Our basset hound, Elly, died last night. She’s been sick for a while and has been on and off antibiotics and everything else the whole time. Last night she was getting snuffly and having her typical upper-resp symptoms, so I figured we’d be off to the vet this morning.
Instead, my teenager came in at 11:00 and told me she looked bad and had bloody sputum. 
I took her in after a frantic call to my Very Good Vet, but I knew by the time we got there it was going to be bad news. He said she’d had a heart attack and her lungs were filling with fluid, and recommended we put her down as he didn’t think she would make it through the night.
So we did, and it was heartbreaking even if it was the right thing to do. On the way home I passed the bank clock, and all I could think was that 28 minutes ago I was on my way to the vet hoping that everything would be okay; now 28 minutes later I was on my way home and my good dog was dead.
I’ve been up all night and I’m exhausted and not very coherent. I gotta pull it together today because now I have to tell the little ones when they come home from school.
I hope I did the right thing. I feel horrible.
bodypoet - I’m sorry for your loss. You definitely did the right thing.
StG
{{{bodypoet}}} Losing a long-cherished pet is heart-breaking.
There’s the old saying, “I wish I was half the person my dog thinks I am.”
You took several giant steps toward that goal. Putting a dog down is never easy, but it is often the right thing to do - and doing the right thing hurts alot of the time.
bodypoet, I’m so very, very sorry.
You did right by your good old doggie. It’s still sad, though. Of course it is.
I got my happy old lady kitty right here and I’m giving her some pettins for you.
I’m so sorry for your loss; I know how difficult it is although it was the right thing to do.
I had to have my 26-year old horse put down last winter on one of the coldest days we experienced, and I remember thinking the same sort of thing. I arrived at the barn at the same time the vet did, (I boarded her and the barn owner had called the vet because my horse went down; I was in class with my phone off) and it was over so quickly that it didn’t seem real.
You did the right thing, but that doesn’t help a broken heart right now. Maybe later. She’s off to where Good Dogs need to go, and you eased her journey.
You did. You did do the right thing. You saved her hours of suffering. You did the incredibly difficult but immensely loving thing.
I know what you mean about the shock of how quickly it all happens. I posted a thread Thursday before last about having to have my best cat ever, Charles, put down unexpectedly that night. I kept saying all weekend, “It all happened so fast.” I am still coming out of my bedroom and expecting him to lollop out of the computer room at me.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. The loss of a beloved pet is a deep sadness and nothing I can say will make the pain any less. But you are in my thoughts.
I’m so sorry for your loss. But you did do the right thing, rest assured on that note.
I know how bad it can hurt to have to put down a beloved pet. You have my thoughts and best wishes during this time.
MT
I’m so sorry for your loss. Our pets are part of our families, and it hurts to let them go. We lost our first Basset, Shilo, the Best Old Dog EVER, last year. We adopted another Basset right away. Her name is Ellie, so she’s Ellie Belly, too. I’ll give her extra ear scratches in memory of your Elly.
The hardest part of being a pet owner is knowing when to say goodbye.
You did the right thing. She had love and laughs for a long time, and I’m sure Duke and Ember are giving her the old sniff-check now, while Troubles looks on at all the young’uns acting all foolish and stuff.
Thank you all so much. I feel a little better after having gotten a few hours of sleep, although I kept waking up to realize that I’d been crying in my sleep as well.
I told the little ones when they got home from school. I think they’re both in shock, and they haven’t said much about it yet–a few tears at first (mostly put-on by my daughter), and some brave “at least she had a happy life” comments from my son. I’ve just reassured them that it’s okay to feel sad now or later, and it’s okay for Mommy to feel sad too, and we’ll all be better after a while.
I went in today to sign the papers to have her cremated. Didn’t go with an urn or anything; I’ll make something in pottery class this summer for her.
When the vet went out to get the shots ready, she turned and gave me that basset look–that “please do something” look. I keep thinking of that, and that helps me believe I did right.
Thanks, guys.