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Had to put down my dog today

W

WoJ

Member
It all happened so fast. If you would have told me a week ago we'd have to say goodbye to her in a week I'd have said you're crazy. She was old (16), but still in good shape for a dog her age.

On Friday she slipped trying to get on the couch and then wasn't able to put any weight on her right leg. We took her to the vet and they x-rayed her and she had a cancerous tumor in her right hind leg. Gave us pain meds and said the only other option would have been amputation which wasn't realistic at her age. They said she could last a while just managing her pain, or it could get worse quick.

It got worse quick. Saturday she was like normal, but with a small limp. Sunday she could barely walk, couldn't go up or down stairs anymore, and wouldn't put any weight on her right rear leg. By Monday she couldn't hold herself up to go to the bathroom and we found her laying in her own feces after work.

Today we put her down. And I am just so sad. It all happened so quickly. We gave her all kinds of food and love these last few days. But I can't believe she's gone. Her right leg had swollen to twice the size of her left one. She seemed so happy still despite the pain she was in. She's gone forever now and I'll never get to take her on another walk, pet her, or lay on the couch with her. Just very sad tonight.
 
WoJ said:
It all happened so fast. If you would have told me a week ago we'd have to say goodbye to her in a week I'd have said you're crazy. She was old (16), but still in good shape for a dog her age.

On Friday she slipped trying to get on the couch and then wasn't able to put any weight on her right leg. We took her to the vet and they x-rayed her and she had a cancerous tumor in her right hind leg. Gave us pain meds and said the only other option would have been amputation which wasn't realistic at her age. They said she could last a while just managing her pain, or it could get worse quick.

It got worse quick. Saturday she was like normal, but with a small limp. Sunday she could barely walk, couldn't go up or down stairs anymore, and wouldn't put any weight on her right rear leg. By Monday she couldn't hold herself up to go to the bathroom and we found her laying in her own feces after work.

Today we put her down. And I am just so sad. It all happened so quickly. We gave her all kinds of food and love these last few days. But I can't believe she's gone. Her right leg had swollen to twice the size of her left one. She seemed so happy still despite the pain she was in. She's gone forever now and I'll never get to take her on another walk, pet her, or lay on the couch with her. Just very sad tonight.
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I lost my dog almost a year ago he was also sixteen. He had been getting weaker for some time and then he just sat down and started breathing heavily he got up one last time and walked into my bed room for a moment before he went back to the same place and when I went to check up on him 3am he was dead
 
WoJ said:
It all happened so fast. If you would have told me a week ago we'd have to say goodbye to her in a week I'd have said you're crazy. She was old (16), but still in good shape for a dog her age.

On Friday she slipped trying to get on the couch and then wasn't able to put any weight on her right leg. We took her to the vet and they x-rayed her and she had a cancerous tumor in her right hind leg. Gave us pain meds and said the only other option would have been amputation which wasn't realistic at her age. They said she could last a while just managing her pain, or it could get worse quick.

It got worse quick. Saturday she was like normal, but with a small limp. Sunday she could barely walk, couldn't go up or down stairs anymore, and wouldn't put any weight on her right rear leg. By Monday she couldn't hold herself up to go to the bathroom and we found her laying in her own feces after work.

Today we put her down. And I am just so sad. It all happened so quickly. We gave her all kinds of food and love these last few days. But I can't believe she's gone. Her right leg had swollen to twice the size of her left one. She seemed so happy still despite the pain she was in. She's gone forever now and I'll never get to take her on another walk, pet her, or lay on the couch with her. Just very sad tonight.
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I am so sorry for you loss. Just remember that you gave her the very best life she could get and she knew she was loved. :messenger_heart:
 
16 is very good for a dog, so you know she had a full life, focus on the good times you had with her and recover, she had a good life.
 
She had a good, long life. You did the right thing by letting her go when it was time.

I've lost several pets and know how hard it is. Grief is the price for love.
 
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My old lady is 11 and showing signs of age. I feel you, OP. Will be the horror when it's her time to go :(
Sorry for your loss.
 
We had to put our 18 year old cat down today. From what I understand it was quick onset of total kidney failure. She's showed signs of cognitive decline and weight loss over the past year or so. I still thought we had another year or two with her. Like your story, it all happened quick.

I'm sorry you lost your dog. It hurts. It's hard. You gave that dog a great life.
 
Sorry for your loss.

You did the right thing by her. A lot of people would have prolonged that pain for their own sake, but you put her quality of life ahead of your own need to hold onto her. That matters. That shows you lover her enough to do right by her.
 
I'm so, so sorry. I always find it beyond hard to lose a beloved pet.
After all, you spent 16 wonderful years together, and the relationship you shared is a gift you'll treasure forever. I'm sure your dog had the best time with you.
 
Sorry to read it brother. I too have an old boy, he is getting slower by the day, and I dread wht is coming. He has been my buddy through so many hard things and I walk with him every single day through the forest near our house. I know eventually those walks will be alone, and it fills me with dread thinking about it. Pets are awesome but ultimately they leave us missing them, sadly.

All the best OP
 
Same for me last week. Noticed some lumps as I was bathing her and ended up putting her down within 3 days. The finality of death is really hard to cope with if you're not religious, had all the same thoughts as you about not seeing her again.

If it's any consolation, this week has been easier than last.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. I know the feeling well from losing 2 of my dogs over the years.
My best advice save something of hers to have here with you (I have both of mines collars and leashes).
Second piece of advice, don't wait to long to get another dog. You aren't replacing her but it helps tremendously with healing and keeps the mood in the house up with the presences of a pooch.

If you want to talk or need to just let off some steam feel free to PM me, sometimes its easier to let loose some stuff you really don't want to around family/friends

My heart goes out to you and everyone this has affected
 
I am so sorry for your loss.

I had to have my dog put to sleep a couple of years ago due to kidney failure. It hits like a fucking truck.

I genuinely hope you are okay - I know you're not, but my thoughts are with you.

Remember the very good times with your doggo before she got ill. Stay strong my friend.
 
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Have strength OP. I will never have any pets ever again. The pain of losing them was too much for me and I still feeling loss. strangely I don't have any feeling for deceased family members
 
16 years is a good run, even small dogs dont really last that long. In the past 10 years i have had to put down 6 animals. Doesnt get easier at all. I had one on my huskys hurt her leg. Took her to an expensive 24hr vet hospital and they couldnt find anything wrong on the xray or blood tests but she was screaming in pain. She screamed all night into the next morning just in pain. We took her to get put down and while carrying her to the vet clinic doors she passed away in my arms. Also had another husky i had since he was a small puppy. Kept having seizures and he ended up getting a big one that cooked his brain. He couldnt walk, eat, or use the bathroom on his own after that. Had him for 7 years. At one point i had 3 cats and 4 dogs. Down to one cat and one dog. I think i'm done after these.
 
I'm truly sorry, it is so tough when we lose a pet. Dogs are particularly wonderful animals too. Love mine so much.

All we can do is remember the good times and the love
 
Thanks all for the kinds and thoughtful words. Today has been a better day, but the wound is still fresh.
 
WoJ said:
It all happened so fast. If you would have told me a week ago we'd have to say goodbye to her in a week I'd have said you're crazy. She was old (16), but still in good shape for a dog her age.

On Friday she slipped trying to get on the couch and then wasn't able to put any weight on her right leg. We took her to the vet and they x-rayed her and she had a cancerous tumor in her right hind leg. Gave us pain meds and said the only other option would have been amputation which wasn't realistic at her age. They said she could last a while just managing her pain, or it could get worse quick.

It got worse quick. Saturday she was like normal, but with a small limp. Sunday she could barely walk, couldn't go up or down stairs anymore, and wouldn't put any weight on her right rear leg. By Monday she couldn't hold herself up to go to the bathroom and we found her laying in her own feces after work.

Today we put her down. And I am just so sad. It all happened so quickly. We gave her all kinds of food and love these last few days. But I can't believe she's gone. Her right leg had swollen to twice the size of her left one. She seemed so happy still despite the pain she was in. She's gone forever now and I'll never get to take her on another walk, pet her, or lay on the couch with her. Just very sad tonight.
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I am so sorry. They are definitely more than just pets -- they're our friends. I'm glad she had a long life with you. Sounds like she was blessed.
 
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My thoughts are with you OP.
Losing your best friend is the worst.
I put my dog to sleep over 20 years ago and I still think about him.
 
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I had to do it twice within a span of a few months a few years ago. Took a long long time before I started to feel better. I once heard that when you get a dog you are signing up for one of the worst days of your life and I think that's absolutely true. And a lot of people said I should get another dog but it took me a long time before I was comfortable doing that.
 
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Sorry for your loss, that really sucks.

I had a 9 year old cat who passed away from kidney disease and then 5 months later my two dogs passed away exactly a week apart. One died at home from diabetes/cushing's disease/heart failure age 12, his organs were shutting down over the weekend and the Monday he died was a holiday so the vet wasn't open. I had to put him in a bag and leave him in my fridge until the next day (obviously I cleaned out my fridge and such the next day). It was terrible enough that he died but to sit there for 24 hours knowing he was in the fridge…sad. My other dog had bone marrow disease and I had to put him down the next Monday. It got to the point he couldn't even stand so it was time. He was 13.

It sucked real bad in a short amount of time but I'm also happy they were reunited pretty quickly. I had them both since they were puppies and they were best friends so one didn't have to be sad for long without the other.


This was in 2018/19 and I am still crushed by it all but life goes on…I also had a cat who passed in 2009 and even that still bites me.

Animals are the greatest gift to me, they're family, it's never not devastating if you're a caring human being.
 
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