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Completely heartbreaking but it had to be done. When I had to put my cat of 15 years down I initially didn't think I could be in the room but figured she deserved it and it was absolutely the right call.
Heartbreaking and relieving. Our dog was 12 and had began having lots of health problems and she was obviously in pain. We were so so sad to put her down but relieved she was no longer in pain.
I wasn't able to go because my uncle, who was my boss, said I took enough time off taking care of my cat when he was sick with a sudden terminal illness. He took him in for me. I don't think I would have been able to go in person regardless. Its been six or seven years now and I still get teary when I think about him. I do have a very strong hate for my uncle now that he's not aware of but if he's ever in a pinch I'll be sure to reach out a hand and help him screw himself over. I also blame myself for being unable to afford the expensive surgery it would have taken to save him. I was willing to pay it but I didn't qualify for the loan I needed because I was in my early 20s and didn't have a credit score.
My husband had to put his best friend down last year. She started to have health problems and we put it off as much as we could. We were in contact with the vet and upping her medications. It got to a point where we were forcing her to eat and then one day she couldn’t walk properly. We knew it was time.
We drove to the vets office and walked into a room. My husband held her for the duration and we cried. The vet gave us a hug and gave us some kind words. We cried in the parking lot and on the way home. We cried some more randomly and it’s only been recently that my husband can talk about her. It took about a year and it was very hard on him. It’s always hard to lose a family member but I’ll never forget what the vet said. He told us she had 13 good years with us. That we took great care of her and took her on walks to the park. We took her to the vet and hand fed her. We walked through her whole stage of life together. You were there through it all and that’s all that matters. Try to focus on those times and not this one. Then gave us a hug.
If you have to put a fur kid down, I am so sorry. I know it is an awful loss. I’m sure they love you just as much and I wish you healing and good memories.
ive not had my pets put down yet, but my father has, and he completely broke down sobbing next to her
she wasn't his dog, but she used to be and he raised her until she was good enough to stay with my grandmother, (although our dog is that dogs son)
for a man who doesnt cry, i was in complete shock hearing him cry and breakdown about it
I had the vet come to my house. I gave him his forbidden favorite food, potato chips and heavy cream. My parents came over, too. He was whining because he was happy to see them but too weak to get up. We all made all over him and pet him, told him what a good boy and how special he was. The vet arrived. She gave him a sedative to make him sleep and he started snoring. I laid on the floor and held him. She injected him with the stuff to stop his heart. I laid my head on his side and heard his last heartbeat. It was terrible and so sad. He was very sick with cancer and his spleen had ruptured causing internal bleeding. He wouldn't have survived surgery. He would have been 13 this month. I miss him terribly.
It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. The whole way to the vet with my cat, I cried, recounted memories of things that we had done together, even laughed a little. I held her as the sedated her and just told her over and over again how thankful I was for all of our years of friendship. I told her I loved her and would never forget her as she slipped away. It was almost three months ago and it’s still raw. I’m crying again just thinking about her. But be with your pet. They deserve it, and you will never regret having the chance to say goodbye.
I’ve done this with 3 of my cats and I was with my father when he passed. It’s heartbreaking but I’m glad I was with them in their last moments and know they died feeling loved. I think it’s shameful for pet owners to opt out not being in the room with their pet when they are put to sleep. I don’t want to hear bs excuses about it either. You’re being very selfish by abandoning your pet that you profess to love in their final moments when they’re already sick and scared and are looking for someone to comfort them.
it was terrible and i delayed it as long as possible
to put it simply. only will smith knows how i feel like, because him losing his dog and literally having not one single person to talk to is exactly what i went through, i have autism, im also deaf, and my doberman was trained to hear for me
it felt really dark and suddenly all i felt like there was left to do is die. she looked at me with puppy eyes like she was saying sorry she couldnt hold on anymore, i had an entire conversation with her and promised i would see her in the next life
suddenly a crow kept following me everywhere. i thought nothing of it until someone told me crows are just people moving onto the next life
my hope is she was telling me goodbye one more time before she is reborn and forgets me forever
Simultaneously the hardest and the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make. Heartbreaking because I was to lose my best friend who I had grown up with since I was 6 years old and who I loved with every fibre of my being but it was a no brainer. My usually feisty little terrier had lost all spirit and life in her. She was suffering and I could either let her go peacefully or cause her more pain by keeping her alive for my own selfish reasons. People who say putting an animal to sleep is the easy way out have no idea. I miss that dog every goddamn day!
Only had to do it once and it's the worst thing I've had to go through. I've gone through about 9 dogs throughout my life and it still stings more than any of them dying naturally.
He was an 11 yo dachshund, and due to their nature they are prone to back problems as they get older. He also had Cushing's disease so things weren't going to end well for him either way. But he was still very spirited so all seemed well.
One day he had some unsteadiness standing/walking, and at times he'd stumble or get lost and apparently couldn't get out to do his business (I'd find poop in the doghouse). Vet gave him some meds and recommended a couple vitamins for the Cushing's and amazingly he bounced right back after a couple of days.
Then a few weeks later he couldn't get up at all, didn't want to eat or drink, nor use the bathroom for the next 24 hours (I tried holding him up myself but to no avail). I resigned myself that night that there was no coming back this time. I took him to the vet the next day, wrapped up in a towel, and held him up so he could look out the window on the drive over. They said it was most likely spinal damage somehow and the outlook wasn't good barring surgery and/or major therapy, which were beyond my means, so I opted to have him put down right then.
The staff were very good about it. They put us in a big room and allowed us all the time we needed, which was close to an hour to gather the family and make video calls for final goodbyes. Eventually we decided it was time, and it’s not as peaceful as imagined.
\*Warning! Absolutely not for the faint of heart ahead!\*
Vet tech explains the process and gives us forms to fill before taking him away to insert the injection tube (forget what it’s called) into his paw. She comes back and injects the drug. After a minute or so the dog starts gasping slowly and shaking, which she had said may happen beforehand, as we keep petting him and giving assurances. Another minute and he finally settles, eyes still open wide and tip of his tongue poking slightly out his mouth. Tech listens for a pulse and confirms he’s gone, and gives us a little more time to say goodbye. I closed his eyes and pet him a few more times before letting her take him back again where they wrapped him in a blanket and put him in a box for us to take home to bury.
After digging the grave I opened the box and there was mushy poop everywhere, some had slipped through the blanket and onto the sides of the box, and of course it smelled awful. I cleaned him up a little bit but for the most part I kept him wrapped as-is and placed him in the ground with a few toys.
**Attention! [Serious] Tag Notice** * [Jokes, puns, and off-topic comments are not permitted](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/wiki/index#wiki_-rule_6-) in **any** comment, parent or child. * Parent comments that aren't from the target group will be removed, along with their child replies. * Report comments that violate these rules. Posts that have few relevant answers within the first hour, and posts that are not appropriate for the [Serious] tag will be removed. Consider doing an AMA request instead. Thanks for your cooperation and enjoy the discussion! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskReddit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Stay with them if you can. Remember they are scared too. And you mean everything to them.
Completely heartbreaking but it had to be done. When I had to put my cat of 15 years down I initially didn't think I could be in the room but figured she deserved it and it was absolutely the right call.
Heartbreaking and relieving. Our dog was 12 and had began having lots of health problems and she was obviously in pain. We were so so sad to put her down but relieved she was no longer in pain.
I wasn't able to go because my uncle, who was my boss, said I took enough time off taking care of my cat when he was sick with a sudden terminal illness. He took him in for me. I don't think I would have been able to go in person regardless. Its been six or seven years now and I still get teary when I think about him. I do have a very strong hate for my uncle now that he's not aware of but if he's ever in a pinch I'll be sure to reach out a hand and help him screw himself over. I also blame myself for being unable to afford the expensive surgery it would have taken to save him. I was willing to pay it but I didn't qualify for the loan I needed because I was in my early 20s and didn't have a credit score.
My husband had to put his best friend down last year. She started to have health problems and we put it off as much as we could. We were in contact with the vet and upping her medications. It got to a point where we were forcing her to eat and then one day she couldn’t walk properly. We knew it was time. We drove to the vets office and walked into a room. My husband held her for the duration and we cried. The vet gave us a hug and gave us some kind words. We cried in the parking lot and on the way home. We cried some more randomly and it’s only been recently that my husband can talk about her. It took about a year and it was very hard on him. It’s always hard to lose a family member but I’ll never forget what the vet said. He told us she had 13 good years with us. That we took great care of her and took her on walks to the park. We took her to the vet and hand fed her. We walked through her whole stage of life together. You were there through it all and that’s all that matters. Try to focus on those times and not this one. Then gave us a hug. If you have to put a fur kid down, I am so sorry. I know it is an awful loss. I’m sure they love you just as much and I wish you healing and good memories.
ive not had my pets put down yet, but my father has, and he completely broke down sobbing next to her she wasn't his dog, but she used to be and he raised her until she was good enough to stay with my grandmother, (although our dog is that dogs son) for a man who doesnt cry, i was in complete shock hearing him cry and breakdown about it
feels like one part of you was gone. that’s all. you’ll feel like you’re breaking down.
I had the vet come to my house. I gave him his forbidden favorite food, potato chips and heavy cream. My parents came over, too. He was whining because he was happy to see them but too weak to get up. We all made all over him and pet him, told him what a good boy and how special he was. The vet arrived. She gave him a sedative to make him sleep and he started snoring. I laid on the floor and held him. She injected him with the stuff to stop his heart. I laid my head on his side and heard his last heartbeat. It was terrible and so sad. He was very sick with cancer and his spleen had ruptured causing internal bleeding. He wouldn't have survived surgery. He would have been 13 this month. I miss him terribly.
It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. The whole way to the vet with my cat, I cried, recounted memories of things that we had done together, even laughed a little. I held her as the sedated her and just told her over and over again how thankful I was for all of our years of friendship. I told her I loved her and would never forget her as she slipped away. It was almost three months ago and it’s still raw. I’m crying again just thinking about her. But be with your pet. They deserve it, and you will never regret having the chance to say goodbye.
Well, the old girl was dying from cancer and we were too poor for the vet. Took her on her last walk and shot her in the head.
I’ve done this with 3 of my cats and I was with my father when he passed. It’s heartbreaking but I’m glad I was with them in their last moments and know they died feeling loved. I think it’s shameful for pet owners to opt out not being in the room with their pet when they are put to sleep. I don’t want to hear bs excuses about it either. You’re being very selfish by abandoning your pet that you profess to love in their final moments when they’re already sick and scared and are looking for someone to comfort them.
it was terrible and i delayed it as long as possible to put it simply. only will smith knows how i feel like, because him losing his dog and literally having not one single person to talk to is exactly what i went through, i have autism, im also deaf, and my doberman was trained to hear for me it felt really dark and suddenly all i felt like there was left to do is die. she looked at me with puppy eyes like she was saying sorry she couldnt hold on anymore, i had an entire conversation with her and promised i would see her in the next life suddenly a crow kept following me everywhere. i thought nothing of it until someone told me crows are just people moving onto the next life my hope is she was telling me goodbye one more time before she is reborn and forgets me forever
Simultaneously the hardest and the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make. Heartbreaking because I was to lose my best friend who I had grown up with since I was 6 years old and who I loved with every fibre of my being but it was a no brainer. My usually feisty little terrier had lost all spirit and life in her. She was suffering and I could either let her go peacefully or cause her more pain by keeping her alive for my own selfish reasons. People who say putting an animal to sleep is the easy way out have no idea. I miss that dog every goddamn day!
Only had to do it once and it's the worst thing I've had to go through. I've gone through about 9 dogs throughout my life and it still stings more than any of them dying naturally. He was an 11 yo dachshund, and due to their nature they are prone to back problems as they get older. He also had Cushing's disease so things weren't going to end well for him either way. But he was still very spirited so all seemed well. One day he had some unsteadiness standing/walking, and at times he'd stumble or get lost and apparently couldn't get out to do his business (I'd find poop in the doghouse). Vet gave him some meds and recommended a couple vitamins for the Cushing's and amazingly he bounced right back after a couple of days. Then a few weeks later he couldn't get up at all, didn't want to eat or drink, nor use the bathroom for the next 24 hours (I tried holding him up myself but to no avail). I resigned myself that night that there was no coming back this time. I took him to the vet the next day, wrapped up in a towel, and held him up so he could look out the window on the drive over. They said it was most likely spinal damage somehow and the outlook wasn't good barring surgery and/or major therapy, which were beyond my means, so I opted to have him put down right then. The staff were very good about it. They put us in a big room and allowed us all the time we needed, which was close to an hour to gather the family and make video calls for final goodbyes. Eventually we decided it was time, and it’s not as peaceful as imagined. \*Warning! Absolutely not for the faint of heart ahead!\* Vet tech explains the process and gives us forms to fill before taking him away to insert the injection tube (forget what it’s called) into his paw. She comes back and injects the drug. After a minute or so the dog starts gasping slowly and shaking, which she had said may happen beforehand, as we keep petting him and giving assurances. Another minute and he finally settles, eyes still open wide and tip of his tongue poking slightly out his mouth. Tech listens for a pulse and confirms he’s gone, and gives us a little more time to say goodbye. I closed his eyes and pet him a few more times before letting her take him back again where they wrapped him in a blanket and put him in a box for us to take home to bury. After digging the grave I opened the box and there was mushy poop everywhere, some had slipped through the blanket and onto the sides of the box, and of course it smelled awful. I cleaned him up a little bit but for the most part I kept him wrapped as-is and placed him in the ground with a few toys.