[John 070]

euthanize your puppy?

This happened very suddenly....couldn't walk on Friday, by 3 PM Sat. we were saying goodbye, after 14 years.

Since I never did it before, it was surreal.

Had my boy Bruno who was a black Lab since pre-9/11.

It's going to be a while, I can't see not having a dog, but my wife says no, and her reason is she doesn't want to go through this again....

[Zarilia]

I'm so sorry. It can happen suddenly. They can have strokes like we do. It's difficult I know.. I lost my Labrador Sassy last year.. She was 21. And my horse had to be put down a couple years ago.. I had her for 26 years.
Take some time and maybe down the road adopt again.. I have 2 dogs still but both are 10 years old.. Enjoying them while they are here

[kscarrol]

Yes, I have. Definitely a depressing experience... This was years ago but my old mutt Sam was 15 years old, one morning I took him out for his walk. He slowly went down the front steps of my house, pissed and turned around to got back in but he stopped and stared at me. He knew he couldn't make it back up the three steps to the front door. Took him to the vet and had to put him down. I was by myself as the wife was traveling for work so while it was sad for her as well, at least she didn't have a to stand there and say goodbye...

Hang in there, it gets better. We got another dog around a year after we put Sam down. He's still with us but he's now 12 so you never know when we'll be facing this again.

[Lups]

I've had to put down five dogs in my life and the only thing that helps then is that they are not suffering anymore.

The worst for me was when I had to put down a 9month old puppy. His back gave and even when I knew when I took the pup that he wasn't normal, and he was just all around a disaster, the damn dog and its problems kept me in check when my sons issues were screened.

A week after my son was declared "as healthy as can be with microtia", I had to put Rubert down. I'm not a spiritual person the least but even I have a hard time not to believe that dog was not put on my path on purpose.

I'm sorry for all of your losses, it never gets easier but we are lucky to have had that love in our lives.

[ASBSECU E93]

Sorry to hear - I have been blessed with many Labs during my life from childhood to now...it is always heartbreaking having to make this decision for a trusted and loved family member (yes I think of mine as family)....they always know when it's time...

Be open to a new family pet (think seriously on adopting - especially Lab rescues). It's not the same, but new memories are made and cherished.

Dogs add so much joy to peoples life...just my .02.

[UncleWede]

My first dog was more like a brother than my brothers. I had him longer, too. Came home from college one weekend and he was shivering in the corner, his P was swollen, and he couldn't walk any more. Don't know what happened while I was gone for a week, but I had to take him and put him down. Didn't cry for a few days.

That was in the mid 80's, I've had 3 more since then. Not looking forward to when the current one's hip dysplasia leads to continual pain and I have to make that decision again, but Man's Best Friend and all that. . .

[davis449]

I've never had to put one down, but the dog my father got us when I was 6 lived for 14 years. I was 20 and coming home with a friend of mine (we were going to party at the house because my parents were out of town) and walked through my back gate to find my beloved dog in the pool...he fell in and drowned while I was out. He'd always had trouble with water (keeshond's, too much fur weighs them down in the water), and at 14 being a bit arthritic and his sight being really bad, he must've missed the edge of the pool (a route he probably knew by feel\habit more than sight) and fell in. I walked right back out (I caught barely a glimpse) and my buddy knew exactly what happened. He handled the rest for me.

Two years later we got a new one and my parents went out of town one week after they went down to San Angelo to get him from a breeder (another keeshond). He was less than a year old at the time and, even though we partied our asses off that weekend, I took great care of him (my previously aforementioned buddy was there, too) and over the course of the next year we had him. My presence was spotty over the next few years and very rare these days, but he still knows who "raised" him when I go to visit the parents in CO.

This one's funny. My GF has a dog (full blooded female beagle). She had to leave her with her ex when she left him back in 2011 due to housing situation in SA where she lived. She moved in with me in early 2012 and the conversations\complaints\whining about not having the dog with her were getting more frequent and loud. I wasn't crazy about having a dog I didn't go get myself and choose to have in my house, but relented and she over and backed it to Beaumont to get her. That first week I made the colossal mistake of leaving her in the house while I was out and she chewed some blinds. I was livid and my GF said she would "take care of her" and take her to her uncle's. They're country and I didn't put two and two together. Right before she told me she was going to her to her uncle's she alluded to what would happen to her there...I said "FUCK NO, DOG STAYS!". Dog's never chewed a damn thing in my residences again and I love that dog. God help me when\if I have to put her down.

[CANGRKE70]

Sorry to hear.

I dread the day when I have to put my boy Cringer (Husky) down. He's 11 with a life expectancy of 12-14 years. I'm hoping for the later as he's still full of energy.

[1MOREMOD]

Sorry to hear. One of the hardest things I've done. Being in the room is hard and something I still think about almost 10 years later.

[ASBSECU E93]

I remember every one....

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by John 070

euthanize your puppy?

This happened very suddenly....couldn't walk on Friday, by 3 PM Sat. we were saying goodbye, after 14 years.

Since I never did it before, it was surreal.

Had my boy Bruno who was a black Lab since pre-9/11.

It's going to be a while, I can't see not having a dog, but my wife says no, and her reason is she doesn't want to go through this again....

So sorry to hear about your loss. Those fuzzy guys just etch themselves on our hearts and make such an impression on our lives.

Happened the same way for me. He was bouncing around on Wednesday evening like a puppy. Thursday was a little sluggish. Friday morning couldn't make it out of the patio to do his business and it was very evident he was very uncomfortable. He had a 25 pound tumor in his abdomen that was very close to rupturing. We buried him in the back yard Friday afternoon.

He was 13, which is old for an American Bulldog.

We planned on getting another American Bulldog after about 6 months or so, but God intervened and we ended up with an 8 week old puppy 7 days later.

I get that they are dogs, but... They really are man's best friend.

Hard to argue with your wife over this, but getting that puppy was the best thing that happened to us. Helped so much to get through the grieving process. Plus, not having that normal dog presence in the house for just one week was depressing as hell for me.

In for pics of Bruno!!

[bimmette]

Some of the worst days of my life. One was for my 16-year old teripoo and one was a brand new Maltese puppy who got parvovirus. Then last year an adopted 17-year-old pom after I had it for six months. That was still hard even though it was expected.
My condolences.

[zgood4u]

Had to put mine down about 6 years ago after 14 years of love. On the morning I did it she let me know she was ready to go with a pitiful cry. She wanted to be relieved of the misery she was feeling. It was really sad but completely necessary and merciful. The good that came out of it was the vet made a donation in her name to the UGA Veterinary School in Athens, really a wonderful gesture. My condolences for your loss.

[Whostheboss]

Sorry for losing your pet. My condolences.

I've never owned a real pet. To me it's a waste of time and money. Like, what do you expect? Did you think the animal will out live you?
I'd rather invest my time/money on real human (a kid).

I respect pet owners, so i'm not bashing on anyone. I'm just speaking my POV.

[John 070]

Thanks everyone. The decision doesn't bother me, but thinking about how the day panned out is depressing. Yesterday, a card came in the mail from the vet with a paw print...

I think in another week we'll be called to pick up the ashes.

My brother has a 9 y.o. yellow Lab so he'll take the Glycoflex 2, one is unopened (I don't think it worked for us, but we used it anyway). have a 35 lb. bag of ProPlan too....

[wrickem]

I am sorry about your dog, John 070. If they lived as long as we do, it still wouldn't be long enough.

[SunnyD]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Sorry for losing your pet. My condolences.

I've never owned a real pet. To me it's a waste of time and money. Like, what do you expect? Did you think the animal will out live you?
I'd rather invest my time/money on real human (a kid).

I respect pet owners, so i'm not bashing on anyone. I'm just speaking my POV.

Your kid might not even outlive you...just sayin.

[Andrew115]

This is a really tough thing to do if your like us and care for your pets like they are part of the family.

I recount last year when my boxer had a stroke at 13yo. Everything was fine and he was himself until one night.... He started walking in circles and couldn't relax, began whining for no reason constantly. It was at the time the hardest thing I had ever had to decide. I later found out that family can also be on life support and need to have a similar decision made.

Best of luck healing from your loss, take some time and reinvest the care for animals into a new one. It may be a great way to move on.

[CANGRKE70]

Originally Posted by Whostheboss

Sorry for losing your pet. My condolences.

I've never owned a real pet. To me it's a waste of time and money. Like, what do you expect? Did you think the animal will out live you?
I'd rather invest my time/money on real human (a kid).

I respect pet owners, so i'm not bashing on anyone. I'm just speaking my POV.

You should probably refrain from doing so in a thread where a person just lost a companion. Without owning a dog, you'll have no clue what he's feeling. Very poor taste on your part. Very surprised you'd post this in viewing your other posts on the forum.

[Mr.SugarSkulls]

Originally Posted by CANGRKE70

You should probably refrain from doing so in a thread where a person just lost a companion. Without owning a dog, you'll have no clue what he's feeling. Very poor taste on your part. Very surprised you'd post this in viewing your other posts on the forum.

Extremely insensitive on his behalf, but he's entitled.

I'm with you though, far from appropriate in this thread.

The day my Bowser leaves me, I will be in a deep cloud. I tear up just thinking about it- he comes with me everywhere I go (due to my levels of anxiety).

He's more a family member than anyone in my family besides my mother, and by far a better friend than any human. Something someone who's never had a dog as a true family member- would ever understand.

OP- a lot of us here feel for you. Feel free to simply vent or post memories/pictures of the good times if it helps you cope.

[kprocivic]

Originally Posted by CANGRKE70

You should probably refrain from doing so in a thread where a person just lost a companion. Without owning a dog, you'll have no clue what he's feeling. Very poor taste on your part. Very surprised you'd post this in viewing your other posts on the forum.

oh boy, his response was in a very respectful manner. you have no clue how the opposite side of the spectrum feels as well.

I shall refrain in speaking my mind. To the op sorry for your loss.

[John 070]

In our case, our puppy could not get up. But laying down, he was still wagging his tail, barking, so that made me happy. For this reason the vet was saying she was hoping he had vertigo, but at the same time she did feel something was not right, as if he didn't know where his hind legs were, i.e. neurological.

If the ending had been trauma, that would have been even worse, such as rushing in an emergency situation, like when he got pneumonia in 2011...

I appreciate that many can relate...