I have waited a few days to write this complaint so I did not just come off as a grieving upset pet owner who just lost her dog.
I had my rescue mix female dog for 17 years. She had arthritis reoccurring cysts or growths on her belly that sometimes reabsorbed and went away or on 2 occasions I had to have removed. Her quality of life had rapidly decreased over the past few months. Although the decision to put an animal to sleep is a very hard one I know it needs to be made with your animals health, happiness, pain level and quality of life as your main deciding factor. I believe if you keep your pet alive when they are in pain and have lived years beyond there life expectancy it is selfish. Hour pet has given you years of comfort and unconditional love so keeping them alive when they are suffering is wrong. A few years ago I had to put my 18 year old rescue dog to sleep due to her arthritic pain, glaucoma pain from a swollen eye and her inability to make it outside to use the bathroom was very humiliating and embarrassing for her as you could see the shame in her face. When we took her to the vet they were kind they explained everything when the time came they sedated her then gave her the shot.
My experience with my second dog could not be more opposite. I knew the time was coming and dreaded it. I returned home one morning on my work break to find my dog on the floor laying in blood with blood on her face from licking. Her cyst had ruptured and was bleeding severely. She is 65 lbs. I got her in the car and took her to the nearest vet office. On the phone I was told it would be the exact same steps as my last. When I arrived they ask I pay first which is best because after the last thing you need to be doing is settling the bill. I then found out they were going to charge me $55 more to be in the room with her so I had to go with a lesser package because there was no way I was not going to be with her. When the vet found this out things changed quickly. They went back on their word on sedating her before the shot the vets words after stating they would sedate her "she probably wont need it I'll see if I have something but I don't think I do". An animal hospital with no sedation medication? I tried to insist but what could I do going somewhere else was not an option. When he was administering the shot she panicked and tried to struggle to get up! If I had not paid the extra fee to witness them doing what I paid for I am mortified to think what her experience would have been.
If you have read this entire post thank you I do realize how long it is and I hope it may help to prepare someone for what to expect and what questions to ask if they are facing this extremely hard decision. I do hope your experience is easier than mine and my dogs. I do hope you reconsider if you plan on going to the same hospital I went to.
This animal hospital info:
Siena Animal Hospital
5625 S Grand Canyon Dr.Las Vegas, NV 89148