That depends. My first cat ever was in full kidney failure, limping around and yowling in extreme pain. We brought her to the vet, and decided to have her put down. I think it’s because I don’t find euthanasia to be an animal-exclusive right - if I were diagnosed with late stage MS or something similar, I’d opt for euthanasia, and there are still countries that allow it. It’s of course possible that I created the feeling to justify my actions, but when we put my cat down, I can only describe the last look she gave me as grateful. Again though, it may stem from the fact that I genuinely wish euthanasia were a human right.
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More understandable if you think euthanasia should be a human right.
But I find the way people give “rights” to others and think animals should be treated to be rather arbitrary, and so I find it weird that people are so willing to euthanize animals sorely on the basis that the animal is dying or in terrible pain. Much like how apparently most humans want to live at the moment of their death, I’m willing to bet that animals would echo that sentiment if we could understand them.
Well, there’s a question there - without human assistance, a place to live, and a meaningful connection between two living beings, would the cat even be alive at the point that it’s crying out in pain every step it takes? My mom was in California for Christmas and got a call from the catsitter that the cat was lying at the bottom of the stairs and wouldn’t eat, drink, or respond to anything in general. My mom left halfway through her vacation, went home, got the cat from the bottom of the stairs, and carried her to her bed. When my mom woke the next morning, she had passed. She was waiting for my mom to return, that much is obvious. What’s not clear is how long she held on to say goodbye.
The implication you’re giving, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is that humans will carelessly euthanize their pets often, whereas my experience, as a former vet tech and the husband of a current vet tech, is that owners usually spend far too much money and cause their pets unnecessary suffering just to prolong their lives for short periods of time. I know there are owners that deem their pets to be nuisances during their decline and end their lives for convenience’s sake, but I’ve seen a fuckload of pet owners pay thousands to delay the inevitable.
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Honestly, I just find it strange that we’re willing to give pets the mercy of euthanasia when they’re literally at death’s doorstep while we don’t give people the same mercy.
Like you, I am pro-euthanasia, assuming that death or the inability to function, period, is virtually certain.
Sorry for making a thread about how awesome pets are rather macabre.
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We do. There’s an unspoken agreement in end of life/hospice care. The patient is sedated to be “comfortable” due to their condition, up to and including doses that cause respiratory arrest or other critical failures, but the cause of death is the condition they were suffering from, not the sedation.
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I didn’t take her for a walk for a few days, so she thought she would show me how she felt.
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Wife was approached yesterday and was asked if we would be interested in a dog whose owner passed… 5 year old registered with papers male Bully by the name of Bear . Goes without saying I am interested but I’m also weighing the pros and cons.
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Pro: droopy dog cheeks
Con: drooly dog cheeks
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Pro- awesome dog to chill with.
Con- might drink all your beer.
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What pros and cons have you thought of so far?
The cons being introducing a new dog to the one we have .
The other getting a breed of dog that is sorta high maintenance health wise.
Oh no 
Legit con though
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Are we talking old English, arms-bowed-out bulldog, or just a pitty?
Old English
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Yup, joint problems- not that all pure Breds don’t have problems, since you’re scraping the bottom of the gene pool, but especially with those turned-out elbows, they get pretty painful pretty quickly. Would happen within a couple years, if it’s not happening already. Glucosamine supplements and limiting running around can help with prevention, but if your little dogs you already have are wild, it may be tough. I love OEB’s though, and would probably still get one knowing all that, so not trying to discourage you, sounds like you’re already pretty realistic about this.
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What I have now is what’s known as a tall jack Russel . And is now 15 years old.
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I guess if I’m 105 (dog) years old I wouldn’t want some other (dog) dude moving in to my house.
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