How did this work for you, Lynne? How do they do the IV procedure in a space like that rather than at home or in the vet's office?

We were wondering about that, moving the entire medical procedure outdoors kind of thing.

This leads me to one more question, should they have a full stomach or will it go smoother with less content in there. Not that he's eating much these days anyway. BTW, and you can verbally smack me for this - he's getting everything he's never been allowed to have. Vanilla ice cream is tops on his list right now.

Certainly vanilla ice cream isn't ideal dog food, but if he is happy and eats it then I would feed it too, or whatever else he was willing to eat as long as it isn't toxic to dogs or cause any digestive upset.

My old girl certainly gets more snacks of whatever she wants then ever before in her life.

Oh for sure, and the last thing I would want for him is any kind of diarrhea, but he’s doing okay in that department - it’s just a matter of getting himself into position. He doesn’t even try to lift his leg to pee anymore.

This morning I was baking/drying up a batch of high value liver rewards. He ended up getting the whole batch just for “being special”.

I’m not sure what he was fed for the first two years of his life but he’s been on a raw food diet for the past 10 years. From what I’ve read these large breed dogs generally don’t live much passed 8 or 9 years old. He’s pushing 12 and I largely contribute this to his diet.

Our sheltie died or was dying at home. she was 18. All our dogs gathered around her blanket and just spent time with her. She was not the least upset that she was dying, and that helped me to see a little clearer death of a pack member in their eyes. The only thing she wanted was for me to be with her. I stayed with her, brushed her, gave her little sips of water and waited for my husband to arrive. she died as we entered the vets office. THey never looke for her, they knew she was dying.
WE were very upset, but she lived a long good life. She had a good home and people who loved her and a pack that loved her.
I know it will all work out, but I can certainly sympathize with your tears, we have cried many over the situation with Cody.
It's interesting how dear they become to us.
sharon

Hi Sharon:

I haven’t posted but I’ve been following your struggles with your precious little Cody and please know my thoughts and prayers are with you also. He sounds like an amazing little guy.

If only we didn’t have to watch them struggle to badly to hold onto the fine string that separates this world from the next. This is where we are having such a struggle. Who are we to make that life altering decision? If our Edward was to peacefully pass away tomorrow, we could more easily accept and appreciate it. But how long do you watch them struggle and at what point do you step in – in the name of compassion. Due to Edward’s limited mobility and breathing issues at the slightest physical exertion, I’m sure, in the wild, nature would have taken care of him a while ago. The vet told us a while back that he was holding on for us and there’s going to come a time when WE have to let him go.

How do you do that when someone is so precious and dear to you? I’m hoping he will tell me when the time is right.

Hi Cj,

im just going to put in my 2 cents here.

My previous dog had severe arthritis in his later years.
Couldn't go on walks with me anymore (which he loved), couldn't go up or down stairs without alot of pain, eliminated in the house (which he hated to do, and always looked so ashamed when it would happen), could hardly even stand to eat his dinner.

My Vet told me it was time because my old guy's quality of life was being effected and he was in pain. The vet explained that he was no longer able to do anything that he enjoyed anymore and that was no way for him to live.

So I told the vet to give me a week, and that last week with Taz was the best week him and I could spend together.
I took a week off work and stayed with him all the time. He got to eat what he wanted and we took car rides to some of his favourite spots and although he couldn't run around these spots like he used to, we would just sit there and take it all in. He would meander around a bit and rest when he needed to.

Although being the one to have to make the decision to end his life has stayed with me even after all this time, i knew it was the right one.

If your guy is in pain, you owe it to him to help take away his pain.
He'll love you for it, trust me.

wendy

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

How did this work for you, Lynne? How do they do the IV procedure in a space like that rather than at home or in the vet's office?

Connie, I don't know. It was my Mom and sister that took him, and this was over 20 years ago. I was assuming it was an injection only. Is it possible that the procedure has changed since then?

 Quote: Lynne Barrows

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

How did this work for you, Lynne? How do they do the IV procedure in a space like that rather than at home or in the vet's office?

Connie, I don't know. It was my Mom and sister that took him, and this was over 20 years ago. I was assuming it was an injection only. Is it possible that the procedure has changed since then?

Well, I am finding from PMs that what I thought was a universal protocol isn't (I don't mean in shelters; I mean with an owner's decision to PTS).

Based on my own experiences, I thought that the procedure to expect was that the vet or tech would put an IV catheter in place, taped onto the front leg, and then the owners would have their time with the dog and they would say when, and then the actual injection by the vet requires no vein-hunting, etc.

I'm finding out in PMs that the protocols of the vets I have used are not necessarily in accordance with all other vets.

I guess if I had understood this, I'd have asked in advance for the procedure to go the way it actually did.

 Quote: CJ Barrett

The vet told us a while back that he was holding on for us and there’s going to come a time when WE have to let him go. ...

I would probably consider whether the vet was perhaps saying that the time was nigh. I have deeply regretted waiting too long (in retrospect) but I have never kicked myself for maybe acting a day or a week early. I honestly do consider a peaceful and painless end with the best friend right there a blessing of a gift.

We all have to go with our gut (or heart), of course.

I'm glad you opened this thread. I have learned from it, and I'll bet others have too.