Quote:
Originally Posted by AaronM
Last year my dog Cayman was diagnosed with cancer. He's been maintaining fine for the most part but is obviously in a lot of pain when he has to pop a squat. This process usually takes 10 - 20 minutes for him these days and then he spends the next 20 minutes panting hard and recovering.
As bad as I feel for him, the consensus among friends, family, and the vet has been that although he's uncomfortable, he's still a happy dog and capable of a semi-normal life.
In the last couple of months he's lost a lot of weight and his cancer has started creating other issues. He has a vet appointment for Monday and I have a feeling I may be faced with the decision that I really don't want to make. It wouldn't be as bad if he didn't act like such a happy dog most of the time. He still runs around and plays with all his toys etc...
Anyway, I'm kinda torn on how to prepare myself for this. Any advice from those who have been through it with their pets?
Thanks.
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Yes, we had a cocker spaniel, aged 16,5. Awesome age for any dog. I sometimes still think: "we could have let him live longer" blablab.
But he was incontinent, had seizures amongst other things.
We got the dog when I was one month old.
Having to put down an animal you have come to love is hard enough. But not knowing a world without it because you grew up with it is different.
However, it was the right decision. It hurt. Sometimes it still does(15 years ago). But letting an animal suffer for your own benifit -against all your feelings- just isn't worth it.
How to prepare? Like was said: you don't. You already know the answer. You already know that at some point you have to put it down. The question you have to ask yourself is:
Do I let him suffer more because I like him around or do I put him out of his misery?
Imagine every shit you take you're hurting for a full 20 minutes. And the next hour you can't really do anything?
It sucks bigtime but I think you have to let him go....
