Letting Go

The past 48 hours have been pretty rough at our house. David finally agreed to let our vet Kay euthanize our oldest dog, 18-year old Peaches. In these photos she is a young dog in 1994 and an old dog in recent months, unable to do anything but lay in her bed.

She has intermittently made noises that indicated she was in pain and had lost interest in peeing or anything else outside. Our vet Kay told us that her brain had deteriorated, in other words she had dog senescence.

The burden fell on David to decide, as it was he who refused to even discuss ”putting her down.” Finally on Thursday last week I asked him why he was doing this.

Are you keeping her alive for her or you? He thought about it, and after she howled all night on Thursday night he said, I guess I am doing it for me. Then she began to howl continuously, not from pain the vet says, but because her brain was sick.

Friday evening, David took Peaches to the vet’s office. Fred the assistant vet gave her a shot to calm her down, but it had NO effect. Fred also increased the dosage of Rimadyl Peaches was taking.

Peaches howled from Friday night when Fred (our #2 vet) saw her until we got her back to the vet’s office and Kay our #1 vet agreed the time had come. She administered a concentrated dose of phynobarbitol. While Kay stroked Peaches and listend to her heart with a stethascope, Peaches went to sleep. David was crying which caused me to cry, and then Kay who had taken care of Peaches since her puppyhood, began to cry.

You gave her a good life she told us, looking at me.

Meanwhile, I had called the Arlington Animal Shelter and asked them if they could help with the body. We drove there and arranged for a private cremation. When the ashes return, we will take them out to Connie and Bill’s farm and sprinkle them where we spread Max’s ashes.

The last thing Kay said to Peaches as she left us, was ”Max is waiting for you.”

11 Responses to Letting Go

LC says:

November 24, 2012 at 22:29

You and David are in my thoughts and prayers. I am thankful for Kay the vet. My vet I at the end of our Mini’s life” was not that thoughtful several decades ago.

Tilly Bud - The Laughing Housewife says:

November 20, 2012 at 15:40

I am so sad for you. It is heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet, even when you know it’s the right thing to do.

Freda Marshall says:

November 19, 2012 at 16:37

So sad, but right to let her go. I have seen a friend’s dog with dogmentia and she was the same. When she couldn’t remember how to pee etc and where the door was, they decided it was kinder to let her go. Will be thinking of you.

sarsm says:

November 19, 2012 at 11:25

I’m so sorry Dianne. Thinking of you

grandmalin says:

November 18, 2012 at 22:02

There are tears in my eyes. Even when your head knows it’s time, your heart has a hard time letting go.

sherry reisinger says:

November 18, 2012 at 18:42

So sorry ,it’s so hard to let our pet family members go they are so much a part of our lives. Love and comforting prayers for you both.

George says:

November 18, 2012 at 17:44

Our thoughts and prayers go out to you both.

Kay's Musings says:

November 18, 2012 at 17:18

Oh Dianne… I’m so sorry. This is just so very hard and sad. I’m sending you both a cyber hug and picturing Peaches romping about with her friends. She certainly lived a long time with people friends who gave her a wonderful life.

gigihawaii says:

November 18, 2012 at 15:55

Terrible situation! My heart goes out to both of you. This is one of the reasons why I no longer keep pets.

Marcela says:

November 18, 2012 at 15:04

I am so sorry for your loss. It is really hard to make that decision, but I always tell myself that I have to think about my dog first, and then me when the times come which just like many pet parents dread it like crazy. Peaches was beautiful:)

Al says:

November 18, 2012 at 13:50

Anyone who has ever had to do this (or anyone with a heart for that matter) is touched by this.

Letting Go

The past 48 hours have been pretty rough at our house. David finally agreed to let our vet Kay euthanize our oldest dog, 18-year old Peaches. In these photos she is a young dog in 1994 and an old dog in recent months, unable to do anything but lay in her bed.

She has intermittently made noises that indicated she was in pain and had lost interest in peeing or anything else outside. Our vet Kay told us that her brain had deteriorated, in other words she had dog senescence.

The burden fell on David to decide, as it was he who refused to even discuss ”putting her down.” Finally on Thursday last week I asked him why he was doing this.

Are you keeping her alive for her or you? He thought about it, and after she howled all night on Thursday night he said, I guess I am doing it for me. Then she began to howl continuously, not from pain the vet says, but because her brain was sick.

Friday evening, David took Peaches to the vet’s office. Fred the assistant vet gave her a shot to calm her down, but it had NO effect. Fred also increased the dosage of Rimadyl Peaches was taking.

You gave her a good life she told us, looking at me.

Meanwhile, I had called the Arlington Animal Shelter and asked them if they could help with the body. We drove there and arranged for a private cremation. When the ashes return, we will take them out to Connie and Bill’s farm and sprinkle them where we spread Max’s ashes.

The last thing Kay said to Peaches as she left us, was ”Max is waiting for you.”

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Letting Go

The past 48 hours have been pretty rough at our house. David finally agreed to let our vet Kay euthanize our oldest dog, 18-year old Peaches. In these photos she is a young dog in 1994 and an old dog in recent months, unable to do anything but lay in her bed.

She has intermittently made noises that indicated she was in pain and had lost interest in peeing or anything else outside. Our vet Kay told us that her brain had deteriorated, in other words she had dog senescence.

The burden fell on David to decide, as it was he who refused to even discuss ”putting her down.” Finally on Thursday last week I asked him why he was doing this.

Are you keeping her alive for her or you? He thought about it, and after she howled all night on Thursday night he said, I guess I am doing it for me. Then she began to howl continuously, not from pain the vet says, but because her brain was sick.

Friday evening, David took Peaches to the vet’s office. Fred the assistant vet gave her a shot to calm her down, but it had NO effect. Fred also increased the dosage of Rimadyl Peaches was taking.

You gave her a good life she told us, looking at me.

Meanwhile, I had called the Arlington Animal Shelter and asked them if they could help with the body. We drove there and arranged for a private cremation. When the ashes return, we will take them out to Connie and Bill’s farm and sprinkle them where we spread Max’s ashes.

The last thing Kay said to Peaches as she left us, was ”Max is waiting for you.”

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About SchmidleysScribbling

11 Responses to Letting Go

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Gardening since 1944

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