When you know it's time.

[Kathy30]

For a week people coming in have been telling me that it's time that my beloved Courtney take that trip to Rainbow Bridge. He's 20 years old. Completely incontinent, I consider it a privilege to clean up after him. He has had trouble walking and now just drags his hind leg. I have not taken him to a vet for a long time. Every time I have, for several years, the vet says it's time to let go. If I put my cat down every time I was told to do it he would have been dead for five years already. I was able to pull him through every illness. Scrounged antibiotics, feeding with an eyedropper. Whatever it took.

Even I cannot deny that it is indeed time. He is just laying there, eyes open, staring into space. He lifts his head when I scratch an ear or under his chin. He is clearly dying a slow death. What is the right thing to do? Take him down for a quick end, or let him go in his own bed? I don't know. I'm amazed at how he hangs on to the last thread of his existence.

Lord, I love this cat. He has been my constant companion throughout many years. He has been there through every trial, comforted me through every disappointment, celebrated every success. He is the only pure soul I have ever known. In all his life my dear Courtney has never harmed a living thing. He has never hurt a bug. It was his firm belief that all it took was to look long and hard at anything, it will go away on its own. Circumstances have always proved him right. That bug always wandered off on its own. The dog stopped barking, mean cats spitting through the window jumped down.

When Courtney goes, it will mean the death of a small part of me too. Perhaps the best part. Maybe that's why I'm so reluctant. I don't want to lose my best friend, my constant companion in good and bad times for longer than most married couples have been together. My baby, my friend, my life.

May God give me the courage to do what I know I must do.

[Wolfcounsel]

When our dog Fido died at 15 years, he was also barely walking. He was almost deaf, with cataracts in both eyes. We could not bring ourselves to put him to sleep, even though we knew he was hurting, even with all the medicines we were giving him. He was part of our family. He died in his favorite spot in the yard one afternoon. He died with his family around. Prayer is sent, Kathy.

[garlicguy]

Agony.

Who's is worse? Hard to answer.

But a wise young veterinarian sent me a wonderful letter on this very topic after I had to put down my constant companion, friend, pal and soul-mate dog.

I wish I could find it, but it went something like this:

Animals, (domesticated pets), love and trust their owners. They don't really remember yesterday clearly and do not conceive of tomorrow. They live in the now.

They feel pain and suffer, but are incapable of understanding why. They trust us for their food and shelter, for attention and protection from harm.
They trust us to do what is best for them.

The main difference between humans and other mammals is that, while all species have a body and a soul(the life force), only the the humans have been given a soul that is also a spirit - an eternal spirit. Which is why God has given mankind dominion over the other creatures.

So, when we have the opportunity to offer comfort or end needless suffering, it is our Christian spiritual obligation to do so, despite our personal pain. To do less would be selfish. And your pet will benefit from this kindness, as will you.

But your soul will ache terribly, which is precisely why God will bring His next companion for you to care for lovingly into your life soon.

_______

I hope this helps you as it has me and my family and our pets over the years. It is sound advice.

gg

PS - As a Franciscan and pet lover my heart goes out to you.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Kathy,
I will be lifting you up in prayer at this very, very difficult time. I can only offer support for whatever decision you might make, but if it provides solice in any way, know that the beautiful friend you have loved for so very long is now only existing, not living. I absolutely KNOW the depth of the dispair and agony this decision brings ... we have lost THREE of our most beloved friends in the last three months (the first to the tainted dog food, the second to old age, and the third to a thoughtless hit & run driver). We only have one of the twins left, :sad:.

My heart goes out to you friend. If this doesn't sound insensitive or anything, I would like to offer my services in making a tribute to your beloved friend if you have pictures to document his life. I would be glad to create one for you on DVD and mail it to you. As weird as this may sound, making the tribute videos to our own best friends has been very therapeutic and carthartic for me. So much so, I have volunteered my services to our local vet for those grieving the loss of their furry friends.

If you would like to see what the tributes look like:

In Memory of Taffy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_JuGMC3DO0

Remembering Our Holly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgQJEJSAwU

UGA's Tribute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Q8nNg-ruM

Brotherly Love (memories of the two boys together)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuEz0585pAE

[Kathy30]

My beloved is gone.

I never knew grief, the pain of loss and grief until the moment he passed away. I painted his portrait.

I did what I could. I took him outside to feel the sun and breeze. I sat with him.

The vet said that it appeared to be kidney failure among other things. They would not know for sure without tests. What would tests do? Tell them what to do to make him for comfortable while he passed on. I elected for the quick cheap shot. Ultimately it seemed the kindest thing to do. I held him when he got a shot to make him sleep. After he was deeply asleep the vet came back for the second shot. She listened to his heart and after a minute said he was gone.

I spent a full third of my life with Courtney. Twenty years together. Longer than I spent married.

Good bye old friend. You will always be my little man.

[Kathy30]

I don't believe that animals have no eternal spirit. I know that Courtney is a pure soul. He never harmed any other thing. He loved and comforted all other animals. When I got Arwen she was 3 1/2 weeks old. It was Courtney who curled up around the tiny puppy frightened at her first night away from mom and littermates, crying. It was Courtney who curled his body around her and purred in her little ears until she fell asleep. It was Courtney who woke me every two hours to feed her. Once at the vet's office, the doctor had docked the tails of five little rottweiler puppies and put them in their basket to go home. Courtney got in that basket with those puppies and cleaned them and purred with them until they all fell asleep. He never let any creature in pain suffer alone.

I have never known a pure soul like Courtney. His spirit came from God and right now, Courtney is curled up in God's lap, getting his ears scratched. I know it, because my cat, my little cat was the very essence of goodness and such goodness will never go unrewarded.

[garlicguy]

I don't believe that animals have no eternal spirit. I know that Courtney is a pure soul. He never harmed any other thing. He loved and comforted all other animals. When I got Arwen she was 3 1/2 weeks old. It was Courtney who curled up around the tiny puppy frightened at her first night away from mom and littermates, crying. It was Courtney who curled his body around her and purred in her little ears until she fell asleep. It was Courtney who woke me every two hours to feed her. Once at the vet's office, the doctor had docked the tails of five little rottweiler puppies and put them in their basket to go home. Courtney got in that basket with those puppies and cleaned them and purred with them until they all fell asleep. He never let any creature in pain suffer alone.

I have never known a pure soul like Courtney. His spirit came from God and right now, Courtney is curled up in God's lap, getting his ears scratched. I know it, because my cat, my little cat was the very essence of goodness and such goodness will never go unrewarded.

What a blessing to have shared so much time with such a gentle, kind and comforting soul. We're saddened by your loss, though the stories you have shared here bless all who hold dear the creatures of God.

Thank you and may God bless you and Courtney.

gg

[DoctorDoom]

I don't believe that animals have no eternal spirit.Amen to that. Our furbabies deserve heaven. They never sin. They are loyal, trusting, and comforting. They are more than pets. They're companions and friends.

I am convinced that God provided them to man for a close relationship that mirrors how our relationship should be with Him. And because of that I am convinced that their lives do not end in oblivion. One day, I expect to reunite with my critters in glory.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/Critters/RainBridgeLgnd.jpg

[Beowulf]

I'm so sorry, Kathy. There isn't much I can say to make things better. My wife and I are cat people and we love our cat, Mickey very much. He is about 9 yrs old and still frisky so I hope to have him around for many more years to come.

But, I am reminded of my old dog, Blackie, a black lab/rottweiler mix. He was abandoned and I adopted him just before I left the active Army. He rode home with me after my discharge and made the trip fun. I would get him a sack of McDonald's hamburgers during the trip. He would pick the patties out and leave the buns for me to pick up later!!

He was about 13 when I had to take him to the vet to be put down. When we got there, he was spry and full of life. I took him back home thinking he was OK. He died 3 days later in the kitchen in his sleep.

Kathy, I can feel your pain. May God comfort you in this time.

[Kathy30]

One of the strangest things. This morning I put some kibble on the floor where Courtney way laying. He couldn't walk and did eat a few bites. The rest is still there. There are four other cats and the dog here. Not one touched so much as a crumb. I think they're waiting for him to come back and finish it.

That's really unusual because these guys will eat anything laying around. I think they know.

[Wolfcounsel]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kathy.

[gnome]

One of the strangest things. This morning I put some kibble on the floor where Courtney way laying. He couldn't walk and did eat a few bites. The rest is still there. There are four other cats and the dog here. Not one touched so much as a crumb. I think they're waiting for him to come back and finish it.

That's really unusual because these guys will eat anything laying around. I think they know.

There are times when I think pets understand more than we ever imagine.

[Ronin]

Kathy:

If he's suffering, you must let go for his sake.
I know what you're feeling.
I had to let my Husky go because of bone cancer.
It was the worst day of my life, but it had to be.

[TeenageRepublican]

Kathy, you did the right thing. Dean Koontz and his wife had to put down their dog Trixie recently. When I read it, I broke into tears, because I felt the exact same thing they felt. My Great-Grandmother died of old age three years ago, I still miss her so much.
Here is the Dean Koontz article/column for the passing of Trixie.


TRIXIE'S SHADOW

http://www.deankoontz.com/images/trixie-reflects.jpg
Trixie reflects
For a 68-pound dog who lived low to the ground, our Trixie sure has cast a long shadow after her passing on 30 June 2007. Gerda and I had always anticipated that when we lost her, the pain would be terrible, but the grief proved to be immeasurably more intense than we had expected. For a month, I could not write. Every day of that month--and every day of the next, for that matter--we were frequently reduced to tears by our loss.
A friend of ours, disabled by a spinal injury and confined to a wheelchair, had such a singular and wonderful relationship with his first assistance dog (now passed away) that he has said, given the choice of never having been disabled or never having known that dog, he would choose the dog and therefore the disability. What does that say about the potentially profound nature of the human-dog bond? It humbles you, doesn't it? He recently told me that when he lost his four-legged companion, he discovered, in his grief, depths of emotion that he hadn't realized were in him. I understand perfectly, because neither Gerda nor I has previously experienced such anguish as this loss has raised in us.
http://www.deankoontz.com/images/trixie-jacket.jpg
A new CCI graduate named Gerda!
Dear readers, friends, your letters and e-mails have been of great help in the healing process. The news of Trixie's sudden death inspired several thousand of you to send your condolences, your stories of your own losses, and your heartfelt advice for coping with the passing of a beloved pet. You composed poems, drew memorial portraits of our girl, and sent us books and articles on the subject of losing a pet. We cannot answer all of you, but we have read every word that you have written. You have given us the most generous gift that can be given, the gift of your time, and in your sensitive correspondence is yet another proof that no writer alive can possibly have a more articulate, insightful, and caring group of readers than I do.
A great many of you sent donations to Canine Companions for Independence (http://www.caninecompanions.org/national/give_doorway_page.html), to memorialize Trixie. We were moved by this and grateful for your generosity. Please know that your money could not be put to better use by any other organization. We have worked for many years with CCI, which is a top-drawer nonprofit with a great staff and legions of good-hearted volunteers.
The Oceanside, California, campus of CCI was years ago named the Dean and Gerda Koontz Campus. CCI has now renamed that facility the Dean, Gerda, and Trixie Koontz Campus. We will post a photo of the new monument sign on Trixie's page. Meanwhile, our friends at the Assistance Dog Institute, in Santa Rose, California, another worthwhile organization, will award Trixie Koontz scholarships to students in their bachelor's and master's programs.
For those of you who may not know: Trixie was bred to be an assistance dog for CCI. She enjoyed 18 months of training with her puppy-raiser and then 6 months of intense specialty training. In her graduation photo, lined up with 12 other golden retrievers, Trixie can be spotted instantly by anyone who knew her, because while all the other dogs sit erect and stately, facing the camera with noble expressions, Trixie strikes a comic pose, legs akimbo, grinning, head cocked, revealing herself for the free spirit that she was. After graduation, she was placed with a lovely and charming young wheelchair-bound woman in the Los Angeles area. After six months in service, Trixie began to limp. X-rays revealed a congenital elbow problem. This had never bothered Trixie before, but the strain of daily service began to impact the joint. After joint surgery, no dog is returned to service. Through the good offices of CCI, shortly before her third birthday, Trixie "retired" to live with Gerda and me. The following nine years were the best of our lives.
Trixie changed us in many ways, not only brightened our life and brought so much humor and beauty into each day, but made us better people. God willing, I will write a book about her, for she was sweet, clownish, innocent, mysterious, and startlingly smart. Meanwhile, next month, a Trixie avatar will appear on the site, and we will begin to receive messages from totos (Trixie on the Other Side.)

Read More Here:
http://www.deankoontz.com/trixie/monthly-columns.php

[Taylor1]

Man I lost my dogs a few years ago, my dad got one dog and my mom had the other and when they married self explanatory.. My dad had kind of a touching story to it when he found his dog. He was in the miami-dade animal shelter, and her paws came out of the cage and almost picked my dad and he was like I pick that dog and well yeah.

[DoctorDoom]

Recommended reading: Rescuing Sprite (http://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Sprite-Lovers-Story-Anguish/dp/1416559132/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199924157&sr=8-1)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/Critters/RescuingSprite.jpg

[Patriot Heart]

Kathy I am only now reading this thread, I know what you are talking about. Simba is a 14 yr old flame point Siamese. He is the same sort of gentle soul that your kitty was. We have a constant parade of new animals here...Simba is so tolerant, so accepting of any of them. He is my special, special friend. I am afraid for the day God calls him back.

[Franko]

Meant to post here last month (March) - my family had a fine brittany spaniel mix - Betsy. Almost 15 years old - bad hips, lumps and bumps. This past winter she had to be carried up the three stairs to our back porch on occasion because her hips weren't strong enough in the cold weather.

Then a few weeks back she quit eating. Well, she tried, but couldn't keep anything down. We tried feeding her different foods that should have been easier to digest. That worked to some slight extent. She came over by me after a couple days of this, threw up water and then collapsed. We took her to the vet. He said she had a stomach cancer. We put her down.

Betsy was a fine dog. A true friend - to not only us, but most everyone she met. Yet she'd defend us to the death if someone intruded on our property (she gave us reason to believe that on a couple occasions). I could go on, but won't. She'll be real hard to replace.

[jayson]

The hardest phone call I ever had to make was when I called the vet to schedule the appointment to put my best friend ever down. Talk about tough!! I couldn't take him to the vet so I had my sister do it for me... I know that had I tried, I would have turned around and been a no-show.

A week later my cat of 16 years jumped off the bed and hit the floor dead. It was a shock, but a much easier death to deal with than the dog... not because I liked one more than the other (I loved both terribly much), but her death was natural and unexpected. His was planned and known about for 2 weeks in advance. It's no wonder that his death tore me up so bad.

The worst part of it all being that, during those 2 weeks, you can't help but fall into the "this will be the last time..." thought processes.

[Kathy30]

I was with my best friend at the end. As hard as it was, I felt like I owed it to him. The last hand he felt should not be a stranger's. It was my last act of devotion to him. We were very close, once I left him at my son's house, just for a couple of hours and he was crazed, eventually hiding in the closet. It was the hardest thing I could ever do, but I had to do it. I had to do it as my last act of love.

I am glad that before he left, Arwen came to me, my little poodle-girl. She hasn't filled that space. She made her own and it is HUGE. I adore my little girl, every day is a new day of Arwenisims. I'm so glad I have her. Sometimes I doubt she's a dog at all. In fact, MOST of the time I doubt she's really a dog.

[Franko]

Betsy as a pup.

No, she wasn't cockeyed; the lens covering on the eye on her left seemed to cover a bit of her one eye. She had excellent vision even up to her last year.