Pet Lovers With Ptsd...

[Jezanna]

@xena is it possible to plan the euthanasia with extra therapy appointments? I'm concerned with your statement about being recently hospitilized and I'm wondering if you can have extra support from a therapist? Here where I live they have grief support groups that although short term help with processing the death of a pet. You might ask your vet if they offer that in your area. Something else I want to mention is some people benefit from getting a pup before they have to euthanize their current pet . No it's not a replacement but an opportunity to save another life and to help move forward. It's not for everyone but it's what I've done and while it's not the same relationship I had with my former pet I get joy from knowing something good came from a otherwise heartbreaking event.

 

[NovemberStar]

@nursenurse - I came on to post the same poem. It's very good.

I think planning ahead is a good idea. Talk to your T and your Dr - remove anything from the I house that you 'might' use to hurt yourself with - I am assuming your Dr is not prescribing you months of meds to be collected at once, since you overdosed?

I've gone through the pain of saying goodbye and being the one to make The Decision for all my pets - 5 puss cats in goal over the years.

I am grateful we have the choice to be ABLE to relieve them of suffering - euthanasia for people is illegal in most places in the world.

You don't need to wait til yr fur baby is suffering. One of my beloved puss cats had very poor kidneys. She wasn't in pain but the day I noticed her twitching a little I took her in for her final sleep. Why? Because it was a sign of approaching kidney FAILURE - if I waited, and she went into kidney failure, she would have been through excruciating pain and even if I immediately took her to the vets, she would have half an hour of suffering.

With all the love and devotion they give us during their lifetimes with us&, don't you think we owe it to them to do all we can to make their lives ok too?

Instead of going into full blown kidney failure (which might have happened when I was out and she would have been alone) and having to rush her to the vet and see her suffering, she had a really nice last day with me. Gave her lots of pats and cuddles. Some fresh fish and some cream.

But most telling? Whenever I would bring out the cat carrier she (like all sensible cats) would normally RUN and hide, knowing it meant a vet trip. On this day - she came towards me and practically walked right into it. I truly believe she 'knew' and was grateful.

I know this is super hard @xena21 but I think leaving your fur baby to suffer and / or to die alone would be much harder overall than if you chose when and how and know she was going to pass away in a very very quick and very painless way.

Ask the vet, but many do HOME CALLS.

I've been with all of my fur babies - and actually physically held all but one of them -when the vet has given the injection. One thing I will say is it really is very quick - injection goes in and it's is very close to instant; although the vet will usually wait half a minute before checking the heartbeat has stopped.

Safe hugs if ok :hug:

 

[KwanYingirl]

@xena21
I've been reading this thread with tears in my eyes. I have always had at least one dog and sometimes two and three. I have loved them with all my heart and they lived free of fences with hikes up mountains and .lazy days at our pond. They slept beside me as I gardened. Be it in my greenhouse or in the garden. They helped me raise my children oh how I love the pics of them over the years.

They have passed away for different reasons and it is excruciating. Some quickly some drawn out. My rescue dog Buster was 4 when I got him. We bonded on sight. I gave him a life of freedom and connection, he gave me anti anxiety therapy. He was only 8 when his gut started giving him problems. Lots of gas and a tight abdomen, but he loved his food so I was sure we'd get him through.

My daughter came to visit and arrived late. Buster and I were in bed. She came into my room to say hello, but this time she yelled at me. What are you doing to that poor dog?? You see I had plastic all over the bed and pee pads because Buster was incontinant. She had worked as a vet tech and she examined Buster. She swore to me that Buster had addicted and was truly suffering. It was time to give him relief.

I still couldn't do it. We had been through a lot of PTSD Stuff and I could not imagine losing him (selfish). Finally my best friend came and got me and drove us to the vet. I held him as he passed sobbing the whole time. I was inconsolable. But I knew it was the right thing to do, I just wasn't stable emotionally and this made it worse.

As much support I got from friends and my mom I was grieving big time. PTSD was in the way. My mother got me a puppy and that's Annie who I speak of in some of my posts. She came to me at a time of great need.

It helped me to have a friend go with me and then we went to the beach and I just cried and cried. I cried myself out of tears. Then it was easier to be rational. Buster had cancer nothing was going to heal him. Nothing is easy about euthanasia it is a gift we give our dogs. For me the process of it is not what bothered me. It was the loss I couldn't handle. In time I accepted it and now I have Annie. I'm just one of those people that wants to have a dog. I hope you can express your grief and that sunnier times are forthcoming. This is the circle of life. My heart is out there sending you hugs.

 

[xena21]

This is the circle of life. My heart is out there sending you hugs.

Thanks so much. I'm sorry for your pain. It is so hard. I talked to my vet today to ask what I should do. I told her I didn't want to feel like I was killing her, because she doesn't have a disease like cancer or diabetes or something...just really bad orthopedic issues. My vet told me that if she is still eating than there is hope. That brought a huge amount of hope to me! She told me that the medication I'm giving her could be cut a bit to see if she is just more wobbly on the meds. If that's the case than being on less meds would take care of it for now.

She also said that I should know in a few days. If cutting back on the meds doesn't work, than I know it's time to make that decision. I am going to cut back for the next few days and see if she gets any better. If she does, than maybe she can hang around for a while longer:) Thanks everyone

 

[KwanYingirl]

Wow! I hope that works out. Keep us posted

 

[xena21]

Thanks! She seems ok. She still seems like a drunken Sailor, but you know she's happy to see me, and happy to be alive. I can tell she's happy. You know? She still is eating and drinking. She has a few accidents, but for the most part she gets outside to go. She just needs help. I know I'm skewed. I just know she has more time...

 

[KwanYingirl]

She may have some days that she feels yukky. But yes if she's eating and drinking and greeting you, she's still in the game. The soul of a dog is pure. Their love for us is unconditional-awesome

 

[xena21]

But yes if she's eating and drinking and greeting you, she's still in the game. The soul of a dog is pure. Their love for us is unconditional-awesome

Thank you so much!!

Yes she is such an awesome soul!!! I know she is still happy to be here on earth with us. If I didn't think that, I wold let her go. I give her treats that she loves, and she deserves them at 15. She seems happy just getting fed lying down. She gets groomed and loves it! She expects everything to be done for her:) I will do everything I can to make her happy!!!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am so happy for you both.

Just a thought, when it was time for my beloved Mysty, we called our vet and my daughter ran down the mountain and picked up a shot that would help her fall asleep naturally. The whole family was involved. My son gently wrapped her in a blanket and carried her to the car. When we got to the vets he came out to the car. He gave her the shot and she was gone. I sobbed uncontrollably for awhile. I had her cremated and still have her ashes.

I am so glad you do not have to put the precious of your life down yet and I hope your days left together are so filled with love and peace.

 

[Britt.f7]

I'm glad that you have some options. You'll know. When my cat start losing weight, after years of not being able to, I knew we were getting towards the end. She started having incontinence periods and I could tell she knew they were wrong, but couldn't help it. Her kidney's were starting to shut down and the vet said she could have a heart attack. The end was getting near. I took her to the vet with the idea if she lost more weight, despite the meds she was on, I was going to have her put down. She lost two pounds, which is a lot on a small animal. We agreed to have her euthanized that night. I was there petting her when they did it. She looked straight at me and howled. This was 14 years ago and I still remember it as if it was yesterday.

I do not wish anyone to go through this. But you will know. Please take all measures to have yourself in a safe place because their deaths can feel devastating. I wish you the best.

 

[Wyakin]

I have done mostly what most men do,
And pushed it out of my mind,
But I can't forget if I wanted to,
Four feet trotting behind.

Day after day, the whole day through,
Wherever my road inclined,
Four feet said, "I'm coming with you"
And trotted along behind.

No I must go by some other route,
That I shall never find,
Somewhere that does not carry the sound,
Of four feet trotting behind.

Rudyard Kipling

This is my Bob's poem or so I like to think of it. My shadow, I lost him 2 years this month. I only had him 19 months but he took a huge part of me when I had him put to sleep. It was the right thing to do and I have lost others before and after him but none hurt like he did.

You are doing the right thing by helping them when they need it, whatever that entails. You will know when the time is right.

 

[xena21]

Thanks everyone. She is having a tough time the last few days. I love her so much as you all have your pets. I have reduced the meds like my doctor has recommended and will continue to try this course. She still hasn't changed at all despite this attempt, but I will keep doing something to try and see if she is still to be with us or ready to move on. It terrifies me to have her go, but I love her so much that I don't want her to suffer at all, and to see her stumbling about is almost too much every day, you know? I am going by what the vet is telling me each day and I will do what they say. I just want to do what is right by her.