When the time comes to put down your pet

[chrisinhouston]

Tough decision I'm confronted with. My dog turned 14 in October and I'm fearing the time is close for letting her go and having the vet put her down. Vesta has been my constant companion through so many things. She was a gift from a friend after my previous Lab died, didn't pay a penny for her. We went to the home of the folks that had the litter and the pup picked me out instead of me picking her. She woke up and came over and got in my lap so we took her home.

Since I work out of my home she was with me day and night. She came to Atlanta when I was caretaker for my parents until they died. She drove out to California and Arizona with me once and made the trip back and forth from Atlanta to Houston many times, she was a good car dog.

She's been slowing down for a couple years now, her arthritis is bad and we had to stop taking her for walks over a year ago. Now she has trouble knowing when she needs to go outside to "go". I find little surprises in the house when I get home. I think she's hard of hearing now and her eyes are clouded. Sometimes I wonder if she has dementia as she seems sort of confused. She sleeps most of the time and often doesn't even hear us unless we make a loud noise.

Last night I heard her leave our room and go to the kitchen to drink some water which is not like her. Later she did it again so at 3:30 AM I put on my robe and went out back with her and she had to go which is not like her to go at that time of night. I wonder if the need for water is kidney related.

So today while she slept I called my vet to get a price for euthanasia. Not cheap by the time they add up the costs of an IV, drugs and the vet's service. Close to $200. And then there is what to do afterwards. Cremation is another $200. The lady told me I could take the body home but she was required to tell me that burying her in our back yard was against city health regulations, but she said she understood if that was our wish. I guess I could shop around, might be some cheaper service to do it. I think I would bury her and have the grand kids come over to say goodbye since they have known her all their lives.

This is the hard thing about pets... they are like family. Vesta house trained pretty quickly and from then on she always slept on a dog bed in our room. When I took kids camping she slept in my tent. She liked to jump in the car and go places. She would get all excited every morning when I put on my shoes because that meant we might go somewhere.

One online pet website said you should make a list of the things your dog liked to do the most like go for a walk, chase a ball, eat food or treats, etc. They listed 7 I think and they said if your dog no longer enjoyed 4 or more perhaps it's time. I think about all Vesta still gets excited about is dinner time! I feel myself wishing she would just pass quietly while she sleeps. And I feel bad when we travel and while my son stays at our home he is gone most of the day so she is home alone a lot. I just don't think her quality of life is very good.

Still the decision is very hard.

I put this under Health even though it's sort of about my dog's health. Then again it's my mental health as well I guess.