Euthanasia of a Friend

“So sorry to hear of this Nigal.”

“Dogs are just dogs, for crying out loud. So why all the fuss?

Because they're just dogs.

I had Claudell, a black lab, put down on 4/17/97 - three months before his 15th birthday. I could fill all the space Matt has with stories about "The Black Attack".

His full name was Claudell Washington Lincoln Continental - "CW" for short. I named him after Claudell Washington, former right fielder for the Braves of old. They could both catch the hell out of a ball, and they were of about the same skin (and hair) tone.

He had a semi-deflated football that he could catch, too, if he was in the mood to play "wide retriever".

Okay...
mebbe ONE story.

Lesseeeeeeeeeee...
hmmmmmm...

One weekday evening, I had him "stay" in the yard as I stepped into the woods with my 308 on my shoulder. I walked for mebbe 10 minutes to a ravine. I settled against a large tree to watch over the ravine. I was seated on the ground, with my back against the tree. I sat completely silent and motionless until *almost* dark.

For an hour or so, I kept my senses sharp, especially looking and listening. I am the ultimate deer hunter. I miss nothing. I can assure you that nothing - and I mean nothing - stirred for the entire hour. The silence of the deep woods was deafening.

I finally stood, and stepped around the tree. Lying on the other side of the tree was Claudell. That black bastard managed to walk (stalk!) to within three feet of The Ultimate Hunter undetected. I LOL'd, and he wagged his tail.

When I took him to Dr. Burdette for the last time, the good doctor came out to the truck. I put Claudell into the bed - the tailgated death chamber. I sat on the tailgate, and CW laid his head on my lap. Dr. Burdette sat beside us as he emptied the syringe.

I managed to ask "What do I owe you?" in a tear drenched voice, and Burdette patted me on the shoulder and replied "No charge".

I have no idea how long I sat and hugged and wailed. Jesus Christ, that was shear agony.

I finally managed to compose myself well enough to take the half-hour drive to Our Woods. The wailing continued.

I parked where I thought would be the shortest distance to the place I had in mind to bury Claudell. I walked and walked with a pick in one hand and a shovel in the other. I eventually reached the spot. It was on a hardwood ridge. The spot was exactly where I'd pitch a tent seeing's how it was flat, but *slightly* downhill in every direction.

I continued to wail as I swung the pick and stepped on the shovel.

I returned to the truck, and lifted my lifeless buddy. Just as I had dug the grave without a break, I carried Claudell's 95 pound body to the grave without a rest. I remember being surprised about that.

After placing the headstone, I laid on the leafless spot of ground until long after dark... as I continued to wail.

I continue to visit those woods in general, and Claudell's grave in particular. I sometimes sit on the headstone and talk to my old buddy.

The trail I built - the 1.4 mile Leverette Cemetery Trail - passes along that ridge, within sight of the headstone. I sometimes call Sarabelle "Claudell" when we're there working on the trail. Weird-ish, eh?”

“Sorry for your loss!

8(”

“Jeeze, that's the sad part of pets, is that we often outlive them... sorry to here about it.
The hiker formally known as Uphill Klimber”

“So sorry to hear the news Nigal.

This thread has brought tears to my eyes just thinking of the day my dog passes on. I feel so sorry for you.”

“Dang gojo, I really didn't need to read that.

I have a black lab. He's alittle over two years old. Hopefully he will live as long as your Claudell.”

“NIgal, I'm sorry. =(

I am happy that this leads to another friend that you've been waiting for a long time. I hope you find the most snuggly pup ever!”

“It's always hard to lose a buddy, even harder to do the right thing when the time comes.”

“the loss of a pet is so heartbreaking. it takes massive amounts of altruistic love to assist them in leaving thier pain. you must have loved your buddy so much to have not held on too long. i helped my murray go a month ago and i still cant believe he isnt out there on the couch stinking up the house anymore. i would give anything to have my strong and healthy murray back.
i hope your new puppy is as happy and playful and lives as long, and i hope it has puppy breath.”

“sorry to hear about that nigal. i hope it's a long, long time before i have to go through that.”

“Sorry to hear about your cat Nigal. Its never easy going through the lose. 16 is a fanatastic life for a cat though...”

“oh man, what a bummer!!!
you know the day will come eventually when you have to say goodbye, but that doesn't make it any easier when it arrives.
may your upcoming doggy help in your sorrow!!”

“What a gift you have to think of the fond memories you'll carry with you.

-Peace & Comfort”

“Thanks gang. It's hard even though I knew it was his time. We had thought he wouldn't make it through last christmas but he stuck around to see spring. I was afraid he was going to have to be put to sleep but he died at home in his sleep. A few days before he was having a bad attack and I thought he was going. I sat beside him and pet him and said reasurring things to him and told him it was OK if he needed to go. I would have preferred to be there for him when he did go but it wasn't meant to be.”

“I hate these threads, my best friend is 10+, he can't take his favorite hikes to the river with me anymore, a walk around the neighborhood is his big thrill and even then I have to give him his meds to alleviate his joint pain. He used to LOVE going swimming, we always had a great time exploring, sniffing, chasing squirrels, etc. My heart goes out to all who have to go through this w their buddy.

Sniff, sniff.”

“Nigal, I'm really sorry to hear that. It's always tough when they go to a better place and leave us.”

“Goodbye Earl Grey, my little one. For 14 years you've been there with me, making me feel better. Sleeping by my head, playing and hunting and making huge hairballs for me to pick up. Your fur was so long and fine, a single hair would float in the still air, waiting for me to walk by. Your golden green eyes always watched for me. You always sought me out with a plaintive mew. You were half the size of your litter mates when all of you were dumped at my doorstep,
but you I kept, and loved. Now I have to ease your pain, and fear, and I mourn. I cry. I hurt. You've been with me as long as HPM has. It's a corner I don't want to turn. Rest in Peace.”

“Oh, treebait. I'm so sorry. I lost my grey kitty 2 years ago, still miss him.”

“I'm sorry treebait. Very sad for you. :-(”

“We called Earl the whirling dervish. If you blew onhis fur, he'd get super wound up and hyper, and he was lethal with his claws. HE got a bath once and once only. He tore my arm open from elbow to wrist. It was almost worth it, because all that fur disappeared when wet, and he looked just like a chihuahua after the bath.”

“Oh man, I’m sorry for your loss. My wife’s pastor once made light of what he saw as a silly affection and concern for our oldest cat. I simply told him, “We’ve had this cat four times longer than you’ve had your kids.”. Even after a year and a half and having replaced him with the new love of my life HoneyDog I still miss him so much.

It sounds crazy but when I’m laying in bed sometimes I’ll feel one of the cats jump up on the bed and start walking acrossed the bed but when I look, there’s no one there. I thought it was just me being silly until my wife, out of the blue said the same thing happens to her. Yikes!

I find getting a new pet soon after makes things a lot easier. Again, sorry for your loss.”

“He always looked really fat and round, but it was all fur. The vet couldn't believe it until he weighed him. Only 9 lbs. at his heaviest.”

“I have 4 other cats still. THe next eldest Buzz, is 10 with a heart defect amongst other things. I'm amazed he didn't go first but he's too full of pi$$ and vinegar to go. And he enjoys beating up the other cats too much.”

“treebait - I know what you're talking about. The cat I had to put down a year ago, MamaKitty, looked like a big kitty. But, when wet she was skinny as could be. Cute, too! lol”

“I’ll never forget the time I took Buddy in to have his belly shaved (he was a longhaired). I picked him up and they had shaved everything except his lower legs, head and tail. He looked like he had furry boots on! LOL! He was once fat and lost it as he got older. It was like seeing your grandma getting out of the bathtub! The wrinkles and sagging! He was pissed for a month afterwards. The other two cats didn’t even recognize him. The other two cats would walk by and he’d just swipe at them for no reason as if to say, “What are you looking’ at?!”.”

“Treebait, my eyes are watery from your story. So sorry to hear about your kitty.

But, I gotta dump mine in the bathtub now just to see how skinny he really is.....muuhahaahaa!”

“and what i mean by that is it will be a tribute from my grey kitty to your grey kitty. :)

really, i'm so sad for your loss. :(”

“Sorry to hear about your cat, treebait. Mr. Hyde lost his brother Dr. Jekyll a few years back, and that was sad, although we all remember the good times we had with him. Hopefully remembering yours will always bring a smile to your face.”

“Meow.... :-(”

“It's all very sad. Rememeber taking an old kitty to the vets, and they came out with an empty carry case, had to suppress the emnotions on that one, we'd had her since I was five. She'd meowed all the way to the vets too. Was a nightmare.
Still, often the best thing in the circumstances, better than suffering.
Oh, and I'd advise completely avoiding kitty in the bath, it can lead to major bloodletting.”

“Fortunately, when Dr. Jekyll passed away, we were able to experience a humorous situation that made us feel better.

The vet's office where he died was able to handle his cremation, and called us in a week or so to let us know his ashes were ready to be picked up. So BowlderGal stopped by on her way home from work to pick them up. She walked in past several people and their pets waiting to see the doctor and said to the receptionist, "I'm here to pick up Dr. Jekyll." Their eyes got really really big when the woman went in the back and came out with a small urn and handed it to BowlderGal....”

“Geeeeeeeeeez, BM! That must've scared the other people there!

Earl's now under a variegated ginger in the back yard, under a great big Live Oak.

It wasn't fair of me, but I made HPM take him to the vet this morning. I've done that too many times now, for my pets, my parents' dog, and for friends. I didn't think I'd be able to drive afterwards. HPM's really shaken up too.”

“I'm sorry for you both. I held my kitty when he had to go to kitty heaven, it's pretty hard. I don't blame you for having HPM take him.”

“Not fair? I disagree dearest.

Difficult things are simply what people do for one another. It's called love.

He's better off now and I'll miss the 'ole hairball.”

“treebait and HPM, sorry to hear about your loss. They are definitely family. It's a very difficult decision to make, but one that is best for them to keep them from suffering. I think back to all of my animals I've had to take to the vet's office for the same thing over the years. Thinking about that specific situation makes me sad, but I think about their lives and all the joy and love brought about because of them and it makes me smile. Each and every pet was special in his or her own way.”

“Lets all eat chinees food tonight, in honor of our lost pets....

I'm having dumplings.”

“WTF?”

“I think it was supposed to be funny, but I'm not sure.”

“cripes, people, i read this at work. i hate crying at work.

thinking about ynami's kitty mewing the whole way to the vet...that's exactly what my cats do now...ug...i'm crying! they really are so dear to us.”

“Tea, you little #&%!$!

Hey, I'm laughing! I've made that joke too many times myself!”

“Don't particularly have a thing for cats, but I know when I had to take my dog to the pound because my second wife's landlord wouldn't allow it, I was torn up. And then it later turned out I got rid of the wrong damn dog that day.

Yes, I was in tears too. I miss that dog still, and it was 25 years ago.”

“The dog, or the b!tch?

;)”

“The dog, of course. I was just remembering her when I woke up this morning. Her name was Lady, and she was that.

I do miss the B!tch, of course, like I miss my broken leg.”

“"Difficult things are simply what people do for one another. It's called love."

No doubt your doing it was easier than having her to have to do it. You're a good man.”

“Darn HPM and treebait, I know that hurts - its one of the things that many of us dread intensely. I am sorry.”

“awwww...hugs Treebait and HPM.....I'm sorry........”

“treebait, I'm sorry for your loss.

My one loss was a parrot that I was boarding at a vet hospital, because I was moved into my mom's house and she had aggresive cats, and a very cold house. I went to see my parrot everyday to give her treats. One day I get there, and they pull me aside to say she was dead. It would have been REAL nice if they had called me before I had gotten there. I got there right before closing, so something wasn't right. They never explained why they didn't call or even to say that it just happened, which I don't think I would have believed. I even suspected something underhanded had happened.

I'm so attached to my dog that I am thinking about when she goes, putting her in something that can be dug up, so she can be put in my coffin with me when I go. I don't want to do cremation for her for various reasons. Since she is a 3-1/2 pd Chihuahua, she will be easy to fit in the casket with me.”

“tree and HPM - I extend my thoughts to you and hope you recover in a way that I know you will.


FWIW - My father brought home a Great Dane (after our other, rescued Dane died). She was a pup at the time and the family grew very close to her very quickly. She was black and my sister took the honor and named her Onyx. What a doll she was.

Soon after she came into our lives, my father passed away. Toward the end of his life, he embraced the warrior ways of the Viking traditions (feeling our past?) and made it clear that he would want her to be burried (read: "flamed") with him, should he go. Of course, I didn't go through with his wishes, as my present day way of thinking did not permit this. I took a lock of her hair and sent it with him on his next journey instead.

She lasted about 10 years after he passed. We could tell that she didn't have anything left; Father time was making his presence known. She had lived a great life, was a great protector of the family and in some ways, represented our last impression of our father. She was suffering and we finally thought it would be too cruel to keep her here to satisfy our selfish need. My Mother could not stand to do it. My sisters were a mess. I had to take care of it, which did not please me.

In the days before, we gathered and threw a grand party for her. Again, the night before we were to deal with this, my Mother cooked a full on buffet for her, complete with steak, chocolate, canned dog food and other viddles she enjoyed. We celebrated her life, almost like a "roast", if you will. She was very happy in her state.

The next day, I arrived at the house. It was up to my sister, SuperB, to give her the doogie downers. Onyx was "feeling great" afterward, as she couldn't feel any pain. I was happy for her because she could move better, due to the lack of pain, than I had seen her move in years.

I got her in the back of the truck and went to vet. In the waiting room, other dogs were present, but they did not bark when we walked in. I went up to the counter with her and told the lady who we were. They were very pleasant and thoughtful. I looked at her and I could tell that she knew why she was there. After the lady went into the other room to prep, Onyx looked up at me and sat down, something she hadn't been able to do in months. She was proud, I could tell.

We went into the room. My sister couldn't bare to be in the room, so I told her it was very accecptible if she left the room during the process, which she did.

Everyone else gathered, she laided down and I proceeded to tell her everything that I thought about her and how much she impacted our lives. I also sent a message to my father through her in hopes I could explain my previous decision not to fullfill his wishes when he passed.

She went peasefully, respectfully and with honor. I am pleased to know that I will always keep her in my heart and will never truly let her die. That damn dog was one of the best people I knew.

Afterwards, I went home a mess. I stopped at the beer store on the way home in order to supress my feelings and to celebrate her life. There was only one other time I had felt this way. A chapter had been writtin in the book of my familes life, but I'm glad that it happened on her terms, not at the hands of any other.




I hope that the two of you find pease with what happened. It sucks that we can't keep them forever, but I find comfort in what she was while she was here. There will never be another one like her...and to me that's ok.

I send strength toward your family in this time of sorrow. It is my wish that father time will help you with any pain.”

“laqtis, everyone,

I am thinking that you gave your dog chocolate only on her death bed. I don't want to make you feel bad, but I have to say to anyone that wants to give chocolate as a treat that it can kill our dog. I'm sure that you didn't kill your dog, because she lived a long life. I just thought that if people saw that you gave chocolate to your dog as a treat at the end, that they may think it is a good treat during their life.

Chocolate is the worse thing for a dog and can kill the dog. Other things that are bad for dogs are onions, grapes and raisons.

To any gardeners, there is something called chocolate bark, and it is also deadly to dogs, because they will eat it, so if you have a dog, you shouldn't use that type of bark in your garden.


*On a side note, and as laqtis mentioned his dog being the best people he knows, it's amazing or maybe not that we are more upset about losing our pets sometimes than people we know.

To use a dog as an example, they love you without prejudice of weight, color, age etc for EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIFE!!!!!!. They don't judge, the will give love freely at anytime of the day or night. They will protect you. They will never turn their back on you or hurt you or cheat on you or lie to you or steal from your (except to steal your heart:)

That's a guarantee with a dog, but you can't guarantee that with a person. So before some of you think it's weird to feel such a great loss for your pets, you have never owned or appreciated a dog.”

“lips - Yep. We only gave her that on her death bed. We felt that is wouldn't do her any more harm than what awaited her. We never willing gave her that, as we knew how the effects are if we still planned on her living. Chocolate + dog = bad things.....

Funny story - My grandpa gave my mother a package one time and told her not to open it before Christmas.

Not knowing what was inside, she left it under the tree and went on with her holiday way.

She came home (this is well before Onyx had any problems) to find Onyx in her bed, the package ripped open and feasted upon, in her bed. In the package, was German covered cherries that had been seeped in liquor. Funny, but I know it was bad. Had we known what was in the package, we would have never left it out. She had one hell of a satisfying look on her face...!


That's the main reason we did what we did.”