He is gorgeous! It is a wonderful thing that his health has improved. I’m sure you both have time left to love and enjoy each other.
Wee bit of a hijack. I don’t know if we have animals put down because they are suffering or because we don’t like to see them suffer. Very few countries have euthanasia laws so apparently we don’t mind the people we love suffering. I fought tooth and nail with my mum when she had our 19 yr old dog put down. I couldn’t see why she just couldn’t go when it was her time. Mum said it was because she was suffering. My grandmother suffered terribly for over a year. To me it is a terrible thing that we can be “humane” to our pets but not our human loved ones. I think we feel powerless when we see others suffer (human or animal) I think we are easing our own suffering as much as the animals by having them put down. As proved by your own situation, sometimes things get better. Of course sometimes they don’t but why end their lives early? Animals in the wild die without the aid of being “put out of their misery” as do people. Why is it only pets who get to be “lucky”?
I’m sorry this was probably dreadfully inappropriate but it is something I feel strongly about.
I’m glad your beautiful chap is feeling better. Let him go when he is ready.
calm kiwi- My mom felt exactly the same way as you…until she went through the thing with Gizmo. Dogs are not wild animals, who usually are killed by predators when they start to age, they’re domesticated.
My feeling is it’s some of both. I’ve had to make the decision several times for cats, and it’s terribly hard. One always second-guesses it, but when the spark of life in their eyes has dulled to blank misery, and the vet can offer no realistic hope of recovery, to me, it’s time, for both our sakes.
So far I haven’t had to make that decision for my old horse, but he’s 22 years old (getting well up there for equines), and although his health is good, I know we’re much nearer to the end of our journey together than to its beginning, 12 years ago. I’ve seen a couple of horses put down. In each case, it was horribly hard for the owner to let go, and yet horribly clear that it must be done. The saving grace (at least for me) was that the vet’s injection brought a gentle, easy death and surcease from undeniable suffering.
By the way, calm kiwi, look under your name the next time you post.
I just put it together and publish it; my wife is the vet and she writes everything. Since I am familiar with what is on the site (for the most part), whenever someone asks a question that we have information about, I post an answer. Just trying to be helpful… :rolleyes:
I remember wondering about Nippers last days and writing about it here.
It was 3 or 4 years before he was ready to go.
I was just concerned because he slept alot more than was normal for him.
Now I find I’m sleeping a lot more myself :eek:
I’m glad Bandit is feeling better and glad you don’t have to make that decision.
