Should euthanasia ever be considered for ailing pets?

[MoonDance]

Christmas Eve just passed, my family and I had our Golden Retriever Holly euthanized. Two days before, I noticed that she was just lying down on her side, lacking the normal bouncy energy that she always had. When she stood up, it was with great effort and her belly was terribly swollen. My mum came home and we took her to the vets. She had a bleed in her abdomen and was severely anemic. She was transfered off to an animal emergency center where she had ultrasounds and two blood transfusions. The results of the ultrasounds came back and we found out that the majority of her internal organs (lungs, spleen etc) were virtually completely riddled with cancer, which had caused the bleed.
Previous to this, she was fine, there was no outward signs of distress, she was eating, running around and everything. The vet told us that she could have anywhere between a day and six months left to live. We decided to take her home, since the transfusions had helped her greatly.
The next day, she was dry retching and lacked any spark in her eyes. It was hard, extremely hard, but we took her back, and the vet was so kind. We all sat with her on the floor (she was on a blanket, which she really seemed to love) and we cuddled her and told her how much we loved her as the vet put the drugs in her. She passed away so quickly and peacefully that I thought she was just sleeping, until the vet checked her heart. She was 12 when she passed away. I think that that decision, as hard and painful as it was, was in her best interests and was probably the best thing that we could have done for her.

[VeganLu]

Moondance, your experience with your beloved dog Holly is almost exactly the same experience I went through with my cat, Sylvester. I am so sorry that your loss was so recent. Your heart must have that pain of sorrow with you everyday. Everytime I think of Sylvester, that pain comes right back into my heart. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

[VeganLu]

To Staffy:

You were very sick at one time and I understand what you wanted done. Your parents love you and it must have been hard for them to abide by your wishes. How are you now? I hope that you are completey well. I will keep you in my thoghts.

P.S. How sweet that you cried when you read my posting.

[Staffy]

That was around six years ago VeganLu and things are better now. I'll never be the same as a result, both physically or emotionally but i'm gifted in that i can have learnt from the experience. Thank you for the thoughts VeganLu

[Essy Strudel]

My family dog was euthanised yesterday. I think it was the right thing to do. And I'm at peace with it.

[cobweb]

^ aw xxx

i'm glad we held off with ours and took the risk of further operations as she's enjoying life again at the moment, but when it is her time i hope i can feel like you do, Essy. We just have to try and do the right thing.

[VeganLu]

To Essy:

I offer you my condolences because your dog had to die 2 days ago. I feel for you.

To Cobweb:

You are so lucky that you were able to bring your dog back to health. I am happy for you and your dog.

[Essy Strudel]

cobweb - That's great.

VeganLu - Thank you

Our dog had already undergone a couple of operations over the past couple of years and was on medication. He had gone deaf, and was going blind, had bad arthritis, and recently got some sort of skin infection that wouldn't clear up no matter what we tried. He was losing all his fur due to the skin infection and would stay up all night scratching and crying. The vet said that kind of chronic skin infection, usually indicated an underlying serious illness, and that she would have to operate on him to investigate, but as he was an old dog and the illness would probably be incurable it probably would not be worth putting him through. We all spoke about it and decided it was better this way in the end. I had a dog killed by getting hit by a car, that was devastating. This time was different, it was more painful watching him feel uncomfortable, we didn't want to wait 'till he got even worse, it had got bad enough.
I believe strongly in euthanasia for non-human-animals and human-animals. I know I would certainly not want to suffer for years and lose my dignity, etc.

[cobweb]

But does that mean that the living and able should just "put them down?"

Every living thing has the right to die in a natural way. If whatever complications cause their organs to shut down, then that is the natural progression of their ailment and therefore a natural death.

I missed this post.
Natural can quite often = painful and harsh .

[VeganLu]

To Essy:

What a sad story. You certainly tried everything to make him comfortable and well. You gave him the gift of compassion and peace when it was his time to go.

[MoonDance]

VeganLu - Thank you so much, I really appreciate your words. It was very hard writing that yesterday, but I felt that it was for the best. I am so sorry about your cat Sylvester too, he sounded like he was a lovely little guy.
The pain is still there, yes, but she's at peace now, so that offers some comfort. It was horrible coming home. My other dog, Gem was very depressed for weeks after, it was heart breaking.

Essy - I'm so sorry about your dog. I hope that you are doing as okay as you can be at this point in time.

[rxseeeyse]

I don't know but I vote for NEVER. because I guess I won't know what an animal is thinking. Just like people, sometimes even when they got cancer and gunna die soon they might just want to live until the last minute...but it is the personal decision OMG< so sad for ur pets T^T

[Staffy]

Trust me, when you live with someone long enough, human or animal, you know.

[harpy]

Ideally it would be a personal decision when to die, but often people and animals aren't in a position to do anything to hasten their own death, other than stopping eating and drinking which isn't an ideal way to go IMO. So if I get into that state I hope someone will give me a helping hand.

With an animal (or person with e.g. severe dementia) there is the problem of communication, but as Staffy says knowing them helps. And even if there's a degree of uncertainty about what they want, why is erring on the side of inaction necessarily better?

[RubyDuby]

absolutely! what's so bad about death? I believe* death is much harder on the living.


* of course, who really knows?

[cobweb]

precisely...........when iminent death is inevitable, what is better, a short, painful, miserable stay of execution, or painless relief?.

[leedsveg]

precisely...........when imminent death is inevitable, what is better, a short, painful, miserable stay of execution, or painless relief?

lv

[CrunchyMomma]

It is crazy though, as I've read through this thread, how many of you have animals that have developed such horrible illnesses. This is in no way suggesting that anyone is at fault for that, but I'm left wondering if there's a reason for it....something that's added to pet food? Chemicals in the house?

I lost a dog to renal failure when she was only five years old. To this day I blame it on the Science Diet soft food we let the vet convince us to put her on due to skin allergies. This was almost a decade ago, but having her put to sleep was the hardest thing to do. We had a mobile vet come to our house so her last memory wouldn't be of the vet clinic. Everyone got to hold Dottie while the vet spoke very calmly and then gave her the injection. It still brings tears to my eyes recalling it.

We had exhausted all of our options. Dottie had started limping not long after Christmas. Because she was a Corgi, we assumed she had injured her leg or back somehow. She loved to run and jump. X-rays came back clean. Her limping progressively worsened over the next few months. We took her back in. She showed no signs of injury or pain in her legs or back. We went to another vet for a second opinion. No leg, hip, or spinal injury. And then, overnight, she took a turn for the worse. She stopped eating and drinking, so we rushed her to the vet. They ran a gamut of tests and they discovered she was in kidney failure. We had a brief glimmer of hope when they said they could flush her kidneys and see if it would help. Nobody slept that night. We went to pick her up the following day and she was no better.

We thought maybe we could just let nature take its course at home. When she began violently vomiting up bile and going into convulsions and trying to hide under the couch we knew it was time. She was so sick and in so much pain and all she wanted to do was hide herself from us so we wouldn't see her in such an "undignified" state. I can't explain the overwhelming grief one feels when you have to get your sick dog in your lap, hold her head and take tiny eyedroppers of water and drip it on her tongue and then have her open her mouth and let it roll back out. How helpless you feel. And how damn upsetting it was to know had they only discovered what was wrong with her when she first started limping she may have been with us longer. When the mobile vet arrived, Dottie (who had been hiding behind the couch all day) slowly dragged herself out and actually licked the vet's hand.

Dottie was cremated and her ashes were returned to us in a little urn along with a poem. She has a special spot in our curio cabinet along with her collar, favorite ball, and a framed photo of her.

Of course there are times in which euthanasia is used as "an easy out". My sister has four animals at home (three cats and one dog) that she rescued when people brought them into the vet clinic for routine things like "my cat had a litter of kittens and I can't afford their shots" or "my dog sprained her ankle. I don't want to pay for bandages so just have her put down". Sometimes, though, it's the very last resort and it's never, ever easy to "play God" in those situations and make that choice.

[rxseeeyse]

everything about this matter is just so sad....I realized I was being naiive thinking I should respect animals opinion. I guess it's because I never faced a companion animal's death so I don't know how painful it must feel.

[CrunchyMomma]

everything about this matter is just so sad....I realized I was being naiive thinking I should respect animals opinion. I guess it's because I never faced a companion animal's death so I don't know how painful it must feel.

It's one of the inevitable consequences of having an animal companion. We get them for such a fleeting moment and then they get sick and watching them go through prolonged suffering is almost unbearable. I find having fur babies immensely rewarding, though. Having dogs and cats has enriched my life so much. Their overwhelming capacity to love unconditionally. Their unfailing loyalty and devotion. Their ability to trust even after enduring hardship.

[Tiffany]

I think euthanasia should be viable for animals who are suffering immensely and have absolutely no hope of surviving or living comfortably ever again.

What I don't think is acceptable are animal "shelters" who take perfectly healthy cats and dogs off the street and send them to their death for no reason. That to me is very wrong. Do we put the homeless to death?

[VeganLu]

We don't give euthanasia to humans who are suffering with pain and dispair all over the world either, and if they are going to die anyway or their quality of life is shot to hell, I believe in euthanasia for humans too. I know that I personally would not want to suffer endlessly and I would accept euthanasia with open arms.

[VeganLu]

We don't give euthanasia to humans who are suffering with pain and dispair all over the world either, and if they are going to die anyway or their quality of life is shot to hell, I believe in euthanasia for humans too. I know that I personally would not want to suffer endlessly and I would accept euthanasia with open arms.

[patientia]

Yes, and for humans, too.

[RhegHimself]

If an animal is only surviving in chronic pain, it is much much crueller to let it suffer then it is to put it to sleep humanely. How could you live with yourself knowing that your animal that you claim to love is in pain and your doing nothing about it.

[VeganLu]

I find that people who have very sick pets, who are in pain and their quality of life is compromised, keep their pets alive for themselves, not for the pets. They love their companion animal and do not want to part with him or her. But, in my opinion, it is wrong to just be thinking of yourself when keeping a companion alive who is in pain and is suffering.

Patientia, I too am for euthansia for both humans and companion animals when it is the right time to so. It angers me that euthanization is allowed for animal companions as well as all non-human animals, but it is against the law to do the same for sick and suffering relatives and friends. Who the hell do we think we are?

[leedsveg]

I find that people who have very sick pets, who are in pain and their quality of life is compromised, keep their pets alive for themselves, not for the pets. They love their companion animal and do not want to part with him or her. But, in my opinion, it is wrong to just be thinking of yourself when keeping a companion alive who is in pain and is suffering.

Patientia, I too am for euthansia for both humans and companion animals when it is the right time to so. It angers me that euthanization is allowed for animal companions as well as all non-human animals, but it is against the law to do the same for sick and suffering relatives and friends. Who the hell do we think we are?

I agree.

lv

[VeganLu]

Leedsveg: Nice to hear from you and glad to know that there are others that feel the same.

[VeganLu]

I had a cat many years ago called Eleanor (named after the Beetles song Eleanor Rigby). She lived 19 years, but after she passed away, I realized that I should have euthanized her a year before she passed. It was not like she was suffering, but the last year of her life, she would face a wall and howl this horrible sound. She was old and boney, but she still was eating. But it was like overnight that she was not only howling at the wall, but she was dying and in pain. The night before she died she went under our bed and cried the whole night. I worked in a law firm back then and they were having a very important closing the next day, so I had to go to work. My boss would have fired me if I did not come in. Before I left for work the following morning, I went over to Eleanor and said "Please wait for me." When I got to work, I called my vet and told him I was going to bring Eleanor in that night so she can be euthanised. I told my boss I was not coming in the next day. Well, my husband always got home a bit earlier than me, and when he opened the door, the look on his face made my heart explode. I personally think that she died right after I left for work. Anyway, until this day my heart hurts when I think about her. This is why I strongly feel that animals that are very sick and suffering should be euthanized. I was much younger back then (23 years ago) and I was going through hard times, and Eleanor was always there to comfort me, but the last year of her life she suffered and I can't stop feeling guilty, because I was so wrapped up in my own problems, I let her suffer. She was like a sister to me all of those 19 years.

[RhegHimself]

I'm sure that Eleanor understood, cats seem to be very in tune with human emotion and wellbeing, i had a cat called Salem who was always there when i was depressed (especially if i was in tears) He wouldn't leave me alone. And another of my cats Harvey always sat with me or members of my family who were ill and just purr. So please dont feel to bad.

[VeganLu]

Thanks RhegHimself for making me feel better. I never mentioned that Eleanor had a wonderful life with her buddy Sylvester, an all black male cat who was dumped into our backyard. He died at the age of 18, and he too had a wonderful life.

[earthling]

I clicked the wrong answer on the poll I went for the second option and then realised it was the wrong one as I've never had a pet! Should've clicked 'other', thinking about it more. Not sure if my vote can be changed though?

To explain: this is a difficult issue for me, because while I've never had a pet, I do have disabling medical conditions which cause me many symptoms. They are pretty much incurable (but I can expect to live a normal lifespan). Even when I've been in pain, or had very distressing symptoms, I've not wanted to die. In fact, there's been times when I've felt so bad I wondered whether I *was* dying and it was frightening for me because I really, really want to live! So the experience of having chronic illness myself has made me think about how sick animals might feel inside. They undoubtedly suffer from their symptoms but would they prefer death? I couldn't say yes, for sure. In fact my gut feeling is that most still value their lives however many symptoms they may be experiencing.

I wonder whether people sometimes euthanise their pets too soon, or assume that because an animal is in pain or has reduced mobility for example, they don't value their own life. I've watched animal programmes on TV and been shocked at the stage at which some animals are euthanised, i.e. when they don't seem to be *that* ill. It occurs to me that when a human being is in pain, we give them painkillers, and when their mobility is reduced, we provide technology which assists them or makes them more comfortable. Only when that human being gives explicit consent to their life being taken because they consider their situation unbearable, is it considered ethical to help them die (and for some people, not even then).

I believe that human beings should have the right to voluntary euthanasia, because we can consent, and we should have control over our own lives (and deaths). Animals cannot consent, or at least not in a way we understand, so the situation is problematic. They might want to die, or they might not... and we have to decide for them! It's very difficult.

I suppose the only similar human analogy is with very young children (or any human who can't communicate) who are terminally ill and in a lot of pain, where the parents / next of kin are given the right to choose whether they want medical intervention (i.e. keep the person alive by artificial means) or not. The latter isn't the same as euthanasia but rather it's letting the medical condition take its 'natural' course while keeping the person comfortable. I think I'd have to say that this is the way I'd want my pet to be treated if the situation arose, so not euthanasia but letting a natural death happen while keeping the animal as comfortable as possible. I hope that makes sense. I'd make that choice because I don't think I could actively take the life of a being who couldn't consent to their life being taken - because after all, just because a being is physically suffering, doesn't mean that s/he doesn't value their life or find some quality in their life.

By the way I'm NOT judging anyone who has made the decision to euthanise a pet. It's a situation I've never been in, after all.

[harpy]

I think it's probably true that some people euthanise animals too soon, i.e. when they could still have a life that is worth living, but I would be surprised if that was true of many vegans. I think the majority of animals that people are talking about in this thread were ones that are fairly near to death anyway so it's not likely that they would have had any more life of reasonable quality. It's more of a choice between a protracted and possibly painful death and a quick and painless one and I think I know what I'd choose for myself in those circs. Obviously it's a judgment call what the animal would want and that's what's so difficult.

In my limited experience it doesn't really make sense to talk of letting nature take its course because by that stage you've probably already been keeping the animal alive artificially with medicine for some time. Just withdrawing the medicine wouldn't be letting nature take its course, I don't think.

[earthling]

Harpy, I take your points, my thoughts on the subject are somewhat muddled I do admit, and I'm sure that vegans would generally be much more likely to think about things from the animals POV than other people... I suppose when I said 'nature take its course' I was talking about choosing not to use aggressive methods such as risky surgery or resuscitation, such as when some humans sign a DNR or have a living will. I guess what I meant was, when medicine stops working, rather than pursue more invasive methods or euthanise, just keep the animal comfortable with painkillers until s/he dies naturally (by naturally I mean without being actively euthanised). I suppose at the root of my opinion on the subject, is the thought of why should animals be treated any differently from human beings. It's awful to watch a human suffer and it's awful to watch an animal suffer... but we wouldn't euthanise humans without their express consent. You could base a decision on what an animal is most likely to want on what a human would want in the same situation, but it's difficult to assess what most human beings would do if they were terminally ill, seeing as euthanasia is currently illegal in this country (and plus it would depend on a lot of factors such as type of illness etc).

[RhegHimself]

also whether or not the operations or treatment at the animals age and condition need to be considered, because it could be crueller to put the animal through an operation that it might not live through or could only extend its life marginally.

[harpy]

It is difficult to assess what most people would do, earthling, but FWIW I've known a few (not that many) terminally ill humans and when it got to the last bit of their illness they were very willing to accept painkilling treatments which they knew perfectly well which would probably accelerate their deaths as a side-effect (which is legal).

However I don't think people usually decide whether to put down their animals on the basis of what most people would want but on a judgement of what that particular animal seems to want, which when you know the animal well you can sometimes make with a reasonable amount of confidence I think. One of my old cats went on having a fine time even when he was old and crumbly with lots of things the matter with him, but then there came a day when it was fairly obvious that he wasn't.

Also, I think in a way people can put up with more illness and disability than animals can because some people would think life worth living if they were immobile but could still read, watch television, be with their friends etc whereas animals generally want to do keep doing their usual physical stuff IME and can get a bit stressed if they can't. (Though they often seem to be able to manage fine with the odd limb missing and so on.)

Don't get me wrong, I don't think you should put them down except as a last resort, but I don't feel that because you can't get their express consent you should give them "the benefit of the doubt" in the sense of keeping them alive - because I don't think that that is necessarily a benefit.

[missbettie]

^ beautifully put.

[RhegHimself]

Most people are in tune with their pets, Just as most pets are in tune with their owners, And a decision that profund can only really be subjective.

[Rachael-Louise]

[QUOTE=PinkFluffyCloud;40789][QUOTE=dreama]

I hate to see dogs 'on wheels',


No, I don't feel the same about people in wheelcahirs, they haven't had wheels surgically attached to their legs, and, unless they are terribly unfortunate, they have a voice that they can use to express an opinion about their situation. I would never put down an animal *just* because they are old and/or disabled, but only if they are obviously suffering pretty much constantly.

It is just as much 'playing God' to pump an animal with drugs just to dull their pain enough for them to give you a few more months of companionship, in my opinion. Last year I had to have our Rabbit put to sleep because he had teeth which kept growing into the sides of his mouth. However often they were clipped, the problem recurred, due to poor tooth formation. He was getting abcesses in his mouth and in the end could only eat through a syringe. This was the loveliest, funniest, most intelligent little Rabbit companion I could wish for, and I certainly did not want to see him go. If he had been a human, there would have been more help available, other options.
But he was a Rabbit, and Rabbits have ever-growing teeth, so this was a serious problem, he was starving to death. That is the difference between animals and people - animals have been bred as companions and have specific breed-related, or species related, problems that we cannot always 'fix'. Should I have let him starve to death?

Was your vet a Rabbit savvy vet? As a lot of help is now avaliable for rabbits with misaligned or overgrown teeth such as tooth root removal, a lot of bunnies do fine as gummy bunnies and all they need is liquidised food. I know in saying this it will not bring your bunny bacik and I am truly sorry for your loss but even when the end looks inevitable there still may be some hope.

I completly agree that it is not 'wrong' to have an animal put to sleep if they are in pain and living a miserable life, that is not fair and I would love for one of my loved ones to be able to make that choice for me if the time came, at the end of the day it is a final act of love, as it (if done so by a loving owner) is one of the hardest and selfless desicions you will ever make, I know I have had to make it and it is not easy, it is gutrenching and heart breaking.
I treasure EVERY second I get with my two house buns, they are my babies, I love them more than life itself and I would die without them!

[Tish]

I sympathise with everyone's stories here. It is such a difficult decision to make. In time you will think of all the happy memories and the good life and times you shared with your animal companions and the pain will fade.

I think all you can do is make the best decision you can, on their behalf, at the time and know that you are doing it because you love them.

[Clueless Git]

It's one of the inevitable consequences of having an animal companion.

Aye, three possible options once we have chosen to take ownership of an animal ..

1. It dies peacefully of it's own accord.

2. We have to intentionaly kill it.

3. We have to intentionaly allow it to suffer.

That animal ownership can sometimes leave us with no perfect choices suggests that is an imperfect choice to take ownership of an animal.

[Rachael-Louise]

Aye, three possible options once we have chosen to take ownership of an animal ..

1. It dies peacefully of it's own accord.

2. We have to intentionaly kill it.

3. We have to intentionaly allow it to suffer.

That animal ownership can sometimes leave us with no perfect choices suggests that is an imperfect choice to take ownership of an animal.

I think to be honest the choice to take on a fury member of the family is not a rational choice it is one made of love there for all choices that follow should also come out of love, even if that means helping the animal on its way when the time is right.

[Festered]

fury member of the family

http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.co...n/seigmiaow.pl

I am all for euthanasia to end inevitable suffering that is incurable.

[RainInStarlight]

All of my cats (3 that got sick) died at home. The last one died in the living room on the couch...he just slowly stopped breathing...it was like he had pneumonia, and his lungs filled with fluid...and he was gone. We made boxes for them all, and buried them on our property. They will be missed terribly.

[aye]

Really interesting discussion, personally for me I feel that euthanasia should be available for both humans and animals. I'm aware it can be abused however it wouldnt be as simple as deciding what shoes to put on, there would have to be a rigorous process to go through and to assess the individuals capabilities and understandings of their own situation. With animals it's different, we have to assess the situation for them and decide at that moment in time what is more humane. My 18 year old cat just took a slump in the last 5 months of her life, it was difficult to watch, you could see the confusion and frustration in her face when she couldnt jump onto the bed or walk. We made the heartbreaking decision to call the vet, I held her as she passed away in my arms and although I still miss her terribly I can look myself in the eye and know that what I did was out of genuine love for her.

[missbettie]

^ sorry to hear that

[Tofu Monkey]

One of my rats has a tumour growing in her lungs. As it gets bigger, she'll begin to find it difficult to breathe. Unfortunately, despite it being the most difficult decision I'll have to make, I will have to have her put to sleep. I would rather end her life than have her suffocating because of it, especially as there's absolutely nothing I can do.

I do think there are some people however, who might use it as the easy way out, without trying all options. I had another rat (Tofu Monkey) that died last week from a heart attack. Every vet I spoke to said she would not make her first birthday because of her health hinderances. She actually made it to 26 months old, all because I was willing to spend as much money, time and medication that was needed to keep her healthy and alive.

Speaking to the vets, they all congratulated me on my determination to help Tofu in any way I can. (I was a little worried by this comment as I naturally expected all pet owners to feel the same). However, I heard from the vets that a lot of people deem rats as 'too small' to really bother with vet bills and it's supposedly 'easier' to have them put to sleep when they show signs of illness, then treat them. I think this is disgusting practice but unfortunately it does exist.

If it's the right thing to do for the animal, then I agree with it. If it's done to save hassle for the owners, then I think it's wrong and the people should be banned from looking after animals.

[aspin231]

My opinion seems to be aligned with mostly everyone commenting on this thread.
I just want to chime in here, as well.
I had my best friend euthanized on May 11th of this year. That was the most heart-wrenching decision I have ever had to make. Nikita was a few months away from turning 14, which is about 5 years older than the rottweiler breed standard suggests is 'normal.' I rescued Nikita in 2006, and she truly did need rescuing. From the moment we first connected until the moment she died in my arms, she had the most astounding way of communicating with me; it was like having a conversation through your eyes. Nikita had developed a tumor in her lower jaw, and it didn't really seem to be a problem on it's own- she was still eating (soft food) with gusto, and still very active (despite hip dysplasia, arthritis) and still definitely had joy in her eyes. About a week before, I started noticing that she couldn't walk properly; her feet would land the wrong way and she stumbled and fell several times. Usually I would just let her go outside alone, but after I witnessed her falling down the concrete steps (very early in to this) I would go with her every time. Nikita started falling more and more. She had her first seizure on May 9th. It was a major seizure, and it terrified me, though I'm sure not more than it terrified her. Still, she wasn't ready to go. On May 10th, I spoke with my mother (who is a veterinary technician, though lives in a different city) and she advised me that I "will know."
She was right. You truly do know. I came home later that day, to find Nikita, relieved to see me, laying in a mess of urine and blood all over my kitchen floor, obviously having had a major seizure. I cleaned her off, and sat her on the couch with me as she couldn't walk. She ate her dinner out of my lap by herself (I'd been feeding her by hand) and enjoyed it. I had a glimmer of hope that perhaps she may get better, maybe. She had four more seizures in the course of the hour. She was choking on her tongue, and she was not going to make it until morning. I knew. I couldn't allow my best friend to asphyxiate to death. I couldn't allow her to die of a seizure.
I called the emergency vet. I arranged a ride for us. She was so listless the whole was. She knew what was happening. She couldn't even walk in to the vet's office independently, she had to be carried. She just laid there as I filled out all the paperwork. When it came time, she was still listless, dull. She didn't react to the saline needle, and she was one to back herself in to a corner in fear over needles. When the vet gave her the final shot, I watched as the last of her strength rippled through her, and she used it to look in to my eyes and make that last connection. Then she closed her eyes, laid her head back down, and took her rest.
Not only had my best friend died, but I had to be the one to make the last decision for her.
Am I certain I made the right choice? As hard as it was, yes I am. Nikita told me when she was ready to go. I love her so much, I will never stop loving her. She was not a dog, though she may have been canine in this world. I believe in reincarnation, and I hope beyond hope that our spirits meet again.

Had I not had the option of euthanasia, Nikita would have died gasping for breath, scared, confused. Because I was allowed this choice, Nikita died with dignity, in my arms, and gently. As it should be.
I've always maintained that money should never be a restraint with animals. There's always payment plans, loans etc. to make it possible to give your animals the best life possible. I am heftily in debt from Nikita's last few months, and I wouldn't change it for anything (except having Nikita alive and well.) When an animal is euthanized because of a broken leg/allergies/inconvenience, it makes me sick. Here, a vet cannot refuse to euthanize an animal, regardless of condition, and that needs to change. However, that option should always, always be there. For human-animals too.

Also, if anyone is still reading, I believe that the reason we are seeing so much cancer in our pets is because of the pet food industry. I have always followed my mother's advice on nutrition and fed so-called 'good-quality' foods without question, but now am severely questioning it. Anything with 'corn' as it's first ingredient is not top-quality no matter how much it's touted as such. I strongly suggest all pet owners do research independently of their vet and find the best quality food for their companions. I know I would have, had I known better, when I first met Nikita, though I was only 12 at the time, I do still blame myself for not trying more in the ensuing years.

I'll leave you all now, as I'm crying and it's past 2 a.m. here. Best wishes.

[harpy]

So sorry about Nikita, aspin231. It definitely sounds like the right choice in the circs

It's a good point about the food, but I wouldn't blame yourself for the fact she got ill. As you say, she was very old, and the fact that animals (and humans) are tending to live much longer than they used to is also an important part of the explanation for the increased rate of cancer, I think.

[RubyDuby]

So sorry for your loss , aspin. You sound like you were a wonderful friend to Nakita and should have no regrets. She was one lucky pup.