We had to say good-by to our big boy, Jasper. He started
having seizures that began increasing in frequency. After the third seizure, we
knew the time had come to have him euthanized.
At age 15, he had lived a long, good life and exceeded the
age expectations for a dog his size by three years. But, we struggled with
making the final decision.
That morning we took him for the regular 2-mile trek. He did
great: walking, playing in the snow, enjoying his treats, and providing his
adopted sister, Darcy, with a buddy whose ears she could chew on.
When we arrived at the vet’s office, we questioned our
decision even in those last moments. But in our gut, we knew it needed to be
done. The vet sedated him to calm him down before euthanizing him. As if Jasper
knew our hesitation, he had his final seizure while under sedation, giving us
more evidence of his illness and showing us the compassion of our decision. He
received the lethal injection in the midst of the seizure.
The vet told us he probably had a brain tumor and that we
made the right decision. What can I say other than we all miss him. For 15
years, he played a major role in our family and we loved him. I keep looking
for ways to say good-by.
Aw, man. I'm so sorry for your loss and painful decision. We had to put the family dog down several years ago, and it was the closest I had ever been to death. It really really was hard. Dogs become part of the family and letting go is like saying goodbye to your best friend. Prayers for you and your family!
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