I thought I'd never be able to cope with being in the room with any of my pets when they had to be euthanised, but I've done it several times now (all elderly animals) and I'm so glad I did. The thought of any of my babies being alone at their end is too much to bear. You just have to suck it up and remember to think of them and not yourself.

The vet has no relationship to the animal he is putting down. So of course it is not so emotional than it is for the owners

I treat street dogs and cats. truly, putting them down isn't the hard part...watching them suffer meaninglessly and crawling towards a slow and painful death because caregivers and daily feeders don't want to put them down because of personal beliefs is much worse. breaks me anew each time.

It was really hard but my family and I stayed in the room with our girl when she had to be euthanized at 3 years old. She had sudden congestive heart failure and there was nothing we could do, it was a breed thing. I couldn’t bring myself to touch her but I made sure she could see me and I told her she was a good girl while my mom sat near me and my dad stroked her head. We were heart broken and crying but we made sure she knew how much we loved her before she went. It’s really hard and even though it was almost two years ago, it makes me cry to this day, but if you ever have to go through this, please don’t leave them alone. They need you so much at that moment. It is heart shattering but you can’t turn your back on them then.

I held both my kitties when it was time for them. I have a dog and a cat now (they are best friends) and I am DREADING when its time for them to go but you can bet your sweet ass I will be holding and whispering how good they are and how much I love them. And I will thank the vet that helps us.

I dearly love the vets at the clinic I take my little ones to. Shout out to Dr.Abdelmalik and Dr.Norman!! When Mr. Charles was at the clinic to be evaluated and i was at home waiting, when it was found out he had severe kidney failure and it was time to cross over the Rainbow Bridge it was almost closing time. They asked if I wanted to wait until the morning and I said no. There was no way he was going to spend his last night by himself in a cage. They stayed open until I could get there to be with him. For my little Lucy Loo, I can't even go there about what happened, but for her they opened early for the emergency and Dr. Norman was there in 10 minutes after being called to help her. I wouldn't dream of leaving any one of my babies alone at that time. Pre covid, if a family was in an exam room going through that they would turn on a little candle in the waiting room to indicate there is a family saying goodbye and to please stay quiet out of respect. I just love these folks.

I would never ever let any of my pets die alone... and never have... they gave me their entire life... it's the very least I can do

I love my vet. It makes me so sad that he, like other vets, might be abused by the people half of his patients. And if you are grousing about routine bills for service, you should never have adopted the animal in the first place. Imagine yelling at a pediatrician when you have to pay for a well-child checkup. I once spent $1500 for abdominal surgery of my cat. I thought it cheap at the price. A similar procedure for humans would have cost way more than 10x that. As for euthanasia, it made me cry to learn that so many furball parents won't stay with their pet at the final moment. It never occurred to me not to. I feel like I have "loved them to sleep." I just wish they would let us stay when surgical anesthesias are given. It must feel about the same way to the animal.

I can sort of understand *some* of the shouting, if linked to his first point. Desperate people who love their pet may behave irrationally of they cannot afford the treatment that will help save their pet. But these should be the ONLY time someone feels angry at the person who is doing their best to help - and even then only because your EQ has taken a hit. (I do not condone violence or any shouting that is threatening, but I understand how people can get animated during heightened emotional times - they are reacting to the situation, not the person, but the person is the face of the situation). Everything else is just entitled tw@ts who shouldn't be allowed near animals.

My daughter is a vet. She's a second year internal medicine specialist. We just talked tonight about how people will spend $2000 on a specific breed of dog, but will not pay for a parvovirus shot because it's "too expensive," so, the puppy dies, and then screams at her because she can't save it. I can't tell you how badly vets are treated. There's a reason that veterinarians have the highest suicide rates. I'm begging you...please care about your fur babies doctors. They're literally killing themselves.

My kitty girl was super terrified of the vet in spite of going to him for years. She had to be sedated for the slightest exam or treatment, such as claw trims. When it was time to say goodbye, Dr B sedated her so I could hold her without her panicking. So at that crucial, heart rending moment when I wanted her to know how much she was loved and going to be missed, she wasn't awake enough to know what was happening. I know she didn't suffer. But I feel like we missed our precious goodbye at our moment of parting. Still grieving heavily since January.

The hardest and saddest time of my life has been putting 2 of my dogs to sleep, it absolutely killed me and left me heartbroken for a long time, much more than any family member I have lost. To not be there cradling your pet so they can see you and/or smell you as they breathe their last breaths is just unforgiveable and people should be ashamed of themselves, so selfish. I know I will have to do it again I have 4 dogs and I dread having to go it through it all again but of course it's worth it for the years of love and companionship you get back and it's the last loving act you can do for them, take the pain away, and you leave them alone????

I had to have my first cat put to sleep after a long battle with hyperthyroidism (she was a ripe old 17 too). I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to be there. I would have loved to have been a million miles away. But I didn't. I cuddled her, I told her I loved her (despite her having gone deaf). I told her I was sorry. I told her to sleep. I held her constantly until her little heart stopped and I held on some more. It was heartbreaking but it was the least I could do for her.

It was a very hard decision to make. 12.5 years, kidney failure. You want to believe until the very last moment that it will get better, while you see and deep down know that... No. This is it, this is the end. Maybe a few more days, weeks, if you are lucky, but what a life that would be, seeing it all slip away slowly. And you just hope and wish and pray there won't be much pain and suffering for them. For me, what eased the pain a bit (and yes, the guilt to some point, of deciding about another being's life) was when someone told me: 'This is a no-win situation. You cannot choose a good option - you can only choose the lesser bad one.' I was there, hugged her, petted her, cuddled her and told her a thousand times over how much we love her and how grateful I am to have shared all this time together. (And wow, I am crying like mad again.) Reading this helps me in a way that what made me decide was I didn't want her to suffer... or at least to suffer as little as possible. Thank you.

8 years ago, my rescued kitty had health issues. She almost died. I had money issues but I told the vet I'd give him all my income if needed, cat definitely is my priority but I wasn't able to pay rn. He was ok. Long story short, when I was able to pay, he asked a ridiculous amout of money. He took a lot on himself for us. This is a great hooman. <3

Please, please be there for your pets in their final moments. You're all they have and, in their darkest hour, they need your love and support.

Tough post to read this morning as my little one is currently in doggy ER for an emergency appointment. My vet has done an amazing job taking care of my baby. He was diagnosed with diabetes almost exactly a year ago and has had several complications since. The level of care and compassion my vet has shown (especially in the middle of a pandemic) is far greater than any care or compassion I have gotten from any of my own doctors. Hats off to all the vets and vet techs out there. You all have my serious respect and thanks.

I didn't want my mom to die alone, I definitely don't want any of my pets to die alone if I can help it!

i'm agree with that. i have a poodle. we got it from somebody who was allergic to it so we took it. we are far away from rich but we can take care of him. but sadly if he got sick or really hurt we wouldn't be able to afford a costly treatment.

I NEVER LEAVE MY BABIES ALONE WHEN IT IS TIME. Sugar died in the car on the way back from the hospital. She had been there for three days. I took her home, rubbing her ears all the way home and just as we drove up the drive way, she took her last breath. I didn't even know until I went to bring her into the house. Charlie, Maddie, and Jackie died at home, the vet came to the house and I got to hold them. Beau was having surgery and the surgeon called me and said that is liver was nothing but one huge tumor and did I want him to go peacefully. She gave him the shot and I picked him up and took him home. Katy died on the way to the emergency clinic, she had lung cancer and I was taking her from my vet, who did not have an oxygen cage, to the emergency hospital, and she died about 30 seconds from the hospital. Alex died in my arms at home. I sat with her all night, Sugar and Pepper with me. Pepper died during surgery, we found out from the post that she and a cardiovascular

I was there and held my furbaby when he was out down. I was a horrific mess but would never have done it another way.

just read this with my little Care Bear asleep on my knee, my heart is hurting at the thought of losing him. It would never cross my mind to leave him alone in his last moments, I'd need to be there for him

Wait, what??? Who would not want to be there for their pet till the end? I don't get it at all! I'm fairly poor, but I've already decided to order the vet home to put my cat down once it's time, no matter how much it'll cost. No way her last experience will be at vet's! It's home with me, where she belongs.

It’s the hardest part of being a pet-parent, having to say goodbye. I also feel it’s the greatest/most important gift I can give my pets ... take their pain away so they aren’t suffering. It’s also so important to be with them, they should be held & loved until the very end. It’s heartbreaking for us; they shouldn’t have to be scared, confused and looking for us at the time. We adopted 2 senior cats 14 & 15 (when we adopted them) Jan of 2020. Their original owner died and they ended up in the shelter. The last thing I wanted was for them to have to live out their their lives in the shelter, or if they were lucky enough to be adopted due to their age that they would be split up. It’s been a year & 3 months since we adopted them and I wouldn’t change a thing. Sadly the oldest was just diagnosed with a cancerous mass in his nasal cavity. We know it won’t be much longer now. He has been through enough trauma. I will not abandon him at the end. They give so much love and deserve to be with loved ones when they cross that rainbow bridge. The love he’s given is worth the pain of saying goodbye.

My baby boy is a large breed doggy who is 17. Every time he gets sick I worry about having to put him down. So far, he is still stupid happy, gets excited for food, and is mostly continent. But when it is time, I plan to be there with him while he leaves me.