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11 years 8 months ago #19593 by Sharkey
Opinions requested. was created by Sharkey
I'm not new to having to put something down but my boys are and my wife, although she knows I've got no issues with doing what needs to be done, is still a VERY sensitive woman.

My sons (7 and 10) and I took a trip with our big male cat to the vets tonight and were advised it's either his liver or FIP and either way, they can't cure him.

If it were just me, I'd know what to do and I'd respect him proper and quick but I've got a family now and trying to be a little more sensitive.

I've got the proper tools and not gonna go blastin em with the Benelli or anything but I'm looking for input from other fathers as to how you handled putting down your first pet when you had youngins involved.

Life up here in the northeast is a bit different than a farm in Idaho as well and some things in other areas are just "grown up with" but I'd still like to hear from guys that had to do something like this with young kids in the mix.

Either way, I've got no intention of letting em watch or take part. I'll just handle it and then we'll bury im together.

He was a good pet as far as cat's go and I've got a pretty good attachment to him myself but we know how things work and he has gone from about 25 pounds down to 12 and now, due to fluid in him, back up to almost 15 in a couple of weeks so the time is near.

Just thought I'd ask for input from other "Dad's" that had roughly the same issue once or twice along the road.

Looking for a little something I spose that might just help ease the pain for my boys is all. I'm a family man now and don't like seein em hurtin.

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11 years 8 months ago #19600 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Opinions requested.
Sounds like your on track to me, no real good answers to be had. I had it happen twice but just found the poor cat in the morning the first time by myself with no warning, kids were 4 and 5 so the cat just "ran away" and I did the rest myself. Second time they were 12 and 13 and the situation was very similar to your present plight. I discussed the issues with them, they requested the deed be done at the vet, I felt bad for all the stress that put on the cat going to a strange place like that when she was already sick. They both watched the vet and helped with burial but have mentioned years later they wish they would have just had me take care of things.
Just the fact that your thinking about the issues involved with the kids in mind means it will work out as best as things like this can. I don't know your boys but at those ages it will be hard for them no matter what you do, one of the hardest "Father" lessons I had to learn was that I can't fix everything, sometimes I'm just along for the ride.

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11 years 8 months ago #19604 by et1911rph
Replied by et1911rph on topic Opinions requested.
Sharkey,
Not sure if this is an option but worth checking out.

www.inhomepeteuthanasia.com/

There is a locator service that identifies vets that will assist. Pricier than "old school" but might fit the bill since family concerns are an issue.

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11 years 8 months ago #19605 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Opinions requested.

et1911rph wrote: Sharkey,
Not sure if this is an option but worth checking out.

www.inhomepeteuthanasia.com/

There is a locator service that identifies vets that will assist. Pricier than "old school" but might fit the bill since family concerns are an issue.

I was thinking the same thing.

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11 years 8 months ago #19606 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Opinions requested.
I can't add much to what the other gentlemen have said. You are on the right track. Good luck.

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11 years 8 months ago - 11 years 8 months ago #19609 by Charlie
Replied by Charlie on topic Opinions requested.
This is never a good thing. The last pet I put down was my catahoula cur. She was a great pup, and we had her for 15 years. Total freaking guard dog! We called her the "Dog Bell!". But she got a blood clot and was falling down and running into things. My ex and I put her down, buried her, and cried.

Sodium pentobarbital (nembutal). 100mg/kg IP (this is 2X the dose for anesthesia). It comes in a 50mg/ml solution, so you introduce 2 ml per kg body weight into the peritoneum. They go to sleep and then stop breathing. It takes about 15 minutes.

Charlie
Last edit: 11 years 8 months ago by Charlie.

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11 years 8 months ago #19611 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Opinions requested.
This is just one of those things that sucks. It's the first time great, big, amazing, unstoppable, knows everything, does anything, dad can't make it better. That was the hardest part for me, looking at them and having to admit I can't fix this.

My kids took in an old lab that had been tore up and half starved. If I had known how bad it was I would not have let them get attached in the first place. He hung on for a month after the vet said his time was up. I did my best to explain it and the kids made sure his time was happy. His last day was doggy heaven, running and playing and rolling around with the kids. They fixed him up a last meal fit for a fancy restaurant and said their good byes. It wasn't easy and the memory can still bring a tear to one of my boys. I just remind them of the good they did that old dog. He had a home and a family and didn't have to suffer lost and forgotten. That seemed to help them feel better about it. not much but some.

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11 years 8 months ago #19614 by Charlie
Replied by Charlie on topic Opinions requested.

13fcolt wrote: It's the first time great, big, amazing, unstoppable, knows everything, does anything, dad can't make it better.


And I think that's the hardest part. Bad situation, bad outcome with no intervention possible. Our own limitations are revealed.

At various stages in life we deal with these things. The terminally ill and the aged friend/parent are other times you will feel this pain. These things get more frequent as you get older. My heart goes out to you.

Charlie

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11 years 8 months ago #19626 by VTIT
Replied by VTIT on topic Opinions requested.
The first time this happened in my family we sat down with both kids and asked them what they wanted to do. They were about the same ages as your kids Sharkey. They wanted to say their good-byes and take him, Dudley our Basset Hound that we had for 11 years, to the vet and have him put down. My son wanted to go in the room with me, my daughter didn't. My wife stayed with my daughter. After we buried him, we took his collar, bone, and a few toys that he had and made a "shrine" that we still have.

I thought I would do the same thing you are thinking, just put him down gently myself. I loved him too and he was a great dog, but being raised on a farm that is how we did things. I think my kids feel different because they weren't raised on a farm like I was. They see pets as part of the family and when family is sick or dying you take them to a Dr. My wife was raised like I was but realized this. She said she thought that if I put him down they would look at it like "Dad killed Dudley". Not consciously but maybe subconsciously. We have had two other animals die and we handled it the same way. It sucks any way you do it, but we think this has been the easiest.

Sorry for your loss Sharkey. Pets are part of your family. Give the boys a hug for me.

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11 years 8 months ago #19633 by Libertarian623
Replied by Libertarian623 on topic Opinions requested.
Took my last Newf to the vet after the kids had gone to school(he liked the vets office)had him put down with demerol (100MG) first then a paralytic. He had a good buzz for sure then feel asleep with his head in my lap. I told the kids that he had gone the night before in his sleep.

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