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Has anyone had to euthanize their pet? 🙁 My grandmother’s cat, Scotchie, got cancer in his nose and up into his eye…because it had gone all the way into his face, surgery wasn’t really an option anymore, and he was very old anyway…so grandma decided on euthanasia…
He was my grandma’s cat, but I feel like he had been mine…I was the one who brought him home in fourth grade (without asking permission) when he was a kitten, and he was my buddy up through highschool until I moved away for college…He was so constant, a permanent fixture to my grandmother’s house, and now he’s gone…
Grandma didn’t want to be there for it, but I thought that it would be miserable to die amongst stranger who were hurting you with needles in a strange environment, so I stayed with him…
I’ve never witnessed that before…and I’ve never really been comfortable with euthanasia anyway, as the poor animal has no choice in the matter (though I’ve always conceded that there are situations in which it’s the best option…and this was probably one of them)
I don’t know…I don’t even know why I’m posting about it really. Except that it took so very much out of me yesterday, and I’m still very miserable about it…I hope we did the right thing…poor little guy…he went so limp when she knocked him out, with his little tail just hanging off the edge of the table….it just really broke my heart.
I just want to hold him and cuddle him again…*sigh*
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
-J R R TolkienFirst Arlla, Im so sorry for your loss. I’ll light a candle for you as well as the kitty to light his way forward.
Ive gone through this several times, both as an owner or part of the family- and as a vet tech. I cannot stand to see an animal suffer and honestly, death can be a sweet release. It also helps for me to have such a strong belief system that I feel there is something more awaiting us after this life.
Seems this cat (going by your time line) had an extremely long life. In the end, there was nothing that could be done so why let the animal die slowly in pain, when there can be a quick solution to it. It is humane when your heart is pure and in the right place. You did the right thing going by what youve shared.
For any of you in the future that may have to travel this road with your pets, here is an idea to make it even easier on your pet. Euthanasia must inject into a vein. Some animals do not like being restrained at all, for any reason, but for this, it has to be precise and sometimes they can “fight off the needle” as it’s called. Hence, it makes some of these animals last moments tricky. There is a solution and I did it with my most recent loss last year, of my calico Suki.
I had seen it done and asked the vet putting her to sleep, if they would be amenable to doing my suggestion even though she’d never heard of it or done it before. I asked that Suki be given a sedative (shot in the butt) first. It knocks her out enough so that she is so loopy and not in pain, or aware of any restraining or feeling the final needle. Obviously since they are slightly sedated, they look relaxed and limp as youd expect. But, it makes the final procedure painless and oblivious for them. No fighting off any needles, etc. It’s the most humane, painless and peaceful way Ive ever seen a euthanasia done. If Im around and outlive my animals now, I plan to have them all go that way (sedated first) when their time comes.
Arlla, again, Im so sorry for your loss. Words are cheap right now but I truly believe with all that I am, that animals move onto a much better place, where pain and anything negative simply doesnt exist (I believe this for ppl too). You will be reunited again, when kitty meets you at The Rainbow Bridge- Im sure.
Hugs to you sweetie xoxo <3<3<3
I’m sorry for your loss. It’s terrible to lose a pet. They become a part of your family.
We had to put our cat to sleep earlier this year. She had a blockage in her stomach that wasn’t allowing her to pass food out of her stomach, so she was eating little and throwing up what she ate. It happened very quickly, one day we noticed she was doing that, and my mom took her to the vet when I was at work the next day. They called me and told me there was nothing they could do and they’d be euthenizing her. I immediately left work to be there and see her one more time. They had already knocked her out because she’d been in pain and they’d needed to examine her. The Vet said that from Xrays and what not that there was something blocking it, but not exactly what, and that “Exploratory surgery” to see what it was and possibly remove it would cost around 3,000 and there was no guarantee they even could remove it. So I sat in the examining room holding her limp body for about an hour before I let them take her away…
It still hurts a lot, she was my best friend. She was 16 years old, and I know she had a happy long life, but she was a constant through my childhood…
Even half a year later I can’t think about it and not break down and cry.
Sorry about the long story, but I know how you feel and I hope time dulls the pain for us both. And if there is an after death, that can be a comforting thought.
Im sorry Arlla. I have never had to do that, though both my dogs are getting older and I am sure my time will come in the next few years. Its never easy, and I have cried just thinking about it. When the time comes, though, and my pets are in pain or the quality of life is just not there anymore, I will be like your grandma and put them down. I think it would be selfish to keep them around in pain just for me. Im so sorry for your loss.
God, I’m crying again…I thought I would shrivel up and turn to dust after all the crying I did yesterday.
PT – the way they did it for Scotchie was pretty good, too – they took him into the back and put an IV in, then they brought him back out for us to be with him a while before they actually put him to sleep. He didn’t like the IV in his arm, but it at least gave them easy access to the vein so that he didn’t have to go through all the stress and pain of being poked right before the end. And we had time to love on him and make him more comfortable and less scared. I think it was the best way he could go…
But it’s so hard and strange to have dictated his moment of his death, instead of letting it come naturally! I know it was better for him this way, because otherwise he would have just withered away, feeling more and more pain every day…but man is it ever hard…Thanks very much for your support, guys. It’s as comforting as anything can be…
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
-J R R TolkienI’m so sorry for your loss, losing a pet is a terrible thing. Although I personally feel that if an animal is suffering and not enjoying life anymore it can be a merciful thing to do. Sending hugs your way…wish we could do more.
It’s so difficult to lose a pet, or to see them suffer. They’re with you so many years, but they are not as long-lived are we are, and we have to say goodbye. We never think of this when we get a puppy or a kitten. We just think of the happy times – and the frustrating times, which with time become funny (I’ll tell you about the steak incident once).
Remember the fun and cuddly times. I hear your pain and feel your loss. I’ve had all my 3 ferrets die and they don’t live as long a cat or dog and it hurt so much.
Big, big hugs!
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http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htmUnfortunately, I’ve been through this 4 times. Once with my parent’s dog and 3 times with older dogs of my own. In each case, the quality of life was very poor and it was the right thing to do, but it never gets any easier. I remember each day very vividly and it still hurts. 🙁
I am so sorry, Arlla. When you loose a pet I believe you loose a member of the family and grieve for the pet. Plus Scotchie was a big part of your growing up years – he is tied to a lot of memories and was a big part of your daily life.
I know it’s hard to think about euthanizing Scotchie but your grandmother did the best thing for him. Cats live in the here and now and if his quality of life was bad then he was suffering. Cats with the type of cancer you described can live for days after they stop eating but they are suffering during that time. Instead of dying a long, lingering death Scotchie passed away peacefully with someone he loved there for him. It takes a lot of courage to stay in the room and be there during his final moments. Scotchie was a very lucky cat to have people who loved him enough to put what was best for him over what was best for them. And it is normal to feel guilt – people feel like they made the decision to kill their pet. But it was the CANCER that was killing Scotchie – he was going to die. What you and your grandmother did was give him a peaceful, pain free passing. In my opinion there is no greater gift you can give a cat. Even though it really, really sucks.
The only thing that really helps is time. Sometimes a lot of time. But if you have pictures of Scotchie you might want to collect them together and make a “Scotchie Memory Album”. Or make a donation in his name to a local cat rescue group. Or eat a lot of chocolate. Or buy a windstone….or paint a griffin to look like him?
🙁 I am so sorry Arlla. It is a horrible thing to have to do, and it is so hard to have it done, but you absolutely did the right thing by being there for him. (Though sobbing over my animals is probably just as stressful for them, I still feel they deserve to have mommy holding them.) *hugs*
ddvm and PT covered everything I was going to say, pretty much. While the decision was difficult, and you might second guess yourself for a few days, it was the right one.
My sympathies for your loss, hun. It’s the hardest thing a pet owner ever has to do.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m crying for you, but I think you and your grandmother did the right thing too. *hugs*
I’m sorry Arlla. I’ve never personally seen it done. My parent’s two cat both passed away days after I moved out. I felt so guilty even though it had nothing to do with me. I felt I had let them down by not being there when they needed me. My parents had them cremated and they’re both in nice containers on the fireplace.
I’m sure you and your grandmother made the right decision. Even though it’s hard now, try to remember the good times you shared. And try to remember that he’s not in pain anymore.
*Hugs*
You and your grandmother did the kindest thing, Arlla. PT and ddvm have said it so well already, but I wanted to chime in too. Scotchie had reached a point on the road where things were starting to get pretty bad, and were going to get a lot worse. Most of us hate the thought of deciding our pet’s time of passing, but sometimes Nature can be very cruel. The cancer that was killing Scotchie was doing it very slowly, and he had finally gotten to the point where he was no longer enjoying life. When matters get to that point, there is really only one choice left, and that is to send him on ahead in a painless way. He doesn’t have to endure the cancer’s way of ending his life: he has an alternative that lets him avoid all of that misery. And you and your family gave him that alternative.
I know it hurts, missing Scotchie. It’s a terrible feeling to lose a part of the family and I am so sorry that you are going through this right now. But please, please don’t feel guilty about the fact that he was put to sleep. The drug is just a massive overdose of anesthetic, so quite literally the first thing that happens is that the pet goes into a deep sleep. It doesn’t hurt. And you were there with him, which was a great gift to him. His passing was gentle and in the presence of family. And he will be remembered with love. What a lucky guy.
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