Question by Buddy S: Vet put my dog Boomer to sleep Christmas eve morning?
I found my dog Boomer when he was a little puppy walking next to the highway at 1am June 5,1995. He was not only my best friend I feel he was my only friend for 14 1/2 years. He was with me 24/7 and rode shotgun with me all the time in my pickup. He was getting crippled up with arthitis and now I know he was having strokes because he began getting vicious with me. I spared no expense for dog food “Innova” and vet care. He was getting harder and harder to give him his medication and I was hoping it was just a bad cold he had and couldn’t smell his food. I always gave it to him in soft dog food, but the last week he didn’t want his regular dog food so I bought hamburgers that I knew he liked, that worked for about 5 days. I took him to the Vet Christmas eve morning and the Vet said he must have had a stroke because he wasn’t the same sweet dog we know be cause he was trying to bite both of us. He had to sudate him in my pickup front seat while I held his head with a pillow to keep him from biting. After about 10 minutes the vet came back outside and gave him the overdose shot they give to stop his heart and put him to sleep while I held him. After the Vet went back into his Clinic, I looked at Boomer and fell appart crying like a baby telling him I was so sorry for putting him to sleep. I cried really hard all the way home with him. I’m crying now as I type this. I’m a 52 year old man that has suffered from depression most of my life. Boomer helped me a lot with that with his constant companionship. My depression has pretty much kept me from having a normal life and Boomer was the only dog I’ve ever had and I can not stand his loss. If it were not that I had to take care of my 84 year old mother that in dementia, I think I would leave this world. But I can’t do that to my mother. I promised myself a long time ago that I would keep my mother from going in a nursing home and that I would take care of her till her death. Right now thou I’m terribly grief stricken. Luckily I have medication that helps me but I worry I might take to much in my grief. It’s about 25 degrees out and I just went for a walk wearing short pants and house shoes. I didn’t notice the cold till I walked a few blocks, I was crying most of the time. I’d post a picture of Boomer if I knew how here. He was a mixed breed. He looked like a small St. Bernard, he never got more than about 65 pounds. He was so beautiful. Everywhere I went people would comment about him being so beautiful, even in his old age. He never got to looking like an older dog. I read where writing my feelings about Boomer helps, I hope so.
Best answer:
Answer by Luvdogz
i’m sorry. He’s in a good place right now
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Tagged with: Boomer • Christmas • morning • sleep
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I’m not sure what your Q is, but I can tell you this: I sympathize with you. It’s strange: I have friends who are completely “anti-animals” of any kind, so they look at me strangely when I talk about my pets. Sometimes, your pets ARE your bestest (yes, “bestest”) friends. They don’t discriminate or look down on you. They love you regardless.
Fourteen and a half years is a long time. Try to focus and recall those good times you had with your companion.
I’m sure you gave him the bestest days of his entire life. Maybe you’ll come across another dog in need.
I am so sorry for your loss of Boomer. He sounds like he was a great dog. I will say a prayer for you and light a candle for Boomer.
AWW I am so sorry to hear this, It is never a cure but a new dog will help heal the pain, rescues are always a good way to go…It could take a lifetime for you to get over his loss, but maybe there is another little guy out there for you!
I sympathize with you. I understand how strong a bond is between a person and their dog. But understand this:
Boomer loved you and do you think he would want you to hurt yourself? No, Boomer would have wanted happiness for you. Perhaps if you adopt an older dog, maybe a dog who has suffered loss like you have, you can find happiness for both of you again.
I really feel for you….Boomer understands, you did right thing. I think you should go to the humane society kennel and get another dog… you will be saving a dog from needlessly being put to sleep, and in turn he can save you too.
Boomer would want it that way.
I am terribly sorry to hear about your precious boy Boomer. Take comfort in the fact that you gave him a great life in the past years. It is not fair for us to make our pets to suffer because we will miss them, putting him down and ending his pain was only fair to him. He provided you with much happiness through out the years and you are both lucky to have had each other in this life. Now it is time that you cherish the good times you had and always remember him with love.
When you are ready maybe your path will cross with another animal in need of your love and care.
Buddy, I am so sorry for your loss. Dogs touch us deeply. They are always there for us, they always love us, they never judge. Boomer sounds like he was a wonderful dog.
Please don’t be ashamed that you care deeply for him and miss him. It’s the people that feel nothing that I feel sorry for, those that do not allow a dog to touch their soul.
If you want to talk, drop me a line. I have lost many beloved ddogs, too.
I Am very sorry for your loss of boomer. He sounded like a great companion. I Had to go through the same thing with my 15 year old dog in september after she had a bad fall and couldnt get up. I Am thankful she was so old at the time, And it didnt happen when she was maybe 10. You said something about taking your own life, Don’t ever even think of it! After your finished mourning boomers death, You’ll remember all the good times you had with him. But remember the good part of having him put down: He is not in pain anymore, And he is happy. Death and emotion is a normal part of life, And remember that you’ll get to see boomer again sometime in the afterlife.
Hope this helps.
I am so very sorry to hear about your loss. I understand everything. I am so very bonded with my dog and I always worry about what will happen if she passes away because I can’t imagine my life without her in it and I don’t see how I lived without having her for as long as I did. My dog is going for 3 and she is still a very young dog but I don’t want her getting older. Your dog lived a great long 14 1/2 years with you. I am sure he was a very happy and well loved dog and you gave him the best life that he could of have and always remember that. He was just pretty much suffering with having arthritis and having strokes. It will take you a long time to heal your feelings but I promise eventually it will get easier for you. I am still really sorry to hear this. And I hope by reading this and other peoples answers it helps
Having to put your best friend down is never an easy task. Over the course of years, I’ve had to do the deed twice. I’ve also had dog’s die within minutes of me leaving the home to get food or medication for them. It’s like they know it’s the best time to leave. We’re almost the same age and I currently have two dogs as my family. One is a rescue from AZ, and the other from CA. The dog from AZ is a mix Whippet/Pointer. She was going to be euthanized by the dog breeder because she was a mix and not a full Whippet racing dog. She’s always been a great dog. The other is a Staffordshire Terrier. She’s my shadow and always insists on riding “Shotgun”. She stays close all the time, in fact she’s leaning up against me as I write this now. I wish you well and that you heal from the pain of having to put your best friend down. It’s painful! I held my dogs when I had to put them down. I too cried for days. I took the time to heal and then went out to find another dog. Remember, if you are going to adopt another dog, take your time to find one that is truly interested in you. You’ll know it when you see and feel it.
Good Luck and Best Wishes my friend.
I’m so sorry. (((hugs))))
You may want to look at this website, they have grief support options like a chat and forum.
http://petloss.com/
I am crying now too. Please know that you gave Boomer a wonderful life for 14 years. Most people (and maybe I am being a bit cynical) would have passed him by on the side of the road or just dumped him in a shelter without a second thought. It is clear that you are not most people – you stopped for him, brought him home and loved him for his whole, long life. It sounds like you found each other at the right time, and what you gave to him, he gave back to you in spades for many years.
What many people don’t realize is that dogs are often so much more than amusing pets. Even calling a dog a family member doesn’t quite fit the role, either, as the relationship between dog and man can even be more meaningful than that between 2 people. True communication without words, complete acceptance of eachother and unconditional love for years formed the backbone for your relationship and the loss of that is devastating.
I am so sorry for your grief. I struggle with depression also and know that the depths of grief and loss can be bottomless, compounded by overwhelmingly black feelings of hopelessness and guilt.
I hope you find within yourself the comfort of knowing that you did what you had to do out of love. The same love that you and he shared for 14 years. Death is out of our control, aging and the sad complications of aging are out of our hands, too. We can only do the best with what we have. Boomer was only going to get sicker and be in more pain, you released him from that with dignity and he was able to be with you at the very end.
I know it may not sound like much right now, but the only answer is time. Though time doesn’t erase the past, it will eventually help to clear just enough of your immediate pain to allow you to access the love you shared with Boomer and take joy in the memories you have of him.
I am glad you have a reason to stay in this world, even though you don’t want to right now.
If you can make it through 1 minute, you can make it through 2 minutes.
Consider posting your story, posting pictures and writing about Boomer on a pet loss/rainbow bridge website, you may be surprised at the support you will find there.
Again, I am so so sorry and am grieving for you and Boomer, too.
you are very brave and un selfish, you said he wasnt the same dog, he wasnt happy at the end, you did the right thing to stop his pain, and you gave him many happy years, i understand sort of because i have a lab 2 years old and he is like my baby boy, opens his presents christmas morning like the kids, so i understand they are like a human to us, you are suffering grief, remember he had a long happy life and you gave him that, nothing can replace your dog, i wont even say that i know, i suffered when my mum died with cancer years ago, all i can tell you is you do learn to live with it and you will in time chat about the happy times and the naughty things they got up to, wish you well xx
I am sorry for your loss. I know exactly what you are feeling. When I lost my first Siberian Husky,Snow, I felt the same as you do. I wanted so much to follow him. I cried everyday for months. You lost your best friend on xmas eve. I lost mine 2 days after my birthday. Always keep in mind, you did boomer a great service. You eased his pain. He knew you did what you did because you loved him. He is waiting for your time comes to join him at Rainbows Bridge. Do not rush your time here on earth. If you rush your time, do it by your own choice, you may not be reunited with Boomer. Only when it is your time will you see Boomer again. Type Rainbows Bridge into your search engine. there are some wonderful poems and hopefully they will help you through this difficult time. Yes, they are sad to one who is suffering grief yet they are also comforting. Rainbows Bridge also has a section where you can talk to other people about how to ease your grief. I think I have every one of the poems printed out and are posted on the wall by Snows ashes. It took me 11 months to get another Husky. There are times I still lose a tear for Snow, but I have a new friend now. In time, your heart will heal and you too can find another friend. After about 4 months I began volunteering at my local humane society. I think that helped my alot. You will never forget about Boomer. He will always be with you. Take care of what you have to.
I agree with one who answered, when your grief eased enough to adopt, adopt a rescue. Those who adopt have a special place in the eye of the Creator and a special place at Rainbows Bridge.
Good luck and take care. We will say a prayer for you and Boomer.