Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Putting your dog down

This...

...and this...

BTDT with dogs and horses. Some think it's a betrayal of friendship with the pet.

I think that having them exit this world with no stress, no worries, with the person they know best and most want to be with, is worth the pain it gives me. I feel I owe it to them.

If one is not able to complete the task quickly and humanely, go to the Vet for the "green dream" injection.

I've been married going on 38 years in November. Have always taken care of the dogs and cats in my household. Took care of them since I was 15 or so in my parents house too.

I couldn't imagine having s vet (good friends with two) take care of it for me-just seems wrong for me somehow....

Big dogs don't always go down that easy. One well placed shot in the head may end up with a squealing dog and messy situation.

Got a call to the hospital one night about 15 years ago in Kansas for an emergency surgery... gunshot wound. Went to the ER expecting the worst and found a distraught old bachelor farmer lamenting his predicament, the death of his dog.

This man's "best friend" had become sick with something and needed to be put down. He was depressed for that reason alone, but was even more so after finding out that the vet wanted $150 or so to do the job. Being practical and on a limited budget, he decided to do the undesirable job himself. He took the dog outside and called the dog to heel at his side because he couldn't bring himself to look his dog in the eyes. He took an old 32 cal. revolver and shot the dog in the back of the head. The dog went down and the farmer felt a sharp pain down his leg, the bullet had ricocheted (?sp) from the dogs skull and entered has lower leg fracturing his fibula a couple of time and lodging in his mid calf.

The man was about in tears, more about his dog than his leg, and embarrassed about the whole event. He had had to call his brother to bring him in and he was afraid that in reporting the accident that the animal rights people might get a hold of the story and paint him as an animal abuser.

I felt sorry for the guy. We worked on him for 2 or 3 hours in the middle of the night cleaning the wound, removing the bullet fragments, and repairing the fracture. Never did hear whether he had to come back for wound infections or anything like that. I never saw the story in the newspaper either.

I didn't have the heart to charge the guy for my services but I know the hospital did! Made that vet bill look pretty darn cheap in the rearview mirror I suspect. Since that time I have always visited the vet, but stayed with my animals till they were gone. I figured I owed them that at least... never fun though.

been on both sides of the equation, have shot more damned dogs with tears in my eyes than I care to.

only the last few years when money was more available have I gone the vet method. Ours is pretty good, while I hold and stroke and whisper to my dog, the vet just inserts a syringe, but I'm right there with them pettin and soothing my old companion.

I've no fault however a man gets through one of the toughest jobs on the planet. It's just a chitty job no matter how you gussy it up. You're losing a damned fine friend, perhaps your best friend.

And circumstances dictate a lot, I had to drop a tree in a tight spot and lo and behold, my daughter's dog had come up to see what the hell was that racket I was making. Yep tree dropped right across his back, I had no idea he was there till the last second as I was watching my cut.

shooed daughter into the house pretty brusquely as the dog was still kicking, grabbed a rifle and headed back to the spot to put the poor old boy outa his misery. But his end had come before I got to him. Helluva thing.

tears streamed the whole time I dug his grave and made his marker, broke my lil gir's heart and mine too. Don't know why, but it's a comfort to know that many of you approach the grave digging the same way I do. It helps to do something physical.

there ain't no right or wrong answer as far as I can tell, a man's just got to get through it the best way that he can.

Look for a vet that will come to your house , to do the job. There are some that will do it. When I see how easy they go when a vet does it, I can't help but think of the suffering some of my family have gone thru with cancer.

I've never plugged a dog with a .22, wouldn't want to experiment on a friend, might botch the job like my cousin did back in the woods with his dog one time.

Back in February we had to put our beloved little 8lb terrier down. A local animal hospital has this system where first they take the dog out of your sight to check it out and then return with it in a few minutes with a catheter (on of those things you stick syringes into) taped to its front leg.

The dog comes back and, living in the present as they do, relaxes again back in your arms. As suggested we were feeding him treats, in this case roast chicken, and of course, being a dog, he was totally fixated on that.

He wasn't even remotely aware when the vet injected through the catheter; he took a scrap from my fingers, swallowed it, looked-up for another one and just like that he was gone.

$60 total, we buried him curled up on his blanket in the front yard.

It you can get a vet to do it that way that's probably the ideal.

Birdwatcher

I do it when it has to be done. I've plenty of experience killing and there aren't any mistakes.
I would recommend most use the vet.

Gotta say, my eyes got damp reading that. That's exactly what it is for me, watching a freind go!

It is actually illegal in Utah to euthanize a companion pet. You must go to the vet. I think it is BS. I've put down pets before, I will do so again, if needed. It's not about being cheap, it's about doing it right. I don't want some stranger to do the deed, he will die by my hand.

Have to go with Birdwatcher. I've had a Shepard hit by a car die in my arms. When our next Shepard had terminal cancer he died in our arms at the Vet's. The Shepard after that laid down and died while I was pulling weeds in the garden. Thought that he'd just laid down. Never had a clue that he'd laid down to die. Our Lab had throat cancer. We prayed for the best and hoped for the best and got Him a 4 month old Shepard for a companion. He was in remission for quite a while and had fun with the Shepard pup. In late December of '05 he had the best day of his life. He played with the pup, swam in the creek on our north boundary, was the highlight of our Christmas party making friends with everyone that attended. In the early hours of the next morning he wanted out. I let him out and stayed out to watch Him. He laid down it the tall grass on our west boundary to die. Took me a while to figure it out. Finally carried him back through the slider into the living room where he died in my arms. I still weep. Now the Shepard that was his playmate is getting old. I know that one of these days he's going to break my heart. They give you unconditional love. Its not wrong to weep when they pass on.

I have my vet come out to the house.

As the old saying goes, different strokes for different folks. If there were no other option, I would be willing and able to put my dog down - but first choice is definitely a house call from the vet.

Last dog I lost hated the vet's office - loved the vets, etc., but she knew she got shots and other unpleasant things in that building. So, when her cancer got to the point she was starting to suffer, I called the vet. He and an assistant came out and I laid on the floor next to her as he gave her the shot. Still miss that dog.

I've never understood the folks who take their pet to the vet and drop it off to die. And, I had a friend once who couldn't take his dog with him when he moved so he heeled her out the woods and shot her. Farm boy who had a slightly different view of dogs than I do. Like I said -- different strokes.

I am putting down my 15 year old Brittany this morning at 9:00 am. Have an appointment at the vet. It will be the same as her litter mate a few years ago and her mother, even more years ago. I always hold them with their head in my lap, scratching their ears. The vet inserts the needle and they peacefully go quickly . . . no noise, no movement . . . they just fall asleep. Still, very sad and I always cry.

I have always handled that sad job myself. I feel it's the right thing to do. It's always hard.

I could never shoot one of my beloved hunting dogs! Since I was a little kid my father always made us go into the vet's office and hold the dog while they were put to sleep, my father always said a great hunting companion should never die alone. It's getting harder and harder to do as I get older.

My vet comes to my place. I want them to go with me holding them, loving on them and in a familiar place. Plus, I don't want all the people in his office to hear me bawling.

I've done it both ways.
Back when vets were too exspensive .. a .22 would have to do.

Now? my vet has the "last room" at the end of the hall.
Not sterile at all, but more like your living room.
Where you can hold your friend until the last goes out of them.

I beg my wife to take me there.
After watching her dad, waste away...I know it is more humane and respectful.

The Injuns would go off to not be a burden to the tribe.

We need Jack Kavorkian and his kind more than ever.