Saying goodbye to the very best of friends whom you've shared your life with for almost 15 years gives new meaning to the word 'distressing'. Seeing them suffer silently, watching them stoically trying to carry on is nothing short of heartbreaking.
Such is our situation right now. Our dearest Darcy is coming to the end of her long doggy life, and each day we see her deteriorate more, right before our eyes. Questions. Do we take her to the vet now, to put her out of further suffering? Or, do we let nature take it's course?
Sweet Darcy has been with us through so many life-style changes. Our youngest, Suzanne, was still in high school when we brought her home as a small pup. Darcy consoled me during the empty-nest stage, when Suzanne joined her brothers and left home for University, and a life of her own. She shared the little one-room cabin in the woods with me for 12 isolated months whilst we waited for our new lake home to be built. She loved trying to catch frogs at the lake's edge (she never did, of course) She adored romping through the woods, following delicious smells and scaring the ruffled grouse. (She'd take off sometimes to visit the neighbour's cottage to see if they had left any tasty morsel of food around. Darcy was always looking for food!) She made the move to Ottawa with us, and didn't complain at the loss of her lake, but made friends with the local dogs, Fred, Xena, and Robbie, and learned to walk along the country roads.
We got Darcy from the local SPCA, a small puppy of unknown parentage. But, she wasn't in our home for 3 days before she fell extremely ill, and after rushing her to the vet (where she was put on very expensive intravenous) the vet declared she had parvo, and told us he would do his best but she probably wouldn't live through the night. However, we have since learned never to underestimate Darcy's constitution. After one week, the vet gave us back a healthy pup (along with an extremely hefty bill - our 'pound-puppy' cost us a near fortune before she was even with us a week!)
Darcy has the constitution of a horse, and I've lost count of all the non-food items which have passed through her intestinal track. She has eaten all the things which are supposed to kill dogs - plain chocolate being one of them! Assorted garbage, chicken bones, cotton hankies, rat poisoning, deer and rabbit poop, six cans of beer (which she punctured and drank every drop of, and seemed to have a bit of a headache after, but no other consequences!) ... the list goes on.
Yes, she has been very little trouble, has asked little from us and given us nothing but joy. But, the time is coming to say goodbye to her, and it's so very hard.
Such is our situation right now. Our dearest Darcy is coming to the end of her long doggy life, and each day we see her deteriorate more, right before our eyes. Questions. Do we take her to the vet now, to put her out of further suffering? Or, do we let nature take it's course?
Darcy has the constitution of a horse, and I've lost count of all the non-food items which have passed through her intestinal track. She has eaten all the things which are supposed to kill dogs - plain chocolate being one of them! Assorted garbage, chicken bones, cotton hankies, rat poisoning, deer and rabbit poop, six cans of beer (which she punctured and drank every drop of, and seemed to have a bit of a headache after, but no other consequences!) ... the list goes on.
Yes, she has been very little trouble, has asked little from us and given us nothing but joy. But, the time is coming to say goodbye to her, and it's so very hard.
5 comments:
Oh dear Pauline. I am SO sorry for you. I know exactly how you feel as I am facing the same difficult decision over my beloved Brodie. His back legs are getting weaker and weaker and I have trouble getting him in the car after a walk sometimes. He is too heavy for me to lift by myself. I am sure that you will know when Darcy's time has come. She will tell you herself when she has had enough so just be glad that you will have done the right and honourable thing and do it out of love for a dear friend who has given you so much.
My sincere sympathy about Darcy.
"There is no faith which has never yet been broken, except that of a truly faithful dog." ~ Konrad Lorenz
Sue,
why don't you try Green Lipped Mussel extract for Brodie. It made wonders to my dog's mobility last winter - on the vet's recommendation of course.
Thank you Epsilon. I will try to get some. Another friend of mine has recently told me about this stuff, so it is worth a try.
Very kind of you.
I went through that with my Sheltie of 14 years. It is a tough decision to make. I chose to end her suffering as I could not bear to know she was in pain. She had cancer.
But everyone has to make their own choice. Either way, it is not easy. My thoughts and heart are with you and Darcy.
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