Losing My Dog In A Few Weeks, Degenerative Neuropathy - She'll be euthanized soon Options

[Gizmo]

I ran across this website after searching for some help and I am amazed by the compassion and support that everyone so freely gives to each other. Thank you for that. It is very nice to see such supportive and kind people.

My wife and I are losing our beautiful girl, Gizmo, in a few weeks. She is in no pain but she has terrible neuropathy that gets worse by the day. She can’t really move around on her own at all and we know that her time is here.

We are keeping her here for a few weeks – my wife is home all day and she can take care of Gizmo during the day. Since she isn’t in pain and still seems happy (and still has an incredible appetite) we don’t want to lose her too early. We’re also clinging to the unrealistic hope that continued acupuncture treatments might finally start to show some benefit. Unfortunately, though, my wife will have to return to work soon and we won’t be able to be there for Gizmo, so we’ll have to say goodbye.

I am terrified. I see the unbelievable strength of each one of you – you all are strong enough to do the right thing for your pets and you’re strong enough to lower your heads and fight through it, and I honestly don’t think I can do it. I am so disappointed in how I’m handling this. I think I’m making it worse for my wife, not better, because I am absolutely falling apart at the seams. I have moments where I can deal with this, but most of the time I am an absolute mess. I feel pathetic – I am not strong for Gizmo or my wife and, as such, I know I’m making this whole process more difficult on both of them. It just adds to the overwhelmingly terrible feeling of this whole ordeal.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for helping me accept what is going on. I need to be strong for both of them. I know I’m being challenged right now and it’s terrible to know that I’m failing that challenge.

Also, please say a prayer for Gizmo if you’re so inclined.. I love her more than I could ever express.

[valgib]

I am so sorry for Gizmo's illness. I just put my little girl to sleep on Tuesday, and I had a week from diagnosis to the end. I worried that I wouldn't know when it was right, and the agony of knowing it was coming was brutal. I lost l3 pounds in two weeks. Coming home from work the last day was so hard, knowing the vet would be coming in one hour. She greeted me with barks and kisses and my heart just snapped in two. How will I know, how will I do it, should we do anything more for her, was she really that sick? Maybe another two weeks, maybe another month, please please, just a little more time. Roxy answered all my questions for me, her sad eyes told me the truth. When the vet said, "Call me when she's not having fun anymore", I watched closely and knew she was still loving and kissing her mom, but she wasn't having fun. A big comfort is knowing that I took care of her before she had to really suffer, to think of her and not myself.

She had a wonderful life, as I know Gizmo did, and I would never ever trade this suffering for not having had her at all. It's worth it all to think of all the love she gave to me. And to read from others who are a bit ahead of us in this process, I know the pain will east, and I know I will smile again thinking of all her little antics and unique ways.

Focus on Gizmo and Gizmo will lead you. You will feel it when she isn't having fun anymore.