I have always believed it is better to help by furry loved ones over the rainbow bridge before they are scared and possibly suffering.
Example:
My Lucky passed at 13- 11/13/2010 from liver cancer that spread to his spleen causing it to rupture. I did not even know he was sick. No weight loss or gain. No changes in behavior or activity level. He was playing ball the previous evening. He just was slow getting up in the morning which was not like him and his belly was hard. The emergency vet did surgery because an x-ray showed blood in his abdomen. She told me after opening him up his spleen had ruptured so she removed it and no further bleeding was present. However she did find a football sized tumor on his liver and it was probably the primary cancer site. She said she wanted to let me know and they were in the process of stitching him up to then move to recovery. I told her not to wake him up. I know liver cancer that has spread to other areas of the body has a very poor prognosis. I did not want him to suffer in anyway. Why put him through so much pain to only have a few months at most more with him? If he did not have the giant tumor I would have nursed him back to health but this was an active dog who loved to eat and play ball and swim. He would have never got to play ball or swim again. That would have been torture for all involved.
All my yorkies all retrieved indoors and outdoors all day because he taught them. Every time the retrieve a toy now I have Lucky to thank. I just rescued a golden who does not know how to retrieve but I love him because Lucky would want another golden to have the same life he had. |