Having to "put down" a family pet

[Bonnie_blue1861]

Well...it isn't exactly the same thing as "putting down game" ....but I'm feeling kinda down tonight. Tomorrow I have to take my furry bunny pal out behind the house and put her out of her misery.
She's about 8-9 years old and has lived in the house, with the wife and I (in our bedroom no less) since we got her, as just a little thing.

It's funny how you can shoot all the wild game in the world and it's just so darn hard to pull the trigger on a family pet, when you know its what needs to be done.

I'm sure many of you guys have seen the movie "OLD YELLER" ....still a movie that can make most grown men wipe the corner of his eyes and then blame it on allergies.  

My wife and I have house cats, two German Shepherd's and our rabbit. I discovered that she has quickly developed a huge cyst and has stopped eating. I did some research on it and know the chance of her getting better, just isn't there. I know that I'm not willing to put the little critter through painful surgery etc. ...so the fact is, the best thing I can do for her, is to put her down.

I had other pets that we had to put down and it makes me really darn sad to have to do it. But, in the past, I've always done it by taking a trip to the vets office,.... but sitting there while the vet puts your dog, cat, horse or other buddy to sleep hurts no matter what.  

Tomorrow, I figure a single shot from behind, to the top of her head.... with my 1858 conversion will painlessly do the trick.

I'm sure most of you have had to make that hard decision, that doesn't come too easily...it always hurts. And if you never watched the movie OLD YELLER, rent it, it's sad near the end, but a classic movie.

[Forty Rod]

I had to put my dog friend of 16 years down about 3 months ago, Blue, so I know what you're going through.  You folks have my sympathies.

[Billy Bristol]

I know what you are going thru also. Have had to put a couple dogs down last year that I had for 15 yrs. Not an easy decision, but new it was better than letting them suffer. Starting to look like I may have to again in a year or so. Have 2 that are getting old and starting to have troubles getting up.

[PJ Hardtack]

When I had to put down an old cat, people said - "Just take him out in the woods and pop him." I told them I'd just as soon shoot them as the cat!
The vet put him to sleep as I stroked him gently. We should all be so lucky.

Mike Venturino had the experience of running over and killing his favourite dog. He got buried in empathy on the Shiloh site. That would be a tough one.

[Pitchy]

Have had to put down a few dogs over the years and it`s tough but at least ya know what happened and why and saved them from suffering. We just came back from TX and lost our weiner dog that was like a family member. Either got lost or someone stole him and the hardest thing i`ve done is come home without him.
Not knowing where he is or if he`s suffering is tearing us up.
There a lot of people looking for him so there is still hope.
Our prayers go out to you for your lose. 

[Bonnie_blue1861]

Today at noon I took my buddy out ....and with one carefully placed, shot, put her down.

I'm not one that believes animals have spirits as humans do (perhaps akin to the way Native Americans might see it) but if animals did, I felt her spirit needed me to do what had to be done. Kind of of strange, but for me, this was painful to do, but sort of felt right.

Years ago, we had a Vet put our last dog down (well he was actually more my Dad's dog because the kids were all out on their own... but Dad couldn't bear the pain of being there with "Rusty" in the end. Rusty just couldnt stand up anymore and it was a painful site to see. He wanted to keep going but his poor old body was just worn out.  Dad said his goodby to the dog and I held Rusty on the floor of Dad's garage, as the Vet administered the injections.  I held him until he went off to sleep but its funny because I think he knew what was happening. Somehow they really seem to have an understanding when the time comes for them.  

My oldest dog is now going on 14 years old and getting up there for a Shepherd. I just hope that she goes in her sleep. My one cat that I had for 16 years just died two weeks ago and (oldest) 17 year old cat, is really starting to look rough. I don't figure he will be around too much longer either.

Kinda like people we all get old....You start thinking about this stuff a lot as they also get older. It reminds me of the final few lyrics of on of my favorite songs written by Cal Smith, that ends like this:

Forty years of hard work later in a simple quiet and peaceful country place
The heavy hand of time had not erased
The raptured wonder from the woman's face
She was lying on her deathbed, knowing fully well her race was nearly run
But she softly smiled and looked into the sad eyes
Of her husband and her son
And she said "So long, country bumpkin
Frost is gone now from on the pumpkin
I've seen some sights and life's been somethin'
See you later, country bumpkin"
She said "So long, country bumpkins
The frost is gone now from on the pumpkin
I've seen some sights and life's been somethin'

In case someone may never have heard the song Country Bumpkin, its worth a listen http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqICgyAFR5XUAdgP7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBvMGQzcTByBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDVjEzMg--?p=country+bumpkin+song&vid=e14fb0cb880bc5c563e8b87576540943&l=3%3A48&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DV.4798948184883306%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKbVBxpMDhvk&tit=-+Country+Bumpkin&c=3&sigr=11a7qvttl&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=b

[Bonnie_blue1861]

Have had to put down a few dogs over the years and it`s tough but at least ya know what happened and why and saved them from suffering. We just came back from TX and lost our weiner dog that was like a family member. Either got lost or someone stole him and the hardest thing i`ve done is come home without him.
Not knowing where he is or if he`s suffering is tearing us up.
There a lot of people looking for him so there is still hope.
Our prayers go out to you for your lose. 

Pitchy...I'm really sorry to hear about your dog. Just loosing your dog is terrible but then not knowing where he is or what happened would just tear me apart.

[Bonnie_blue1861]

I was just thinking of something I read a while back called:

The Dog's Ten Commandments

1. My life is likely to last only 10 to 15 years, so any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me - it is crucial for my well being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment...You have your work, your friends, your entertainment...I HAVE ONLY YOU!

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice when you're speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll NEVER forget it.

7. Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth that could easily bite you but I choose NOT to hurt YOU.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long,  or maybe my heart is just getting old and weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old. For you too will also grow old.

10. Be with me on my last difficult journey. Please don't leave me and say, "I can't bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence." Please be there for me. Everything is easier for ME if you are there. Remember that I love you.

[Pitchy]

Hang in there bro, praying for ya.
They are mans best friend fer sure, my Snoopy was the best friend i ever had.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I don't have any flowery words but just know theat you gave your loved one a sympathetic and kind end that was above and beyond what is normally given ...

TTFN,

[PJ Hardtack]

A dog owner's prayer -

"Lord, help me to be half the man my dog thinks I am."  Amen

Want to know what's important in life? Look to your pet. A warm place to sleep, clean water to drink, something in your stomach and someone to make you feel loved. The rest is smoke & mirrors, quickly lost or taken away unexpectedly.

[Bonnie_blue1861]

A dog owner's prayer -

"Lord, help me to be half the man my dog thinks I am."  Amen

Want to know what's important in life? Look to your pet. A warm place to sleep, clean water to drink, something in your stomach and someone to make you feel loved. The rest is smoke & mirrors, quickly lost or taken away unexpectedly.

Very well said...There is a marker stone in a local public park near me, which is inscribed with "A man can be measured by the kindness he shows his beast".

In many cases, I like my "family member" animals, much more than most the people I encounter.

[PJ Hardtack]

Who was it that said: "The more I know about people, the more I like my dog."  Mark Twain?

[Chev. William]

My Family had a Dog, Female Collie, a cat, a long haired one grey with white Paws, I don't know the breed, and a Parakeet when I was a young boy.  First the Parakeet died, we buried it in the back yard and both my Mother and my self cried for a bit.  But we still had Spats, the cat, and Duchess, the dog, so that did not last long.

Some time later, a few years at least, Spats went out to do his business and never came back.  Mom Cried a little in their bedroom. But we still had Duchess; so thing got better.  Then I went away for Active Duty in the Navy and while I was gone, Duchess developed Gangrene at the base of her tail from an impacted weed sticker and had to be put down. 

I got the news in a letter form home while in Vietnam, no crying on my part but the letter was tear stained and my mother wrote that my Father had declared No More Pets, he did not want to go through that again.  Years later both my Father and later still my Mother died, I cried and sometimes still do. 

Still later I finally Got married to a fine Woman who came with Three dogs she had rescued years before.  One by one they died from old age and infirmities and were Cremated; and then my wife and I got two more, a pair of Lhasa Apso puppies about one year old, a boy and a girl, we had them 'fixed' due to City Regulations. 

About 13 months after our Wedding, my wife entered the hospital for 'emergency back surgery' to prevent her becoming permanently wheelchair bound. 
One week later she died in the Hospital. 
I and my friends had to arrange for her funeral and internment and the same Bishop who Officiated at our Wedding Officiated at the Funeral Service and the Graveside Service.  I buried her with the ashes of her four dogs and some Teddy Bears for 'company' per her wishes. 

I still have not been able to buy and place a marker for her.  She is buried beside her parents.  I still cry with the thought of my Connie, My 'Lady Anne' late in life Love.

Update 2019 June18: Constance Anne Now has a Marker bought by her children.
it has her name , birth and death dates a Teddy Bear image and a two line sentiment on it.  She Is buried beside her Parents. the Servers.  I had vases placed at all three graves but last time I was there they were over grown by the Grass a not usable.

It IS hard to get over as we get older.

Heading toward the Tenth Anniversary of Connie's Death (October 9th) and it still pains my heart and dampens my cheeks.

Chev. William

[Octagonal Barrel]

I felt her spirit needed me to do what had to be done.

Saying goodbye to an old good friend is always hard.  Getting to the place where you feel they want what needs to be done is about the only thing that makes it tolerable.  Glad you could see it.  Been there myself about a month ago with a much loved 20 year old cat.  I feel for you.

[Pitspitr]

What's hard emotionally gets harder physically when the sights get all blurry. Darned computer screen is getting a little blurry right now just thinking about the last time I had to do it.

Misty was the best dog I ever owned. She wasn't just my friend, she was also a co-worker, so I spent more time with her than with my wife and kids.

I could take her to the far end of the place tell her to get out of the pickup and take the cattle in and go back to the house and drink coffee until it was time to close the gate behind her and the cattle. If the hogs or cattle got out during the night, she'd either put them back in or hold them by the gate until I got up the next morning.

She'd been run over, (broke her pelvis in 3 places but the vet said to give her a chance to heal up and she did)  tangled with coyotes, (she lost part of an ear to one) and didn't have a tooth left in her head from being kicked by the cattle she was driving, but she never quit wanting to go to work with me.

In the end my last prayer for her was, "Lord please don't let me miss." I didn't.

Gotta go now screen is getting too hard to see. My prayers are with you.

[griswold]

Bandit was the last dog I had before my two boys moved out. He helped me, as a single father, raise them from about 10 and 8 thru their teen years. He was a good companion, afraid to leave the back yard alone but not afraid to guard our backs when he was with us.

He was 14 and displacia in his hips finally got him down and he could not get up. I sat with him for hours on that garage floor until I got the nerve to pull out my 32 s&w. I put a 1/2 plank under his head to stop a possible ricochet, and he stopped crying. I guess he knew what was coming and welcomed it.

I balled like a baby while digging his grave under the window where my oldest son use to sleep. His favorite spot.

I never want to have to do that again.

9 years later the best dog I ever had, Sam, was killed at 8 years old. Again the grief was too much to bear. I still grieve from time to time over Sam.
I have 5 dogs now, but I do not let myself get close to them. Love them all, but not like Bandit or Sam.

Griswold