01-19-2016, 03:20 AM
(01-18-2016, 12:37 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: Sorry to hear it, it's always very tough. Have solace that you were good parents and it couldn't ask for more.
I had to put my beagle down due to cancer at 14.
I remember calling the vet at 4 PM and saying can we have a couple more hours, she said sure. He wasn't moving for a couple weeks. He looked up at the sky and saw a bird fly, that was the biggest moment for him for a few days - so I knew it was time. I picked him up and put him in the car.
That was the first time I saw my mom cry, I was 31 at the time. She didn't come to the vet.
My Dad couldn't go in the room with him. So it was me and my sister. My dog was afraid. He stared at me for like 10 seconds and my sister says he was probably saying Thank You. I also agree, I will never forget the look on their face. I don't believe it's our emotions pressed into theirs, it's that moment everyone realizes what's happening. It is sad to think dogs can't speak a word of English but communicate better than most people. I remember telling him all of the good stories he created for us, stealing/eating an entire chocolate cake and living to talk about it, all of the socks he stole/tried to eat, etc.
I always kissed him on the nose, and he'd breath out really fast in response. After he was done, I kissed him on the nose and there was no reaction. He never wanted to be alone, so even after that, I had trouble leaving his body there by itself.
It was a month later we purchased a new beagle puppy who is nothing like him at all. It makes us appreciate him that much more, he was the perfect dog. He made me realize all the mistakes we made and we try to improve on with our new dog, for instance the new dog has a fenced in yard to run around in.
I worked at a Pet Insurance agency at the time, where people could bring their dogs in to work and I would see the word "Beagle" every day. It didn't make anything easier, I cried at work too. I think it took me a month to get through the hard stuff, but I still thought about him every day for a few months. It may take her a long time to get through it, but as anything else, time heals all.
The years of life before this occurs has to make up for the biggest gift you can give them back when the time is right. Remember that you treated them better than other owners may have not, so they were adopted into the right family, what more could they have asked for?
Man, this entire thread has been tough to read, but especially this post.
I have a beagle myself, and she's 13. Up until recently I've tried to not even think about the day I have to make that decision. But she's really started to show her age. She's losing her hearing, which in and of itself is heartbreaking. This was a dog who could hear a potato chip bag crumple from across the house, who now can't even hear me come in the house. She's got a couple of lumps on her side, which I pray isn't cancer, but I know can't be good. And I can tell she's having more and more trouble with arthritis.
She still moves pretty good, but it's in more and more limited doses. She gets some pep when she wants to, but she pretty much sleeps all day.
But yeah, I know it's coming sooner than later. And I'm not sure how my other dog is going to react either. He's always had her around and he'll be alone for the first time ever. I can't even imagine how much it's going to suck whenever it's actually time. Like I said, I hate even thinking about it.
I do think that whenever the time comes I'm going to try to have the vet come to the house though. My beagle absolute hates the vet and freaks out even when I pull into the lot. So I would like to try to have her be as least anxious as possible.
Ughh.. Sorry to the OP and everyone else who's been through this. ***** terrible.
