I spoke to the receptionist at my vets last week to say that I needed to know when I could contact Stuart my vet if I felt it was the time for Mars to go. I also mentioned about the valium as WestieLover had mentioned and wondered whether he would do that.

Well I had a message when I got home last night on our answerphone from Stuart saying he had been trying to e-mail me but it kept on being returned. He decided to ring instead. He has given me all the info about what shifts etc he normally does and has said to contact him when I feel that it will be the time.

I also received in the post this morning a jiffy bag containing a container with two sedatives to give her if I felt she needed which would take effect within about half an hour, just about the time it would take him to come over.

He really is such a lovely vet and really cares about animals as well as the owners and has really helped in making this everso slightly more bearable to cope with knowing it will be him that comes out.

My husband Mike as well is being so supportive and even more loving than ever as he knows how upset I am getting, that again is really helping me.

Mars is however is quite chirpy still at the moment and so as people have advised me which I would have done I think anyway, cherish the time she has got left with us.

Lucy

Oh bless him, he sounds like an absolute gem. I hope it's a long time before you have to make the call.

Fiona
x x x

I've been wondering how you've been getting on, so I was pleased to hear your update. Your vet sounds great, it must make you feel a bit more relaxed to know that when the time comes you have everything in place. Meanwhile , make the most of the time you have.
Love Jane

That is such a good idea, having a sedative available, if required at the end. I will remember that when I am faced with the situation which hopefully will not be for ages.
Ted

Hi Lucy

Sounds like you have a great vet there, wish they were all like that...hope you don't need to call him for a good while yet...sound advice, to cherish what you have at the moment..

Best regards

Natasha

Lucy, vets like that are worth their weight in gold. Mine are the same. None of them have ever charged me for putting a dog to sleep, and
one left a note of apology when he was called to an emergency, and his partner had to come to the house to put down a dog he'd been treating.

So glad that Mars is doing a bit better. You told me about her when I posted in despair about my senile sheltie. At the time Vivitonin wasn't working for Pix, and we really thought we were going to have to let her go, but we tried the vivitonin again and this time she did perk up a little. So like you, we are just valuing every day.

Before I put my shpherds to sleep I have always sedated them before the Vet came to the house. It is in my opinion a really good idea as by the time the Vet came they were semi-conscious. It made the decision far easier as my dogs were not distressed. Within the space of 4 years I had to say goodbye to my 3 dogs they were all rescued and of a similar age. For each of them I knew in my heart when the day had come, the hardest part was to phone the vet. You will find the courage to see it through but for now enjoy your time together. I hope everything goes well. Janet.

We had to have a dog PTS last year as we knew the time was right, our vet came out and did it in our living room while Sasha was lying on her favourite cushion, she did not even twitch, just went straight to sleep, because it was so peaceful I actually felt ok about it as I knew it was right (if that makes sense) she was in her favourite place, with everyone with her and just drifted off, we had the funeral and put her in the garden. Your vet sounds really nice

Lorraine

A good vet really is worth their weight in gold, I travel 20 miles to my guy but have never ever felt it was too far to go. He is always willing to help us out in any way and always available even on a Sunday

One of my GSDs has been ill for the last five months and my vet has been super

Good luck with your dog

Theresa

I always thought my vets (husband and wife team) were excellent, they have a brilliant approach with the animals they treat. But I have recently discovered that they're not as good with owners as I'd thought. Since I expressed doubts about them using Rimadyl, they have been totally different with me. They wouldn't even agree to write a referral letter (which they themselves had suggested) without receiving the £12 up front. We've been with them for about 10 years, have never owed them a penny and have recommended them to lots of people. Unfortunately there are very few other vets to choose from in my area.

Joyce, what a pity it turned so nasty. I think that many vets may have become a bit sensitive about Rimadyl. As I said above, my practice is wonderful, but the first time Rimadyl was suggested, I said that I'd read a lot about bad reactions & deaths too, and my vet (most unusually) became a little bit snippy and muttered a few epithets about "the b***dy internet" :-). Thankfully it didn't go so far as to lead to the sort of thing you describe, but he explained that while they accepted that some dogs had died as a result of Rimadyl, none in their practice had ever had a severe adverse reaction, they had used it to keep quite a number of elderly arthritic dogs in a reasonably happy pain free state, had found it much better than anything else and so felt that the benefits far outweighed the dangers. In the end we agreed that he would do a full geriatric blood screen on the dog before starting the drug, and repeat it a fortnight. That dog is still trotting around getting his Rimadyl each day, but I suspect that he probably would have been pts without it as his arthritis had been causing so much discomfort before. Now several of my very old dogs are on Rimadyl, either regularly or as and when they need it. Each has a blood screen before starting and after they have been on it for a few weeks. None has had an adverse reaction, and it has improved he quality of life for all, and in a couple of cases quite dramatically. So while I've every possible sympathy for anyone who has lost a dog to a Rimadyl (or an other drug) reaction, I have sympathy for my vets' 'the benefits outweigh the risks' pov too.

Hi Sharon - I do accept that Rimadyl can really help some dogs and I can see that it would definitely be worth considering for an elderly arthritic dog whose last few years would otherwise be painful ones. My problem is that my vet uses it to control post operative pain and as my dog is only 8 months old and presently in no pain at all (but nevertheless may need surgery) it's not an easy decision to make. The vet has indicated that she would be unwilling to perform the operations without using Rimadyl. As we have already lost one dog to an adverse drug reaction (not involving Rimadyl) I know how guilty I would feel if it happened again.
My main disappointment regarding the vet is the lack of appreciation for my concerns, particularly as she was the one who administered the 'fatal' injection previously.
I have to collect some x-rays from the surgery this evening and I'm dreading the possibility of an uncomfortable confrontation.
Wish me luck !!!!
Joyce

Hi Joyce, I completely understand and wish you the very best of luck both with the vets and with your dog's problem. When my young wolfhound Lewis had OCD surgery recently, he was given metacam post-operatively, and it worked fine for him. I do hope that your relationship with your vets can be patched up, especially as you haven't much choice and found them good before.