We got him as a pound puppy 13 and a half years ago when he was 12 weeks old and he was the first birthday present I ever gave my wife who I started dating just before he was born.

We've had ups and downs over the years, lots of gastrointestinal issues and vet bills, but he was the sweetest pup in the world.

My wife and I have known for a couple of months that he was on the downward spiral, he stopped wanting to go for walks in March, then became less and less mobile with less and less appetite over the last several weeks, developing a raspy cough and otherwise remaining totally silent. For the last few days we had to carry him outside and he had lost all his muscle mass. For the past few days we've been in the verge of making the toughest call, but nature took it out of our hands this morning and Chiot passed away peacefully at home in his favourite chair.

Our hearts are broken, but we are happy he died with his family around him and believe that although he was surely in some pain, for him this would have been his choice if he could talk.

[Suzles]

So sorry for your sad loss. Bless his heart.

[schteve_d]

Most theads I am happy to see new posts. As soon as I see this thread come up again I cringe.

Very sorry.

[Buzzard]

Yup, sorry to hear it too.

I've got a real soft spot for dogs. I like them more than most people I meet.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Yup, sorry to hear it too.

I've got a real soft spot for dogs. I like them more than most people I meet.

I'm only partly kidding when I say that the best people I've met have been dogs. Dogs have a simple, primal and easy friendship with us that most human friends can never hope to achieve.

[Table 5]

Just another small reminder to consider pet insurance....

I just came back from having to put down our cat. She seemed perfectly find yesterday, and today in the morning collapsed and could barely move. We found out she had some severe liver issues caused by some sort of allergic reaction and diabetes (not common in a young, thin 4 year old cat). It wou'dve taken at least $2,000 to keep her at the vet for the next few days at the emergency hospital to try to get her more stable (i know emergency hospitals are pricy, but it was the only option as clinics here tend not to keep animals overnight), and even then it was only a 50/50 chance at best)....and a fairly significant long-term commitment as well. Pretty nuts, I think we're still in shock. At this time last night she was cuddling in our bed.

We had a 17 year old kitty that we had to put down last year that had a lot of liver issues. Luckily for him, his dad was a veterinarian, so he had free care (we even kept an incubator in our kitchen!).

Unfortunately it's something wasn't an option this time, but pet insurance could have made a huge difference.

So yeah, consider it.....

[LChoy]

Sorry Table
I think mine had the same issue as your cat. Sudden development of liver problems, and he also had diabetes

[SeeBass]

So sorry to hear that it always hurts

I miss my buddy and still cry now and then and it has been almost 4 months

you never forget them

[Kipper is King]

My dog passed away last year (on my birthday, no less!), so I know your pain.

Remember all the good times you had with Chiot. I found one thing that helped me after Biscotti passed away was writing a letter to him. I then cremated the letter with him. It was a deeply personal way to help me remember how wonderful he was.

Chiot looks like he was an awesome buddy. My condolences.

[Ramsayfarian]

The pain of losing a pet is the price one has to pay for all the joy they bring. It sucks though and it's something I'll be doing sometime soon and until then, I'm just enjoying every walk.


"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Just another small reminder to consider pet insurance....

I just came back from having to put down our cat. She seemed perfectly find yesterday, and today in the morning collapsed and could barely move. We found out she had some severe liver issues caused by some sort of allergic reaction and diabetes (not common in a young, thin 4 year old cat). It wou'dve taken at least $2,000 to keep her at the vet for the next few days at the emergency hospital to try to get her more stable (i know emergency hospitals are pricy, but it was the only option as clinics here tend not to keep animals overnight), and even then it was only a 50/50 chance at best)....and a fairly significant long-term commitment as well. Pretty nuts, I think we're still in shock. At this time last night she was cuddling in our bed.

We had a 17 year old kitty that we had to put down last year that had a lot of liver issues. Luckily for him, his dad was a veterinarian, so he had free care (we even kept an incubator in our kitchen!).

Unfortunately it's something wasn't an option this time, but pet insurance could have made a huge difference.

So yeah, consider it.....

I agree about setting up the insurance. Right now I am not impressed at the cost of pet care.

My daughter's hamster was sick. We took it to the vet. $90 worth of meds because it had an infection. I can live with that. It is my daughter's hamster after all. It took a turn for the worse and my daughter took it in because I was at work. They decided the hamster had some more serious issue. Cancer or cysts or something. So they decide it is best to put the hamster to sleep.

They charged $270 for the 'emergency' visit.

Plus the $600 I spent in May to figure out why the cat was so thin. Cancer or diabetes.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I agree about setting up the insurance. Right now I am not impressed at the cost of pet care.

My daughter's hamster was sick. We took it to the vet. $90 worth of meds because it had an infection. I can live with that. It is my daughter's hamster after all. It took a turn for the worse and my daughter took it in because I was at work. They decided the hamster had some more serious issue. Cancer or cysts or something. So they decide it is best to put the hamster to sleep.

They charged $270 for the 'emergency' visit.

Plus the $600 I spent in May to figure out why the cat was so thin. Cancer or diabetes.

$270? That sounds like robbery. If your daughter is under 18 the Vet should have asked you for permission to do anything.

If what you say is true, I would scan your bill, blank out your personal information and post the receipt here to start, I'd also contact the press about this. This Vet should lose his/her's license.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

If what you say is true, I would scan your bill, blank out your personal information and post the receipt here to start, I'd also contact the press about this. This Vet should lose his/her's license.

That's more than a little extreme, don't you think? Would you be ok with your entire livelihood being destroyed because of one client not being happy with their bill? I agree that his daughter should've been told about the costs upfront though, but maybe she was...

Not sure JAG took his hamster to the emergency hospital, but I know those places are about twice as expensive as a regular clinic. They don't care if you bring in a hamster or great dane, that exam fee is probably the same.

And nope, it's definitely not cheap, but there's a reason. What people tend not to understand about vet costs is that these medical expenses aren't subsidized like they are with humans, therefore they have to be passed onto the client. Vets have to buy the same (human-grade) equipment and medication as human hospitals, and this stuff is amazingly expensive. As I mentioned before, my dad is a veterinarian in Calgary, and some of the costs he has are pretty staggering. There are machines in there the size of a book that cost more than a new 3-series...and that's the small stuff. I can see why they charge what they do.

Medication is an expensive business, people just don't tend to notice it when they themselves get sick, because those costs are paid for them. If there was no public health care, you would be paying the exact same types of figures if you went to a physician for a paper cut.

Like I said...people really need to consider pet insurance. This stuff get's amazingly expensive pretty fast, and if you can't handle the finances (like we couldn't with our kitty yesterday), some extremely tough decisions have to be made.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

$270? That sounds like robbery. If your daughter is under 18 the Vet should have asked you for permission to do anything.

If what you say is true, I would scan your bill, blank out your personal information and post the receipt here to start, I'd also contact the press about this. This Vet should lose his/her's license.

Yes, a bit extreme. I am not saying the Vet scammed my daughter. I am saying that a person should be aware of the costs for vet care.

I am still considering going in to discuss the charges with the Vet. When we first took the hamster in they said to bring her back if there are any problems. Which we did. They didn't mention that they would triple the charges for that 'emergency'.

I believe that I am responsible to be aware of these kinds of things. So it is my fault.

I would never do it, and I don't think like this. But what about people who can't afford these kinds of costs? Maybe next time I should just let the pet suffer and die on its own. Save myself the almost $300.

Just to be clear. I am not saying I would do that. But I am sure some people would.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I would never do it, and I don't think like this. But what about people who can't afford these kinds of costs? Maybe next time I should just let the pet suffer and die on its own. Save myself the almost $300.

Just to be clear. I am not saying I would do that. But I am sure some people would.

Unfortunately, there are people who do just that. People often see cute kittens and puppies and all they see is the fun and good times, but don't understand the true costs of owning a pet. In the end it's the animals that suffer, which is pretty tragic. At the very least, everyone should be ready to spend 200-300 dollars to humanely euthanize a pet if the need ever arises. For all the love and loyalty that pet gives you, they at least deserve not to suffer needlessly.

[Sr. Mints]

Worst thing ever was carrying my dog into the Vet's office, waiting in the waiting room to pay, taking him into the back room, waiting for the staff to get everything ready, then helping hold him while they injected him.

Then I cried a bit, walked back into the full waiting room where nobody would make eye contact because they all knew what was up... then leaving. Makes me sad thinking about it again. He was 13 or 14, we weren't sure of his age.

Apparently you can have some vets come to your home to euthanize your pet. In the future that's what I'll do.

Actually, that will never be necessary because my current two dogs are going to live forever.

[Eastern Girl]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Worst thing ever was carrying my dog into the Vet's office, waiting in the waiting room to pay, taking him into the back room, waiting for the staff to get everything ready, then helping hold him while they injected him.

Then I cried a bit, walked back into the full waiting room where nobody would make eye contact because they all knew what was up... then leaving. Makes me sad thinking about it again. He was 13 or 14, we weren't sure of his age.

Apparently you can have some vets come to your home to euthanize your pet. In the future that's what I'll do.

Actually, that will never be necessary because my current two dogs are going to live forever.

It's very true. I had my dog put down this past Tuesday, and when I walked in, everyone was giving me the head tilted to the side I'm so sorry look. When I walked out, no one made eye contact at all.

It's a hard enough decision to make, but the even tougher thing is to actually carry it out. I brought my dog in and I had trouble looking at her, because I felt like she was giving me the "Why are you letting them do this to me? You're supposed to protect me" look. It's so painful, you know it's for the best, but it's just brutal.

The other thing was that my vet seemed somewhat callous about the whole thing. Granted, I was certainly in a very sensitive state, but he walked in and said "sorry about this," but there didn't seem to be any sincerity at all there. Then, after it was done, I asked what happens now and he started on about putting her in a bag and then a freezer with the other euthanized animals, before the truck comes at the end of the week to pick up the bodies. I wasn't expecting some story about putting her in a golden coffin while someone recites a prayer, but he must have said 'freezer' and 'body' 20 times in his little two minute explanation.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

I thought that I'd posted this before, but searched and couldn't find it. Anyway, I've had it sent in emails and stumbled across it different times. Each time I read it, it puts this huge, annoying lump in my throat.

A few weeks ago I was listening to Charles Adler on the radio at work and he read it aloud. It especially got to me that day as I'd been home a lot over the winter with our dogs. They aren't used to being by themselves these days so I couldn't help but think about them as he read it. It turned me into a big pile of mush. I hate when that happens.

I'm sure a lot of you have read it, but here it is for those that haven't.

How Could You

That is by far the saddest thing I have ever read!

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

It's very true. I had my dog put down this past Tuesday, and when I walked in, everyone was giving me the head tilted to the side I'm so sorry look. When I walked out, no one made eye contact at all.

It's a hard enough decision to make, but the even tougher thing is to actually carry it out. I brought my dog in and I had trouble looking at her, because I felt like she was giving me the "Why are you letting them do this to me? You're supposed to protect me" look. It's so painful, you know it's for the best, but it's just brutal.

The other thing was that my vet seemed somewhat callous about the whole thing. Granted, I was certainly in a very sensitive state, but he walked in and said "sorry about this," but there didn't seem to be any sincerity at all there. Then, after it was done, I asked what happens now and he started on about putting her in a bag and then a freezer with the other euthanized animals, before the truck comes at the end of the week to pick up the bodies. I wasn't expecting some story about putting her in a golden coffin while someone recites a prayer, but he must have said 'freezer' and 'body' 20 times in his little two minute explanation.

Your sensitive state has nothing to do with that ... that's just brutal bedside manner. I understand it's a tough job and you have to look at the animals as bodies and not somebodys best friend to keep yourself sane, but for chrissakes you can at least fake it for the sake of the patient!

Condolences on your loss, that's incredibly sad.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

It's very true. I had my dog put down this past Tuesday, and when I walked in, everyone was giving me the head tilted to the side I'm so sorry look. When I walked out, no one made eye contact at all.

It's a hard enough decision to make, but the even tougher thing is to actually carry it out. I brought my dog in and I had trouble looking at her, because I felt like she was giving me the "Why are you letting them do this to me? You're supposed to protect me" look. It's so painful, you know it's for the best, but it's just brutal.

The other thing was that my vet seemed somewhat callous about the whole thing. Granted, I was certainly in a very sensitive state, but he walked in and said "sorry about this," but there didn't seem to be any sincerity at all there. Then, after it was done, I asked what happens now and he started on about putting her in a bag and then a freezer with the other euthanized animals, before the truck comes at the end of the week to pick up the bodies. I wasn't expecting some story about putting her in a golden coffin while someone recites a prayer, but he must have said 'freezer' and 'body' 20 times in his little two minute explanation.

I actually got a little teary eyed reading this. I'm going to hate this day when it eventually comes. I'm sorry for your loss.