What's your opinion on... euthanasia

[finn's mom]

I had him creamated and footprint made. Hubby is working on a nive little box for them so I can still have him around.

That's so awesome. I had Bruno cremated and I have his urn with his photo on it. It's just a little wooden box, but, I love it. The footprint is a good idea, too.

[pitc9]

Corina.... omg... I can't stop crying after reading your post.....

I really don't know what I would do. I hope they would let me know... somehow. I'm depressed all the time and think about/worry about death and I always cry to my dogs and I ask them all the time to pleeeease let me know when you want to go. I know they hear me, I just hope they follow through!
Right now as I sit here and have two heathly dogs at home.... I can say that If I were faced with that decision to make I would like to do it on a good day. But once/if the situtation come to be... I don't know.

[pnance]

This is a hard question, which I'm not sure of the answer. I'm guessing I'll be facing it with Bear in the next few years. I'd like to say I'd do it on a good day but I'm not sure I can. I think I'd always wonder if he still had some good days left. I've never had to decide when it's time, Sandy my RB terrier took the decision out of my hands. He collapsed one night on our deck. After a trip to the emergency vet and then our own vet he passed away the next night from heart failure. The vet had recommended giving him 24 hours to see if he responded to treatment, but I knew the next day I'd have to make that decision. I like to think he knew how hard it would be for me to do it and he decided to save me that pain.

[beeniesmom]

I am reading these posts and crying.
I don't know what I would do...
I've never had to make such a decision.
My poodle Dee Dee died in her sleep 2 yrs ago when she was 15 yrs old.
I hope you and Nanook have countless wonderful days together.

[anna_66]

I honestly can say that as long as they were having good days and not in pain I would wait for a bad day.

With Angus he was getting worse, but by no means was he ready to go before he did. I just got up one day and his leg and foot was swolen. The vet did everything she could but his poor body just couldn't fight the infection so we made the decision to let him go. It was a bad day, but that boy was so happy to see us when we got there that morning. We just petted him and talked to him and he slowly faded away.

[ParNone]

Maddie had a lot of health problems and I had people tell me I should put her to sleep, because she was blind. But my thought was as long as she was running to greet me, when I got home and puppy play bowing to me, it wasn't her time. I've got pictures of her playing with her stuffed mouse, the week she died, so I didn't feel it was time for her yet, even though she had Cancer.

She took the decision out of my hands though. Maybe she knew it would be too hard for me. I got home really late from work that night. She waited for me. I think she knew I'd have been crazed, if I'd come home to find her dead. So she held on, so that she could die in my arms, with me telling her I loved her.

With Murph now 15, I'm having to look for signs again and dreading finding any. I was getting worried about him, since his hearing and eyesight are bad now. But we got a new dog next door and Murph's got a new lease on life. He's almost puppy-like in his zeal to run up and down the fenceline, marking every post and hurling curse words at the dog next door. So alls right with the world now.

I don't think I'd take him on a good day though. Unless he's suffering, if he still has good days, then I feel like he's still meant to be with me.

Par...

[PJ's Mom]

I've only had one PTS, and it wasn't under the best of circumstances, so it doesn't really apply here.

However, I can say with certainty, that there's no way I could let one of mine go on a good day.

[Alysser]

I like it and I don't like it. For one, you lose you best friend but they don't suffer. I have had to put two dogs to sleep. My Great Dane and my BloodHound. Yes, I MISS THEM SO MUCH! But it was better to let them go then to suffer. Much better. It made me feel better but not much. I mean I am stll very sad but it was for the best.

[.sarah]

I am so glad that euthanasia is available. I can't tell you how many animals have been euthanized at work who were suffering and simply would have been strung along had it not been available. My boy Buttons was euthanized in February, on a bad day for him. It was just his time to go, his organs were shutting down, and we felt it should be a fast, painless death. He was getting extremely disoriented, he had already started going senile, and he just wasn't happy anymore. I could never euthanize my pet on a good day, unless if he/she had to be euthanized because it needed a sugery that was nearly impossible to recover from. In that case I would try to make it's last day a good day, but in most situations I would wait until my pet has no quality of life yet, because one good day can always lead to another one.

And I truly wish that euthanasia was available for suffering people. I wish Terri Shaivo could have been euthanized instead of starved to death -- how cruel!

[cyber-sibes]

Reading these has me in tears. it's finally hiting me that I may need to make this decision for real in the coming weeks/months. I don't post often about my cat, Chow Chow, but his health has been failing since last winter.. He's going on 17. All summer I've been giving him sub-q fluids, which he's now resisting. He's less than half his former weight. But I just can't see myself taking him in on a good day, like many of you, it would keep my hopes up that he still had a few good days left. I know if he became incontinent or couldn't get around it will be time. I've asked him to stick around the house, though, because if he went off into the woods I would always wonder about him. Not really a problem now, I don't let him out much now that it's getting cooler. *sigh* I guess I needed to read this for a reality check. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. Here's my sweetie-cat:
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[Love4BCs]

I didn't go to the vet when we put Wolfgang down. We weren't allowed. Luckily, it was done on a good day. But everyday was a good day for Wolfie. Even through his pain, he was always happy... *happy/sad tear*

It's going to be so hard for me when Mickey goes to join Wolfie. No matter how much I cry, no matter how much it hurts, I'm going to go with him to the vet. I owe it to him. After all he has even given me so far, I'd go willingly.

I would like to see if the vet could come to the house and do it. I think it would be much more less agitating for him as he is terrified of the vet.