Putting your fur baby to sleep

How do you cope with it? I think I may have to do it on Thursday, and I just don't know how I am going to cope with not having her around anymore. How do you go to sleep the night before knowing in the morning you are going to have to say good-bye?

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I don't have personal experience with this. But I do have a friend who is being faced with this right now also. She's giving her dog all the things he was never allowed. Sleeping in their bed, foods that are 'bad' for him, etc. Lots and lots of love and quiet petting time. So that he can be comforted in his time with his family. She's also taking his paw prints. Someone suggested this from Michaels. Or you could do a water-based paint.

Besides the remembrances, she is thinking of her options before the time comes about burial or cremation. They may bring his bed with them to the vet's office so he can be comfortable with his own scent.

I'm so sorry you are faced with this.

Message edited 2/23/2010 3:42:26 PM.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

It's extremely difficult

With two of ours dogs, it was different in that we had taken them to the emergency vet and in one instance, got a call in the middle of the night that we had to "make a decision" and the other had to make the decision right then & there.

Not that these were not heart wrenching but with one of our dogs who was sick for a while and then would perk up for a stretch of time, we got to a point where we knew quality of life was suffering for all of us. When we finally had to make the call, we actually should have done it days earlier but waited out the weekend (and he ended up being really sick). My DH was supposed to bring him in Friday morning while our other dog had a vet appt but I cried and begged him not to take him then.


I'm sorry - this isn't helping at all ...

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I have not had to do this yet with my own dog, but my family dog is probably not far away from this situation so my heart goes out to you. I have tears in my eyes just typing this.

When my husband had to put his dog down (she lived with his parents but had been a birthday present for him as a kid) it was so sad. The night before they made her a steak dinner and we all took turns cuddling with her.

I did not go with them, but while they were at the vet I went to Petco and made an ID tag up for my husband. I picked one of the heart shaped ones and put her names and her birth and death years on it. He put it on his key chain so she is still with him every day.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Honestly, I have never had to make that decision.

My childhood cat passed away in my arms and my childhood dog passed away at the vet a few days after she had surgery.

Is there anyway you can wait it out and let the pet pass on their own so they are in the comfort of their own home?

Message edited 2/23/2010 4:01:14 PM.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

My heart is breaking for you. I am so so sorry I dont know how to answer this.. Maybe God will decide to do this for you. I am praying thats the case

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Posted by dilb712

Maybe God will decide to do this for you. I am praying thats the case

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Thank you so much for your replies.

I have been praying for God to make the decision, but she is to the point where she is no longer eating, and I don't want her to starve herself to death. What a horrible way to die. I never thought I would have to do this. I feel so beyond sad. She is my partner in crime, and I just can't believe she won't be here when I get home anymore.

She is going too soon, and I am not ready to say good-bye.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

i have no advice, only i am teary just reading, typing, thinking of this. i can not even handle to watch someone have to put their pet to sleep on a television show (grey's anatomy, celebrity rehab) - i am a bawling mess. i can only imagine the heartache in real life. my heart and prayers go out to you. i'm so unbelievably sorry.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I am so very sorry. I am in tears typing this

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I'm so sorry. It's devastating and probably the hardest decision that you have to make. My mom just recently (in the last month) had to put two of my childhood pets down. My dog of 14 years and my cat of 17. They were suffering and it was only a matter of time. =(
It's so difficult and I am truly sorry that you have to go through this.

Message edited 2/23/2010 9:58:27 PM.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

All I can say is it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I kept thinking horrible things all that morning, like..by this time she won't be here anymore or in a few hours I'll never hear her meow again. I don't think you can help thoughts like that. The only thing that makes it bearable is knowing that even though it is difficult, you are doing the kindest thing for them by not allowing them to suffer. I am so sorry that you are faced with this horrible decision. Try to spend as much time with her as you can and remember that you are doing this because you love her.

Message edited 2/23/2010 10:26:46 PM.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I always found this poem sad but so beautiful.

The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then will you do what must be done,

For this, the last battle, can't be won.


You will be sad I understand,

But don't let grief then stay your hand,

For on this day, more than the rest,

Your love and friendship must stand the test.


We have had so many happy years,

You wouldn't want me to suffer so.

When the time comes, please, let me go.


Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,

Only, stay with me till the end


And hold me firm and speak to me,

Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agree,

It is a kindness you do to me.


Although my tail its last has waved,

From pain and suffering I have been saved.


Don't grieve that it must be you,

Who has to decide this thing to do;

We've been so close,we two, these years,

Don't let your heart hold any tears.



Author Unknown

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Posted by katiebug

Thank you so much for your replies.

I have been praying for God to make the decision, but she is to the point where she is no longer eating, and I don't want her to starve herself to death. What a horrible way to die. I never thought I would have to do this. I feel so beyond sad. She is my partner in crime, and I just can't believe she won't be here when I get home anymore.

She is going too soon, and I am not ready to say good-bye.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I will always remember the day we had to put my Smudge to sleep--it will always feel like it was yesterday.

We spent her last day together. She sat in my lap all day and I watched tv and just petted her. Even when I had to go to the bathroom, I forced myself to stay there.

I made sure that I was the last person she saw before she left us.

And then I held her and sobbed for about an hour. The vet let me stay there for as long as I needed to.

You are doing the best thing you possibly can for your baby. My Smudge was so far gone, the life was gone from her eyes. When we took her outside for the last time, she kept trying to hide under the bushes--she knew it was time.

Lots and lots of to you, it's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to go through, but the thing that got me through it was knowing that we were saving her from unnecessary pain.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

i don't have any advice but my sympathies are with you, big time. what a heartwrenching decision

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Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

ugh, worst thing ever I had to do. My poor kitty was so old and everything was failing. It stunk, but I could not watch her suffer anymore. She knew too, on the way there she never moved off my lap. This from a cat who went near a car and would freak out. Sorry you have to deal with this.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I'm sorry you have to make this decision . It sucks.

I had to make the same decision, so I understand how you feel. I spent her last night just with her and comforting her. It was probably one of the worst things I had to do, but I know I was doing the right thing. She had a great life and I gave her everything I could. The vet told me she couldn't live like that (she lost her tongue) and I agreed. I tried to put myself in my cat's "paws".

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I'm so sorry you are going through this.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I had to do this four years ago yesterday. It was the worst few days of my life before and after. That night before I cried myself to sleep, periodically woke up crying, woke up crying in the morning, cried the whole way to the vet's office while my DH, then FH drove while I held tight to my boy once last time. Cried for month during the nights after and I am even starting to tear up now. You have to do what's right for them though. After a while I was keeping him around for me and it wasn't any kind of life for him anymore. Go in there knowing you are doing what's right for your fur baby. That's the only way...

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

I am so sorry that you are going thru this.

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

How are you doing sweetie?

Re: Putting your fur baby to sleep

Sorry you have to go thru this.
I put my cat baby down 3 years ago after 13 years of him being a part of my life and still miss him terribly. It was incurable cancer that took him.

Your fur baby will always have a place in your heart. You have the memories.

I barely slept the night before, but in the end I made the right decision. It was the look in his eyes to let me know that he was suffering that made me call the vet.