Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: The Westerner
My dog too. I put her down when she was over 16, last summer. I really waited too long, put not only was her mind gone but her body was slipping away, and it was a really rough last six months or so.
81 posted on 12/07/2006 9:42:05 AM PST by SoCal Pubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies ]


To: SoCal Pubbie

I was grateful for my vets advice. He took the time to talk to me on the telephone a couple of times about it. The thing that made the most sense is the issue of the quality of her life was terrible. She enjoyed going for a walk, but the rest of the day was endless anxiety. Making the decision was harder than the euthansia which was actually incredibly humane.

I would like the same choice over my own demise. The tricky part for humans is that once the Alzheimer's has gripped the mind, you can't remember that you don't want to go on like that anymore. Then you become someone else's problem. I have worked in the hospital with dementia patients. They all go through a stage of terror because they can still think, but can't organize thoughts to deal with all of their perceptions. I always wondered if it was humane to allow humans to suffer but make a separate case for our pets.


82 posted on 12/07/2006 10:03:42 AM PST by The Westerner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson