| Euthenasia for 2 at a time - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Meghan |
Everyone, I need some stories/reassurance from those who have had to PTS 2
ratties at a time. My last two rats are brothers, from the same litter and
lived together their whole lives. Pierre is VERY sick - heart disease and
he is really struggling right now. His limbs/tail are all purple and he's
struggling to breathe. It has been a long road for him on antibiotics and
all kinds of meds. He is just failing.
His brother Jacques is not as bad. But Jacques has a terrible time getting
around (vet thinks it might be arthritis) and he falls alot, and sometimes
can't right himself. I often see him haunched up and with a rough coat, and
his appetite is very diminished. He doesn't have the respiratory symptoms
as bad as Pierre though.
I made an appointment to PTS both brothers this afternoon. It is destroying
me. I can't believe I have to do it, but I cannot leave Jacques alone. I
can't get more rats now for several reasons (no decent vet care for them
because of where we have moved to etc.) and I feel like this is the most
humane choice for Jacques, who I think it would be TORTURE for to live
alone, esp. after the loss of Maggie 7 weeks ago, and now Pierre.
Anyone with any reassurance please help. With Pierre it is not even a
question, he's so bad off, but with Jacques, he's still eating, and I never
know when the "time" is time. Two years ago I put off euthenasia for my
beloved cat, and she suffered a terrible death. I swore I would never let
it come to that again, but knowing WHEN is so hard. It is going to kill me
to PTS a rattie who is not 100% at the end... or is he??
Meghan
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| Joanne |
Meghan wrote:
> Everyone, I need some stories/reassurance from those who have had to PTS 2
> ratties at a time. My last two rats are brothers, from the same litter and
> lived together their whole lives. Pierre is VERY sick - heart disease and
> he is really struggling right now. His limbs/tail are all purple and he's
> struggling to breathe. It has been a long road for him on antibiotics and
> all kinds of meds. He is just failing.
>
> His brother Jacques is not as bad. But Jacques has a terrible time getting
> around (vet thinks it might be arthritis) and he falls alot, and sometimes
> can't right himself. I often see him haunched up and with a rough coat, and
> his appetite is very diminished. He doesn't have the respiratory symptoms
> as bad as Pierre though.
>
> I made an appointment to PTS both brothers this afternoon. It is destroying
> me. I can't believe I have to do it, but I cannot leave Jacques alone. I
> can't get more rats now for several reasons (no decent vet care for them
> because of where we have moved to etc.) and I feel like this is the most
> humane choice for Jacques, who I think it would be TORTURE for to live
> alone, esp. after the loss of Maggie 7 weeks ago, and now Pierre.
>
> Anyone with any reassurance please help. With Pierre it is not even a
> question, he's so bad off, but with Jacques, he's still eating, and I never
> know when the "time" is time. Two years ago I put off euthenasia for my
> beloved cat, and she suffered a terrible death. I swore I would never let
> it come to that again, but kno wing WHEN is so hard. It is going to kill me
> to PTS a rattie who is not 100% at the end... or is he??
>
> Meghan
>
>
Meghan, I emailed you.
--
Joanne
Owned by 14 rats
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| Tania |
I am so sorry that you have been going through such a heartbreaking time
lately Meghan :-(
Knowing when the time is right is the million dollar question and also a
very hard question we have to ask ourselves each time one of our babies is
sick.
From what you have described to me, and from posts you have written
throughout your time on the boards it seems as though Jacques is
deteriorating and it will only get worse, even if he isn't as bad as Pierre
right now. Pierre DOES sound very poorly and certainly sending him to
Rainbow Bridge is the kindest option. You may only be thinking that Jacques
is not as bad because Pierre IS so bad if that makes sense? It doesn't mean
that is isn't Jacques time too.
Like you say, you wouldn't want Jacques to cope alone (as it sounds as if he
may not do so well like that) and that will only traumatise him further.
After all that gooble-de-gook, I think you are making the heartbreaking, but
right decision to send the boys together. My thoughts are with you hun at a
very tough time xx
--
Tarn ...............
Barney, Yoda, Yogi, Beau & Sebastian <:3_)~~~
At Rainbow Bridge: Buttons, Patch, Cookie, Fudge, Apollo, Zeus,Ben, Neptune,
Morpheus,Ulysses, Pluto, Jerry & Smokie <:3__) ~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/tarn75
"Joanne" <j-s.b@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:vagSf.5927$fy1.245285@news20.bellglobal.com...
> Meghan wrote:
>> Everyone, I need some stories/reassurance from those who have had to PTS
>> 2
>> ratties at a time. My last two rats are brothers, from the same litter
>> and
>> lived together their whole lives. Pierre is VERY sick - heart disease
>> and
>> he is really struggling right now. His limbs/tail are all purple and
>> he's
>> struggling to breathe. It has been a long road for him on antibiotics
>> and
>> all kinds of meds. He is just failing.
>>
>> His brother Jacques is not as bad. But Jacques has a terrible time
>> getting
>> around (vet thinks it might be arthritis) and he falls alot, and
>> sometimes
>> can't right himself. I often see him haunched up and with a rough coat,
>> and
>> his appetite is very diminished. He doesn't have the respiratory
>> symptoms
>> as bad as Pierre though.
>>
>> I made an appointment to PTS both brothers this afternoon. It is
>> destroying
>> me. I can't believe I have to do it, but I cannot leave Jacques alone.
>> I
>> can't get more rats now for several reasons (no decent vet care for them
>> because of where we have moved to etc.) and I feel like this is the most
>> humane choice for Jacques, who I think it would be TORTURE for to live
>> alone, esp. after the loss of Maggie 7 weeks ago, and now Pierre.
>>
>> Anyone with any reassurance please help. With Pierre it is not even a
>> question, he's so bad off, but with Jacques, he's still eating, and I
>> never
>> know when the "time" is time. Two years ago I put off euthenasia for my
>> beloved cat, and she suffered a terrible death. I swore I would never
>> let
>> it come to that again, but kno wing WHEN is so hard. It is going to kill
>> me
>> to PTS a rattie who is not 100% at the end... or is he??
>>
>> Meghan
>>
>>
>
> Meghan, I emailed you.
>
>
> --
> Joanne
> Owned by 14 rats
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| Jeannine |
i am so sorry for what you are going through, Meghan. i believe you are
doing the right thing. following all your posts, (lurking) i know what a
good rattie mom you are. sending prayers for you and your babes. i also sent
you an email.
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| boglin |
Meghan wrote:
<snip>
>It is going to kill me
> to PTS a rattie who is not 100% at the end... or is he??
Hi Megan
I don't post here very often, but I would like to offer some words of
sympathy.
I don't think there ever is a *right* time to have an animal PTS - it's
always either too soon or too late. As you said, far better not to leave
it until it's too late.
One thing my vet said to me when I was making the decision to put one of
my boys to sleep once, was that animals don't have any concept of death.
Neither Pierre nor Jacques know that this will be there last trip to
the vet. They can't understand in the same way that a person can who is
terminally ill, just what's going to happen to them, or what they're
going to leave behind. But Jacques would understand what it is to be
left alone.
I think what you're doing shows just how much you do love your boys -
because you're not letting your love for them get in the way of what
they need.
I'm absolutely sure it's the right thing to do, and hope that it all
went peacefully for you.
boglin
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