Taking a dog to be euthanized is one of the most difficult choices for families living with dogs and cats. It is also very controversial. How do you know when to make that call? Is it something you sense your dog or cat is trying to tell you? Do you keep believing in him or her even when science tells you there’s nothing else to be done? Is it morally correct to make that call and spare your friend the suffering?
In all honesty, I wouldn’t know for sure. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before, but I can understand the big dilemma that people are faced with. My wife had to make that call not so long ago. Her dog had gotten sick many times before, but she had always been able to pull through. She was a real fighter in life. Her name was Lila and she was a Pit Bull mix.
She was given to my wife when she was about 2 months old. They did many things together, especially exercise. She loved going to the lake and swim for a little while. She would chase birds and sometimes even eat some of the plants she found in the area. I still remember meeting her for the first time. She was very sweet and would jump around and wag her tail every time I went there.
She almost died from hypothermia once. She had gone out and the temperature had gone down fast. She was already living her golden years and was not as strong as she used to be. My wife’s brother found her lying down by the door and took her in. They didn’t even notice the moment she had gone outside. He bathed her in warm water for a long time and then, wrapped her in warm blankets until she got warm again.
But one day the family noticed something different. She would get up and walk, only to fall back down. She was taken to the vet who ran a bunch of tests. When the results came back, the vet told them that she had a neurological problem and that it was going to get worse. They waited to see if she could recover but it was too much for her to bare. They made the call to euthanize her, so she could go in peace.
The dog in the following video also faced a deadly diagnosis. He was taken to the vet because he had a cancerous tumor on his face. The dog’s family had tried everything to save his life but had not been able to. He was taken to the vet to be euthanized. The vet, however, saw something different in him that he believed could save his life. This is what he did!
https://youtu.be/n4f1JK7Ig_8
