I don’t know her name….I don’t know her family…I don’t know their story. But I do know a bit about how her story ended.

I took my boy to the vet late this afternoon for a short visit – we are in the midst of the loading phase of Adequan injections for his hip dysplasia. He loves to go to the vet. He loves to meet everyone, greet everyone, get petted by everyone. We were in the waiting room when a family came in – mom, dad, two teenage kids, accompanied by their yellow Labrador girl. She wanted to meet my boy, her tail was wagging, she was looking around for someone to say hi to, the same way my boy does. She was overweight, or maybe bloated? Older, but not frail.

The vet tech came out to get them and told them they would be in room 6. That was unusual, I thought, as I have never been told what room we would be in. The four of them went in, and the yellow girl walked down the hall with her family, wagging her tail.

We went in for our appointment, and left. Of course, my guy had to go to the bathroom. That was when two vet techs came out carrying the now deceased yellow girl on a stretcher to her family’s pickup truck, followed by a sobbing teenage boy and the others in her family. They put her in the bed of the pickup truck. My heart broke for her, and I prayed that someone would sit with her as they drove away. No one did. She rode alone to wherever her family decided to place her.

I don’t know why my heart aches for her so. Or why I am so sad for her boy. I don’t know her story. I want to believe she was well loved and this was the best thing for her….but I can’t get her out of my mind. And I don’t even know who she was.

I noticed you, pretty girl. I saw you. I saw your family. I am sorry for them. And although I don't know you, I grieve for you.

Godspeed sweet girl. May you find peace at the Bridge.

thank you for recognizing her on this day.
hard to judge when you dont know the story...my nosey butt would have been all in the techs business so they could tell me why.

I am in tears. I join your hope, Mary, that she was well loved and that this was the best thing for her.

I saw you, pretty girl, through Mary's heart.

Very sad. Godspeed sweet Girl.

I want to cry just reading this, Mary. Poor sweet girl. At least you know she was dearly loved though since her passing broke the boy's heart.

Whoever she was, she's now in a place where she's free to run with whomever she wants. Thank you for sharing her with us.

On February 28th this year, we lost our heart dog to cancer. She was diagnosed with a large tumor on her spleen. We decided to have the operation and have her spleen removed. A week later, we were informed that are precious girl had only 4 to 6 months to live. We were blessed to have her for almost a year. The same symptoms appeared as before, she went off food, tired easily, bloated(due to excess blood in her stomach), and at times looked very uncomfortable. We took her to the Vet, where are worst fears were confirmed. She once again had large amounts of blood in her stomach. While waiting in the Vets office she was very happy, visiting with animals and people alike, while showing no visible signs of her discomfort. That afternoon we said good bye to her for the last time.

No one waiting in the Vets office that afternoon could of possibly known or understood why we had to make a decision you are never prepared to make. I am sure alot of people might also of questioned why we were in tears as we left the Vets office only holding her collar and lead.

"No one waiting in the Vets office that afternoon could of possibly known or understood why we had to make a decision you are never prepared to make. I am sure alot of people might also of questioned why we were in tears as we left the Vets office only holding her collar and lead."

Anon, I think everyone at the vet's office understood why you were in tears as you left only holding her collar and lead. While they may not know the particulars of your situation, they shared your pain. I believe anyone who saw you felt your pain, and was with you in their heart. All of us who love our dogs know that someday we will walk in your shoes. We all dread it.
It is a tribute to your love for your dog that you helped her go when it was the best thing for her. She was lucky to have you.

Whoever she was, she has now touched many lives because you shared her story. I too am in tears reading about her wagging tail and her sobbing boy.
I will pray that her loved ones gave her the last gift they could give her, freedom from something they couldn't fix.
Godspeed sweet girl. Mary you are not alone in how you feel.
Cindy

Your post made me cry, as my favorite girl had an emergency splenectomy last month, removing a bleeding 5 in. diameter tumor.
I was fortunate that hers was found to be benign...I took her for a walk, sat in the sunshine with my arms around her and cried my eyes out! those who haven't had a dog in their heart may not understand, but I believe many of you will.
my girl is frisky and happy now, and I revel at her beautiful face every day..things like this make you appreciate what you have.

It is my belief that they loved her dearly. If not they would not have all trooped in the vets with her. They must have known it was her last trip or only one family member would have taken her in. No one rode in the back of the truck w/ her because it is dangerous and they had endured enough for one day. Had they not loved her they would have left her at the vets to be "taken care of".

I would have asked the staff.

I think you are right, Bonnie.
Thanks for posting.

Thank you, Mary for sharing this. That Yellow Girl and her family is getting many thoughts and prayers because of you. I am sitting here with one of my 3 week old yellow girls, crying my eyes out.... This is just hitting too close to home I guess. We had to send one of the babies across the bridge last week... Thank you again for sharing.

Mary,

Thanks for sharing your story with us...It sounds like that old yellow girl had a family that loved her enough to let her go while she was still able to hold her head high with grace and dignity and had enough energy to wag her tail. That they stayed with her was a gift to their beloved dog.

As a Vet Tech of over 22 years I have helped council many families who were having a difficult time letting go of their very old or sick pet. They mostly fear that they may be robbing their pet of second, minute, day...etc by making their decision too soon. I try to explain to the families that dogs don't measure their lives by time....to dogs I think they measure their lives by their next meal, cookie, walk, swim, car ride or embrace by the people who love them. So many clients will tell me that before bringing their pet in to be put to sleep they did something special to spoil them, some have even taken the dogs out for a burger or donuts at Dunkin Donuts or cooked a special meal. Most folks have thought long and hard and cried a million tears before they enter the office for what I consider their final act of kindness. How wonderful that this old soul had her family with her until her heart stopped beating and her tail wagged it's last wag.

Two and a half years ago I had to make the most heartbreaking decision to put my soulmate Sailor to sleep. He was only 7 years old and the love of my life. His most favorite thing in the world besides ME was swimming after bumpers. On the day I put Sailor to sleep I drove him to his favorite pond, he was too weak to walk so I backed my car up as close to the pond as I could get. I got in the back of my car and held him for an hour just looking at the beautiful shimmer of sunshine touching the rippling water. I fed Sailor a bowl of popcorn as we soaked up the sun at Sailor's little piece of Heaven on Earth. When I got to work to end Sailor's suffering he was greated by all the people who loved him. He took his last breath wagging his tail and holding a bumper in his mouth. It was my final act of love for my most precious boy. It's been over two years and I am still crying for him as I type. Every dog deserves to experience this kind of love....They are the purest of souls.

Thank you Mary for sharing your story...it really touched my heart!

I wasn't expecting that end of your story, with tears in my eyes, heart feeling heavy. One second the old girl was wagging her tail with a smile on her face wanting to socialize with everyone in the waiting room, then they carry her still body out to their truck. I bet he didn't see her fate coming. That is just plain sad. I feel so bad for their family and their kids and the sorrow that follows.

IMHO this is the hardest part about sharing our lives with any animal but it's part of being a responsible owner. It does SUCK big time though.

I also choose to believe that the family loved her enough to be with her in her last moments, and that is was an act of love.

I had a very old dog, (he was 16) that had been failing at home for quite some time. Although he was such a proud and dignified old man, and very stoic, he had lost his zest for life, didn't enjoy any of his favorite activities, and was depressed. He told me that the time had come to go to the bridge, so I made the appointment. My regular vet that knows his history, wasn't available so I took the available vet's appointment. He was such a sweet old boy, he gave all he had walking into the vets office, he greeted people, wagged his tail, the most animated I had seen him in a long while. The vet came in and suggested I wait to put him to sleep because he looked so good. I know my boy, and that the time had come, but I really felt terrible after the vet had said that to me, I second guessed myself a little. It is such a tough decision anyways, that I had already come to terms with, and knew it was the right thing to do... But this vet didn't know his history, hadn't met him before, and didn't know what he was really like at home 90% of the time... It made a very difficult day even more so. He deserved to go with dignity and grace, and he did, but I had to facilitate that happening... So, please don't think you know what the real story is, even if it seems obvious. I know to observers, it might have looked like I put down a happy dog.

Rest well pretty girl, I also saw you though Mary's eyes...

I also saw her through Mary's eyes. Godspeed sweet girl - you received the final gift of love from those who loved you.

The definition of euthanasia - taking your best friend's pain and making it your own.

I wanted to add something a friend told me a long time ago. She said it is always better a day too early than a day too late. I have been on both sides and when you have been there you do know the difference. And it is sooooo true... Keeping them alive for our own purposes is not the unconditional love they give to us... I lost my Toby, my heart 2 years ago. From the time he started with symptoms til the time he was completely paralyzed in the rear was only a few weeks. He had a rare spinal cancer and was not atypical.. It had to be diagnosed through MRI.
My point is that he was happy to eat, he still loved his stuffed Kongs, he smacked me with his paw as he always did when I put my hand on top of his paw for a belly rub.. Don't you know mom, my paw is supposed to be on top? He still had dreams where his feet would move and his eyes and mouth would twitch with excitement. He used his front to help me get him up to do his business... He was more than willing to stay with me... He never, ever left my side, even when the RV was full of all the other Labs, the dh and child, leaving for a dog show... He stayed with me for the final check of the house and went to the RV with me and only me. He read my mind and knew what I wanted before I moved a muscle. I believe he fought the euthanasia that day, and I think I always will believe it. BUT I have waited too long, watched a love one suffer because I wasn't ready... Toby was everything to me, and I could not watch him lose his dignity along with everything else his cancer took from him...I loved and love him too much. He gave me so much in his life... So I sent him to his sister and brothers waiting at the bridge for him.
YES, absolutely it is better a day too early than a day too late. I miss you so much Toby One Kanobe!

Thank you Mary for the reminder that it is the final act of love to end a dog's life before they slip into a miserable state of illness or pain, or loss of dignity.
The day I euthanized my Fiona because of cancer in 3 organs was the day she laid in bed with her back to me all day. Not my highly social dog. I had spoken to my vet friend every night for several nights prior about the impending decision.
I had sedated her and given her pain meds before the vet came to the house, but when Fiona heard Mary drive up, she jumped up from her bed, grabbed a toy in her mouth and ran out the door in front of me. We both stood there, disbelieving, and Mary gave me a quick look of concern, as if to say, "Are you sure?!" Fiona then wobbled and looked stunned and we had to help her back to her bed, then we helped her leave this earth. We both knew it was absolutely the right thing to do, but in that brief moment of activity anyone observing would have thought we were ending things too early.
I would agree that most people wait too long before euthanizing, and that taking their animal's pain onto ourselves is really the most loving thing to do.

Dev'Sun, I loved what you said about it being better a day early than a day late. My brother learned the hard way. Despite my gentle nudgings for quite some time, my brother and his wife just couldn't bring themselves to do it. Sadly, one night in the middle of the night, their old girl was panting and asking to go out. My brother let her out and waited and waited and called, but she never came back. It was a cloudy and very dark night. His porch light was burned out and he couldn't find a flashlight, so he lit a candle and went out and bumped his foot against her body. Something he no doubt, thinks about often. Bless all the oldsters and especially bless those who are able to help them along when the time comes. Better a day early............

The yellow girl's story did not end that day at the vet's office. The memories some of you have shared about the dogs you have loved and lost are precious, just as they are precious in your hearts and in your lives. What a wonderful tribute to her!
Thank you to those who posted. I agree that she was well loved and will be sorely missed by her family. I hope that their sorrow will ease each time they miss her in their day to day life, and remember the joy she brought them.
I think it was so difficult to witness because it was a reminder of how fragile life is...and how we most probably will travel that same road some day. And have the broken hearts they had...
Godspeed, pretty girl. May God bless your family.

So sad to read your post Mary but, as posted, we are all now praying for that sweet girl and her family.

I pray for their hearts to heal and to open up for another Labrador pup in their lives at some point.

I had a women here today looking at an older pup that lost her boy only 2 months ago. The family knows they need a new baby to heal their hearts.

I pray this family you saw moves in that direction, especially for the son that was so devistated by the loss of his beloved dog.

Just breaks my heart with with what they went thru. Tears here too.