No real point in this, but what the hell.
Over the last 5 months, we have had to make the difficult choice to euthanize two dogs, they were 16 year old schipperkes, a brother and a sister. They were rescue dogs that we adopted when they were about three. They both were heart worm positive when we adopted them, and Aimee, our vet, helped get them back to health. Over the next 13 years, she (and we) took care of everything that came along, from heart murmurs (Mattie, our girl) to wounds from a fight. (Simon tangling with a stray that broke into our fenced yard)
5 months ago, Mattie’s heart issues finally caught up with her, and she was suffering, so we had to make that difficult choice. My wife and I were there with her, and she went peacefully. She had been declining for a few months, so we kinda saw it coming.
Two weeks ago, Simon, the gray-haired old man, had a tumble down the stairs. He seemed okay, except for a pronounced limp. Off to the vet he went. My wife and I assumed it was something minor, and we would go pick him up later. Maybe some meds, or prescribed rest, or maybe a splint at the worst.
Turns out, it wasn’t muscular or skeletal at all, he had actually banged his head pretty hard during his fall, and began having seizures while at the vet’s office, one every few hours.
At the end of the work day, Aimee called me and said she would like to keep Simon overnight, she was concerned about how he was progressing (actually regressing) and wanted to monitor him. She asked for permission to take him home with her. She didn’t want to leave him unattended at her office, and she didn’t want to send him to one of the 24 hour vet clinics. She knew how much Simon meant to us, and she also knew what she may have to do. She took everything home that she needed to care for him, and also what she may need if, well you know.
Eventually her suspicions were proven. She had thought earlier in the day that swelling of the brain was a possibility, and it was. He began having seizures closer and closer together, by 11pm, they were almost no-stop. There’s really no viable treatment for brain swelling in a canine, much less a 16 year old one. She called us, and we gave her permission to do the right thing for Simon. If my wife and I could not be there when it happened, I’m glad it was done in a home setting with someone who obviously cared for him so much.
Simon and Mattie were old customers and staff favorites at the vet’s office, and everyone there broke down when each of them passed. We will be beginning our search for another pair of Skips soon, and Aimee will have two new patients.
Sorry for your loss, but I agree your vet sounds like a wonderful person who truly loves animals.
