When a Pet is Dying

“Pets, it turns out, also have last wishes before they die, but only known by veterinarians who put old and sick animals to sleep. Twitter user Jesse Dietrich asked a vet what was the most difficult part of his job.

The specialist answered without hesitation that it was the hardest for him to see how old or sick animals look for their owners with the eyes of their owners before going to sleep. The fact is that 90 % of owners don't want to be in a room with a dying animal. People leave so that they don't see their pet leave. But they don't realize that it's in these last moments of life that their pet needs them most.

Veterinarians ask the owners to be close to the animals until the very end. ′′It's inevitable that they die before you. Don't forget that you were the centre of their life. Maybe they were just a part of you. But they are also your family. No matter how hard it is, don't leave them.

Don’t let them die in a room with a stranger in a place they don’t like. It is very painful for veterinarians to see how pets cannot find their owner during the last minutes of their life. They don’t understand why the owner left them. After all, they needed their owner’s consolation.

Veterinarians do everything possible to ensure that animals are not so scared, but they are completely strangers to them. Don't be a coward because it's too painful for you. Think about the pet. Endure this pain for the sake of their sake. Be with them until the end.”

- Tricia Mo’orea

I thought this was valuable advice. Twice I’ve had to say good-bye to my beloved pets this way . Once I had the blessing of holding our “Finian” in my arms at the end. Another time I dropped off my cat, “Oliver”, for a checkup and the vet said that he wouldn’t be coming home with me. I sat in my car outside and bawled my eyes out.

Our pets love us so much. Let’s love them back by holding them close at the end of their lives.

Photo credit: Travis Patenaude.