Putting two collies to sleep on the same day....

[collies2]

I put my two beloved 14 year old collies to rest last Sunday morning.  I am having a horrible time with my decision and grieving as I lost the very best friends I have ever had.  My female had severe dementia, and would pace for hours and hours especially in the evening and was urinating everywhere, despite medication.  She also had arthritis for years and was not able to move around easily.  My male, did not have dementia as she did, but could not go up two steps of stairs, was falling down trying to get up and having bowel movements while he was laying down, also with arthritis.  Both of them did not have a desire to go on walks like they used to and ate alot less.,I was buying them turkey and chicken just to entice them to eat.  They were both getting so old at the same time and were so life less....

I am devastated over the loss of my best friends and wonder if I should have hung on to my male as he was not as bad as my female, but thought it would have been selfish of me.  I could not bear to see them struggle any longer and quite honestly, it was so hard for me to have to clean urine and feces  many mornings, lift them up, and see them without the quality of life they had.  We lived on the beach, so they were very active and had a wonderful life for many years.  I feel horrible....I cannot stop crying and the pain I feel is heart wrenching.  I cannot believe I am without both of my beloved collies....

Can someone guide me....did I do the right thing...should I have kept my male because he was not as severe as my female was with dementia.....or,was it correct to say goodbye to both at the same time based on the fact that they both had issues with old age.....I am devastated.....

I thought I would never walk alone.......

[seeana]

I used to be a regular on this wonderful forum but after a while i could not stay as the ignorance of some of the fly ins to just ask us a question and then just leave  without letting us know how their dog was going,also knowing sometimes that no matter how bad the poor  little soul was and they would never get to see a vet.It just got to me not as strong as I used to be and it made me depressed at feeling so helpless.

The members who stay are strong committed animal lovers who i know would feed their pets before themselves. I do not think i have ever known such a group of lovely people together in one place.

I too have three  dogs the oldest is rising 11 and arthritis has been a bit of a problem but now under control.My Golden Retriever  Shane is my angel my rock and I cannot bear to think that day will come.Before Shane it was Butch my English Mastiff,what i am trying to say is each one is special you think you can never replace them and of course you cant.

But each one brings something so wonderful into your life.I have had my share of tragedies  in the past and through it all i have been so lucky as there has always been a strong stoic loving angel there to stand by me,they Never let you down do they !

Think of this... your dogs had many years of happiness with you and out of love they went to sleep together.The time will come when you will have room in your heart for another one or two.And they will happy by your side once again.

[flicka0404]

I am crying sitting here reading this. I have two collies as well (one male, and one female). I have had Yoshi since she was 11 weeks old, and rescued Cymba almost a year ago. Cymba turned 5 in May, and Yoshi will turn 5 this November. Recently, I took Yoshi to the groomer and when I returned home without her, Cymba did not understand. It hit me then that one day, one of them will be with out his/her best friend. I cried, even though Yoshi would be returning (even more beautiful than before) in a few short hours. I knew that one day--hopefully many years from now--I would, in fact, return home with only one collie.

I am very, very sorry for your loss, and just want to let you know that you definitely did the right thing. You did end the suffering of both of your dogs, and I am sure they are watching you form the other side of that rainbow, truly grateful to you that you gave them the freedom of being whole and 'living' again.

[ginger899]

This is a truly beautiful poem, and very moving. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Big hugs from me, I feel for you and what you're going through right now.

[collies2]

Thank you with all my heart for your kind words and this incredible poem.  I hate that you, too, will have to part with your beloved friend soon.  Today, I am going to light a candle for my beloved Collies, and I will light one for you and your best friend as well.  My blessings to you...

[Margot49]

Having a dog that I will be losing soon, this brought tears to my eyes.  Such a sad day for you.  If I were there, I would give you a hug for comfort.  These decisions are never easy but we have to know (and I truly believe this) that this decision is often the last act of *love* we can do for our beloved pets.  None of us want to see our beloved companions suffer and not be able to enjoy the quality of life they had.  Don't question yourself or your decision as you know in your heart it was time.  We do share in your grief.  I do write some poetry now and then but didn't write this.  I hope it gives you some comfort.

BEYOND THE RAINBOW

As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,
I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade

I saw a wondrous image then of a place that's trouble-free
Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.

I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, an on the other side
Were meadows rich and beautiful - lush and green and wide
And running through the meadows as far as the eye could see
Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be
My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new
And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do
I needed to reach out to you, to tell you I'm alright
That this place is truly wonderful, then a bright glow pierced the night
"Twas the glow of many candles, shining bright and strong and bold
And I knew then that it held your love in it's brilliant shades of gold.
For although we may not be together in the way we used to be
We are still connected by a cord no one can see
So whenever you need to find me, we're never far apart
If you look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart


Your beloved Collies will always have that special place in your heart.

[ginger899]

You will feel guilt. I know -I did with my dog I had to have put to sleep. He had inoperable prostate cancer. We puddled along for a while, trying this and that treatment, then suddenly he couldn't pee one night, and nothing -no drugs the vet gave him helped one bit. Believe me we tried everything that night.
But when he was put to sleep I felt guilt, and kept asking myself -was there anything else I could have done? (the answer was NO, but I kept asking myself that question anyway)
You see, the thing is -we have decided to have them killed. That's what it amounts to. And that causes guilt. Our best friends, our family members, our beloved ones. We feel as if we have killed them.
Well the reality is we have ended their suffering, we have set them free. It is a great thing to be able to do that for them. We cannot do that for our human loved ones.
I have seen a number of close friends and family lingering on for weeks either in intensive care, or otherwise, when no treatments were bringing them back to proper life, and they were suffering terribly with no hope of recovery. And I had wished we had that option we do have for our beloved dogs. In a sad way, it is a blessing.

[collies2]

OMG...thank you so much for your quick response.  I am so grateful to have people like you out there that know what I am going through....while I cannot stand being without my collies, it is comforting to know that some think I made the right decision while I grieve and feel quilt.  

[ginger899]

Oh sweetie, I am so sorry. This, losing not just one dog, but both of them, is so sad for you, I know.
I know what it feels like to lose one, and to be totally on my own afterwards, because that happened to me. I know it will happen again when it is time for my dog (the one I have now) to leave me. I could hardly bear those walks without my friend. But I went on every single walk we took, I walked alone, with his memory with me. Then one day I realized I was going for those walks anyway -for me.

It does NOT sound to me like you did the wrong thing for either of them. It does sound as if their lives had become very very difficult, and painful, and like you said -they were so lifeless.
The quality of a dog's life is more important than them just being there -being alive. For a dog, not being able to enjoy anything -food, walks, anything...even resting must have been painful for them.
Your male, though you say he wasn't as bad as your female, would still know he was messing himself (dogs hate that) -and he was powerless to do anything. He would have known that all the more for the fact he didn't have dementia. You allowed him to go free from all those things.
Your girl, with dementia, could have been living in quite a scary, surreal world. My mother had dementia, and though she was sweet tempered through it, I knew she got times when she was so confused, and not content with what she saw as the strangeness around her.
I'm sure it's not that much different for dogs.

I think it was extremely brave and unselfish of you to have the strength to make that decision, and to put your own emotions on hold for their sakes. Bless you.

You are always welcome here. There's no such thing as moaning, being "negative" or anything else, here. Many of us have lost beloved dogs and know what it feels like. So come back whenever you wish. Do take care.