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Had an awful day today. Our three year old Westie,who has been battling with a strain of meningitis for some time had a huge seizure in the back garden whilst we were in the house. I went outside to see what he was up to, to find him on his side violently kicking and twitching. I grabbed him, jumped in the car drove to the vets where he was sedated and monitored for the rest of the day. Sat around at home hoping for some good news only to be called and told that though his seizures had stopped he had suffered severe brain damage and there is was very little response from him and his pupils were starting to dilate. They advised that he should be put to sleep, which we obviously agreed to and that was that. Gone.
I feel utterly haunted by that last image of him and both my wife and I are really devastated. Awful day. Just needed to share as i'm having difficulty sleeping with that image in my mind.
I feel utterly haunted by that last image of him
Yes I can imagine just how awful that must feel 🙁
But just be really very grateful that you were there in his hour need. Because you were there you were able to get him immediate medical attention, the sedation would have stopped any distress instantly.
He isn't suffering anymore thanks to your intervention. You might be, but he isn't. Be grateful that you had the opportunity to do everything you could for him.
Remember him for all the time that he was well and happy, those final moments just before he was sedated were an insignificant time in his life, and he wouldn't have been aware of what was happening anyway.
Put photos up of him happy and healthy if you havent already done so, itll soon start to override the pictures of the before vets incident.
He obviously suffered little and that has to be some condolence.
I know exactly how you feel. My cat's been suffering from heart failure, up and down over the past month. We were at the vet on Thursday night and he was optimistic but he started to go downhill on Saturday. I tried to give him his medication (which he always hated) and I think the stress of it was just too much. He had a couple of big coughs and a small seizure then he was gone. Miss him already.
Sorry to hear that, the same thing happened with our dog and it is horrible. Seizure in the morning, wandered around the house looking confused til I left for work, wasnt there when I came home as dad came back in his lunch break and took him to the vets 🙁
One of the most harrowing things I've ever heard was the tiny whimper my old dog let out when the vet put her to sleep. They couldn't find a vein so had to inject her straight in to her heart. It's a noise I'll never forget.
I'm sorry for your loss.
From my experience nothing heals as fast as a new puppy.
Not too dissimilar to when I lost my last Border Terrier, he'd been with me all day building a jump track. Came home and he started having seizures, I stayed up all night with him the would last seconds to a few minutes. He was 13 and been my dog since I was 16, took him to the vets the next morning. We had a long chat about what it could be but the high risk was tumour or cerebral bleed. Although he hadn't had a fit for a few hours at that point he was vacant didn't know where he was or who I was so chose to let him go.
It was crap remembering him like that but I recalled instead how he had been during the day before, tearing around looking for rabbits, playing with my Lab, following me on the bike and digging away. Worst part about owning a dog is having to let them go but it's often for the best, remember the good times you had with him.
I have a collection of family letters from 1840 to 1876. " In the midst of life, we are in death" is a phrase which appears several times......they were referring to the demise of family members but it is the truth of life. Sorry you lost the little fella
Man hug.
I went through this with a cat, I was about 18 and my cat was 21, so I knew him all my life. He was a huge Maine Coon, and I mean huge. He had a seizure on Christmas Day and we called the vet out to put him to sleep. The images of his eyes and the pain he was in is something that I won't forget but I don't look back now with the horror I had at the time. I just remember all the happy times now. it's going to feel shit for a bit I won't lie but it gets easier it's just very raw at the moment. Just think of how he's not in pain anymore and of the great times you gave to him.
Thanks all for the kind words. It's hard trying to take my mind off it. Everytime I try and distract myself I end up thinking about those last moments. And now going through the 'if i'd done this, if i'd done that' pattern of thinking.
Speaking to our vet this morning, I feel a little bit better knowing that from the moment he had the seizure he would have felt nothing or had no awareness of anything. He was basically gone from that point.
I feel for you. We had our 15 year old Westie put down last week. A week on and it is a little easier.seems to be even harder if you have kids (last time we had one put down we were kid free).
Try to think of the good life you gave him because some dogs never experience living in a loving home.
