Had to have the pooch 'put to sleep'

Calibos

We had to have the pooch/Remy put to sleep today:( She was a Lab/Red Setter cross. Its absolutely heart breaking. We've had 2 dogs in the past but have never really had to go through this before.

Our first dog when I was a kid was a Collie called Hennessey. When we moved house we couldn't take Hennessey with us, but a neighbours brother had a family farm up in Cavan, so thats where he went to live out the rest of his days. (This being a real case of a dog going to live on a farm!:) ). Needless to say, when we heard a few years later that he had passed away, it was just a case of "Poor 'Oul' Hennessey".

Our second dog a few years later was a King Charles/Jack Russel cross called Lady. We had to move into the GrandParents house for a few months while we were between houses and Lady never moved on with us but stayed with the grandparents, so when she was put to sleep a few years later it was another case of, "Ahh, poor 'Oul' Lady".

With Remy it was a case of "Poor 'Oul' Remy almost from day one when we got her as a pup. After about a year she developed serious allergies which never went away. She was on Prednisalone for the last 8 years to try and keep the skin condition at bay. She's had 3 cancers removed over the last 9 years. 2 on her backside/underneath tail and one from her cheek/lip. In January she was diagnosed with diabetes. We were prepared for the worst but the vet made no mention of "it being kinder to Remy...etc etc" and proceeded like treating her latest ailment was a given. I suppose we were relieved in a way and went along with it. It took nearly 3 months to get her regulated on her insulin and all was well for a few months. In the last few weeks though she wouldn't eat which made giving her insulin dangerous and thus she would miss every second or third dose and she screeched everytime she got her twice a day injection. My mother who was the only one with the 'balls' to give the injections was at her wits end. What a shower of wimps her Husband and 4 sons were!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Off course our laminate floors and Remy's arthritus in her back hips/legs made it difficult for her to get up even with copious rugs and carpet off cuts dotted around the house for her. A fortnight ago she was diagnosed with a fatty cancerous though non malignant tumour in her front armpit. Again instead of the vet saying "maybe its time....... etc" he just said if it got any bigger they would remove it. Can you imaging the dog trying to stand up now with her gammy back legs and 4 inch scar under armpit. What a recipe for disaster. He also reckoned the smallish lumps on the front off her top....and.....bottom lip looked, 'Suspicious':rolleyes:

Anyway, we finally said enough was enough and it was time to let her go which we did today. The fact that it was probably the right thing to do and maybe should heave been done a lot sonner doesn't make it any easier though.:(

One of the things we have learnt is to get pet insurance.....its not the money and she was worth every penny for the love and affection we received from her, but she has cost us thousands upon thousands in vets bills. Was that why the Vet wanted to keep her alive or was it a case of misguided empathy for us ie He just assumed we wanted her kept alive at all cost?? It seems you can't expect a vet to read your signals. If you've given your all and finally feel its time, you have to actually tell the vet straight out that you think its time. ie When the vet said they'd operate on the latest tumour, in my unique slightly mad kind of way I told Remy in front of the vet, "I don't know if we can put you through another operation again Remy", instead of saying to the Vet, "I don't think we can put her through that again.

Even though its a bit of a cliche, despite the fact that it was the kindest thing to do, its still heartbreaking. I thought I had got it all out of my system earlier in the day after having a good cry but I nearly burst into tears several times in work today though I'm feeling better tonight. I'm sure every dog owner in this situation says that they could't go through this again with another dog but I really mean it. When I have a family if the kids want a pet they can have an aquarium or something. Its just too much when you have to let a 'higher' animal go. Something that shows you so much unconditional love back. Christ, I've cried more about the dog than when my Granny died of a heart attack a few weeks back!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes: How wierd and ****ed up is that!

Jeez, this post is longer than I thought it would be. I suppose I just needed to get it off my chest!

Anyway, heres a pic of the 'Pooch'

Remy
1995-2003
R.I.P.

koneko

Sorry to hear it

And don't think you're silly or stupid for being upset. Anyone that thinks that or says that to you obviously hasn't been there!
Pets become part of the family and it can be pretty hard saying goodbye

skittishkitten

So Sorry to hear about Remy. It's always hard to loose a pet , especially since you had been through so much with her . I've also a dog that I will probably soon have to have "put to sleep" as she has several lumps spread through her lymph system. To "open her up" would only inflame them and make it worse. The vets words were pretty much ...."well we could operate but .... *sad shake of the head* ". So as long as she has quality of life and isn't in pain then she will stay with me a bit longer. I guess I'm holding on so tight to her as I lost my horse last year to old age , "HIS" collie Tami died of old age within weeks of him and my show bitch from cancer two weeks after her. Death has visited my house a bit to much lately ..... he can wait a bit longer for this one.

In time , after you've had time to greive , then perhaps you will be able to accept another into your heart and home . There is nothing wrong with grieving for them , they are a major part of the family. As much as it hurts to loose them , I don't think I could ever be without them either .

*HUGS*

doctor evil

Sorry to hear about it at least now she is in doggie heaven. I remenber when my cat was put down and my guinepig didnt make it through surgery. I think the worst is when your pet disappears I miss my moulder and Tharg(cats)and Snowie and Rain(budgies).:(

Sarky

You have my sympathies too. I've witnessed one dog die of old age, one put down and the other get a heart attack. It's never easy, I cried an awful lot every time.

Rusty was an old mongrel with red setter, I was too young to remember much of her, but it was sad to see her just stop living one day. At 15, you can hardly blame her, but it was still sad.

Scooby, a cocker spaniel, was born when I was, and was a great pet, but we had to put him down after some w*nker hit him in a car and broke his back.:(

Grog was a springer spaniel, and quite simply the best friend I ever had. Mad, funny and intelligent, he was almost like a brother. He became epileptic, and got a heart attack one day when he was nine. If I had actually been at home to see him die or bury him, I would have cried for months, instead of weeks. This was last year, when I was 20. I don't consider it soppy. A dog becomes a member of the family all right, they pick up the same traits and personality of the family...

Neil_Sedaka

Sorry to hear about Remy too, it's a tough one to live with for a while allright.
We've had to do two dogs over the past twenty years, each one broke my heart, but you pick yourself up, get another pup and have another ten years of love and loyalty (that's what we do anyway) just don't try to compare them, they're all different and special in their own way.
Also, you know the time was right and you did do the right thing, take care.

Calibos

Thanks everyone.

Sarky

Hey, that post just kicked a few pleasent memories of my last dog to the front of my mind. Thanks.:)

Lemming

Sorry to hear about Remy Calibos

For as long as I've been around, my family has always had dogs. Most often several at a time. Our last two dogs had been in the family for a VERY long period of my life.

'Light' (named from the owner of his mother's son had become lightweight boxing champ of Ireland at the time) & 'ducks' (named after her trained speciality - duck retrieval). Both trained gun dogs. Light was a pointer of nervous disposition and Ducks was a springer-spaniel who was a total extrovert.

Light wasnt' well for a while and we'd brought him to the vet on a few occasions as he wasnt' eating or moving about - which for a dog who was as fast as he very worrying - and he started to improve and show some more life. Then he had a relapse, and my father brought him to the vet to have him put down since he was just in too much pain. He died on the table before the vet could do anything.

Ducks was about the same age as me when she died. 18 (human) years old, give or take a year. We knew her hearing was not too good and suspected she couldnt' see too well either, but she still knew us. She wasn't too well and we brought her to the vet to get her checked out, only to discover she'd had multiple strokes, was blind in one eye and going so in the other and nearly completely deaf. My dad had her put down as he believed that it wasn't fair on her. She had little quality of life left.

I'm sorry they're gone, but both went in old age and had a good run of life and were well cared for. So I'm grateful in that they had happy lives.

Likewise it sounds like Remy was well looked after and loved, so I'm sure she was happy to be with you through it all.

SantaHoe

Originally posted by Calibos
When I have a family if the kids want a pet they can have an aquarium or something. Its just too much when you have to let a 'higher' animal go. Something that shows you so much unconditional love back.

Isn't it better to have loved and lost as the saying goes...
Lost my dog to some really nasty arthritis a few years ago, he lived to the ripe old age of 14 though... which could be why it was such a massive downer... had 14 years to get attached to the poor fella, practically grew up together
Still have a framed photo of the two of us on my dresser, fond memories and all that.

My future kids are getting a dog wether they like it or not

deathcube ^_^

Yeah,
it is awful seeing a pet pass away
though it's not so bad if you know you've done your best to give them a good life

Sarky

Originally posted by deathcube ^_^
Yeah,
it is awful seeing a pet pass away
though it's not so bad if you know you've done your best to give them a good life

The years of loyalty and friendship more than make up for it. It's always hard to see them go, but keep thinking back over the memories, they'll bring a smile to your face, guarenteed. Worked for me.

Calibos

Thanks again everyone for your kind thoughts. We're now able to talk about Remy and laugh about all the funny things she used to do etc. Its getting much easier. Again, many thanks.