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When you have a seriously ill pet

thenamesJT

Mama Doe
when would you say 'enough is enough?' and say goodbye?

Ive owned many pets and my family and I have always taken the decision to say goodbye before the pet is in any pain & quality of life is not there. we deeply regret letting our hearts rule our heads when it came to the end for our 14 year old labrador. She suffered a stroke & the vet recommended we say goodbye but we simply couldnt, a few weeks later we found her collapsed and coughing blood....we felt terrible, we felt we didnt give her the dignified exit from her life that she deserved.:(

Some people on here are truly amazing, you are so emotionally strong when it comes to caring for a very sick pet. :love:
 
When they tell me, and they always do.

I trust my gut instinct and just wait for that. It was harder in the earlier days because I didn't know whether or not I would know, and stressed about that, but now I've done it enough times over recent years to know that I do know because I know my crew and what they need.

I also work on the basis that one day early is better than one day late, and as long as it feels the right time in my gut, then it's the right time.
 
I say goodbye when they won't be happy with their life.

We recently lost our 18 year old cat. He'd been ill for a long time (thyroid problems, arthritus, ect), but he still acted so happy all the time. You could tell he ached, but you could also tell he didn't mind it because he was so happy with his life :love:
When he went downhill, you could see he wasn't as happy. He couldn't move about as well, and while he wasn't unhappy yet... You could tell he was uncomfortable and in more pain. It was the right balance for me. He was still happy, but his body was giving up. It seemed more fair to let him go then while he was happy in himself rather than wait for him to suffer.

It's basically the hardest thing in the world :( But, also the right thing to do for your animals in my opinion.
 
There have been times I've wondered this. I hope Bluebell will tell me. We've had awful days where I've considered PTS but something told me to just give it one more shot. I did and he's still here and I'm so glad. He'll never be 100% but theres a lot more good days.
 
it is the hardest decision to ever have to make.

with my first dog i kept kidding myself he was having good days when i knew he wasn't. :cry:
i took him at least 3 times to put him out of his pain (his back legs had just about gone) but kept bringing him home.. in the end i knew he wasn't happy, he hated being left alone at all even through the night and after i did the right thing i vowed never to put any of my pets through that again for what was really my own selfish needs.

tyke went with dignity 18 months ago as did one of my rabbits when she was desperatley ill. each has let me know they have had enough.
i stay with each one and let them know they are ok and how much i love them.
(welling up now!) :roll:
 
I've never had to figure this out for a rabbit, but with my cats I always knew! Making the decision and letting go is the hardest most heart wrenching thing to do. The first time I had to make a decision like that is something I will never ever forget, very very painful, even though I have no doubts at all it was the right decision :cry:
 
Sky-O this is exactly how I feel, you worded it perfectly. :)

:)

I also think I must be odd because so many people say it's the hardest thing but for me it's not. For me, when I know it's right, it's really easy. When I look back and know I got it right it brings me comfort and peace, not grief.

Even for Sky, my absolute best friend, that I never intend to be parted from and my vet understands he needs to live forever :lol: if I knew it was in his best interests, I wouldn't hesitate.

What can I say, I'm a heartless weirdo?
 
I don't understand people who know it's for the best, but still cling on :( A friend of mine told me that her cat was poorly on a Wednesday, and the vet was coming to put her down after the weekend so they could have more time with her :? I felt awful for her poorly cat. When we knew it was time for our cat, we got it done straight away :(
 
I also think I must be odd because so many people say it's the hardest thing but for me it's not. For me, when I know it's right, it's really easy. When I look back and know I got it right it brings me comfort and peace, not grief.

Even for Sky, my absolute best friend, that I never intend to be parted from and my vet understands he needs to live forever if I knew it was in his best interests, I wouldn't hesitate.

What can I say, I'm a heartless weirdo?

I wouldnt say you were heartless, I think you thought about the pet before your own emotions. :) Ive gave my vet strict instructions to be blunt & straight to the point with me about my 2 buns, I do not wish to prolong their life for my own comfort. I want to remember them happy & healthy.

Im very sad that my last memories of my old lab Biddy werent so. :( We all agree that the stroke shouldve been the end, she looked so calm & peaceful.
 
What can I say, I'm a heartless weirdo?

No. I think you just know your bunnies inside out and want whats best for them.

I think it worried me at first because I didn't know how I'd know it was the right time. I'm not worried about it being hard as I know if it came down to it it would be in his best interests. I think I've realised now though that I will know. At the mo he's happy and if he has a bad day there is still a little light in his eyes.
 
I've only had to do it once - my cat with a brain tumour causing severe diabetes. HE told me very clearly, by withdrawing under the dressing table. It was the time when we also felt his insulin dose was far too much. I gave him a great 24 hours off diet, with fresh fish & chicken, but continued insulin.
The vet did a home visit to pts on my lap, because he was so frightened at the vets. It was so right & in a strange way beautiful passing.

We've had several decisions with my megacolon bun.
We've taken high risks with meds & dentals to keep him comfortable because he was incurable & each extra day was precious.

He now finds subQ fluids very stressful so we've stopped them. HE told me he'd had enough of "human interferance". He's still very lively & playful, seeking my companionship in the evening so we continue with simple nursing care & 1 drug. When he doesn't want "play time" - he's had enough.
 
They have a look, you just know. When they can no longer do their 3 favourite things is my general rule.

However I often wonder myself. Like if one of my dogs/cats ended up with cancer. Especially Todd, would it be fair to make him travel so far for cancer treatment when he hates travelling? Those sort of things bother me.
 
:)

I also think I must be odd because so many people say it's the hardest thing but for me it's not. For me, when I know it's right, it's really easy. When I look back and know I got it right it brings me comfort and peace, not grief.

Even for Sky, my absolute best friend, that I never intend to be parted from and my vet understands he needs to live forever :lol: if I knew it was in his best interests, I wouldn't hesitate.

What can I say, I'm a heartless weirdo?

No, not heartless. When I had my dog PTS in 2009, I almost felt relieved once she took her last breath. It was definitely the right thing to do.
 
:)

I also think I must be odd because so many people say it's the hardest thing but for me it's not. For me, when I know it's right, it's really easy. When I look back and know I got it right it brings me comfort and peace, not grief.

Even for Sky, my absolute best friend, that I never intend to be parted from and my vet understands he needs to live forever :lol: if I knew it was in his best interests, I wouldn't hesitate.

i spent so long agonising over if i was keeping pearl alive just for my selfish self, i was so scared of the day coming, if i had known how easy it was to "know" when its the right time i think i wouldn't of grieved so much before she actually died.

i asked the vet at the home check if i was cruel keeping her alive and she said she didn't think so.

i'm 95% sure i didn't drag out her life, she was very ready to die that morning and not a second before, i know this because she was normal at drug time but by breakfast she had decided she couldn't go on even tho she was still trying :cry:

it was beautiful watching her release from her broken body.. i do hope one day i can look back an be comforted too but i still feel robbed that the vet didn't get the correct treatment started sooner :evil: i am at peace with the death itself tho if that makes sense.
 
When they tell me, and they always do.
I trust my gut instinct and just wait for that. It was harder in the earlier days because I didn't know whether or not I would know, and stressed about that, but now I've done it enough times over recent years to know that I do know because I know my crew and what they need.

I also work on the basis that one day early is better than one day late, and as long as it feels the right time in my gut, then it's the right time.

Exactly this.
 
I don't understand people who know it's for the best, but still cling on :( A friend of mine told me that her cat was poorly on a Wednesday, and the vet was coming to put her down after the weekend so they could have more time with her :? I felt awful for her poorly cat. When we knew it was time for our cat, we got it done straight away :(

I can sort of understand that.

Not waiting for the weekend, but wanting the extra time.

When my mum and stepdad had to have their rabbit harvey put to sleep, he had been ill and fighting for a while.
they weren't expecting it to be the end that day.

my mum asked for strong painkillers and brought him home for the night so that my stepdad had a chance to say goodbye and he was pts the next day.

i think, as long as they aren't in pain, then wanting to say goodbye is ok.
but i think a day is long enough for that, not waiting til the weekend.
 
My mum had to make this decission with our old lovely cat Ellie she was 18! coverd in tumours, and mum was hand feeding her for about 3 months! in the end, enough was enough! she was never ever going to get better, and eventually the tumours would kill her, in a horrid painful way! and yes my mum could of carried on for about 3 months or 6 at a push, but it not the way an animal should live!!

I hope I NEVER have to make that disission but if I do I would hope I choose the right one!
 
Such a difficult decision to make.

With Sue she died naturally while the vet was drawing up the needle for sedation prior to euthenasia. I do wonder if I let her go on for too long as she was incredibly thin, but she still seemed to enjoy life right up to the morning I found her so ill.

With Tabitha, who I had put to sleep on Friday, it was a real shock as she was only four. The vet recommended PTS but he had intimated that for Sue and she had another good year before she died.

I am still not sure I did the right thing for Tabitha but the vet nurse said she would have done the same if Tabitha had been her cat and I am holding onto that. Seeing Tabitha struggle to stand up, confused as her rear end was paralysed was awful - but I worry I agreed for her to be PTS so I didn't have to see that, not because it was best for her.
 
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