Sad stuff

[nwhiker]

It looks like my sister and BIL have to say goodbye to their adorable, wonderful dog, Penny, tonight. She's... very old. And very frail. And right now, having some serious issue, either seizure or a dizziness.

Of course, it's at the emergency vet.

I'm feeling a bit bad because I've seen Penny a few times in the past few weeks, and between those two times... she had a bad episode. When I saw her again, she was thrilled to be around my niece and nephew, and went on some walked, and rallied a bit, but her baseline was lower. Anyhow, I thought I should tell my sister, who had never been through this, that I thought it might be time sooner rather than later, but in the end, I couldn't. It's such a hard conversation to have, and the sweet dog was having some good days.

All I could tell my sister was that, for either me, or the people I've ever talked to... nobody had ever said "We did it too soon". It's a hard, miserable call to make.

I read somewhere that letting a pet go is taking away their pain, and taking it into yourself.

Comments

[quatorze]

Over 30 years we've had to make that tough decision many times, and it's always so bloody hard. But not once have we thought it's been too early; it's only after the dog is gone when you realize just how much you've been stressing over it. Mostly that's because usually the decline is so slow, it creeps upon you and you don't really see the situation for what it is until one day it slaps you in the face.

[nwhiker]

Yes.

So so hard.

It's so worth it to have them, but still SO hard.