I was on this site four years ago when my border collie, Luba died of sudden heart failure. At the time, my other dog, Falkor was sick off and on, in fact, he's been sick his entire life. The vet's figured he'd live to maybe age 8. We are now a few months shy of his 12th birthday, but he has been so sick off and on.

Tuesday night he had a seizure, and collapsed. He is now being treated at the vet's. His heart is failing and there is fluid on his lungs. My baby can't get up. He's become totally listless. The vet recommends euthanizia now, as it will only get worse. I even got a second opion from the vet at home (I'm currently up North visiting my mother) with Falkor, so it's a different vet.
My home vet concurred with the local vet's decision. I can see it in Falkor too. Still - what agony.

When Luba died the decision was made for me. She had a heart attack at the vets. This is a whole new level of pain. I feel like a henchman. I don't want him to die, but he can't live suffering the way he has been.

After Luba died I would have been so happy if someone had told me that Falkor would live for another year, two years would have been a miracle. I ended up with FOUR years. I should be greatful. I'm just heartbroken. There is never enough time.

Hi, Steph, Please permit me to offer you my sincerest condolences in your upcoming loss of Falkor. Anticipatory Grief is the first part of grieving the loss of our beloved furkids. Euthanasia is never an easy decision to make because it is comparable to deciding to stop life support for a loved human family member or friend. BUT, it is the last act of love we can give our furkids on this side of eternity to release them from their failing physical bodies so that they can be totally healed and restored to play happily with the angels while they wait for our appropriate time to join them in heaven's perfect garden. Oh how I have wished each time my furbabies were on their final journey Home that God would take them peacefully and quietly without my having to make the decision for them. How God answered my prayer was that each and every time He gave me the strength and the courage in spite of my deeply grieving heart to end the suffering of my furbabies in their final journey home to the angels. It is heartbreaking to have to make the decision, but it is a gift of ultimate love that only we can give them to end their suffering and let them go Home with their dignity intact - - which is what we all want. Steph, please know that you and Falkor are in my thoughts and prayers that you will feel God's strength and comforting Presence as you and Falkor take this step together. And please let us know how you are doing.

Peace and blessings,

moon_beam

You are so right....There is never enough time.

I am sorry it is Falkor's time. From what you described...it is the right decision. Especially when you mentioned the fluid on his lungs.
That was why I lost my Little Guy last September. You can read his trip to the ER in my topic here..see the title here at the bottom of my reply.

When there is no cure and no quality...we have to let them go. When I made the decision that day....I did not want to but I know I didn't want him to suffer and we did take him in as an emergency. Afterwards I called and had a talk with the vet a few days later when I could stop crying enough to talk and wanted again to know it was the right decision. She said she was not allowed to recommend it at the time but she was very glad I did decide and if he had been hers...she would have had to do the right thing. This fluid he had fill his chest so he could not expand his lungs and breathe came very fast. X-rays a few weeks before showed his chest clear. But if you don't cure the cause of the fluid..it keeps coming back..even if it is drained and each time it comes back...it is an emergency and they are suffering.
I researched it afterward and found where pets who had fluid went through having it drained but it only prolonged them staying a short time because the owners could not put them through that draining time and time again. I also read a vet's paper on it and he described the procedure and said there has to be a number of people there to hold the animal down because the puncture to start the draining is so painful the animals will move dramatically and that is not good...they can't move and they can't be under an anesthetic because they can't breathe in the first place. So they have to feel everything. And.....it does not stop the fluid from coming back..maybe even hours later.

I am glad to hear you had those extra years with your baby. That is so important and what a gift that was! I've always said when it is really their time to go...we cannot stop it from happening. All we can do is hope we know in time to give them peace.

Just know it is the right decision and I am glad you spoke with the 2 vets. It is truly the hardest decision we are ever asked to make for these sweethearts but it is one they cannot make for themselves.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Falkor and remember to come here anytime you feel the need to talk about anything.
There are always many here listening. We have been there, are there, or will be there in the future again, and you are not alone.
We understand because we have the same pain and it stays with us forever and only time makes it bearable.

Hugs to you and Falkor....BIG HUGS!

He's gone. My beautiful dog is gone. I can't even write any more now. I think I must still be in shock.

im so sorry. you made the right choice to end the suffering and help your dog into peace. i know how hard and painful that decision is. i put my 1 year old kitty to sleep last month. hardest thing i ever had to do. no matter how long we have a special pet it never seems long enough. now your collie has a friend. they can keep each other company and watch over you together. you will be together again one day. we are all here for you.

with love corina and her angels

I am so sorry for your loss. You were very lucky to have those special years with him. You made the right choice. It was so hard when I put my 2 1/2 yr old cat Arthur down. I cried so hard it scared the hell out of him. The vet said she didn't "think" surgery would help and just that word "think" maybe me think if I didn't jump the gun . But she said "if" he pulled thru he could have a lot of compications later. And that's what you don't want. To see them suffer all over again. He ad a home and someone to love him. He was a happy dog. I've exprienced the deaths of 3 pets 3 different ways. One in the house, one alone at the vet(my Dad put her down without telling me) and Arthur I was there for. It all hurts the same. I/we know how your feeling right now. Come back soon tell us a happy memory when your ready..Take care..Ann

Ah Steph, I wish I could give you a hug in person. I had to euthanize my little Pom of l4 years on Tuesday and I know the gut wrenching pain. Man it hurts. No words can ease the pain right now I know, but I am learning that day by day it eases a little, just a little. I keep going back to my vet's words, "call me when she isn't having any fun", and I found that some comfort, to put little Roxy's well-being ahead of my own. I wouldn't trade one day of this pain for not having had her at all. I figure I can bear this after l4 years of love and devotion from her. Rest, grieve, be good to yourself, and heal. Some day soon we will smile at memories of our darlings. Take care and take comfort, we all know what your feeling.

Dear Steph, please accept my sincerest condolences in your loss of Falkor. I know your heart is breaking, and mine is breaking with you. There are no words right now that can ease your sorrow, but please know you are not alone in your grief journey. Falkor is now healed and playing with the angels until it is your appropriate time to join him in heaven's perfect garden. I pray someday this will bring comfort to your heart, and your memories of Falkor will bring much joy to you once again. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Steph.

Peace and blessings,

moon_beam

I am so very sorry Falkor's time had come. But you did make the right decision...FOR HIM...that's what is so hard...we want to keep them with us physically..just forever. But we are not allowed to do that. He is at peace now. And now you have the hardest pain to deal with. Everything you feel like doing will be normal....crying, venting, feeling paralyzed to do things.....

This is the worst and most devastating of times. One saying that helps me is: The pain of losing him will never ever be greater than the joy of knowing him. I would never trade the time I spent with my babies to avoid this pain that never fails to devastate.

What also helps me is remembering WHY he had to be given peace. I don't want to think about my baby's last day but in the back of my mind I allow myself to remember WHY...what he was going through ..with no cure or relief in sight.

We always will love them forever and miss them forever and hurt real bad..wanting them back with us. But I do believe that when it is their time to leave us...there is nothing we can do to reverse what happens to them....all we can do is give them peace. We know when the quality of life has, for the most part, disappeared...or they are truly suffering or in pain....the only thing given to us to help them is for us to let them go...for us...the cruelest thought of all.

When you feel like it, come back and post....you can let out your thoughts and feelings here...for we all understand exactly the pain
you are going through. We really all do share the same pain and that is also why you will find when you come here..that there are many here listening.....and waiting to help you in any way we can think of.

Right now....all we can send you is a big cyber-HUG and tell you to remember...we are here...which means YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Hugs and you and to your Angels...Luba and now Falkor. They are a part of your heart and that is why..really...they can never leave you. Their love and good memories will remain with you forever.

Steph,

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your beloved Falkor. I hope we are able to provide you with some comfort at this site. I hope that you will soon be able to dwell on the happy memories you made with him. Your tears will soon be replaced by smiles just thinking of him. I know that is hard to understand now...but trust me it will happen. It takes time to mourn the loss of a wonderful fur baby. Just be patient with yourself and time will heal your pain.

Click to view attachment Steph, I am so sorry too for the loss of your Baby Falcor, I also had to make that sad desition last June 20th when my Son Buster was put to sleep, he was also 11 y/o and still missing him like crazy, please one more time let me tell you how sorry I am 'cause I know your pain well and wish you the best to you and all your family, May God Bless Falcor and hope he already met my Buster up above, sincere condolences specially for you, this is a very deep pain we going to learn to deal with even if never goes away. It has been more than a month and I am still in state of shock, many Blessings for Falcor always, Buster and Jorge

I thank you all so much for taking the time to respond to my post. I am still wandering around in shock. While I am glad that I was able to be with my boy when he left the world, I am having trouble coping with the memory of his final moments. My poor dog was so sick, but it was still heartwrenching to see him take his last breaths. I hope I'll make my peace with this some day.

Hi, Steph, I can well imagine you are still in shock. Losing a beloved furchild is as bad as losing a loved human family member or friend. It takes awhile for our hearts and minds and lives to adjust to the "reality" that our beloved companions are no longer physically with us. Sometimes the euthanasia process is difficult to forget - - it's the very last moments of our time with our furkids on this side of eternity, and it is a traumatic event. If it is any help to you, scientific studies have proven that our mind does imprint on the traumatic event, and the more the traumatic event that has happened, the more our minds "replay" that event. This can last for several minutes, several hours, several days, and the more the traumatic event is - - the more frequently the "event" plays in our mind. I truly believe that over the next several days your memories of your last moments with Falkor will begin to focus on the fact that you gave your furbaby the greatest gift of your love that you could - - a release from his painful physical body so that he could be healed and once again happy so that he can play with the angels for now. I pray that you will find peace in your heart knowing that your Falkor is happy now and is eternally grateful to you for your sacrifice on his behalf - - there is no greater love. Perhaps at some point in time you will feel strong enough to do a memorial tribute on Falkor's behalf - - like a memorial scrapbook, or garden, or donation, etc., which will help you to know that his spirit does continue to live on in your heart and memories - - nothing can ever take this away from you, and that it will bring comfort to you. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Steph, and please let us know how you're doing. We are here for you for as long as you need us - - you are not alone in your grief journey.

Peace and blessings,

moon_beam

Hi Moon beam - I would love to be able to post a photo of Falkor (I'm not up to writing a tribute just yet), but I'm up North at my mother's (Falkor and I were having a little holiday) and her computer doesn't have any of my photos on it - they are all at home. I'll for sure post one when I get back there around Aug. 8th or so.

Click to view attachment

I think I figured out a way to get a photo of him up here from my Facebook page...

I, too, am so sorry to hear of the passing of your beloved Falkor. What a beautiful dog, I love Falkor's picture.
May God ease your pain with time.
Much love and support during this difficult time.
Deanna

Hi Steph,

I'm so sorry for your loss, what a beautiful boy.

I share your pain today. This morning, my sweet girl, a sixteen year old Gordon, left us too.

sigh

the Sad Zookeeper

It is truly a lonely time when we lose the last member of a family. The picture you posted here is so sweet. I have been there more than once myself and when I lost my last one this time, Little Guy, well, the pain seems to last forever, doesn't it?

It did help me to rescue another because it is a distraction I can't ignore. Sometimes we need help to lessen the pain. My last boy was my first emergency loss and I think that will stay with me longer than any other. I guess when everything happens fast and we really don't have time to think....sometimes the result is a kind of feeling in shock.

Sometimes it helps me to reread the responses I got in my topic on Little Guy here. I see you have many nice ones here also.


It is always "the worst of times"...the more recent.....the more painful. Each one is a fresh wound all by itself and we have to learn how to heal each one...all over again.

Hugs, Steph....I wish you peace and healing.

Hi Steph, you will be doing the kindest thing for Falkor that you can do. It is the last loving thing that you will go through together. It will be hard, but that is the price we must pay for being given the honor of having them in our lives. He will look down at you lovingly with all his Heavenly family. Take good care.

Deb

Dear Steph, I'm so sorry about Falkor. You did the most loving thing you could have done for him. He will be looking down at you with love as he plays with his new Heavenly babies. He will be healthy, whole and pain free. You will see him again some day, so until then take good care.

God Bless
Deb

Hi, Steph, thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my July 27 post. Your Falkor is a handsome man, and I do say the present tense because he is alive in heaven's perfect garden - - healed and playing with the angels - - until it is your appropriate time to join him. And just imagine how overwhelmed with joy you will be to see him again and to know that you will never be separated from each other again!! But right now the physical absence is almost more than you can bear to get through the days, and I can well imagine how your heart is breaking as you adjust your life without his physical presence. But his living Spirit is still with you in your heart and in your memories which no one and nothing can ever take away from you. And I hope with each day your many wonderful memories of him will grow stronger in your heart so the pain of your temporary separation will be greatly diminished. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, Steph, and that you are not alone in your grief journey. And thank you so much for sharing Falkor's picture with us.

Peace and blessings,

moon_beam

Dear Steph,

I'm sorry I've missed your post. I've been away this weekend and didn't look at the boards. Please accept my deepest condoleneces. My partner and I know know what you are going through and yes, you will be going through alot of stages. It's been over a month since Candy passed and I still am having a tough time dealing with it, but know, as you already do, that it will get better.

Again, I'm so sorry. My best to you and your partner.

Candy's Dad
Hal

What a SWEET face Steph. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Omarmommy
Marcie