Euthanasia And The Effects On The Rest Of The Pack

[Guest Leenee]

I have am the mother of three Greys. My oldest has been with us for 7 years and is a Social Therapy dog. The middle dog has been with us now 5 years and recently we fostered a dog who left the Tucson track on Christmas. Five days after signing our adoption papers for Felice, our oldest (only 9) was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. Kyra not only has insurance but she has the cancer rider. We decided we'd go all the way with Amputation and Chemo. Yesterday was her CT scan. Kyra has 10 mets in her lungs and so we halted the idea of amputation. Now we are on borrowed time and know the day is coming when we will send Kyra on. Since there are three dogs in our pack, I wonder about the effect on the other dogs when the vet comes to euthanize. Has anyone experience with this nightmare. Is it a good idea to let them say goodbye?

[Guest isntitgreyt]

I don't have any advice other than go with your gut. I am so sorry you are being faced with this decision. My thoughts are with you and your hounds.

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

I certainly don't know if this is the RIGHT way, but this is what happened when my grey 'naturally' died in front of his sibling:

 

She understood, and she actually sat with him for a while. She was definatly sad at home, but understood that he was gone. I sort of accidentally called out to Sol. When Sol was around, Laika used to perk up and run around the house looking for him when we called him. Anyway, she didn't react in her usual way when I called out to Sol. I dunno, I sort of felt like she didn't look around the house for him or anything, and I thought I'd heard that people's dogs did that.

 

:

[Magdalyn58]

I have no experience with home euthanasia. When we had to let our Sophie go, it was at the e-vet after a one night stay. That being said, I just wanted to respond to tell you that my thoughts and prayers are with you as you go through this very, very difficult time. I'm so sorry.

 

I am sure that others here have gone through similar situations and will give you great advice on how the other greys in the family handle the goodbye.

 

 

Lynn

[Guest Energy11]

I am sorry for your the diagnosis of OS! We lost max, 12.5, whom we were lucky enough to have for almost a year and a half, to Osteo, in Sept. 2008. I, myself, do not amputations, just pain management, BUT, amputation is a VERY personal decision ... just not mine. Anyway, Max was diagnosed VERY early, and was able to make the trip out of Florida to the BEAUTY of the mountains with us! He had about 2.5 GOOD months.

 

When it was "time," ... DH took him to the vet. He was closer to Max than I. The other five looked around for him for a bit, but they seemed fine. Now, the five are my ORIGINAL five, and Max came later ... don't know if that means anything or not.

 

I'd just give your others LOTS of love, and spoil them a bit more, once Kyra has to go to The Bridge, and it should work out okay. Remember, just keep her as pain free as possible, and SHE will tell YOU when it is time! Sending lots of love, hugs, and prayers, as I have been in your shoes! Dee and The Five.

[RobinM]

I am sorry, so very sorry.

 

We had Polli let go at our home, on her bed, surrounded by us and her pack. They knew. They all came to say good bye. They were sad for a few days, quiet, subdued but back to "normal" (and I do use that word loosely here ) within a few days.

 

I was very relieved to be able to do it at home. Polli stressed horribly at the vet. I did not want that to be the last thing she remembered.

 

Sigh. I wish there was something I could say to make it better for you.

[Guest Energy11]

I am sorry, so very sorry.

 

We had Polli let go at our home, on her bed, surrounded by us and her pack. They knew. They all came to say good bye. They were sad for a few days, quiet, subdued but back to "normal" (and I do use that word loosely here ) within a few days.

 

I was very relieved to be able to do it at home. Polli stressed horribly at the vet. I did not want that to be the last thing she remembered.

 

Sigh. I wish there was something I could say to make it better for you.

 

If I am able, I think, whenever "the time comes" I will do the same thing! I would like the vet here. It is a wonderful idea, and, now having been through this three times, I want "the next time," ... God, grant them all a lot of life ... to be here.

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

I wish I'd known that vet did home trips before I put down my grey. What a great thing to do, making sure their last moments are sweet.

[Guest Energy11]

I wish I'd known that vet did home trips before I put down my grey. What a great thing to do, making sure their last moments are sweet.

 

 

Oh, I agree! I have already talked to Dr. Karen about this, given My Curfew's "episodes." I HOPE it will be a LONG time before I need her here! HOPE YOU are doing okay! Sending you love!

[Guest MnMDogs]

We had Matty euthanized in our home on the bed she slept on at night. Mara stayed in the room, but on her bed on the other side and didn't come near us during the process. Mork was in the living room, and didn't come in until she had stopped breathing (he bounded in in typical Mork fashion and actually brought us a smile during the whole thing). He sniffed her for quite a while and then went to lay down. I honestly don't know if they "knew". But we just thought we would leave them to decide if they wanted to sniff her, or whatever.

 

I'm so sorry for the diagnosis.

[Guest Smiley]

I am so, so sorry to hear this. Grieving myself right now, I've been visiting pet bereavement sites. One of the things I read is that dogs who have the opportunity to sniff their deceased siblings/pack mates tend to fare better after the loss. I hope this is somehow helpful for you. I am sending you big, big hugs.

[LuvAPuppy]

I had the (what I gather to be) unusual situation -- the other two dogs did not appear to care that the Great Dane went to the vet and didn't come home. No one went off their feed, no one stopped playing. the humans were the only ones that even seemed to notice... Now, FWIW, at a dog show a year or so later we had an animal communicator "read" a picture of the Chihuahua who supposedly said she missed the big black dog and wanted us to get another big black dog. She expressed ambivalence to the little white dog.

 

Everyone, animals included, grieve in their own way.

[macoduck]

I'd like to think that ours knew when one of the pack would be taking "that ride" but not coming back. We have never brought any of the others to be there when "it" happened.

 

Each time when we've returned home, instead of the usual rowdy greeting they were subdued. They wanted to sniff the empty collar we brought home. The remainder of the day is quiet and sad - perhaps picking up on our mood, perhaps feeling their own. Within a day or so a new normal develops. Recently, after we lost Wally, Gracie and PUdge finally became more accepting of Niña.

 

No vet here does an in-home euthanasia. I don't know how that would effect my crew. I think it would be worse for me.

[ElizabethGPAPS]

My Savannah died unexpectedly in the kitchen (stroke or cardiac) while I was in a different part of the house. I don't know how long she lay there before I noticed things were too quiet and went looking for her. Simon definitely spent time with her body, though, and I think it helped him to understand. They were constant companions for 11 years and yet when she was gone he never missed a beat. He never looked for her or indicated in any way that he was confused by her absence. I'll always make an effort to allow my pets to have a "viewing" of their departed companions if at all possible.

[Guest barkdogs]

This is very fresh for me as I had to take my dear Helga (11 year old brood mom--I only had her since July but she was something special) to the U. of Penn to be euthanized last night.

On December 17 2008 my vet was able to come to my home to euthanize Leo (my fawn male grey) Allistair, a 14 month old grey who came home with me the day after Helga came home, definitely misses her. He eats, he plays, but I know he is bewildered that she is not here. In an ideal world, I wish that Helga also could have died at home, but to do so would have prolonged her worsening quality of life-she was ready last night, so last night it was.

 

The day Leo died, my orange cat Sid came and snuggled up next to him on his dog bed. Leo didn't object and I had never seen Sid do that before. He also seemed yesterday to come up to Helga and say goodbye. I would guess that as long as the experience isn't fraught with fear they are remarkably accepting about it. I do think they grieve, but I think they have a remarkable capacity to accept things at face value.

 

Best of luck to you, and you have my deepest sympathies. May your beloved Kyra go peacefully too.

[Guest greysonly]

We had our Jazz euthanized in our home. It was so peaceful. He was comfortable in his soft bed and everyone he loved all around him. Marley didn't do much he kinda stayed away on the couch but Murphy our lab actually stood over Jazz as if he was protecting him it was very strange. Murphy and Jazz were close. Murphy stood right by Jazz till the end. When Jazz was gone he sniffed him and said his goodbuys.

 

If you are able to do it in your home I highly recommend it.

[sabrina]

sorry that you have this to go thru. neither my retired vet nor new vet do home euthanasias.i always,when there was more than 1,took the others so they would know what happened their buddy.they always should sorrow.

prays & hugs to you during this difficult time.

[Guest Whistle]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We just went through it last November, and it is so hard. The vet came to our home to let Bribz go. I let Stopper outside with a greenie and let him in to see Bribz after he was gone. I'm glad we chose to have Stopper outside while he passed.

 

Bribz passing at home was very peaceful. He laid on his usual bed with his head in my lap as the vet gave the injections. It really did seem like he just went to sleep.

 

I came here asking similar questions. Maybe reading through the thread will answer some of yours.

 

My euthanasia thread

[Guest Grhndad]

I think it would depend on how close the others are to the one you are losing. We have had 11 hounds and have lost 6. By in large the one we lost was missised for a few days and then the pack continured as nomal. We had one exception and that was when we lost our first. When we lost her we had 3 at the time. Two of them had been together for 22 months. The longest they had been apart for anything was 8 hours. They played together, slept together, did everything together. When we lost her, unexpectedly when they we playing in the back yard. The other went into deep depression. It took over three years for her to completely get back to normal.

[fourofem]

Lewis was on his bed in the backyard on an incredibly warm March day last year. The other three were out there with us but really didn't pay too much attention to what was going on. My vet gave me plenty of time with him afterwards and I think they realized I was sad and would come over for a love but that was really it. Stella and Lizzie moved on without blinking. After a couple of days, it hit Hitchie that his buddy wasn't there anymore and I think he was sad for a while. I will do it the exact same way when the time comes again.

[Guest GentleHugs]

First, I want to express my sympathies to you and to your family. It's heartbreaking to lose the ones we love so much.

 

When we decided it was time to let our Heisman go, we chose for him to be at home on his favorite bed surrounded by his human family. We had 2 girls, Ashley and LuLu but LuLu was quite bouncy so we opted to let the girls say goodbye before our vet came. Once our vet was there, we quietly tucked both girls into the bedroom for a bit. We wanted Heisman's journey to be as peaceful as possible.

 

Once he was gone, we allowed the girls back into the livingroom where Heisman was. Ashley sniffed him, looked at me and quietly laid down on her bed in the living room. LuLu sniffed him but didn't seem very upset although she roo'd while in the bedroom. LuLu had only been with us for 4 months when we let Heisman go but Ashley and Heisman had been with us together for 7 years so I knew the effect on Ashley would need to be monitored.

 

Over the next couple of days, Ashley remained quiet but LuLu acted like nothing happened. Now, we had to let our girl Jackie go just 5 months before we let Heisman go and Ashley still wasn't completely over losing Jackie. Jackie and Ashley were very close. Ashley and Heisman were close but not as close as Jackie and Ashley were. Jackie and Heisman were Ashley's constant companions, her siblings and her family that had been with her for so long.

 

Anyway, Ashley sunk into a deep depression. I tried everything I could to help her overcome her depression. She didn't want to play very much and often wanted to sleep with me at night. This went on for almost 7 months until we adopted Patrick. Then Ashley started to perk up and become herself again.

 

If you were to ask me if they know - I'd have to say yes - they know and they say their goodbyes in ways that we don't see or recognize sometimes. Their relationships they've had with the others is something we will never know exactly and each will mourn in their own way. As sad and sometimes as painful as it is, death is another journey in which we can't take until its our time to do so. For those who are left behind, we just have to allow them to grieve as much as they want for as long as they want unless it compromises their health.

 

Kyra will always be in your heart.

 

[Jackandgrey]

I'm so sorry. So many of us have been in your place. Jack left at home in his own bed. the vet came to my house. Jill and Joshy were there lying beside him. They sniffed afterwards and I have to say they were just fine. Jill clearly knew I was upset in the following days but neither of them were traumatized at all.

[Guest GryffinSong]

I'm so very sorry for the osteo diagnosis. My Gryffin was just diagnosed with it last week. I didn't even think about euthanasia in the home, so thank you for mentioning that. I'll definately discuss that with my vet to see if its a possibility when the time comes.

 

As for the other dogs, I just don't know. I would guess it depends on their personality and relationship.

 

Hugs and good luck!

[Guest Leenee]

I'm so very sorry for the osteo diagnosis. My Gryffin was just diagnosed with it last week. I didn't even think about euthanasia in the home, so thank you for mentioning that. I'll definately discuss that with my vet to see if its a possibility when the time comes.

 

As for the other dogs, I just don't know. I would guess it depends on their personality and relationship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What an epidemic this Osteo is ... The internet is full of information to help you to decide what is best. We had pet insurance and were prepared to go for the full course of treatment. Thankfully the CT scan told us the whole story. Best wishes to you and your sweet hound. It's a nightmare. Grief is the price we pay for love.

[Guest zoolaine]

Sunny was diagnosed with high grade cutaneous lymphoma yesterday so I will be facing this decision sometime in the next year. Right now I am thinking I would like Briley and Luna to be with Sunny when he crosses to the bridge. They are all litter mates. We adopted Luna at 8 weeks and about 2 months later adopted Briley and Sunny - the last 2 of the litter left - and I think they have only been apart 3 days/nights since and they are 8.5 years old. I am even just going to get one urn that is big enough for all of their ashes so they can stay together. One of the reasons I adopted Zali is that I am afraid they will all pass within a few months of each other, and i couldn't handle losing all my dogs in a short time. I am not sure if I will have the greyhounds there or not.