We said good bye to our German shepherd today. We are pretty sure it was the right time. The two biggest things that are so very frustrating is medical care and diagnosis of dog medical problems is so ridiculously expensive. My beagle a few years ago we went to our regular vet then they referred us to a specialist they charged a ton only to refer us to another higher level vet that specializes in cancer and other serious issues. Each one is progressively more expensive and I feel like the first two vets shouldn't charge if you can't give a definite answer. Then the super specialist still made us wait 2 days for lab results to diagnose if it was a carcinoma or not and it still wasn't 100% conclusive. They warned he may only last 1 more week. That beagle hung on for almost 18 more months without showing any definite signs it was time to go. Lastly why is it that we can adopt a pet for less than $100, but then it's time to say goodbye it's over $250 without cremation? SMH what a racket! 😢😢 Thank God for the Rainbow Bridge.
I had to put my dog Jack down a week before Christmas of 2023. He was the love of my life. I still cry almost every day. He had bone cancer, and there was no surviving it. His pain was too difficult to control. When he was out of pain because of the medication he was completely out of it and sedated, that was no way for him to live. He was such a happy dog and brought his happiness to everyone around him. I used to love it when people asked me if Jack liked something, the answer was always yes, Jack loves everything.
We're so sorry for your loss. The mourning does go on, but we hope you get to the point soonish where the happy memories start to outweigh the pain of the loss. Jack sounds like a wonderful dog.
We put our 13-year-old yellow lab down. We held her when the Vet gave her the medication to relax. We gave her so many kisses and love. She was still wagging her tail and looking at us. They gave her the euthanasia injection and she passed away. It was so hard. She had suffered enough. She gave us 13 years of unconditional love. Still miss her.
i went through it also and it broke my heart to put her down i hate myself i blame myself every day for letting her go but as cruel as it sounds it was selfish to keep her alive to suffer and thats what i didnt want her to do so it was the right choice she was in no pain only a wee nip of the injection and feel all nice and fuzzy into a deep sleep then to not come back its painless and peacefull
We let go of my friends’ dog this morning. We got the terrible news last Wednesday that he has a tumor in his spleen that spread to the liver already, etc. I wanted to help feed him with cancer fighting foods, mushrooms, broccoli, etc but he refused to eat for over 2 days. It was heartbreaking. Thank you for the video.
I've had 13 dogs and am on #14 now. I never let my dogs suffer. I told my vet numerous times, " We need to do it right NOW !" I hold them and tell them to cross the Rainbow Bridge and go to "Dog Spirit". When I pass, Ill go across the Rainbow Bridge too ! ( I don't understand the selfishness of allowing their pet to suffer ?) We grieve for our "Beloved Companions" as we do our human family and friends.
i love this as much as it hurts and upsetting to read all those sad comments but to think positive in life we just recycle its a circle of life and when i die i hope i go to that rainbow bridge to collect my beloved esme again and hope she knows i love her and that i am sorry 😢😢😢
Thank you for this. I’ve been listening to you since my 3 year old Rottie was dying of lymphoma. I tried everything to keep him alive but when I saw he was suffering I had to make the call. I still cry for him 2 years now.
@@DogCanceri lost my staffy a few weeks back of that bad cancer and it was surgery or to let her go i took the choice of letting her go even if i did have a few months left i dont think she would have came out in theature so all that pain and suffering i think if she knew what it was herself she would have told me to put her to sleep as hard and painful as it is it was the right thing to do to avoid suffering morewith us humand could do the same with family that has cancer
Thank you for this. I’m a dog groomer, when clients ask me my opinion I call it the ‘tail wag factor’. I ask if the dog seems happy when it wakes up in the morning, enjoy play, petting or meals? I ask if there are more good days than bad. I let them know that food avoidance could be a sign of pain or the body slowing down. I ask about their beliefs about death. I also share the idea of the ‘rainbow bridge’, that we are transitioning energy and this is only one stop on the journey. We are only temporarily separated from our pets. We will see them when it’s our time to transition. I let them know that we all mourn in different ways. There are no right or wrong answers. Personally I’ve spoken to my pets about the ‘transition’, and given them permission to pass, and shared how much I loved them as the time gets closer. If I have the time before transition we do extra snacks, time together and pets.
We understand that feeling. Some of us find ourselves in a position where the suffering is so bad that it feels more humane to end it than to wait for natural death. It's another way of honoring that trust our dogs have in us -- by helping them when they need it and can't help themselves. But there's a reason we say it's the hardest ever decision! The fallout is always guilt, because, like you, we all feel an instinctive urge to keep our dogs alive for as long as possible. It's natural to feel that way. But choosing euthanasia isn't a betrayal of your dog, if the choice is made out of love and care.
@@DogCancerthank u for commenting this i felt the same i was heart broken while it was happening she knew she didnt want to be near me i feel very guilty for ending her life and will do so for the rest of my life i told her i was sorry and that i hope she knows that and that if she could forgive me in what i have done 😢
Thank you for all the wonderful videos, especially this one. We euthanized our little Kenzie a few days ago after 4 months of chemotherapy for very aggressive cancer. That morning we realized we could not control her pain, so it was time. Each of your videos came just at the right time along our journey. We appreciate your thoughtfulness, caring, and sharing your insights.
My schnauzer boy just died naturally a week ago of hemangiosarcoma. Towards the end, he was finding it hard to breathe and was in pain/discomfort. I preferred a natural death but seeing him in suffering, I decided to choose euthanasia in the end. So I drove him to the hospital but on the way, he died naturally. I hope he didn’t suffer too much as I gave him painkillers and he didnt seem to be in pain towards the end. He was such a good boy from birth till his death. He never wanted me to make the hard decision. Love u Auguste.
It sounds like you did everything perfectly. You were tuned in and paying attention and giving him what he needed, over what you needed. Be tender with yourself during this tough time and know that you did right by your boy.
My dog also died last Tuesday on the 13th from hermangiosarcamo. She had breathing issues. We had got her chest drained and got home. We were rushing to the vets to put her to sleep when she started breathing heavily and as we were about to reach the gate she passed away in her dad's arm. People around us said she had the most peaceful passing and transition they have ever seen. It was the way she wanted to go
My dog also had hemangiosarcoma. He was in crisis, and we rushed him to the vet. She helped him pass, but we certainly didn't pick the moment. It's a rough cancer, all the hugs to you.
Hemangiosarcoma is such an aggressive cancer. I knew something was wrong with our sweet boy, so I took him to the vet. They said it was pain from arthritis and gave me pain medicine and told us to come back in 2 weeks. I asked for bloodwork or something to make sure everything else was okay, but they said that they would do that in 2 weeks if he wasn’t feeling better. A few days later he kept circling in front of my son (he was this dog’s human!) and then he collapsed. I was able to get him in the car and rushed to the closest emergency vet. The vet was so nice and caring! He was bleeding internally from hemangiosarcoma, and there was nothing they could do. We let him go as painlessly as possible, but none of us were ready. That was April 2018, and I am still heartbroken!
I JUST LOST MY BABY JIMMY CHIHUAHUA THIS WEEK FROM LYMPHOMA CANCER IT JUST STARTED ALL OF THE SUDDEN AND IT WAS SO FAST FROM THE TIME THAT THE VET TOLD ME ABOUT HIS CONDITION 😢I WAS LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF PUTTING HIM DOWN AND HE PASSED AWAY IN MY ARMS😢I HAVE BEEN HEARTBROKEN EVER SINCE BUT I HAVE LOST OTHER PETS THREW OUT THE YEARS AND LEARNED IN A VERY HARD WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEM BUT YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM EVEN MORE TO KNOW WHEN TO LET GO. 😢😢THANK YOU FOR SHARING
We just lost our chihuahua to lymphoma on August 15 It also happened so fast with our girl Pippa… She was her normal self then, all of a sudden she had lumps just under her jaw and then, the diagnosis! We put her on steroids (which did help) for a week or so. Then, it’s like it took hold of her… We had to make the gut wrenching decision to take away her suffering! She was hiding under bushes in the garden refusing food and her face was just so sad! We knew it was time. As much as that decision broke our hearts I’m so glad she is no longer in pain. 💔
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt knowledge and experience with us. Death is so painful and my recent experience of putting my dog down is something that I never want to go through again. But I know my dog is in a better place. Your words of understanding and encouragement are truly appreciated. Blessings to you.
I happened upon your most loving and heartfelt information and guidance this morning; having already had an appointment for Gypsy and a few hours before due to have her at the Vets, called crying like a river, I cancelled that appointment. Your knowledge, experiences you have had, and the love you obviously have for dogs and people who love them, has really comforted me. I know I will not let her suffer and when she really starts letting me know she is needing to go (and she will, I know that) I will make the call with heartache, tears, and a friend who said she will go with me! Thank you for being upfront with so much, much of what I know and yet struggled with. All will be okay when the time comes. Be blessed in your life by our Lord Jesus.
Thank you for your kind words, and for loving your dog so deeply. Here's an article Molly wrote a while back about signs to watch for that will help you hear your girl's wishes: www.dogcancer.com/perspectives/hospice-and-end-of-life/warning-signs-dog-is-dying/ Warm wishes on your journey, and yes, it will all be OK when the time comes.
We have always taken in older rescue dogs, mostly labs and lab crosses. We obviously do not keep our dogs as long as someone who takes in a puppy and have therefore needed to put a lot of dogs to sleep over the years, when we consider it to be their time. We never get used to it, but we accept that it is not something that we are doing to our dogs, rather, something that we are doing for our dogs. We as humans have a responsibility to do for our dogs, what they cannot do for themselves. Too many people keep their dogs alive far longer than they should. To some small degree, I also have been guilty. Our rescue dogs have always enriched our lives in so many ways. I highly recommend that people should look seriously at adopting a rescue dog. Our story from Australia. We adopted our Golden retriever, Millie, aged seven and a half on the second of February 2024 from a wonderful adoption agency. We already had another Goldie who we had adopted from the same place about five months previous. We almost immediately located a small lump on her back. We took her to the vet on 14th March, by which time the lump had grown significantly and was looking very nasty, together with another twenty or so smaller lesions on her back and neck which were growing and fast. The vet told us that it could be Lymphoma and we all agreed that if it was the worst case, we would not consider chemotherapy as it is too harsh on any dog and, according to my research, only extends a dogs life for a relatively short period of time. Most dogs don’t last more than two to four months after diagnosis with Lymphoma. Some much less. He operated on the following Thursday (March 21) and removed approximately half of the lesions including the largest ones. The adoption agency paid for everything ($2,500). On the previous Monday (18th) we had commenced her on a course of Ivermectin which we got from our local farm produce store. This was our decision without consulting the vet. Thursday 28th March, Lymphoma was confirmed. 2nd April, sutures removed. Most of the remaining lesions had fallen off, leaving just 2. Millie had healed from the operation in an incredible manner even though she looked like a patchwork doll. Our vet was amazed. Follow up by the vet was on 15th April by which time the remaining lesions had fallen off. The vet just kept looking at her, shaking his head and saying he had never seen this before and that none of the dogs that he had treated for Lymphoma in the past had survived let alone thrived. Today is the 14th May and Millie is going from strength to strength. The main issue that we have now, is that we have to suffer from her selective deafness! Doubtful that Ivermectin can fix this. Her energy levels and strength have tripled. It makes us believe that she must have been pretty ill when we got her although nobody could have known. The agency only had her for three days. Everyone who knows her and her story (a lot of people, she makes friends everywhere she goes) are delighted and amazed. What we don't know is how long she should be on Ivermectin, when does she go on a maintenance dose and what the dose should be. What we used was a horse wormer in pellet form. The packet contained 140 mg of Ivermectin and was suitable to treat a 700 kg horse. Millie weighed 46 kg (very overweight, she is now down to 37 KG), so we gave her 10 mg per day with food). Millie is also on a no carb diet and will remain on it, however, we have to ensure that she does not lose too much weight. Any advice would be appreciated. We are hoping that Millie’s story may help other dogs and people. The adoption agency has very recently taken in a one-year-old Golden Retriever with Lymphoma. He has been operated on to remove a mass and is now on Ivermectin. The same dose as Millie. We will be watching closely. Questions and comments are most welcome. I am not a medical person of any kind and am not trying to give advice. I am, however, someone who hates to give up easily and will always look everywhere for a solution to any problem. The reason to put Millie on Ivermectin came from a huge amount of research on the web. What did annoy me was 'experts' telling me that Ivermectin could be dangerous! What could be more dangerous than dying? These people are either fools or dishonest. I do not know what is worse. Blessings and love.
I use CBD during my dogs passing which as you say begins sometimes a week before their last heartbeat. I have comfort drugs on hand to ease any pain and keep them calm. Once they pass I keep remembering how they spent their entire life devoted to keeping me happy and protected so the greatest honour I can give my dogs when they pass is to think loving happy thoughts for them and of our life together instead of descending into unhappiness so their gift they have given me their entire life remains…so my grief turns to love and happiness in their memory forever. Happiness and love is their legacy that remains
Such a beautiful way to navigate the process of death, and exactly what one of our favorite veterinarians, Dr. Demian Dressler, recommends in his book. His "life story" and "rush of gratitude" exercises calm the heart and mind, while putting us in touch with our dog and our relationship with them. We will never lose that. Thank you for your share!
This helped me. My dog was just diagnosed two weeks ago with large cell lymphoma. His tummy is big and hard due to swollen glands. He is breathing harder and faster but he still chooses to go for a run. Meaning we are there with the good cart and he is in it. He chooses to get off and run or not. Totally his choice. He runs alot. We attribute it to the steroid he is taking. Prednisone. The Prednisone has made him drink a super lot of water and he pees a ton. He had a UTI because of all of the steroids. I can't imagine taking him to the vet while he is so aware. But, I don't want him to suffer. He's having a hard time getting comfortable and moves around a lot. I don't know how he is feeling. He coughs some. If he starts struggling to breathe more I will have a hard time with that. He eats everything except the paint on the walls. He had stopped eating. The steroid fixed that. You helped me think of things differently. Thank you so much.
Thankyou I needed this. We have an appointment this Monday for our beloved 12 year old border collie. This has all shown itself in 1 week , she can’t breath through her nose, she can’t eat anything unless I feed her soft food by hand she chokes on water but still wants to make us happy with her love…….going to miss our sweet girl 🥲🥲🥲🥲
From Emmanuel’s Book II, The Choice for Love To choose the moment of another’s death is an awesome responsibility when it is perceived in that manner. If you will lift slightly above human or animal concerns, you will find that in the perfection of the Plan, you are there for that choosing. Euthanasia is merciful release from a body that no longer functions. In the center of your being, there is no doubt or confusion. Then the voice comes in and asks, “But how do I know this is not a learning process for my animals?” Well, with animals it is quite simple. They do not require a learning process. Animals are with you because they love you. They have not left the Oneness as human beings have and do not need the same complexities of curriculum. Animals are offering you the dimensions of love you believe are unsafe to give to human beings. Regarding euthanasia in general… When you sit in prayer and meditation, you touch a choice that has already been made. No one truly is empowered to decide the moment of death of another. You are only obeying the agreement. Fear cannot lead to truth, but love has never left it.
Dogs do not require a learning process, they were born perfect. If they do not turn out well, it is usually our fault. We have damaged them! A dog will always tell us when it is time. Too often, we do not listen. Thank you for your insights, love and blessings.
My dog was at least 18 yrs old. Had to put her down due to old age. What pains me is that her veins were not showing at all, therefore she got injected directly in the heart. She made a painful noise and took the last breath. I can’t stop thinking this experience was painful for her and that I did her more harm than good by euthanizing her and I can’t live with myself.
This is Molly. I had a very bad experience like yours, as well, and it still haunts me. It's important to put it into perspective, though. A moment of pain followed by peace may still have been better than chronic pain over time, or dying unaided by you. Death is not usually easy, no matter how it occurs. You obviously did so well by your girl, and it's so painful to have this as the "last" memory. Please try to focus on the 18 years of beautiful and loving time together, and I promise, that's what your girl was thinking about. She wouldn't want you to be so down. Please reach out for support in a group, pastor, priest, rabbi, or counselor. You don't deserve to live without support.
Myself and my little bestest friend are at this stage so very hard.. thank you so much for this video, iam now looking at this not so nice situation, from a different perspective ❤
Thank you for this message.. It meant so much ❤ My gorgeous baby has a growth which was tested and found to be a spindle cell cancer on his back leg . So instead of going ahead with the recommended surgery which would have probably resulted in an incomplete removal due to lack of available clean margins..therefore needing amputation to prevent metastasis, I asked for a specialist scan of his body. He has another mass in his liver 😢 So now we are not going forward with the surgery. I don't want to put him through the anaesthesia or the very possible amputation.. he's a big guy (husky/collie) and he loves to run and the loss of a limb would be devastating for him. He seems to be coping well for now and isn't showing any major signs of distress such as sickness or diarrhoea or lack of appetite etc so for now we are watching and waiting and continue in giving him his best life. He is my life and my ❤ dog and I will never have another and I want to give him the best so your message meant a lot to me in that it DID give the information that your Vet just doesn't say. It will help a lot when making that decision between him, myself and his Dad that the time is right. Because I believe he will tell me when he's ready. For now, he's still fit and relatively healthy and every day is a great day with him in our lives. ❤
We are on this journey now. Our girl has squamous cell carcinoma metastasis to the lymph node. She’s still eating well, wagging her tail, enjoying life. It’s so hard because I know the end will be coming. My heart is breaking.
My dog has just been diagnosed with the very same thing. Her name is Ella and she just turned 9 years old. This has been so difficult. Is your dog coughing a lot? She is on pain medications and was put on steroids today. She is also still eating and wanting to go on her car rides. I just don't want her to suffer. I'm so sorry for you and your precious dog. I'll be praying for you! ❤
It's so hard to bear the heartbreak while they still seem so alive! Try to ride those waves of grief as they come and then get back to focusing on being with your girl. You will not regret the time you spend with her in these last days
Mine has same. She was diagnosed end of July. I have been keeping her on steroids. I lost another dog Labor Day weekend suddenly, I simply didn’t have the 5000 dollars. I had my husband pass on Thanksgiving day 2020. I had admitted him to hospice a week before. Just getting tired of having all these to go through. Still have two more after this one
Thank you so much for this video Molly! My little dog and I are navigating this hard journey after his recent osteosarcoma diagnosis. Your video has helped me think about this tough topic more clearly ❤
I have lost many pets. Now in the uk vets will not do home visits. As an elderly person with ill health problem's taking my current sick and old cat to be pts is a no. Vets want your money but do not gollow it through at the end. It is very stressful to say the least. I have always had pets pts at home before.
I had to make a decision to euthanize my baby boy March 6th.. he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure a week before. I had to have him placed in an oxygen tank when he was initially diagnosed with CHF. He responded well, and he was taking his meds for his heart and lungs.. a week later, he had another episode and had to be rushed back to the ER a week later.. his kidneys were shutting down.. the medicine he took for the CHF caused his kidneys to shutdown. The vet said at that point he would have been placed on dialysis which is not offered in Texas.. She suggested euthanasia due to his condition.. I am so sad and wonder if I should have let him pass on his own... I'm still struggling and miss him tremendously. I had him for 12 great years.. he was the best
If he is suffering, then make the decision for him. Do not let him suffer needlessly. You did the right thing. Do not berate yourself. I am absolutely sure that he is grateful and wants you to move on. Maybe give a beautiful rescue dog a chance at a full and rewarding life.
Hi Sasha, thank you for your share. We're all so sorry for your loss. Once the kidneys shut down, it is very difficult to keep a dog alive, even if dialysis were an option. It sounds like you absolutely did the right thing and let him go to relieve his pain and suffering. Take care of yourself as you grieve, and remember that second guessing is normal and just part of the process -- every single one of us feels guilty and wonders if we did the right thing when our dogs die, even if they do die of natural causes. We love them so much, it's just comes with the territory!
@DogCancer Thank you so much for your feedback, I greatly appreciate it. It helps to hear that I did the right thing. Everything happened so fast. I thought his medication required adjusting, but his blood work and X-rays showed a different thing 😪 Never in a million years did I think my sweet baby boy wouldn't return home with me that evening. I thought I had more time. I have scheduled an appointment with a therapist. Losing him is very difficult to deal with.. I knew I loved him, but I didn't realize just how much until he transistioned.
Thank you, your message was very helpful to me. I lost my beautiful sweet Gentleman Shepherd boy Shep, on the 17/6/2024. I am looking forward to my death so I can be with my beautiful Gentleman Shepherd baby. He was my whole life, and he is in my heart, soul for all eternity. To my German Shepherd, Daddy loves you baby. 💔😢🥀🐺
Too bad as pet ownerswe are unable to get the medications that would allow for a painful natural death and transition as dying people get ie morphine oral solution, anti nausea, tranquilizers, etc. when they go home to die. When we are born cells begin to die. Death is inevitable. But you are so correct in that how we die is often within our control. And certainly our pets life and death even more so. I wish there was more help fir pet parents who would like their pets to experience a natural death. Instead of the negative input from lay people and veterinarians alike. ❤
In our experience, veterinarians dispense anti-nausea meds, pain meds, and nervous meds freely to dogs in their last stages of life, particularly for those whose parents want to hold off on euthanasia and see if their dog will pass at home. Hospice care is a rapidly growing part of veterinary care. One of the reasons this video was made was to communicate that directly. We have lots of articles on this very topic on our website: www.dogcancer.com/hospice-and-end-of-life/
Thank you so much ...this wasn't an easy video to make for you as it was for us watching. Thank you
Thank you for your kind words.
We said good bye to our German shepherd today. We are pretty sure it was the right time. The two biggest things that are so very frustrating is medical care and diagnosis of dog medical problems is so ridiculously expensive. My beagle a few years ago we went to our regular vet then they referred us to a specialist they charged a ton only to refer us to another higher level vet that specializes in cancer and other serious issues. Each one is progressively more expensive and I feel like the first two vets shouldn't charge if you can't give a definite answer. Then the super specialist still made us wait 2 days for lab results to diagnose if it was a carcinoma or not and it still wasn't 100% conclusive. They warned he may only last 1 more week. That beagle hung on for almost 18 more months without showing any definite signs it was time to go. Lastly why is it that we can adopt a pet for less than $100, but then it's time to say goodbye it's over $250 without cremation? SMH what a racket! 😢😢 Thank God for the Rainbow Bridge.
I had to put my dog Jack down a week before Christmas of 2023. He was the love of my life. I still cry almost every day. He had bone cancer, and there was no surviving it. His pain was too difficult to control. When he was out of pain because of the medication he was completely out of it and sedated, that was no way for him to live. He was such a happy dog and brought his happiness to everyone around him.
I used to love it when people asked me if Jack liked something, the answer was always yes, Jack loves everything.
We're so sorry for your loss. The mourning does go on, but we hope you get to the point soonish where the happy memories start to outweigh the pain of the loss. Jack sounds like a wonderful dog.
We put our 13-year-old yellow lab down. We held her when the Vet gave her the medication to relax. We gave her so many kisses and love. She was still wagging her tail and looking at us. They gave her the euthanasia injection and she passed away. It was so hard. She had suffered enough. She gave us 13 years of unconditional love. Still miss her.
Just know that what you did was For her, and not To her. What you did took courage. Blessings!
i went through it also and it broke my heart to put her down i hate myself i blame myself every day for letting her go but as cruel as it sounds it was selfish to keep her alive to suffer and thats what i didnt want her to do so it was the right choice she was in no pain only a wee nip of the injection and feel all nice and fuzzy into a deep sleep then to not come back its painless and peacefull
We let go of my friends’ dog this morning. We got the terrible news last Wednesday that he has a tumor in his spleen that spread to the liver already, etc. I wanted to help feed him with cancer fighting foods, mushrooms, broccoli, etc but he refused to eat for over 2 days. It was heartbreaking. Thank you for the video.
We are so sorry. Your friend is so lucky to have such a loving companion in their grief.
I've had 13 dogs and am on #14 now. I never let my dogs suffer. I told my vet numerous times, " We need to do it right NOW !"
I hold them and tell them to cross the Rainbow Bridge and go to "Dog Spirit". When I pass, Ill go across the Rainbow Bridge too ! ( I don't understand the selfishness of allowing their pet to suffer ?) We grieve for our "Beloved Companions" as we do our human family and friends.
Exactly! Thank you.
i love this as much as it hurts and upsetting to read all those sad comments but to think positive in life we just recycle its a circle of life and when i die i hope i go to that rainbow bridge to collect my beloved esme again and hope she knows i love her and that i am sorry 😢😢😢
I love pets and I love pets lovers, peace to y'all. I believe we will be with them in the next existence ,in a better body and better place..
Thank you for this. I’ve been listening to you since my 3 year old Rottie was dying of lymphoma. I tried everything to keep him alive but when I saw he was suffering I had to make the call. I still cry for him 2 years now.
Mourning doesn't end, but it does change into a mostly-remembering-good things stage. But tears can still come, for sure.
@@DogCanceri lost my staffy a few weeks back of that bad cancer and it was surgery or to let her go i took the choice of letting her go even if i did have a few months left i dont think she would have came out in theature so all that pain and suffering i think if she knew what it was herself she would have told me to put her to sleep as hard and painful as it is it was the right thing to do to avoid suffering morewith us humand could do the same with family that has cancer
Thank you for this. I’m a dog groomer, when clients ask me my opinion I call it the ‘tail wag factor’. I ask if the dog seems happy when it wakes up in the morning, enjoy play, petting or meals? I ask if there are more good days than bad. I let them know that food avoidance could be a sign of pain or the body slowing down. I ask about their beliefs about death. I also share the idea of the ‘rainbow bridge’, that we are transitioning energy and this is only one stop on the journey. We are only temporarily separated from our pets. We will see them when it’s our time to transition. I let them know that we all mourn in different ways. There are no right or wrong answers. Personally I’ve spoken to my pets about the ‘transition’, and given them permission to pass, and shared how much I loved them as the time gets closer. If I have the time before transition we do extra snacks, time together and pets.
Beautiful advice!
Passing of my dog 15/11/23, was the hardest thing I had to do. Ted was my soul dog. Miss my boy. Wish I had more time with him. Rip little man.
Euthanasia feels to me like a break in trust that my dog has for me
We understand that feeling. Some of us find ourselves in a position where the suffering is so bad that it feels more humane to end it than to wait for natural death. It's another way of honoring that trust our dogs have in us -- by helping them when they need it and can't help themselves. But there's a reason we say it's the hardest ever decision! The fallout is always guilt, because, like you, we all feel an instinctive urge to keep our dogs alive for as long as possible. It's natural to feel that way. But choosing euthanasia isn't a betrayal of your dog, if the choice is made out of love and care.
@@DogCancerthank u for commenting this i felt the same i was heart broken while it was happening she knew she didnt want to be near me i feel very guilty for ending her life and will do so for the rest of my life i told her i was sorry and that i hope she knows that and that if she could forgive me in what i have done 😢
Thank you for all the wonderful videos, especially this one. We euthanized our little Kenzie a few days ago after 4 months of chemotherapy for very aggressive cancer. That morning we realized we could not control her pain, so it was time. Each of your videos came just at the right time along our journey. We appreciate your thoughtfulness, caring, and sharing your insights.
Much love to you as you grieve, and thank you for reaching out in your grief and sharing your thoughts and insights.
My schnauzer boy just died naturally a week ago of hemangiosarcoma. Towards the end, he was finding it hard to breathe and was in pain/discomfort. I preferred a natural death but seeing him in suffering, I decided to choose euthanasia in the end. So I drove him to the hospital but on the way, he died naturally. I hope he didn’t suffer too much as I gave him painkillers and he didnt seem to be in pain towards the end. He was such a good boy from birth till his death. He never wanted me to make the hard decision. Love u Auguste.
It sounds like you did everything perfectly. You were tuned in and paying attention and giving him what he needed, over what you needed. Be tender with yourself during this tough time and know that you did right by your boy.
My dog also died last Tuesday on the 13th from hermangiosarcamo. She had breathing issues. We had got her chest drained and got home. We were rushing to the vets to put her to sleep when she started breathing heavily and as we were about to reach the gate she passed away in her dad's arm. People around us said she had the most peaceful passing and transition they have ever seen. It was the way she wanted to go
@@preetikalal3984 such a beautiful sharing, and we're so glad it was a peaceful passing.
My dog also had hemangiosarcoma. He was in crisis, and we rushed him to the vet. She helped him pass, but we certainly didn't pick the moment. It's a rough cancer, all the hugs to you.
Hemangiosarcoma is such an aggressive cancer. I knew something was wrong with our sweet boy, so I took him to the vet. They said it was pain from arthritis and gave me pain medicine and told us to come back in 2 weeks. I asked for bloodwork or something to make sure everything else was okay, but they said that they would do that in 2 weeks if he wasn’t feeling better. A few days later he kept circling in front of my son (he was this dog’s human!) and then he collapsed. I was able to get him in the car and rushed to the closest emergency vet. The vet was so nice and caring! He was bleeding internally from hemangiosarcoma, and there was nothing they could do. We let him go as painlessly as possible, but none of us were ready. That was April 2018, and I am still heartbroken!
I JUST LOST MY BABY JIMMY CHIHUAHUA THIS WEEK FROM LYMPHOMA CANCER IT JUST STARTED ALL OF THE SUDDEN AND IT WAS SO FAST FROM THE TIME THAT THE VET TOLD ME ABOUT HIS CONDITION 😢I WAS LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF PUTTING HIM DOWN AND HE PASSED AWAY IN MY ARMS😢I HAVE BEEN HEARTBROKEN EVER SINCE BUT I HAVE LOST OTHER PETS THREW OUT THE YEARS AND LEARNED IN A VERY HARD WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF THEM BUT YOU HAVE TO LOVE THEM EVEN MORE TO KNOW WHEN TO LET GO. 😢😢THANK YOU FOR SHARING
We just lost our chihuahua to lymphoma on August 15
It also happened so fast with our girl Pippa…
She was her normal self then, all of a sudden she had lumps just under her jaw and then, the diagnosis! We put her on steroids (which did help) for a week or so.
Then, it’s like it took hold of her…
We had to make the gut wrenching decision to take away her suffering!
She was hiding under bushes in the garden refusing food and her face was just so sad! We knew it was time. As much as that decision broke our hearts I’m so glad she is no longer in pain. 💔
mines was the same a very bad cancer that can just spring on dogs u might not see it until its to late
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt knowledge and experience with us. Death is so painful and my recent experience of putting my dog down is something that I never want to go through again. But I know my dog is in a better place. Your words of understanding and encouragement are truly appreciated. Blessings to you.
I happened upon your most loving and heartfelt information and guidance this morning; having already had an appointment for Gypsy and a few hours before due to have her at the Vets, called crying like a river, I cancelled that appointment. Your knowledge, experiences you have had, and the love you obviously have for dogs and people who love them, has really comforted me. I know I will not let her suffer and when she really starts letting me know she is needing to go (and she will, I know that) I will make the call with heartache, tears, and a friend who said she will go with me! Thank you for being upfront with so much, much of what I know and yet struggled with. All will be okay when the time comes. Be blessed in your life by our Lord Jesus.
Thank you for your kind words, and for loving your dog so deeply. Here's an article Molly wrote a while back about signs to watch for that will help you hear your girl's wishes: www.dogcancer.com/perspectives/hospice-and-end-of-life/warning-signs-dog-is-dying/
Warm wishes on your journey, and yes, it will all be OK when the time comes.
We have always taken in older rescue dogs, mostly labs and lab crosses. We obviously do not keep our dogs as long as someone who takes in a puppy and have therefore needed to put a lot of dogs to sleep over the years, when we consider it to be their time. We never get used to it, but we accept that it is not something that we are doing to our dogs, rather, something that we are doing for our dogs. We as humans have a responsibility to do for our dogs, what they cannot do for themselves. Too many people keep their dogs alive far longer than they should. To some small degree, I also have been guilty. Our rescue dogs have always enriched our lives in so many ways. I highly recommend that people should look seriously at adopting a rescue dog.
Our story from Australia. We adopted our Golden retriever, Millie, aged seven and a half on the second of February 2024 from a wonderful adoption agency. We already had another Goldie who we had adopted from the same place about five months previous. We almost immediately located a small lump on her back. We took her to the vet on 14th March, by which time the lump had grown significantly and was looking very nasty, together with another twenty or so smaller lesions on her back and neck which were growing and fast. The vet told us that it could be Lymphoma and we all agreed that if it was the worst case, we would not consider chemotherapy as it is too harsh on any dog and, according to my research, only extends a dogs life for a relatively short period of time. Most dogs don’t last more than two to four months after diagnosis with Lymphoma. Some much less. He operated on the following Thursday (March 21) and removed approximately half of the lesions including the largest ones. The adoption agency paid for everything ($2,500). On the previous Monday (18th) we had commenced her on a course of Ivermectin which we got from our local farm produce store. This was our decision without consulting the vet. Thursday 28th March, Lymphoma was confirmed. 2nd April, sutures removed. Most of the remaining lesions had fallen off, leaving just 2. Millie had healed from the operation in an incredible manner even though she looked like a patchwork doll. Our vet was amazed. Follow up by the vet was on 15th April by which time the remaining lesions had fallen off. The vet just kept looking at her, shaking his head and saying he had never seen this before and that none of the dogs that he had treated for Lymphoma in the past had survived let alone thrived. Today is the 14th May and Millie is going from strength to strength. The main issue that we have now, is that we have to suffer from her selective deafness! Doubtful that Ivermectin can fix this. Her energy levels and strength have tripled. It makes us believe that she must have been pretty ill when we got her although nobody could have known. The agency only had her for three days. Everyone who knows her and her story (a lot of people, she makes friends everywhere she goes) are delighted and amazed. What we don't know is how long she should be on Ivermectin, when does she go on a maintenance dose and what the dose should be. What we used was a horse wormer in pellet form. The packet contained 140 mg of Ivermectin and was suitable to treat a 700 kg horse. Millie weighed 46 kg (very overweight, she is now down to 37 KG), so we gave her 10 mg per day with food). Millie is also on a no carb diet and will remain on it, however, we have to ensure that she does not lose too much weight. Any advice would be appreciated. We are hoping that Millie’s story may help other dogs and people. The adoption agency has very recently taken in a one-year-old Golden Retriever with Lymphoma. He has been operated on to remove a mass and is now on Ivermectin. The same dose as Millie. We will be watching closely. Questions and comments are most welcome. I am not a medical person of any kind and am not trying to give advice. I am, however, someone who hates to give up easily and will always look everywhere for a solution to any problem. The reason to put Millie on Ivermectin came from a huge amount of research on the web. What did annoy me was 'experts' telling me that Ivermectin could be dangerous! What could be more dangerous than dying? These people are either fools or dishonest. I do not know what is worse. Blessings and love.
I use CBD during my dogs passing which as you say begins sometimes a week before their last heartbeat. I have comfort drugs on hand to ease any pain and keep them calm. Once they pass I keep remembering how they spent their entire life devoted to keeping me happy and protected so the greatest honour I can give my dogs when they pass is to think loving happy thoughts for them and of our life together instead of descending into unhappiness so their gift they have given me their entire life remains…so my grief turns to love and happiness in their memory forever. Happiness and love is their legacy that remains
Such a beautiful way to navigate the process of death, and exactly what one of our favorite veterinarians, Dr. Demian Dressler, recommends in his book. His "life story" and "rush of gratitude" exercises calm the heart and mind, while putting us in touch with our dog and our relationship with them. We will never lose that. Thank you for your share!
This helped me. My dog was just diagnosed two weeks ago with large cell lymphoma. His tummy is big and hard due to swollen glands. He is breathing harder and faster but he still chooses to go for a run. Meaning we are there with the good cart and he is in it. He chooses to get off and run or not. Totally his choice. He runs alot. We attribute it to the steroid he is taking. Prednisone. The Prednisone has made him drink a super lot of water and he pees a ton. He had a UTI because of all of the steroids. I can't imagine taking him to the vet while he is so aware. But, I don't want him to suffer. He's having a hard time getting comfortable and moves around a lot. I don't know how he is feeling. He coughs some. If he starts struggling to breathe more I will have a hard time with that. He eats everything except the paint on the walls. He had stopped eating. The steroid fixed that. You helped me think of things differently. Thank you so much.
Thankyou I needed this. We have an appointment this Monday for our beloved 12 year old border collie. This has all shown itself in 1 week , she can’t breath through her nose, she can’t eat anything unless I feed her soft food by hand she chokes on water but still wants to make us happy with her love…….going to miss our sweet girl 🥲🥲🥲🥲
From Emmanuel’s Book II, The Choice for Love
To choose the moment of another’s death is an awesome responsibility when it is perceived in that manner. If you will lift slightly above human or animal concerns, you will find that in the perfection of the Plan, you are there for that choosing.
Euthanasia is merciful release from a body that no longer functions. In the center of your being, there is no doubt or confusion. Then the voice comes in and asks, “But how do I know this is not a learning process for my animals?” Well, with animals it is quite simple. They do not require a learning process. Animals are with you because they love you. They have not left the Oneness as human beings have and do not need the same complexities of curriculum.
Animals are offering you the dimensions of love you believe are unsafe to give to human beings.
Regarding euthanasia in general…
When you sit in prayer and meditation, you touch a choice that has already been made. No one truly is empowered to decide the moment of death of another. You are only obeying the agreement. Fear cannot lead to truth, but love has never left it.
We think this is what we dog lovers mean when we tell each other "your dog will tell you; you will know."
Dogs do not require a learning process, they were born perfect. If they do not turn out well, it is usually our fault. We have damaged them! A dog will always tell us when it is time. Too often, we do not listen. Thank you for your insights, love and blessings.
My dog was at least 18 yrs old. Had to put her down due to old age. What pains me is that her veins were not showing at all, therefore she got injected directly in the heart. She made a painful noise and took the last breath. I can’t stop thinking this experience was painful for her and that I did her more harm than good by euthanizing her and I can’t live with myself.
This is Molly. I had a very bad experience like yours, as well, and it still haunts me. It's important to put it into perspective, though. A moment of pain followed by peace may still have been better than chronic pain over time, or dying unaided by you. Death is not usually easy, no matter how it occurs. You obviously did so well by your girl, and it's so painful to have this as the "last" memory. Please try to focus on the 18 years of beautiful and loving time together, and I promise, that's what your girl was thinking about. She wouldn't want you to be so down. Please reach out for support in a group, pastor, priest, rabbi, or counselor. You don't deserve to live without support.
@@DogCancer I appreciate this, thank you
Myself and my little bestest friend are at this stage so very hard.. thank you so much for this video, iam now looking at this not so nice situation, from a different perspective ❤
Be tender with yourself, and we're so sorry/glad to have been here for you in some small way.
Thank you, made some good points. It is just so sad to think about.
Thank you for this message.. It meant so much ❤
My gorgeous baby has a growth which was tested and found to be a spindle cell cancer on his back leg . So instead of going ahead with the recommended surgery which would have probably resulted in an incomplete removal due to lack of available clean margins..therefore needing amputation to prevent metastasis, I asked for a specialist scan of his body.
He has another mass in his liver 😢
So now we are not going forward with the surgery. I don't want to put him through the anaesthesia or the very possible amputation.. he's a big guy (husky/collie) and he loves to run and the loss of a limb would be devastating for him.
He seems to be coping well for now and isn't showing any major signs of distress such as sickness or diarrhoea or lack of appetite etc so for now we are watching and waiting and continue in giving him his best life.
He is my life and my ❤ dog and I will never have another and I want to give him the best so your message meant a lot to me in that it DID give the information that your Vet just doesn't say.
It will help a lot when making that decision between him, myself and his Dad that the time is right.
Because I believe he will tell me when he's ready.
For now, he's still fit and relatively healthy and every day is a great day with him in our lives. ❤
thank you for your perspective 😢 i’m in the middle of this decision
I can relate. I am at the crossroads too.
We are on this journey now. Our girl has squamous cell carcinoma metastasis to the lymph node. She’s still eating well, wagging her tail, enjoying life. It’s so hard because I know the end will be coming. My heart is breaking.
My dog has just been diagnosed with the very same thing. Her name is Ella and she just turned 9 years old. This has been so difficult. Is your dog coughing a lot? She is on pain medications and was put on steroids today. She is also still eating and wanting to go on her car rides. I just don't want her to suffer. I'm so sorry for you and your precious dog. I'll be praying for you! ❤
It's so hard to bear the heartbreak while they still seem so alive! Try to ride those waves of grief as they come and then get back to focusing on being with your girl. You will not regret the time you spend with her in these last days
@@DogCancer absolutely! Thank you! ❤❤❤❤
Mine has same. She was diagnosed end of July. I have been keeping her on steroids. I lost another dog Labor Day weekend suddenly, I simply didn’t have the 5000 dollars. I had my husband pass on Thanksgiving day 2020. I had admitted him to hospice a week before. Just getting tired of having all these to go through. Still have two more after this one
@@photosbyjf prayers for you and your fur babies.
Thank you so much for this video Molly! My little dog and I are navigating this hard journey after his recent osteosarcoma diagnosis. Your video has helped me think about this tough topic more clearly ❤
We are so happy to hear this message has helped you.
Thank you for this wonderful compassionate video. You always make so much sense and have really helped me through this tough time.
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you💗👼🙏
I have lost many pets. Now in the uk vets will not do home visits. As an elderly person with ill health problem's taking my current sick and old cat to be pts is a no. Vets want your money but do not gollow it through at the end. It is very stressful to say the least. I have always had pets pts at home before.
Thank you.
I had to make a decision to euthanize my baby boy March 6th.. he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure a week before. I had to have him placed in an oxygen tank when he was initially diagnosed with CHF. He responded well, and he was taking his meds for his heart and lungs.. a week later, he had another episode and had to be rushed back to the ER a week later.. his kidneys were shutting down.. the medicine he took for the CHF caused his kidneys to shutdown. The vet said at that point he would have been placed on dialysis which is not offered in Texas.. She suggested euthanasia due to his condition.. I am so sad and wonder if I should have let him pass on his own... I'm still struggling and miss him tremendously. I had him for 12 great years.. he was the best
If he is suffering, then make the decision for him. Do not let him suffer needlessly. You did the right thing. Do not berate yourself. I am absolutely sure that he is grateful and wants you to move on. Maybe give a beautiful rescue dog a chance at a full and rewarding life.
@@richardgomez8430 Thank you 🙏
Hi Sasha, thank you for your share. We're all so sorry for your loss. Once the kidneys shut down, it is very difficult to keep a dog alive, even if dialysis were an option. It sounds like you absolutely did the right thing and let him go to relieve his pain and suffering. Take care of yourself as you grieve, and remember that second guessing is normal and just part of the process -- every single one of us feels guilty and wonders if we did the right thing when our dogs die, even if they do die of natural causes. We love them so much, it's just comes with the territory!
@DogCancer Thank you so much for your feedback, I greatly appreciate it. It helps to hear that I did the right thing. Everything happened so fast. I thought his medication required adjusting, but his blood work and X-rays showed a different thing 😪 Never in a million years did I think my sweet baby boy wouldn't return home with me that evening. I thought I had more time. I have scheduled an appointment with a therapist. Losing him is very difficult to deal with.. I knew I loved him, but I didn't realize just how much until he transistioned.
Thank you, your message was very helpful to me.
I lost my beautiful sweet Gentleman Shepherd boy Shep, on the 17/6/2024.
I am looking forward to my death so I can be with my beautiful Gentleman Shepherd baby. He was my whole life, and he is in my heart, soul for all eternity.
To my German Shepherd, Daddy loves you baby.
💔😢🥀🐺
😢
Too bad as pet ownerswe are unable to get the medications that would allow for a painful natural death and transition as dying people get ie morphine oral solution, anti nausea, tranquilizers, etc. when they go home to die. When we are born cells begin to die. Death is inevitable. But you are so correct in that how we die is often within our control. And certainly our pets life and death even more so. I wish there was more help fir pet parents who would like their pets to experience a natural death. Instead of the negative input from lay people and veterinarians alike. ❤
In our experience, veterinarians dispense anti-nausea meds, pain meds, and nervous meds freely to dogs in their last stages of life, particularly for those whose parents want to hold off on euthanasia and see if their dog will pass at home. Hospice care is a rapidly growing part of veterinary care. One of the reasons this video was made was to communicate that directly. We have lots of articles on this very topic on our website: www.dogcancer.com/hospice-and-end-of-life/
choose Life. Read vet. doctor Marty Goldstein books, use enzymes and raw meats, stay alive !
Please read my story.
Thank you