So sorry to hear that @Greg Bobkin .
Like you @Greg Bobkin, I was the one in our family who really didn’t want a dog(2005). Nineteen years(4 labradors and 1 St. Bernese) later we’ve not been without a dog since(2 are still with us).I've just read this thread and wanted to say thank you to (nearly) all the contributors for making me feel a bit better tonight.
We had to take Bruno (just under five years old) the cockerpoo to be put to sleep today and I'm in bits because while I know it was completely the right thing to do, I still feel awful.
He broke his back a couple of years ago and we made the decision to go for surgery, partly because he was so young we figured he deserved another chance. He made a decent recovery, but we were warned at the time it could/would happen again. He hadn't been himself for a few weeks recently and was showing a lot of the symptoms he had before and just after his surgery. We knew that something serious was going on. He also had extreme resource guarding issues, which meant caring for him was tougher than for a 'normal' dog and we always had to be on our guard.
We'd said we wouldn't put him through anything else - and he looked at us today at times as if to say 'please help me', so I know we did the right thing (and the vet agreed, having read his history), but that doesn't stop the guilt.
I'll really miss him - and I was the only one of us five Bobkins who didn't actually WANT a dog. But he won me around, became my running buddy and his main partner for walks. Never again - I'm not going through all that again!
So sad but you know you done the right thingI've just read this thread and wanted to say thank you to (nearly) all the contributors for making me feel a bit better tonight.
We had to take Bruno (just under five years old) the cockerpoo to be put to sleep today and I'm in bits because while I know it was completely the right thing to do, I still feel awful.
He broke his back a couple of years ago and we made the decision to go for surgery, partly because he was so young we figured he deserved another chance. He made a decent recovery, but we were warned at the time it could/would happen again. He hadn't been himself for a few weeks recently and was showing a lot of the symptoms he had before and just after his surgery. We knew that something serious was going on. He also had extreme resource guarding issues, which meant caring for him was tougher than for a 'normal' dog and we always had to be on our guard.
We'd said we wouldn't put him through anything else - and he looked at us today at times as if to say 'please help me', so I know we did the right thing (and the vet agreed, having read his history), but that doesn't stop the guilt.
I'll really miss him - and I was the only one of us five Bobkins who didn't actually WANT a dog. But he won me around, became my running buddy and his main partner for walks. Never again - I'm not going through all that again!
Thats brought tears to my eyes, as we did exactly this a few years ago when my mother-in-laws Labrador, Herbie, had reached that point. He couldn't get up off the floor outside the back door as his back legs had gone, so I sat with him until the woman arrived, and he went very peacefully in my arms, in his favourite spot. Horrible at the time, but so much better than taking that final drive to the vets....Nice article on the subject I thought...
Oscar, my beloved dog, has died at 15. A piece of my heart rests with him beneath the pear tree | Emma Beddington
Saying farewell at home was the right thing to do for a dog who hated the vet. Goodbye, sweet gent, and thank you for politely putting up with us for so long, writes Emma Beddingtonwww.theguardian.com
Sorry to read this but you know you have done the right thing for Bruno and the decision you took is a much harder one than just putting it off and him being in more pain.I've just read this thread and wanted to say thank you to (nearly) all the contributors for making me feel a bit better tonight.
We had to take Bruno (just under five years old) the cockerpoo to be put to sleep today and I'm in bits because while I know it was completely the right thing to do, I still feel awful.
He broke his back a couple of years ago and we made the decision to go for surgery, partly because he was so young we figured he deserved another chance. He made a decent recovery, but we were warned at the time it could/would happen again. He hadn't been himself for a few weeks recently and was showing a lot of the symptoms he had before and just after his surgery. We knew that something serious was going on. He also had extreme resource guarding issues, which meant caring for him was tougher than for a 'normal' dog and we always had to be on our guard.
We'd said we wouldn't put him through anything else - and he looked at us today at times as if to say 'please help me', so I know we did the right thing (and the vet agreed, having read his history), but that doesn't stop the guilt.
I'll really miss him - and I was the only one of us five Bobkins who didn't actually WANT a dog. But he won me around, became my running buddy and his main partner for walks. Never again - I'm not going through all that again!
I've just read this thread and wanted to say thank you to (nearly) all the contributors for making me feel a bit better tonight.
We had to take Bruno (just under five years old) the cockerpoo to be put to sleep today and I'm in bits because while I know it was completely the right thing to do, I still feel awful.
He broke his back a couple of years ago and we made the decision to go for surgery, partly because he was so young we figured he deserved another chance. He made a decent recovery, but we were warned at the time it could/would happen again. He hadn't been himself for a few weeks recently and was showing a lot of the symptoms he had before and just after his surgery. We knew that something serious was going on. He also had extreme resource guarding issues, which meant caring for him was tougher than for a 'normal' dog and we always had to be on our guard.
We'd said we wouldn't put him through anything else - and he looked at us today at times as if to say 'please help me', so I know we did the right thing (and the vet agreed, having read his history), but that doesn't stop the guilt.
I'll really miss him - and I was the only one of us five Bobkins who didn't actually WANT a dog. But he won me around, became my running buddy and his main partner for walks. Never again - I'm not going through all that again!
Good news - I did tell you your ‘never again’ comment wouldn’t last long. Bruno isn’t being replaced of course - it’s just his legacy living onJust a little (happier, I hope) update from my side to say that we're picking up Flo the Cavapoo on Sunday!
In some ways it still seems a bit early for me, but we're predominantly doing it for the youngest Bobkin who, for reasons I won't go into here, got SO much out of Bruno and misses him terribly.
In some ways I feel guilty about the boy being 'replaced' so soon, but everything else feel into place so well it was like fate!
Everyone has their own opinions about it, but I guess you have to do what you think is right and put your own feelings aside and look at the bigger picture. So bring on the fun and games!
You never replace a pet.Just a little (happier, I hope) update from my side to say that we're picking up Flo the Cavapoo on Sunday!
In some ways it still seems a bit early for me, but we're predominantly doing it for the youngest Bobkin who, for reasons I won't go into here, got SO much out of Bruno and misses him terribly.
In some ways I feel guilty about the boy being 'replaced' so soon, but everything else feel into place so well it was like fate!
Everyone has their own opinions about it, but I guess you have to do what you think is right and put your own feelings aside and look at the bigger picture. So bring on the fun and games!
Just a little (happier, I hope) update from my side to say that we're picking up Flo the Cavapoo on Sunday!
In some ways it still seems a bit early for me, but we're predominantly doing it for the youngest Bobkin who, for reasons I won't go into here, got SO much out of Bruno and misses him terribly.
In some ways I feel guilty about the boy being 'replaced' so soon, but everything else feel into place so well it was like fate!
Everyone has their own opinions about it, but I guess you have to do what you think is right and put your own feelings aside and look at the bigger picture. So bring on the fun and games!
So sorry to hear your news, animals are so precious and when they show love it is unconditional, so much better than humans.We had to have our beautiful 20yr old cat Blue put down on Sunday. She had taken a turn for the worse 10 days ago, but kept eating, was getting up on the top of the cat tower, and was pretty alert still, despite being really frail & losing loads of weight. On Saturday she started messing in random places, then on Sunday AM she messed herself completely in the bathroom. We couldn't let her carry on like that, so it broke our hearts to take her to the vets. We let her have a wander round in the sun for a while before we left, and you could almost see that she knew...and was taking a final look around.
For the last few days we had hoped she would just fall asleep in her favourite spot on the sofa, but it wasn't meant to be. We both bawled our eyes out as she went to sleep, but it was very quick and peaceful.
For two decades she would greet me at the door when I got home, would curl up against me on the sofa every time I sat down, and sleep alongside me in bed every night. She literally was my shadow. Im going to miss her SO much but, despite knowing it was the kindest thing to do, I feel so guilty at taking her life away so suddenly - even though the vet said she probably only had a few days left anyway. Cant stop crying. Our other cat Willow keeps walking around trying to find her big sister too, which is heartbreaking to see....
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You did the right thing. No guilt….We had to have our beautiful 20yr old cat Blue put down on Sunday. She had taken a turn for the worse 10 days ago, but kept eating, was getting up on the top of the cat tower, and was pretty alert still, despite being really frail & losing loads of weight. On Saturday she started messing in random places, then on Sunday AM she messed herself completely in the bathroom. We couldn't let her carry on like that, so it broke our hearts to take her to the vets. We let her have a wander round in the sun for a while before we left, and you could almost see that she knew...and was taking a final look around.
For the last few days we had hoped she would just fall asleep in her favourite spot on the sofa, but it wasn't meant to be. We both bawled our eyes out as she went to sleep, but it was very quick and peaceful.
For two decades she would greet me at the door when I got home, would curl up against me on the sofa every time I sat down, and sleep alongside me in bed every night. She literally was my shadow. Im going to miss her SO much but, despite knowing it was the kindest thing to do, I feel so guilty at taking her life away so suddenly - even though the vet said she probably only had a few days left anyway. Cant stop crying. Our other cat Willow keeps walking around trying to find her big sister too, which is heartbreaking to see....
View attachment 191438
As a cat lover and owner of a similar characteristic furry shadow, I truly feel your pain my friendWe had to have our beautiful 20yr old cat Blue put down on Sunday. She had taken a turn for the worse 10 days ago, but kept eating, was getting up on the top of the cat tower, and was pretty alert still, despite being really frail & losing loads of weight. On Saturday she started messing in random places, then on Sunday AM she messed herself completely in the bathroom. We couldn't let her carry on like that, so it broke our hearts to take her to the vets. We let her have a wander round in the sun for a while before we left, and you could almost see that she knew...and was taking a final look around.
For the last few days we had hoped she would just fall asleep in her favourite spot on the sofa, but it wasn't meant to be. We both bawled our eyes out as she went to sleep, but it was very quick and peaceful.
For two decades she would greet me at the door when I got home, would curl up against me on the sofa every time I sat down, and sleep alongside me in bed every night. She literally was my shadow. Im going to miss her SO much but, despite knowing it was the kindest thing to do, I feel so guilty at taking her life away so suddenly - even though the vet said she probably only had a few days left anyway. Cant stop crying. Our other cat Willow keeps walking around trying to find her big sister too, which is heartbreaking to see....
View attachment 191438