Advice Please - Old dog coming to the end

[coffeecow]

Hi, I've not posted on this topic before but since I can't sleep as I'm so worried I thought it might be helpful to ask for advice.

We have a very old dog, a golden retriever. He's just been the loveliest dog, such a joy and a pleasure. Sadly he now suffers with advanced arthritis, two slipped disks and most recently paralysis of the larynx (which I never knew was a thing!)

We have a wonderful vet who has helped us manage his pain and together with the vet we have made a plan to get him through to the summer holidays (reviewed every four weeks)

I feel as at peace with this as I can really. He's had a great 13 years and his pain is really well managed. My worry is my 9 year old DS. They have been best friends since my DS was tiny and my DS just adores him. He has obviously seen our dog slow down and start to struggle and he gets very upset about this. I'm so worried about when the day comes and how to manage it properly. Part of me thinks just get it over with, but we are expecting a second child any time now and I feel it will all be too much for DS (losing the dog and having a new sibling after 9 years of being an only!)

Does anyone have any advice about how I get it 'right' for DS when the time comes? I just know he will be heartbroken and it might be the pregnancy hormones but I am just filled with anxiety about it constantly.

I should add - I have always spoken really openly with DS about this. He knows it's coming and what it means. We have had conversations about how it's the right and kind thing to do. He gets very tearful whenever it's brought up.

I would just keep telling him dogs don’t last forever and to make each day lovely for the Dog and enjoy him as much as you can while you’ve got him.
We lost ours in Feb aged 15 and I was so worried about my daughter’s reaction but she’s been a lot better than I thought and I believe it’s because I regularly told her this towards to end, and we did indeed enjoy her while we had her.
Sorry you are having to go though this

Thank you @NoProblem123, sorry to hear about your dog.

Did you tell your daughter the day it was going to happen or did you tell her afterwards? I feel like my son would be beside himself if he knew it was 'the day'.

I told her for months in advance that we need to enjoy her while we have her, but no I didn’t tell her until we were on our way to the vets. In hindsight,I’m not sure she should have come with us but I always regretted not going with my mum years ago with our family dog.
I’m not sure there’s a right way when children are involved, it depends on each family. If I could have had the vet come to us I would have done but because of COVID I had to take her in.