One of the biggest regrets I have is trying to keep my dog alive: I wish my vet had the courage to tell me to put my beloved dog to sleep. She suffered too much the last few months of her life.

I had the same experience as you Francesca, and I believe there is a lesson to be learned...so with my other loving dog I'm willing to say goodbye when the quality of life diminishes and the relaying on meds becomes the only way of living.

Wish I had read such helpful posting a year ago but is never too late.

thanks AT!

When we had to put down our beloved cat Locke due to advanced FIP, my husband couldn't stand to stay in the room during the injection. I couldn't stand to not be. Even if you think you can't handle it, I'd really advise that you stay with your pet if you have to put it down. I still think that being there with Locke comforted him, and even though it hurt to watch him die, it gave me closure and helped me realize that he wasn't in any pain in those last moments.

Too many... The past few years have been very difficult with all of my childhood pets passing.

My cat of 19 years when I was 18.
My dog of 11 years when I was 22
My horse of 12 years when I was 23
My cat of 13 years this May

My parents handled the decision of putting my first cat and dog to sleep but I had to handle things with my horse and my cat. They were the most difficult decisions but I know it was the right thing to do.

With my cat, I had a vet tech friend come to my apartment to do it. That made things easier on me and the cat since I don't think either one of us could handle the trip to the vet.

Afterwards, I went on a long difficult hike with my boyfriend. The hike was a great idea. It gave me time to think in silence and surrounded by nature but kept me busy enough with the difficulty of the hike. I think it was the perfect thing to do that day.

The experience with my horse was the most difficult since she had cancer. I spoke with vets at universities that wanted to use her for treatment testing but I just couldn't put her through that. There is no cure for equine melanoma. After my horse was put down (I was not able to be there) I took a long drive up the PCH and stopped near Point Mugu and watched the waves crash. It was a good place to be.

When I was a junior in college, my mom had to put down my childhood schnoodle of 16 years a few weeks before I came home for Christmas break. When I had seen her at Thanksgiving, she wasn't the same puppy dog I had known for most of my life. She was shaking and had a hard time standing and when I walked in the door, she didnt come greet me like she always did. This was the dog that had been blind since she was 6 years old and no one knew until I told them. It was really hard to get that phone call from my mom telling me she had to put her down but it was for the best. I am glad that she is no longer in pain and when the time comes for my two kitties, I hope I have the courage to do what is in their best interest.

I recently put Duke, my black and white cat, down on 8/8/08. He was suffering with cancer and finally told me that it was time. The night before I put him down, we spent an amazing night together and he slept on my pillow while I stroked him and told him how much he had meant to me and how wonderful he was. I woke up every few hours and he just laid there content while I stroked his fur and kissed him.

I was lucky enough to have him for 7 years (I had adopted him and 2 other cats when they were 6 years old from a food tasting plant in England shortly after Sept 11. When I moved back to the States in 2007, I shipped them back) and watching his body give up on him was the worst thing but his spirit never died.

When I woke up on that day to put him down, I was at an incredible peace. I felt like I could finally make the decision and so when I took him to the vet I was okay with it (as much as I could be). My vet was incredible and told me what to expect. I just stroked him and held him telling him that I loved him. He went incredibly fast and puffed up his tail at the end to let me know he was in heaven. My vet clipped some fur for me and took a paw print for me as well.

I miss him dearly but I do have his ashes in a beautiful green urn that matched his amazing eyes. Also before he passed I made a pet stepping stone with his name, year he was born, and his paw print so I could treasure it forever.

Man, that's photo is depressing.

I've had to put down way too many animals in my lifetime.. and will have to do it again soon. My most beloved dog ever has cancer at the age of 11 - a tumor on her heart that cannot be removed. It has spread to her lungs now so there is little we can do. She is on holistic treatment and has lived longer than expected, and still has a good quality of life (running, eating, playing, barking, etc) - but I know it will be soon. For now I just try to cherish every moment we spend together.

I had to put my cat Alex, who was 16 1/2, down in December 2007 after a long illness.

It was incredibly difficult, but given her condition, there was only one decision. I knew what was coming as we rushed to the animal hospital. I cried for weeks. I read books on pet loss, and the most important thing I learned was don't let anybody tell you that you don't have the right to grieve as hard and as long as you need to.

Two nights after her death, I had a dream about Alex, she was running around the apartment full of energy and jumped up on the kitchen counter. In my dream I said to her "oh you can SEE!" She had been nearly blind at the end of her life (but still got around amazingly well), and I took the dream to mean she was in kitty heaven.

Two weeks ago, I adopted two four-month old sister kittens from a local shelter. I wanted to wait until I was ready, and I feel I did that (and then some). I think Alex would approve.

http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture083du3.jpg

I still miss Charlie.

Francesca... We had the same thing too. Our Chewy suffered for months. Wasted away. His death - painful and lonely - took days. It is one of the biggest regrets I have. Georgie shouldn't have suffered. But our mistakes with him have made us better pet owners for those who have come after him.

I had to put down 2 cats within a year of one another. The first one developed an agressive cancer of the throat while I was out of the country (China so getting back promptly was not possible) and I had to make the decision to have him put down without even seeing his condition or saying goodbye. I had to rely on the vets to assure me that it was the right thing to do. When my sencon developed cancer too I took to another vet hospital and they didn't even suggest putting him down but actually doing chemo and there was a slim chance he would make it anyway. I finally asked them if it wouldn't be better to end his suffering and they agreed. I was so upset that they didn't have the courage to help me with that decision without my asking, instead trying to sell me on $13K of treatments. Believe me it wasn't the cost of the treatments that forced me to make the decision but the anguish I was feeling seeing his pain. I found another vet and took him there to have it done not wanting to have it done at the hospital that was so intent on prolonging his suffering so that they would make more money. The vet I chose was so kind and I've never regretted those final moments while I held him in my arms and he fell peacefully asleep. They let me take as much time as I needed both before and afterwards with him. Before I left the vet encouraged me to go home and celebrate his life which is exactly what I did.

The two scenarios of not being there verses being there were so drastically different. I would highly recommend to anyone to stay with your pet until the end. Knowing I was able to demonstrate my unfailing love those final seconds made all the difference for me.

As a vet tech I learned that putting loved pets down is one of the hardest thing to do, be it a cat, rat, or horse. I do take comfort in knowing the animals are no longer suffering. I think as humans, we have a hard time understanding that pets do not live as long as us, even if it makes perfect sense. When I (finally) become a vet I want to offer house calls for this experience, because sometimes going to the vet office is an unnecessary stress (for both the owner and the pet).

Jasmine. 18 years. Mom and I pretty much cried the whole time waiting at the vet and much of the rest of the day, and we still can't really talk about her. She was my childhood cat and although I had moved away, I happened to be house sitting the weekend it all fell apart. I'm glad I got that time with her.

The vet was great and really honest about it. When she said "if she we my kitty..." we knew it was the right thing.

We got her paw print and her ashes, and have them displayed with a really great photo of her.

Wow...I didn't know how close to the surface this still was, thanks for letting me share.

we always had pets growing up in our house... the hardest thing is that you take such good care of them they live long and then get old and sick! when i was 16 we had to put down our dog lucy who was 17 years old.... older than me! we also had to put down two cats over the years, mario and frisco, cause they were so old and couldn't see or move very well. it's so so sad.... i was crying when i read everyone's comments. we have to remember that we gave them a good life and in return they enriched ours. this is why i will always have pets.

I have, and I couldn't not be in the room, I held him as he went.

It's been 10 years and it's still hard.

I think the #1 question is what is the quality of life the pet is getting?

my baby puppy (14), keesha. dad had her put down while i was babysitting, even though i told him i wanted to be there with her.

i'm still pissed about that.

We all still talk about Drake. I wish I could have been there when they put him down, but I was across the country. He was only 5 years old.

Chester, my first cat. He was being boarded at the vet's office, having just been diagnosed with renal failure, while I was across the country waiting for my grandfather to die. He took a turn for the worse and I had to authorize the vet over the phone. (Ironically, my grandfather didn't die until I'd returned back to CA.)

Moe, a 17 year old diabetic cat. We were both castoffs -- he was my ex's cat, and when my ex tired of me, he tired of the cat as well and left him with me. At the time, Moe had just been diagnosed with diabetes at age 13 or so, and my ex told me he "didn't care" if I put Moe down at that point. I didn't put him down, and once we got the diabetes under control he had a good four years left in him. He was Mr. Crankypants when he was younger, but I think he realized he was in the bonus round the last few years and was a complete sweetheart.

Here's to you, boys. I miss you both.

Ok, I must be a heartless monster. This is no big deal, it is part of being a responsible animal owner. I have had to do this twice by myself when I was in HS and the third I was at college and my mom did in my little Rusty dog who I got for Christmas when I was 10. The hardest part is the anticipation, but in the end it is for the best. Like purging clutter from your closet, once the deed is done it is such a relief. So you won't find me shelling out $5,000 for a surgery for a $500 dog. Shed a tear for 5 min and call it a day.

Granted, my farm raised parents have always been very pragmatic. Don't hate me, animal obsessors!

Years of happiness and companionship with my pets is well worth a period of heartbreak when they leave us. I still keep a picture of a much beloved cat who died unexpectedly. There's a pinch when I see it, then happy memories of the good times.

I could never have a pet live in pain just for my own selfish desire to keep it in my life.

I forgot to mention. A couple days after my cat died, I took her leftover food, litter, crate and brushes to the animal shelter. I couldn't bare to look at them in my apartment and knowing that I was helping other animals out made it easier.

Gah, powerful photo to go with this article. I can't imagine having to put a pet down, I've surrounded myself with parrots that I consider to be our children since we don't plan on having them at all. The closest thing to this may have been when one of my birds was extremely ill, and we both knew it was his time to go... but we sat on the floor by his cage and held him, talked to him, and just spent the last few hours like that. I have to admit it was beyond difficult watching him the moment it happened, but also so peaceful for him, as well for us.

Erin, Katie, Annie, Sydney, Janie, Abbie, Lillie. Great pals. I miss each one.

We had to put our Great Dane, Cleo, to sleep after 7 years. We knew getting her that her life span was short... but that didn't make it easier. She developed lymphoma. One day I came home from work and her whole head was swollen. I don't think I've ever cried so hard in my life. The doctor gave us some meds that "weakened" the cancer for a little bit, but in 3mths it came back. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford chemotherapy. It was my mom decision to put down Cleo as she was closest to the dog. And everyone was there to see her off- my mom, dad, and little brother. We petted her and gave her kisses. The VET was wonderful!!!! And gave us as much time as we needed. We had the option of keeping her ashes, so we did. Which think is great because she's not really gone.
And I keep kidding with my mom that we are going to have an entire mantel filled with ashes from our pets and be known as those creepy people! It's not something we share with others :-)

Oh my god...I'm sitting here at work with tears running down my face reading all these stories. I feel for all of you that have lost a beloved pet and I am dreading the day when my 2 dogs (4 and 2 yrs old) get old and I have to start thinking about letting them go.

Bless all of you and be happy knowing that all your beloved babies are at the Rainbow Bridge now and that they're all happy and they all know how much you loved them.

This makes me want to cry all over again. We made the hard decision to put our beloved Jacques to sleep after 8 short years. He was a large dog and we knew he would have a short life. But to go from a clean bill of health to heart failure, kidney failure and lymphatic cancer it 2 weeks was tough. But after 10 days of him getting worse and no way for us to easily care for him, we knew the best decision for him was to end his suffering.

The best article I read during that time suggested that you think of your pet's 5 favorite things. If he/she is not doing any of them, then the best decision may be to allow the suffering to end. When Jacques had no interest in chasing a rabbit in our yard, I knew he was in really bad shape.

I still toss and turn about the decision, but I think when you have that close relationship, there are no easy choices when you lose a loved one.

The decision was not difficult--my cat's tumor made that clear, but the process was excruciating. My cat was always difficult at the vet (she was adopted as an adult and always a little wild). I tried to make it easier by obtaining pills to calm her before going to the appointment. They did not work, so finally after putting it off all day, we took her in. They had to give her the initial injection away from us. When the brought us in for the final injection, she was pretty much already gone.
Next time, it won't be as much of an issue as my new cat is much calmer at the vet, but I wish I had found someone to come to our home to administer the injection instead.
Gosh, I'm depressed now, but I hope the advice helps others.

One of my mother's friends had her vet come to her house to put down her pet, and I thought that was so wonderful and hope to find a vet that will do the same if needed. Taking cats to the vet is so stressful that I do not want that to be their last experience on earth.

We rescued 4 ferrets and although even with all the care in the world developed cancer each time we put one down we felt a part of our heart depart with them.
We have their ashes and talk to them still and sometimes we even think we see them in courner of the room running buy with same loony expression of facination they all posses.

oh god this post is making me depressed! i love my dogs and can't imagine having to make this decision some day!

dr_mk, my cat's name was chester too.

I was in 7th grade when we had to put to him to sleep. my parents had gotten him when they were first married so he was always in my life. I know it sounds cheesy but he was my brother. he was really sick towards the end. as difficult as it was for my parents and I to let him go, I realize now how selfish we were. he was suffering a lot and it finally just got too difficult for us to watch. he had dementia or alzheimer's or some kitty version, he would forget where he was and just cry and you would have to pick him up and hold him until he calmed down. it broke my heart.

it took over 10 years before my family had finished mourning and were able to get a new cat.

Blandwagon, that was the perfect comment to lighten all of this up. That should be a comic or something. *shakes head*

I had a dog that I loved more than anything else in the world. We were so close and all of my friends just doted on him. When I went away to college my mom sold the house to go on the road with my dad so we had to give him to some cousins who had two little boys for him to play with.

Later my first year of college I got a phone call that he'd gotten sick and they found out he had advanced cancer that he just never showed. He had always acted like he was a few month old puppy, never slowing down or anything. The only clue he was getting older (a lab/golden and still only about 6) was that he had some white whiskers.

I never doubted that him being put down was the right thing, I was immediately relieved when I found out what pain he had been in, that he didn't have to go through that anymore.

Even though it was out of my hands and I had no way of being there, the thing I regret most is not being able to hold him when it happened.

I thought that since it was so painful, I might decide never to get a dog again for fear of that pain of loss, or that I wouldn't be able to bond as well with another, but after two years of healing I now know that there is more than enough room in my heart for a puppy, that an experience like that is much too valuable to forgo and trumps any pain of loss.

I can't wait to get out of school and bring home a little puppy that needs a mom.

I have put down 3 cats, two of them on one horrid day, and my beloved dog, in the last year, due to the poison pet food.
The grief, the guilt for feeding them a deadly product was and is..staggering.

I still have a survivor, a young cat who will not grow old. With care, we might have several years together and part of that care is letting him go when the time comes. I killed him once when I fed him the poison that killed his kidneys, when I believed the lying advertising, giving him a painless death will, in comparison, be easier.

What I have learned about commercial pet food means that I will bury his body myself, lest his body be rendered down and put back into pet food. Cremation is another option.
I am trying very hard to be grateful for what turned out to be a very expensive, painful, unwanted education in the horrors of the pet food supply. I hope what I know now may give my next pets a better life.