(10-12-2012, 06:18 AM)TreeClimber Wrote: Haopee, Yes, this particular respiratory disease is only known to Collies. We tried different things for about 2 years. But, then the Vet informed us that there was nothing more he could do to alleviate her pain. She just laid around most of the time. That's when we had to make the decision. As a nice gesture, our Vet made a donation to research on this disease on her behalf.
It is never an easy decision to make. You fight yourself over it. But, you know deep down inside if you were suffering in a similar way you would not want your life prolonged.
I consider myself blessed with Sierra. I knew that she was slowly going down hill. I fretted over when I would know that it was time. Then, one afternoon, she got sick suddenly and died about an hour later. She died in her own time in her own way. It was definitely much easier to deal with.
I have never heard of people keeping pets alive on artificial respirators. I can't see that any dog or cat would be happy with that existence. If it gets to this point, we have to ask ourselves who we are keeping the pet alive for. Is it for ourselves because we don't want to feel the pain of grief or is it because our pet still has some quality of life?
I totally agree with you on this, Tree. The artificial respirators are something I would never consider. It feels selfish.
Oh wow, this reminded me of how one of the dogs in our community died. The owner knew it was about time. That day, she talked to the dog before leaving to work saying how she loved him and she prepared his tiny bed inside the open cabinet where he begun lying so often. She told him it was okay if she left him and she kissed him as she left for work.
That after noon, she came back home and found him on that bed she prepared looking sound asleep. He died that same day (and left for the rainbow bridge, according to her post).
I really cried reading her story. Well, a lot of us did actually. He was a black Scottish Terrier who lived with her for more than 15 years.
