Euthanasia Options

[AnimalLover23]

Lost my dog of 16 years this week. Terrible experience, but I am doing better as each day passes. I had a lot of guilt of not being present for the euthanasia itself. I was just around the corner, but I could not bear to watch. My girlfriend sat with him, so I was very happy for that. I heard that the animals can sense your grief and it is generally not good for them to see that, and I was definitely in bad shape and would have added stress to the whole situation. But, for some reason I am still feeling some guilt about not keeping myself composed enough to sit with him as he passed. I know he knows I was there, and I did everything I could within my power for him. I just hope I can get over the guilt I am feeling about not being there for his last breath. I miss him dearly.

[LoveThem]

I feel the same way you do about being in the room. I was never able to. I was too hysterical and our special ones do feel our emotions and I never wanted one to be upset cause I was upset..at a time I am hoping they will feel peace.

I agree with the last poster. It took until 2002 when a mobile vet came to our home to put my Little Guy's twin brother to sleep. She simply said she would tranquilize him first and he would be asleep and we could hug him and cry and say goodbye. My husband held him in his arms the whole time until she said..we had to make the final decision because he would be waking up. And so he never knew how upset we were and we said goodbye. We still did not want to be there for the final ending so she took him into a bedroom and was with him. He went quickly and never woke up.

At vet hospitals I have had people working there tell me how very attentive and loving the ones are that are with our friends to help them find peace. We know those attending may feel sadness but our sweethearts do not feel our pain at losing them.

I can understand an underlying feeling of guilt cause I always have it too but I know it is better for them that all around them is calm and peaceful and the decision always makes me absolutely hysterical as far as crying and saying I don't want them to go but I know I cannot stop it..because it is best for them. There is too much emotion to hide it..I can't do that. I guess I always felt if they saw me, they would fight the sleep and I could not witness that or even want to think anything would be anything but peaceful because they were trying to stay with me. And, sometimes, down deep, I am not sure that if I had to be there for the final shot...I really wonder if I wouldn't stop it because I couldn't bear to see it, and want to take my boy home even though I know we have to come back. I don't want to do that either.

The decision is never made lightly. And once it is made, we know it must be done. It must be done for their peace...we owe them that.

We can't help but feel we should be there...I think that's only natural. But unless we can watch without emotion that they feel....it does not help them for us to watch. It is okay when we do whatever we feel is best..for them...and for us.

I am sorry you lost your boy. My last loss was my Little Guy, my avatar picture. He was just over 16 1/2 years old. He has been with me the longest of all my sweethearts...whether cats or dogs, and I truly understand the pain and the missing when 16 years is involved.

One "mom" here said it best: The pain of losing him will never ever be greater than the joy of knowing him.

That is a powerful statement. It has helped me. It reminds me to remember the good memories of having him as part of my life and I would not trade those years to lessen the pain of missing him. I would always make the choice to have him in my life.

If you feel like it, you can post some pictures here in your topic. Pictures remind us of happy, healthy times and can make us smile. Sometimes it takes time to be able to post those but we find we are always glad we thought to take pictures and we find they help us remember the good days, of which there were so many, many more...than sad days.

Write anytime, your thoughts, and feelings. We all share the same pain so we understand what you are going through. It helps to realize what we feel is so normal and it helps to find that others have been there and are glad to extend a helping hand to find the road to healing.

I'm glad your girlfriend was able to stay with him...that should help give you comfort. I have had to be there alone and wait until I am told it is done. I have been there with support from my husband but neither he nor I could be composed enough to be in the room.

We simply all try to do what is best for the one who is leaving us. That's all we can do.

Peace and healing are my wishes for you...it will take time but time will make it bearable, which is all we can expect.

Judy