We had to put our 14 year old dog to sleep yesterday, we decided this last Friday after having some serious doubts a week earlier, things got worse, not better. This was not shocking news, our dog was old, he had many ailments that started to seriously stack. I'm not the main caregiver for the dog, that's my mother, who's 78. I couldn't step in because he would get seriously distressed when he lost sight of her for more then a minute or two, and sight was these days maybe 60cm (2 feet). I was getting seriously worried about my mothers health due to the extended care needed for the family dog (lack of sleep + stress + depression).
The three days before it actually happens, but when you've actually decided on a course, it's hard, very hard! There are always doubts, especially at first. Did you do the right thing? What was really worrying was that the dog was getting worse quickly in those three days. I even worried that he might not make the weekend...
After it's done, there's a certain level of relief that IT has happened. There is a strong feeling of loss and sadness, as a part of the family is gone. And at certain times when your guard is low and you're tired you forget he's gone and you think "Need to cuddle the dog." or "We're doing this, how are we handling the dog.".
The past five decades we've had dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, etc. This was the first time that it was this unclear for us, in previous cases it was either sudden serious illnesses, or complications from those where it was obvious what decision to make. Here it was very long not that clear cut, but I think that if we didn't make the decision last Friday we would have certainly have made it yesterday.
Gone, but not forgotten.
@Umbran The not knowing is probably the worst, I hope you can get some earlier results/consult then in two weeks.
