When do you say "its time to let them go"

Croenan · #1 07/26/06, 08:48 AM

Just out of curiousity, when do YOU say it's time to put an animal down? Of course if they are screaming in pain and there is nothing you can do, it's time. I am trying to pass time until I have to leave to go to the vet yet again for my buck with UC. He was doing absolutley perfect for 2-3 months, doubled his weight and then bam! Yesterday he could pee, today he is blocked up completely. I will probably be taking him to the vet to put him down in a few...but I am trying to rest assured in my decision, you can see I haven't left yet. He is resting ok right now, so there is not immediate rush...but he is still blocked up completely, so he can't wait too long either.

I was just wondering at what point do you say enough?

If I don't respond, it doens't mean I didn't read the posts...thank you in advance if you have any helpful advice.

mamahen · #2 07/26/06, 09:01 AM

Tough question.

I guess I set & think, what will happen if I don't, what will happen if I do. If they have no quality of life either before or after treatment; If no treatment is a guarantee & they are going to suffer or already are, it makes it a little easier. Nothing is without pain when you have pets/animals.

Then I cry & console the animal & myself.

I hope that you have peace with whatever decision you make. You did give everything you have for the little guy.

Croenan · #3 07/26/06, 10:16 AM

Just an update...I called the vet and was going to take him up. I figured that the vet would give me an idea on whether to just put him down or maybe try something. DH said that he was willing to put some more money into him since he was been doing so great these last 2-3 months.

Just as we were loading him in the car he was passing urine. Not a stream but good drops and alot of them. Since he appeared to be resting well and not showing signs of pain and is still strong enough to fight us, and passing some urine, we are going to watch him and wait. At least its a sign to do something. With my luck he'll get really bad and be in pain tonight about 5 mintues after the vet closes!

I just wanted to get some opinions on when you guys know its time when the signs aren't obvious. If you have opinions, please post, I may still need to make a decision soon.

Croenan · #4 07/26/06, 10:25 AM

Just a side note in case it does get severe in the middle of the night...does anyone know the maximum dosage of banamine he can have if he gets bad? The standard dosage is 1 ml/100 lbs every 24-36 hours and he weighs close to 50 pounds. I gave him his dosage today so I hope that will do, I just don't want to ulcerate him in the process of trying to get through this.

ozark_jewels · #5 07/26/06, 10:33 AM

Don't know about the maximum of Banamine but if it gets *really* bad during the night....are you prepared to put him down yourself? When it comes right down to it, we all need to be prepared to put down a suffering animal though it is the last thing we want to do. If its the best thing for them, we need to face up to responsibility and put them out of their pain, vet available or not. Sorry if that sounds preachy, it wasn't meant to.

TexCountryWoman · #6 07/26/06, 12:57 PM

Do you know where in the uretha the stone is located? There is an operation where they cut the pizzle or whatever it's called (the very small tip of the penis) off and it may relieve the UC problem....sometimes that will do it....not sure if "pizzle" is the right word.

idamtnmn · #7 07/26/06, 02:51 PM

Since I am not a vet, I never put an animal down in a situation where the right answer isn't obvious. In these situations, always try to get a vet's opinion. When deciding to put an animal down, you make the best decision you can, based upon all the resources and information available to you.

If one has tried everything and the animal still seems to be dying, then observe how much pain/discomfort the animal seems to be in. If it seems to be fading away peacefully, make it comfortable as possible and hold out for a miracle. If however, the animal is in seemingly irreversible pain, then you owe it to the living creature to handle it's life mercifully without delay - and don't look back.

Obviously you are a very caring person to be so concerned. Whatever decision you make therefore, is made out of love for the animal. If you put the animal down and information becomes available to you at a later time, whereby something could of given the animal another chance, then you use the information to help possibly the next animal - don't dwell on what has already passed and beat yourself up over it. Life isn't and wasn't meant to be perfect.

Since your modivation is love for the aniimal - then whatever you decide upon, based upon your knowledge at hand, is the right thing.

dezeeuwgoats · #8 07/26/06, 03:50 PM

I would like to speak purely from the angle that I have had this problem MYSELF. It is the most painful condition imagineable. Being a human patient - and pregnant at the time, I ended up with nephrostemy (sp?) tubes through my back, into my kidneys to drain them. YES, BOTH sides. Kidney stones had blocked both of my ureters. Even so, calcium would build up in the tubes, block them, and the tubes would be exchanged during a surgical procedure - over and over again.

The problem I have with the above post - is that it is sometimes difficult to determine an animal's 'amount' of pain.

I have been told by a doctor that the pain from blocked kidneys is one of the worst you can go through - right up there with cancer pain. I was also told morphine wouldn't help after awhile - and again - the doctor was right. That's how bad the pain is from blocked kidneys.

There is a surgery available to goats - and a friend of mine went to the trouble, expense, and trauma of having it done to a very valuable buck - who died anyway.

I hate to be so blunt, and have nothing but gloom and doom to say. Personally having felt the pain myself, I would not put an animal throught it. I wouldn't put my worst enemy through it. If you are unwilling to put the animal down yourself during the night, if it gets bad - please, please don't make him wait. If he were mine - I'd put him down while he still felt good - as it appears that this is going to be a chronic problem for him. I'm so sorry - but honestly, that is what I would do.

niki

Croenan · #9 07/26/06, 05:34 PM

Just an update....we just went and put him down. Waaaaaa

I don't know exactly why I went ahead and chose to do so, but it's done.

It's weird he didn't seem to be in worse pain but I could just tell by the look in his eyes that he was ready to give up. To look at him at the vet, you'd almost never know that he was so sick, he even ate at the vets. (of course that only made it harder!) At home he would lay down and writhe on the ground a bit, but what was weird was that he didn't cry like he normally does. That's was part of why I went ahead and did it.

Fact is that I wasn't prepared to put him down myself if he got bad in the middle of the night, and I have had kidney stones so I do know the pain he was in for the most part. I also wasn't prepared to have him split his bladder in the middle of the night or find him in the AM with his guts spilled out, and I just can't take it anymore.

Sorry if I am rambling....he was my baby and I will miss him so. I hope God enjoys his company..he was a fun little guy.

Croenan · #10 07/26/06, 05:53 PM

BTW...for those who don't know...we did do several mihor surgeries with him (cut his penis tip and flushed his bladder several times) and changed his diet and put him on ammonium chloride...etc. etc. It did help and certainly extended his life and made these last few months great ones.

Just thought I'd let you know and if anyone has questions about my UC experience, I am more than happy to share. (um...just maybe not for a few days while the sting is so strong)

full sun · #11 07/26/06, 06:22 PM

Oh I am so sorry! Your story has made me cry, too. It's so hard, but you made the right decision. Sounds like you did all you could for the poor guy. As sure as we're born, we're going to die. You just have to make your living days as great as you can. He was well cared for, you loved him and you showed mercy. What more can you ask for really? God bless you. I hope you will find peace and relief from the pain soon.

Jennifer

dezeeuwgoats · #12 07/26/06, 07:09 PM

You did the right thing by your goat. I am sorry you and he had to go through all that - how awful.

Niki

lijj · #13 07/26/06, 08:14 PM

Aww

I'm sooo sorry for you. I guess you don't want them to suffer. But I know I'd be crying if one of mine died. Oh now I'm going to cry

Of course God will love his company; He loves goaties

ozark_jewels · #14 07/26/06, 08:43 PM

I think you did the right thing. I know its hard, been there myself several times.

fishhead · #15 07/26/06, 09:39 PM

I'm sorry to hear this but it sounds like you did the right thing. After all the things you gave him in his life sometimes it comes down to only one thing left to give.

Everything costs in life and making hard decisions like this is the cost of all the affection that animals give us. We owe it to them.

TexCountryWoman · #16 07/27/06, 12:22 PM

Crying for you...you did right.