If your dog was severely ill......
By dmajkc
@dmajkc (196)
United States
January 30, 2007 11:43am CST
After Barbaro the horse was Euthanized yesterday, I asked myself how far would I go to preserve the life of my
dog.
Many would be critical of me, but I feel my dog is like
one of my children. I would do anything I could afford
to try to cure him.
Some would say, just let nature take it's course and
put him to sleep (euthanize).
If you have/had a pet, how would you deal with this situation?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I know several people who have paid thousands for knee surgery for their young pets. My husband did it to his GSD when he was 3. Now he is 11, and we agreed that if his other knee should give out, we will put him down. We love him dearly, and that is WHY! his ability to recover from knee surgery at age 11 would be so hard for him - and making him suffer through that because WE want him around, we think isn't right for him.
I also have a 15 year old dog with liver disease. We don't know exactly what is wrong with him without cutting him open for a biopsy. Right now - supplements and a special diet seem to be helping him. He's a happy, otherwise healthy dog in no pain. If I put him through surgery, which would be hard for him at his age, I might find out he has cancer, or psoriasis - neither of which i can really do anything about for him. I won't put a 15 year old dog through chemo just to help him live an extra 6 months. I've decided that I will keep him happy, healthy and pain free, and when his life is not like that anymore, it's time to say goodbye.
so it is different for every dog, and it does depend on their age and their ability to recover from illness or injury. It has to be the right thing for the animal, not the right thing for you. Either way, I will have to say goodbye to all my pets, as until I am old and ancient, I am going to outlive them all, and have to face the fact that I will have to say goodbye to them all.
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Actually, that's one of the things my dog might have, they just can't confirm it without doing an extensive (8 hour!) blood test on him. One of the side effects of Cushings is that the extra endorphins mask athritis - and so far, I think he'd be unhappy if he had to deal with that! He went x-country skiing with me on sunday for 3 miles... so as far as I am concerned, he's a happy healthy pup, and while he is, he's sticking by my side. When that changes, we'll say goodbye. It won't be easy, but I'm glad I've thought it through NOW and didn't wait until something happened and I was too emotional to think straight!
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
27 Feb 07
My dogs are just like one of my kids. If they medical attention. They will get it. My dogs are one of my family I would do whatever I could possible for them. My 5 yr old mini pin was stolen from me once. It took me 5 month sto get her back. In the mean time the ones who stole her. threw her out of a moving vehicle. I had to pay over 500 bucks just to get my dog back, fixed up and healthy gain. I would do it again in a heart beat.
