Putting them to sleep. Can anyone tell me about it?

[parrotonmyshoulder]

It’s time to make this decision for our old boy. I think I want this one last weekend with him, to take him on some short walks to his favourite places and have a few more days of cuddles.
He’s old, with a tumour that’s affecting his breathing. He’s not comfortable and I know I have to do this.
But what happens. Do I take him to the vet (he likes it!) and stay with him while it’s done? Do they take him to a different room? Will I have to stand in reception and pay afterwards (obviously I know I will pay, but not sure I’ll be able to hang around waiting for the receptionist to faff about etc).
Just need to hear what I can expect, if anyone is willing to share. Thanks.

We’ve only put our non dog pets to sleep, but the vets were incredible.

They left us in the room alone until we were ready, politely came in to take payment at this point so e didn’t have to be crying in reception and could leave as quickly as we wanted afterwards, came in and gave the injection while we held our pets, and let us stay alone with our pet as long as we wanted afterwards.

They obviously had a clear process and they made who thing seamless and as pleasant as it could be. They also sent a condolences card through the post a few days later.

Yes. It's a really weird sensation, being with your pet's body after they've passed. At a casual glance they look asleep, but often you just know they aren't there any more. They don't feel there like they are just asleep, somehow.

Having said that, if that doesn't happen for you and you feel the need to ask the vet to check again to make sure that they are gone, absolutely please do so. Once your lovely pet has actually passed away, it's all about making sure you get what you need from the experience.

Definitely ask to sort the money out ahead of time…standing at the desk paying afterwards would be unbearable.

For my cat I actually found a service that came and PTS at your house (my cat absolutely loathed and was terrified of the cat carrier so I didn’t want that to be the last thing I did with her) It was lovely really in the circumstances, the vet sedated her early on then sat chatting to me whilst I had a last cuddle with her.
Then she passed away in her favourite armchair.
Her sister was able to be there through the whole process (better for her apparently as she wouldn’t be confused and searching for her later) she could have taken herself away or hid at any point but she chose to sit bolt upright, by her side and never took her eyes off us the whole time.
It was heartbreaking but it did give me some comfort that we were able to be relaxed and comfortable at home.

Non dog experience. Twice. The vets were wonderful. The first time they didn’t even know me, but told me to come back to pay when I was ready. I was able to leave by a different door. The second time I paid in advance. Each time was slightly different but dignified and putting my animals first. I am truly grateful to them and it has made such a difference to my memories.

I’ve done this 3 times now, was there with them all, for me personally I couldn’t not be. My boy we had the vet come to the house to do it (yes it cost more, but was worth every penny for his comfort). I lay down with them and held their heads, kissing them and telling them I loved them. It’s very quick. I was then given time with them, as long as I needed. The 2 at the vets I paid over the phone the next day, the home visit I paid before they came. I’m sorry you’re facing this, it really is the hardest part of being owned by a dog

Also, if they offer, some vets will do nose/paw prints you can collect at a later date, I have mine in a frame with some of their hair

With my 3 dogs they allowed me to hold them or lie on the floor cuddling the one I couldn’t carry. I had as much time as I wanted with them afterwards and they popped in or stayed in the room with us for as long as I wanted them to and when I was ready to leave and had tucked them up in a Cardi they ushered me out the back door straight to the car so I didn’t have to see anyone. Payment was sorted out afterwards when I was ready, and they gave me a booklet about death and celebration of my dog for both of my children and sent a condolence card as well. The vets also let me come back and see the body before it was cremated, still tucked up in my cardigan.

The actual experience whilst absolutely awful is also rather beautiful too as I view it as the final act of love I can show them. My last boy smiled as he died and that’s the last image I have of him with a little grin on his face.

The vet came to my house, because I didn’t drive at that time. I sat on the floor with Ddog half in my lap and half on the floor (he was too big to fit on my lap) and cuddled him while the vet gave him an injection. He swiftly and quietly went to sleep. There was no physical distress. It was very calm and gentle.

I had found out ahead of time how much it would cost and had the right cash available so that there would be no faffing about.

We had already discussed as a family what we wanted to do about Ddog’s remains, and the consensus was that we did not want any. So the vet took Ddog’s body away and we heard no more about him. I helped the vet carry Ddog’s body in a blanket out to his car. That bit was hard. I felt like I was ‘disposing’ of him, but I suppose it was no different really to being his pall-bearer. One last thing I could do for him. The fact that we did nothing else doesn’t mean we forgot Ddog or cared less for him.

A warning, though, about what you may observe if you choose to hold your Ddog while he goes to sleep. Ddog’s body twitched and gurgled for a few minutes after he went. Because he was in my arms I could feel when he stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating, so it was disconcerting that his skin twitched, and the slight internal gurgling was very obvious because everything else inside him was so still. I hope this hasn’t increased your distress, but you said you wanted to know what happens. I wished I had known it could happen. I also wished I had planned what to do immediately after. I didn’t know what to do with myself and really needed something to engage my mind.

My Ddog also had a brain tumour. You know when the time is right.

Sending {{{hugs}}}

Vet scheduled the appt for when no other customers were there & staff were on lunch break. Carried him in his bed. Gave me plenty time alone in the room for cuddles, then came and inserted a cannula. When I was ready she put a sedative in the cannula. Again, left me alone with him while I stroked him til he fell asleep. Then returned and inserted the medicine in the cannula that would put him to sleep. Checked his heart to make sure he was gone. Then left me alone again.

The toughest part was all of the emotions in the run up to it. Actually putting him to sleep was so peaceful and felt like a relief. I did all the crying and grieving while he was alive, just felt like a weight lifted once he was gone.

Carried him out to the car in his bed, with lots of towels incase any bodily fluids leaked (they didn’t). Took my friend with me to drive and they paid on my behalf on the way out. Went to a private pet crematorium. They took paw prints & cut off a chunk of furr for us to keep. Got to spend some time with him in the rest room too.

Hope your experience will be as positive and calm as ours was.

Our vet comes to the house.

If there is no emergency, we call and arrange it over the phone a few days in advance. At that time they will ask you about what you would like to happen with your dogs body, for example would you like their ashes and what type of holder, a little box or a scatter tube. We have a scatter tube, they're really pretty and we scatter the ashes.

Over the years and many wonderful dogs later, we always choose to put our dogs to sleep at home. It's their safe and happy place, where they have lived for many years, no stress, quiet and comfortable. We are always with them and it's a peaceful process. It gives a lot of comfort to be with them.

Our vets send a vet and a vet nurse.

They send me a bill at the end of the month.

I would always choose this way if possible.

(I always ask that our dogs are sedated, it helps a lot).

I'm so sorry you're losing your gorgeous dog, such sadness.

In my experience, vets have always been lovely.

However if your pet dislikes the vet or is so unwell they can't easily be moved, consider having a specialist home euthanasia vet come to you if you can. I recently did this and they were superb, I can't recommend them too highly.

I'm so sorry you're facing this, it's so hard to go through.

We had our lovely boy put to sleep in September. Unfortunately it was an emergency as he started seizing in early hours of the morning, so had to go to an out of hours vet. They thought he had a brain tumour and we decided it was the kindest thing to do for him. They sedated him before inserted the cannula and I lay down next to him on a blanket, cuddling and talking to him. When we were ready we let the vet know and she injected him and he went very peacefully straightaway. We could stay with him as long as we liked. We paid for individual cremation and the vet did paw and nose prints and fur clippings.

Unfortunately we did have to go and stand at reception and wait to pay, I don't know if this was because it wasn't our regular vet. By this time there were other people in the waiting room with their pets. A lovely lady, waiting to see the vet, just walked over to me and gave me a hug without a word, which meant a lot to me. The worst bit was leaving with just his collar, but I knew it was the last loving thing we could do for him. We collected his ashes a few days later. Regular vet phoned us the next day offering condolences and sent a card.

I have been on number for over 16 years and have found this thread the most helpful and supportive of any I’ve started.
Thank you to all of you who were kind and brave enough to share your experiences of your difficult times with me. It really helped me to know what to expect and it was a calm and almost lovely experience, just as you’ve described.
We were able to do a last family walk yesterday to his favourite place, and will treasure the memory of that.
Thanks again x

Thanks for this thread.
I will be facing this in the next couple of weeks with my lovely dog. It will be at home with a specialist home service. She hates the vets and loves her bed here at home.
I am trying to prepare myself as best I can. I even watched videos on YT of dogs being PTS at home. It all seems so peaceful.
It is not the process I am scared of, it is more how I will cope after. There is no info online about that at all. I am have MH issues anyway, and I am scared losing my dog will send me into crisis.
Right now, I am trying to be very pragmatic about it all. But it feels like I am kicking the can down the road.
I wish I could be like my dog and not really give much thought to things.
The anticipatory grief is awful.

I’m so glad you gave your boy a happy death - it really is the most precious gift anyone, human or canine, could hope for.

Putting my pets to sleep is the single greatest act of love I’ve ever experienced. It was traumatic of course, but I got so much comfort from knowing I did right by them.

My condolences for your great loss and my congratulations for the kindness you did him ❤️

Very sorry. The vet came to our home. Our girl pottered around the garden. Then she lay down. Very quick. Very dignified xxx

I’m so sorry. I had my lovely old boy put to sleep at home. A kind vet from Dignipets came to our home so that my beautiful boy could pass peacefully at home. I lay with him and hand fed him fillet steak. He hated the vets so I made the decision to go for home euthanasia. My vets don’t offer that service but they put me in touch with Dignipets who I believe offer a nationwide service.

Once again, I’m so sorry, it’s such a hard decision to make to let them go.