Your Pet Loss Stories

by Debbie Quain
(Montreal, Quebec)

It has been three weeks since we had to put our 15 year old beloved pet dog Lindsay to sleep, and I am still crying. Her decline happened so quickly. She was active, could jump up on furniture, was not incontinent, loved her walks, she could see very well, although she was deaf. In no way, shape or form, did we think that her "time" was approaching.

Then, in February, I discovered a lump on the underside of her throat. The vets thought that it was an abscess, which we treated for well over a month with antibiotics. The "abscess" kept filling up, bursting, leaking and filling up again. We spent weeks, cleaning it, bandaging it, washing towels and facecloths, trying to keep everything clean. When we would let the "abscess" air out, pus would leak everywhere, so we had towels on all of the sofas and beds, etc. Sorry to be graphic. Lindsay never complained. The area did not seem sore to the touch and she would let me clean it without fussing.

Many trips to the vet later, the vets were puzzled by this thing and started questioning what it was. Then, talk of surgery came up. We were pretty well decided to go for it to try and save Lindsay, but the more we talked to the vet, the more risky the whole situation became. Due to Lindsay's age and the location of the lump, her chances were 50-50 of surviving the surgery.

Lindsay also started having swallowing issues, was eating remarkably less, and losing weight quickly. In short, she was deteriorating quickly in front of our very eyes. She was become all skin and bones. It was shocking. So we made the heart-wrenching decision to put her to sleep. We learned that we could do this in the privacy of our own home. We had a vet and an assistant from the Pet Cremation centre come to our house on Monday, April 20, 2009 at 7:00 P.M..

Truly, truly, the saddest, most difficult evening of our lives. These two women however made it much more bearable. After, some "saying goodbye" time with Lindsay, the lady from the Pet Cremation centre, bundled up Lindsay in a blanket and took her away. Lindsay's cremains were returned to us one week later in a beautiful, "Dog Angel" Urn. She sits on my bureau and I talked to her every day. It really helps me to have her back home. She was my sidekick, my best friend, my shadow and I miss her terribly. There is a void in our lives and in our home.

I highly, highly, recommend home euthanasia for those facing this horrendous decision. So, I say to my little angel Lindsay, we miss you and we love you. You are forever in our hearts!

Your family - xoxoxoxoxox

P.S. The picture attached was taken the day before we lost her. I forgot to mention that we rescued Lindsay from the SPCA at 6 months.