did i put my cat to sleep too soon

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Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. When the vet was putting in the injection to make her sleep, my dog looked so lively and excited. Did I do the right thing putting him to sleep? What happens after your cat dies or is put to sleep As you are likely to be very upset when your cat dies, it can be worthwhile thinking about what you want to happen to the body in advance. This is a big one. The vet said he had tumors in his lungs, one of them golf ball sized, and he's anemic. My husband pointed out that doing this would rob our dog of the chance to recover. My cat stopped eating about 2 weeks ago and lost about 8 pounds. Similarly, there is no need to put a cat to sleep simply because a terminal condition such as cancer has been diagnosed - the cat may well be able to live several more happy months. Please do not feel bad. A cat in pain is more likely to be restless, and show tell-tale signs such as swishing her tail, or resting with her ears drawn back. I'm worried I put my cat to sleep too soon. I have arranged for the vet to come to my home tomorrow to put my sixteen-year-old cat to sleep. Did my cat feel the pain or was it a reflex scream. She started seizing, and it was about then that I figured she was actively dying, and I should go ahead and put her to sleep to save her from suffering a slow death with seizures and however else it would have gone. She would eat two cans of wet food and some dry food daily. In cases like these, no matter how much we love our pets, we understand that euthanasia is better than continued suffering. In addition, you may also like the idea of getting a memorial plaque for your beloved cat. Now it’s time to show yourself the same compassion and kindness as your showed to your friend. They did tests and said he had a golf ball sized tumor in his lungs and he was really anemic. That’s as it should be. He was acting lathargic so I took him to the vet. The soul-searching and heartache that pet owners go through before recognising that it’s time to let a much loved animal companion go is bad enough. If your cat has been diagnosed with renal failure, understanding how the disease works and what signs you may see in its end stages can help you to understand if and when you may need to say goodbye to your cat. she was okay all day until she jumped up onto a cupboard and fell back, and then couldn’t walk straight, she wouldn’t sit properly and she was panting. Did I Put My Pet to Sleep too Soon? Such third party cookies may track your use of the Cloud 9 Vets website. A vet told me years ago when it comes to putting a pet to sleep "better a week too early than a day too late" I have friends and family who feel they left it too long before letting their pets go and then feel guilty that they let the cat\dog suffer for too long. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Usually their tails will … We could have kept him alive but he would have suffered longer just to be put to sleep at a later time. What To Expect With Pet Euthanasia And What You Should Ask Your Vet, How To Prepare Yourself For Pet Euthanasia, Reasons to Put Your Dog Down Compassionately. It’s a great way to keep the memory for years to come. However, I realize that animals are very good at hiding their discomfort. I put my cat to sleep yesterday, he was 15 and had kidney failure. My cat Winnie was 12 years old. my cat beebee was put down last night very suddenly. 1. She would throw up about once a week. It’s also a good idea after putting a cat to sleep to not jump into bringing home a new kitty too soon. At worst, rather than a calm and dignified process, with time to say your goodbyes, you could face a situation which requires frantic ringing around to arrange an emergency appointment, or an agonising wait for the vet to arrive. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He had the injection and died in my arms maybe 10 seconds later. Look, your reaction to euthanizing your cat is normal, we all tend to react this way, even when we know, for instance, that the cat had cancer and was going to die in pain within the week. Like I said, if my vet wouldn't have told me it "was time," and would have suggested X-rays and testing, I would have probably chosen to still put Kobe to sleep, only because of his age and … If you’re able to ask yourself, ‘Did I put my cat down too early?’, it’s certain you acted in time so your pet avoided suffering unnecessarily. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Reply. Sitemap, Important Updates for Clinics & Pet Parents (COVID-19), cases where your pet’s quality of life is low. There's nothing you can do when deciding when to put an animal to sleep except to go with your instinct as the person who knows the pet best and with the vet's professional opinion. Did I put my cat to sleep too soon? I … Hello. It happened very fast, and with no warning. Putting Your Dog to Sleep Too Soon . This is such a helpful site. Even when it’s become clear that a pet’s life is drawing to a close, it’s difficult to take that final step. I regret this decision. Dr. Carrie La Jeunesse offers advice on making informed decisions during this difficult time. He has been chronically ill (diabetes) but stable. I had my part-Norwegian Forest cat Maisie put to sleep a few days ago, and I am not so ravaged about guilt over that decision, as from the feeling that I could have prevented her getting to that point, at least this soon. My clients frequently tell me how worried they are that they might step in too early. Jake had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and in Feb 2015 he had radioactive iodine treatment which reduced his T4 levels from 11.8 to 1.8. Joanmard, I feel for you. Firstly, if you made your decision after consulting a vet, based on the needs and well-being of your friend, you did indeed do the right thing. Pet owners who’ve made the decision to request euthanasia have a ready-made focus to pin this feeling onto. We put my childhood cat to sleep after he suffered from a major artery blockage that resulted in him losing control of his back legs. As it turns out, he was right. After 30 seconds or so he meowed twice. ... just as I would have struggled had I waited too long and caused my beloved Zesty any more pain.Too soon, too late, impossible decision. Our dog was not in any obvious pain. My grandmother and I went to an emergency clinic and did the deed. Did I Euthanize My Cat Too Soon? I love her so much and I feel incredibly guilty. His red blood cell count was 12. I put my cat to sleep the other day and I keep thinking I did it too soon. Her food intake was insane. Of course, you don’t want to focus on when you watched your cat lose their appetite for life. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. About 2 weeks ago he stopped eating and has lost about 5 pounds. Sit Up Sleeper. “If you can save your dog or cat even one day of discomfort, you must,” says Dr Haynes. Secondly, however painful your self-doubt feels, it’s not as bitter as the regret felt by owners who waited too long before accepting the need for pet euthanasia. You and your pet face risks in waiting too long. I feel so guilty. It’s always difficult to give definitive answers to ‘what if’ questions, but there are two things that you can be certain of. Thank you so much for this timely post. If you were providing a lot of care for your pet, you may well be physically and emotionally drained. We picked him up Sunday and he looked abit off, anyway he went into the garden as he normally does. Losing a family pet is painful enough. A vet will only consider euthanizing your cat if it’s necessary. To this I reply, "Better a week too early than an hour too late." I'm feeling horrible. He was 16 and was in complete kidney failure. If your cat was suffering from a deadly disease and/or a life-altering medical condition, it was likely the right decision. I had to put my cat to sleep today. And that’s the number one sign it’s not too soon to put your dog to sleep: if … On Friday she threw up her morning food. However, when your cat is suffering from extreme pain which is difficult to control, your vet … Playing a role in the decision to end your cat’s life makes the experience even more heartbreaking. I lost my beloved 17 year old cat to cancer on June 13th. Less well recognised is that the aftermath can be just as difficult. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. As you recover from your grief and regain your energy, your self-questioning will fade. My parents rushed him to the e-vet and he said that he had significant … I was an hour too late with another cat and it broke my heart to see her suffering.” Apart from the sense of loss, it’s also common for bereaved owners to go through a period of second-guessing their decision and wondering, ‘Did I put my cat to sleep too early?. The vet advised me to put him to sleep so I did … “One of my friends told me, ‘Better a week too soon than an hour too late,’ and I believe that. The calming scent will help your cat relax during this difficult time. Feeling guilty about euthanizing your cat is a common reaction. Whether you should euthanize your cat, or “put her to sleep,” is a heart-wrenching decision. Besides a cat being in pain from an inoperable or untreatable condition, there is the cat’s quality of life that needs to be taken into consideration. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. she had been off for about 2 weeks but just thought it was a cold or something like that. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I feel so guilty now. Euthanizing your cat is a significant decision and requires due diligence. Your cat was 18 years old. Things can deteriorate very fast, which is painful and distressing for your pet and for yourself. That doesn't mean that it was wrong to euthanize your cat, it means that you're in pain. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He was my best friend and I cannot stop crying. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. After losing a loved one people regret things said or unsaid. I went camping over the weekend and feel guilty I was not with him ( we put him into the local cattery), he seemed fine then. The question usually arises when a geriatric cat has begun to show signs of suffering, lethargy or refusal to eat. The decision to put a beloved pet to sleep is never easy. As you recover from your grief and regain your energy, your self-questioning will fade.  In time you will remember all the joy you gained from your pet without regrets plaguing you. Please don't think that - you did the kindest thing possible for your cat and made sure she wouldn't suffer any more. On the other hand, most of us would be horrified if we waited too long and our pets suffered needlessly. At some point in time, we briefly discussed putting him to sleep. Has your cat ever been seated upright with their eyes closed? It is worth you revisiting any formal quality of life assessments you made at the time. A pet has been severely injured and is suffering horribly, or perhaps is at the end of a long disease. If you find yourself plagued by questions like ‘Did I euthanize my cat too soon?’ it’s worth asking yourself another question, ‘Am I wondering about this, at least partly because I’m grieving after cat euthanasia?’. I had to put my cat of 16 years to sleep July 4, 2014. I feel like it is the right thing, but I also feel like I am about to murder the creature that has been at my side night and day for sixteen years; I feel like I am betraying her lifelong trust in me by doing this. Was he really dead after? Q: My 15 year old orange male cat Jakey was euthanized in Aug 2016. Your vet will be happy to discuss the options and prices with you. She was 14 and she was slowly getting worse. These cookies do not store any personal information. If you’re able to ask yourself, ‘Did I put my cat down too early?’, it’s certain you acted in time so your pet avoided suffering unnecessarily. No one knows quite why, but feeling guilty is a common feature of bereavement. In some cases, the choice to euthanize is not a choice at all, but a necessity. I wonder if I put her down too soon. What To Ask Before Deciding On Cat Euthanasia, Compassionate Pet Euthanasia – Should I Put My Cat Down? I teared up a bit reading it. It’s natural to hope for a miracle, to want to enjoy a few more days of your friend’s companionship, or to wish for a cat or dog to pass away naturally in their sleep. This will effect your thoughts and feelings. Talk to your veterinarian about any concerns you have regarding your pet's quality of life. Now it’s time to show yourself the same compassion and kindness as your showed to your friend. So, we did it. She also drank about two bowls of water each day. Her tail was wagging and she even kissed the vet. Once your pet has passed away, you’ll tend to remember the happiness you shared. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Feel terrible. I have seen what the "hour too late" looks like and would do anything to spare pets and their owners this level of suffering. It all happened so quickly. I can't stop thinking about it, god, it was so sad. Determine whether your cat is able to rest without pain. Decide whether your cat needs to be put to sleep. Discuss symptoms and options with your veterinarian to decide whether euthanasia is … When is the Right Time For Dog Euthanasia, and Should You Be There When It Happens. However, if you’re wondering if it was the correct decision, remember how it was at the end. ... Few people want to “jump the gun” and end a life too soon. It is a basic necessity that the cat can sleep and rest without being disturbed by pain. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent.