Sustaining a pet's life

I think it's cruel to keep anything alive when they are not getting anything out of living. I THINK people are being cruel & selfish to keep something alive for their own sake.

I have had dogs that are very old, one lived 18 years. When it became obvious he was in pain I took him to the vet to help him make his journey home. Heartbreaking, but I loved him too much to let him suffer. I had to do that for another of my dogs, too, when he had a stroke at age 13. It's one of the most painful things a pet lover can do but also an act of love. I had a friend who just couldn't put his dog down. He had to carry her outside and support her while she went potty and she was in a lot of pain from arthritis and old age. He'd put down a dog before and was devastated. Thankfully, the poor girl finally passed. I totally support someone who ends a pet's life humanely when the animal is in pain or has an incurable disease that will only get worse. I don't understand why others let their pet linger and suffer. In my opinion that is selfish. I know in my heart that my dogs will be waiting for me on the other side and that helps. I still get tears in my eyes when I remember what I had to do for them but I'm glad I spared them the suffering.

Yes I've been here. We had a shepherd who was so bad it took him literally two or three minutes to get on his feet. There were some things we could have done to prolong it but we didn't think that was right. The vet recommended we put him down. It was heartbreaking and very difficult. He was a member of the family, you know. In fact it was too difficult. The vet even had to call and convince us to do it after a few weeks of not returning to his office.

Hi bamakelly! I'm glad you made this discussion. I really can't give some advice but i just want to read what others have to say. You know, i also have a pet and his name is Moochie. He is four years old but to me i feel that's old enough for pet. I do hope i can spend some more years with Moochie. For now, he is still a healthy boy. I've watch Marley and Me and it's kind of traumatized me. lol! I just don't know what to do if Moochie can't walk anymore. If he's in a painful position then i guess i have to end his sufferings. I don't think i can bear watching him like that.

My dog Daisy, a beagle who I got in 2nd grade recently passed away this february 2009 (I'm a freshmen in college now). She was 15 years old, and the last couple months of her life were pretty painful to watch. She was a little overweight, and we found out she pulled a ligament in her right hind leg. Doctor told us she could live without surgery but at the cost of arthritis (versus a risky procedure for such an elderly dog). We opted for just letting her live with the condition, and the vet gave us these pills to help with the arthritis. Well we did not look up the side effects of the pill, and no more than 2 months after taking them Daisy began to stop having interest in food. It took so much effort for her to get up off of the ground. Her back felt frozen up. We took her back to the vet and he ran some blood work and it turns out she had kidney failure from the medicine. We brought her home and just wanted her to be peaceful in the house. Over the course of a week her health deteriorated after she stopped drinking and could not get up anymore. The suffering was very painful and we decided we were going to bring her the next day to get put down. That night at 1:00 I went into the kitchen and got myself some lucky charms. I passed Daisy on the floor and gave her a kiss on the head and told her I loved her. I went back to my room and after 10 minutes I heard her tags on her collar jingle. I went to the kitchen to check on her and put my food away and there she was, on her side by door. The sight of her laying there broke my heart. She must of had a heart attack trying to get up towards the door and just did not have the energy. I guess she didn't want to be put down, but instead to go naturally at her home. I don't think I would of done anything different. I think animals have a way of knowing when its time for them to go, and I'm so glad I got to tell her I loved her before she passed away. It all matters on the situation and the disease I guess.

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I have not have many pets in my life, one dog with the misfortune that it had an accident after three years with me, and two cats, one that lived for 21 years and pass away last year, and the second that has 16 years and it's still jumping and making the lizard's life miserable. My beloved "baby" had diabetes when she was 12, with the right treatment after two years she stopped using insulin and there was not even trace of the illness, she lived healthy the other 9 years. One day she had a stroke, which her vet said she was not going to recover and after two days we gather the courage to let her go. We believed that if we were in charge to take care of her, we had to do it till the last moment, trying for her not to suffer as much. I will never prolonged an animal's life if there is no chance of recovery.

When I think of my pets reaching old age I have to say that as long as they are not in pain and are living a good life then what ever the cost. How ever if the pet is in constant pain and relies on medication on a daily basis and the value of there life is deminished then I would have to say that maybe it would be best to have them euthanized. No one human or animals should have to suffer. I would want the same for my self as well. If I am suffering and my value of life has deminished then I would hope that someone would put me down as well.

I give my dogs and cats massage, It doesnt cost me, as I do it myself. If one doesnt know how, this is a new profession coming about. This helps the animals as it does people, It helps regulate pain, and also sometimes can prevent alot of problems, I feel that if the animal is in pain, then God needs to take the animal, I personally could not kill or have my pet killed, I feel God knows when the animals life is over. I recently had a dog pass, she was getting older, and she had a limp but I started to massage her.. andthe others, daily, and she started to feel much better, then one day, I let her out to potty, as always.. she seemed fine, she walked probably 10 steps from t he door and passed away. It hurt so much, but I knew that she wasnt in pain because I had taken steps to make sure she didnt feel pain. As far as the money thing goes.... For me the animals are part of my family, I took them in... I am responsible... I mean.. what would you not do if your child or family member was horribly ill, or in pain to make them better?.... well.. if you take the animal as part of your family, money should not be the issue... (pending that you can afford this... I understand sometimes people cannot)... and if a person was in pain or old... would they be put down.. nope.. why should the animal?