Feeling guilty about the dog

vickilb77 · 17-09-2008, 08:22 PM

Hi

Feel so guilty about my boy today as i know its getting closer to the time where we need to make a decision to have him put down or put him through the trauma of re homing him, he is 13 years old and has a bad heart murmur he is on tablets for this and he seems ok at the moment but all he does is sleep and eat , not sure if we can re home him he hates other dogs,cats,children & other people he likes to growl at everything even us sometimes but has never bitten anyone! so i dont think the rehoming thing will work, i know a lot of you have had to leave your beloved dogs and cats behind but has anyone had to make a decision like this? its so hard and i feel so guilty, think i need to go cry again.

Dawny · 17-09-2008, 08:35 PM

Hello, i have never had to go through this so i can only imagine what you must be feeling! Maybe you could talk to your vet they maybe able to help regarding rehoming, they have contacts with long term homing kennels where he may be able just to retire, like you say with his heart condition and age a long flight would do him no good, I recently had our old dog put to sleep he was 17 years old and developed bone cancer and in pain so there was nothing we could do, still didnt make things easier knowing that what we were doing was the right thing to do, but you have to do what is best for the dog, im sure you will agree they should die with dignity, im sure you will be strong in deciding what is best, and i hope all works out ok for you
take care Dawn

the andrews · 17-09-2008, 08:37 PM

hi vicki , i have to go through the same process with my horse , not the same to some people but its there for me, heartwrending . from your post i can only say one thing sometimes its a gift you can give to animals , and its def a case of quality over quantity! some may dissagree, but in your heart if you know you have given 100% and long term it can be the wisest choice. at the old age and with all the niggles, you have my sympathy all the best!

Andy and Tracy · 17-09-2008, 10:09 PM

Sending you a cyber hug.... It is so tough if you are an animal lover ( dogs, cats and horses - people adore their horses, don't they?!). We had to have our dog put to sleep many years ago and it was a shock at the time as I didn't realise how ill she had become. Simple, painless injection and she just fell asleep... no movement or discomfort... very peaceful. Please be reassured. Dreadful at the time as you do miss them , but looking back, we did the best thing for HER, not us. I would have wanted her to carry on regardless, just to keep her a bit longer. After 12 years or so, you just get very, very fond of these little animals, don't you?!

From how you have described your dog now, no-one is going to be able to look after him like you have done as he is not the same dog that you obviously adored. In my humble opinion, I think you would be doing a kindness by putting him to sleep. No-one will care for him like you have done. As the other poster said, think of his quality of life. Please don't feel guilty - remind yourself of what you have given your dog so far - that is more important. You are probably only bringing forward the inevitable by a couple of months.

I do hope this helps. I don't envy you.
Best wishes
Tracy