Should I tell DDog he's being PTS?

[LetsPlayBamboozled]

I know, I know, who wants to hear that they will be put to sleep?! Terrible thing to say.

But I have always spoken to my dog very clearly about what's happening. If dd has a playdate coming or if a man he will want to shout at is coming to look at the boiler. I let him know.

He is a very old dog who rallied after a change of meds at Christmas but the last week has rapidly declined Today we are taking him to the vet to discuss it. I've told him we are going to see the vet today to "talk about things" and he let out a very long noisy sigh.

I have considered that when we next take him back for the final appointment I could say "we're going to see the vet, so he can help you one last time" or "make you comfortable". I feel like I can't say nothing, because I always tell him what's what. But should I say anything?? Maybe I am just doing it for myself and I should just say "come on, lets's go see the vet" and not say anything more. For some reason I feel like this is tricking him, letting him think he's coming home when he isn't.

I don't know maybe you'll all thing it's very wrong to say anything to him.. I realise I my anxiety about the whole thing is spilling into this.. please let me know your thoughts..

Yes tell him love.
I'm so very very sorry.

Couldn't read this and not comment.

Bless him, he's very lucky to have someone care so much. This has really touched me

I told my cat .. I laid down with him and told him what an amazing cat he had been and that I loved him and that I didn't want him to die in pain.. he looked me right in the eye and I think he understood the situation more than one might presume .. who knows though ..
I certainly wanted to tell him how much I loved him so I did x

Aw OP I must be going soft tell him!

I would tell him, but I’m sure he already knows.

You must tell him you love him and stay with him until he goes to sleep.

Sorry, OP.

Gubbs I told my cat. I say with her and thanked her for being our cat. Said sorry we couldn’t make her better and that I loved her loads. Told her to go and play with her son and put him in his place (as she did when he was alive!)
She was calm. It was peaceful. I’m sure she didn’t understand every word but it gave both her and I comfort.

I think dogs spend all their time carefully listening to you and watching your face to understand what you want and how you feel.

If you tried to lie to him I believe they pick that up in your voice and face which would betray you. Therefore it's important to tell him the truth, that he's going to be free of pain and it will be peaceful and you are going to be there with him.

When I collected my darling girl from the rescue centre all those years ago, I whispered a sacred promise into her ear, one which only she and I know and which I never broke.

As she died on my lap two years ago, aged nearly 18, I told her over and over how greatly I loved her. I thanked her too for all she had given me.

My voice and touch were the last things she heard and felt, as it should be.

The pain is terrible, OP, but doing the 'right' things as you see it, does help.I do understand as will any true dog person.

My lovely boy who was PTS at the beginning of January, basically told me it was time to let him go. He’d had a sudden decline and was in pain. He took his last, peaceful breath in my arms with his head resting so softly on my shoulder. I could swear he whispered ‘Thank you’.

So yes, tell your ddog if he doesn’t tell you.

Enid

They may not 'understand the words' but they DO pick up on tone and emotion so yes you can use soothing words and sounds and it will relax him tonight and when the time comes.

I talked to my dear old cat about it - I thanked him for being such a wonderful companion and explained that I didn't want him to suffer any more. It was upsetting but I am glad I did it.

ChrisPrattsFace, one part of your name really suits you. What a bloody horrible thing to post.

A very old vet once told me that it is important to talk to your animals, as they pick up on your tone of voice and body language so, in a sense, they do understand what your trying to convey to them. Let your loving voice and touch be the last kind thing you can do for your poor wee dog.

Genuinely upset for your loss, OP. Keep in mind that you have your beautiful dog a wonderful life that he might never have known if he had went to someone else. Letting him go is your last act of love.

*have given your dog

Gosh, I’m a vet I do this everyday and I’m crying now !
Do what makes you feel better op, you don’t want to regret anything afterwards. Just remember you are doing this out of love.
When I euthanise a dog, if the owner is there or not, we talk to them all the time telling them they have been the best dog in the world , just the best best dog , as we do the final injection. They might not understand the grammar and the syntax but I’m sure they understand the emotions.
Hope it all goes as well as it can for you

Oh bless you @Nearlyoldenoughtowearpurple now it's my time to cry. My dog was known fairly well to the vets, (she did training and doggy weight watchers etc there as well as quite a few medical appointments in her latter years) and I was surprised but really touched to see that both vet and vet nurse were wiping away tears when we had her pts. They were so kind to her and to us, and seeing that they were upset too just gives me a sense of gratitude for you guys that I can't express. I'm so damn grateful to you for having the guts to be able to do that one final act of kindness that's still so bloody hard, and to do it with such compassion for the animal and their people. Thank you. ❤

Absolutely agree ChakiraChakra. When my last cat had to be pts my then vet was wonderful. He let us (DD & me) take as long as we wanted to say goodbye to her and was so compassionate and kind.

I've never forgotten what a difference he made to a very sad situations, but then he was a very good vet anyway.

I was very sad to have to leave his practice when I moved house.

Oh OP, you've made me cry. I had to have my lovely cat put to sleep last year and this really touched me.

You sound lovely and your ddog is very lucky to have had an owner like you. Whatever you need to do to feel better and alleviate any guilt later (I know all about that ) you do it. Wishing you all the very best

I'm a vet and I always tell the animal that they are great and that everyone in the family loves them, and that they are going to have a lovely sleep. If we think they'll have any interest in food, either the nurse or the owner will be feeding them an endless supply of treats, supplied by the practice, as I inject them. I always get the owners to talk and keep talking, and to keep their hands on them. It is partly for the animal and partly for the people. Recently I had to read a prayer that the owner wrote but was too upset to read himself. Afterwards we wrap them carefully, carry them respectfully and take pawprints if we think people will want them. If there was no owner, we'd do the same but without the pawprint.