Should I feel guilty after putting my dog down?

Question

He was a small dog. I’m not sure why I did not hold him before the Vet put the chemicals in him to stop his heart. She gave me the option to put him in my arms or have him on the table nearby I just said the blanket (which was on the table). My mom was with me on the other chair. We were in tears and I was already falling apart. I just was no clear about some things but I regret not having him in my arms as she injected him. I really wish he had died in my arms not the Vet’s. Was he scared? Could he have been scared, he saw us in front of him but we watched as he died? I don’t know I just need some answers as I feel so guilty about his final moments. It could have gone differently... but I was lunging forward I could not breathe when I saw him die and his neck just tilted to the right. I lost it when I heard him howl and then his head and neck went downward I was in so much pain. Should I have held him in my arms? I just don’t know I’m so sad, scared, guilty

Answer 1

zeitgeist057 | 196 opinions shared on Health & Fitness topic.

Explorer

It’s OK, I’m sorry for your loss. But you should not be yourself up about the last moments, you can’t change it, so it’s best to accept it. you’re already sad about your dog dying, and it doesn’t make it worse or doesn’t make it better I mean for you to stress about the finer moments like you are. This is natural for people to do, like for instance when someone commits suicide people tend to blame themselves, or if someone dies, we always think about The regrets and the things that we wish we could’ve just said to them before they left, one thing we could’ve done differently.

He loved your dog, and your dog loved you, and I’m sure your dog would want you to think about them in a happy way and remember all the good times you had together and how beautiful the love was rather than stress out about the final moment. I’m sure if your dog was there right now he want to lick all your tears away and wag his tail and make you happy and tell you it’s OK that it didn’t matter where he was wasWhen he was injected with the final syringe.

Asker

25 d
Thank you for realistic advice. the vet told me think of the good memories. Trying but come back to the final moments seeing my dog. Deciding to end a life prematurely is simply hard to deal with... but i feel my dog is now free from pain. He was not able to stand up on his own. he could not get up after falling down without help. he was waking up throughout the night barking and crying out. incontinence in bed. could not get comfortable on his own laying down. It was hurtful to see and hear because he was such a fighter and loved living life no matter. But he was old and weak and did not want him to continue obviously suffering... I hope he knows he was not betrayed.
zeitgeist057

25 d
He knows, like I said he would just lick you in Waggy tails if he could. Or do whatever he could to make you happy, that is his greatest wish in life

Answer 2

Asker

Thank you for realistic advice. the vet told me think of the good memories. Trying but come back to the final moments seeing my dog. Deciding to end a life prematurely is simply hard to deal with... but i feel my dog is now free from pain. He was not able to stand up on his own. he could not get up after falling down without help. he was waking up throughout the night barking and crying out. incontinence in bed. could not get comfortable on his own laying down. It was hurtful to see and hear because he was such a fighter and loved living life no matter. But he was old and weak and did not want him to continue obviously suffering... I hope he knows he was not betrayed.

Answer 3

zeitgeist057

He knows, like I said he would just lick you in Waggy tails if he could. Or do whatever he could to make you happy, that is his greatest wish in life

Answer 4

virgin20

Explorer

Don't feel guilty at all. By the sounds of it, you did the right thing by putting him down, releasing him of the pain he was in.
I've had 2 dogs and a car put down in my life and it's horrible to watch, but in a way I felt relieved that the pain they were in was gone and they were free.
He knew you loved him and he loved you, and the fact you couldn't hold him shows that you loved him too much. Don't live in regret and guilt, he is in a better place because of you and he would not want you to feel this way

Asker

26 d
Your message has helped me cope with my loss Thank you. Being there for your pet when they are about to pass is incredibly hard but I wanted him to know he was safe somehow. may our pets Rest In Peace and power
Asker

26 d
*cope better
virgin20

26 d
It's a pleasure to try help you out. My first dog, the one I seen get put down, had severe arthritis in her back legs as she broke both before. Seeing her be put out of her pain for good had some comfort to me, as well as grief obviously. Same thing happened to my nan, except she was allowed to pass in her own time peacefully.
It sets your mind at ease knowing the ones you love are in no pain and a better place. In this darkest hour I hope the absolute best for you, i know the trauma you're going through, it gets easier trust me. If you need me my pm is open

Answer 5

Asker

Your message has helped me cope with my loss Thank you. Being there for your pet when they are about to pass is incredibly hard but I wanted him to know he was safe somehow. may our pets Rest In Peace and power

Answer 6

Asker

*cope better

Answer 7

virgin20

It's a pleasure to try help you out. My first dog, the one I seen get put down, had severe arthritis in her back legs as she broke both before. Seeing her be put out of her pain for good had some comfort to me, as well as grief obviously. Same thing happened to my nan, except she was allowed to pass in her own time peacefully.
It sets your mind at ease knowing the ones you love are in no pain and a better place. In this darkest hour I hope the absolute best for you, i know the trauma you're going through, it gets easier trust me. If you need me my pm is open

Answer 8

chriscdi | 828 opinions shared on Health & Fitness topic.

Master

i hold my cat in my arms when they put him down, i got no regrets tho cause now my cat knows i stayed loyal to him til the end and i healed quick from it knowing how calm he was when i was holding him, i feel at peace no lie

Asker

25 d
I am happy to hear that your cat was calm and you held him until his last moments. My small dog was very old and sick he had to go as quickly as possible. I did not want him to go but he needed to be in peace finally. I did not hold on to him because he had to be set free, I did this for him not for me after all. As pet owners we could only hope that our pets were at ease during the entire process no matter how short or long. Some pet owners choose not to be in the same room and I totally understand. It is devastating. I am happy that me and my mother were in the same room as him during his final moments, during this coronavirus time. I could not bear to even look but I was strong and was there for him until the end. I hope I will be at peace with his death because my dog was a fighter and loved living life no matter what.
chriscdi

25 d
would it make you feel better if i told you what the chemical they use is?

Answer 9

Asker

I am happy to hear that your cat was calm and you held him until his last moments. My small dog was very old and sick he had to go as quickly as possible. I did not want him to go but he needed to be in peace finally. I did not hold on to him because he had to be set free, I did this for him not for me after all. As pet owners we could only hope that our pets were at ease during the entire process no matter how short or long. Some pet owners choose not to be in the same room and I totally understand. It is devastating. I am happy that me and my mother were in the same room as him during his final moments, during this coronavirus time. I could not bear to even look but I was strong and was there for him until the end. I hope I will be at peace with his death because my dog was a fighter and loved living life no matter what.

Answer 10

chriscdi

would it make you feel better if i told you what the chemical they use is?

Should I feel guilty after putting my dog down?

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