I think that is a brilliant post rune. Soo many people don't know what to expect!! Well done for that! ( I hope it can be saved, in a place, where people can find it easy!)

Excellent idea Rune.

I have all mine pts at home, my vet has never argued this.
I have had one pts at vets and found this much worse.

I have also had most cremated and one buried, if you are planning on a home burial, it's important to tuck your pets legs into the body before rigor mortis sets in, otherwise, you will have to dig a much larger hole.
I would also say the same if you are taking your pet to the crem yourself, it's much easier to get them in the car if they are lying neatly.
If you have your pet in the house for any length of time, they may start to leak a thin bloody fluid from the nose, this is normal and is just fluids settling and breaking down. This happened with Ben and was quite distressing.

I also try as much as possible to keep it together while my pet is alive, I don't want to distress them with my crying, once they are gone though, I let rip.

Thanks Rune. I have had rats PTS but not a dog yet. I plan to have him singly cremated if possible and bring him home.
It's interesting to learn the actual process as I'm sure it'll be a distressing time regardless but it's best to be aware.

All of mine have been PTS at the surgery. I'm very lucky to have a wonderful, caring vet.

There's been quite a few over the years, but the two worst ones were the last two.

Roxy screamed when the injection went in... ghastly.
To this day I'm doubtful that I made the decision at the right time, despite being assured by several people that it was. I think this is a normal, if rather painful, reaction.

Mya was in so much pain at the time, I was very anxious for her to go, but devastated to lose her. Her passing was made worse by the fact that Baz was with me (I've always done it alone before) and he sobbed like a baby. This in turn made me sob, and even Dean (vet) had to give me a hug.

I am dreading the day that I have to say goodbye to Lennon - he's my soul-dog and is almost at the age when I tend to lose this breed.

I'm hoping he'll follow in Roxy's paws and stick around for a few years yet....

I think I will always follow the advice "better a week too soon than a day too late" - I find suffering in any animal almost too much to bear.

Generally, it is a peaceful end - time to give your dog that final hug and tell them how much you love them

thanks for this. it had me in tears but i know its helped as i had no idea how it all works. my oldest family dog max is getting on now, hes about 14, has gone blind in one eye and is losing sight in the other we think. hes also going deaf, so i know soon it will be the time for him to go.

We had a single cremation for our Clemmy a couple of weeks ago..we also had her ashes sent back to us...

She will always be with us...

Clemmy had the same illness as your little one had phil...

Such a shock to us,she collapsed just as yours did...

RIP Clemmy,and all the little ones over Rainbow Bridge...

Run Free...

I'm welling up here!

I dread this, esp with Zephyr as he is not good with strangers, vets etc and I can't bare the thought of him being distressed at that time. I have only had a rat pts, recently, and that was bad enough

The vet was booked to come out the following day, although I wanted them to come out the same evening and despite ringing them early they said they didn't have any appointments available, though reading between the lines I don't think they do call-outs on Mondays anyway.

I wanted to say goodbye in our own home, in a relaxed place where he was most comfortable, and with sedation - but it wasn't to be.

He deteriorated quite quickly - over the course of a day, and as I feared the epihen in his blood stream dropped due to his digestion being effected over the last few days. He started fitting, and that's how he went, in the back of the car on my partners lap... he came the way he arrived, in the same car and everything

He fought right through the very end, and he was remarkably good up until the last 10 hours or so - which we spent all day on my bed, his favourite place in the whole world in a way, he saved us from the endless torment of 'Did we do it too soon?' that we probably would have thought for a long time. But of course there's always something you feel you could have done better.

You try to do your best.
You try to make it so that it's as comfortable for them as possible.
You try not cutting their life short.
You don't want them to suffer.
You don't want to let go.

So many thoughts go through your head, and so many things you look back on and wonder if you could have done better. You can but learn, and if you get another dog - remember what they taught you.

Rune, this is a good post. Its hard sometimes to think about these things nevermind share them with others. But this is real and it happens, maybe by sharing what many of us can't cope with alone we can learn to cope together.
I had my dog pts, I was only 16. My mum got her at 6weeks when I was a baby so she had always been apart of my life. Though my mum was her responsible owner as I got older she became my dog through both of our eyes. Our bond was indescriable.

Our story in the vets room is in my eyes horrific, so please do not read if you think you will get upset.

Penny had deterioted with age as dogs do, she was no longer enjoying life and in the last 2 weeks had become depressed, her bowels had stopped working properly so my mum felt it was the right time.
But, when pennys name was called in the vets she jumped up wagging her tail and practically ran into the vets room. This is a dog who all her life had hated the vets and could barely walk moments before (I thought about taking her and running out the door but I felt chained) I try to think she understood and wanted to be at peace.
When the vet seen pennys behaviour she wanted to examine her first to see if there was anything she could do, I asked her not too we'd had our good byes, I was prepared as I ever could be, she was 16 very ill and any more time would only prolong her suffering and my heart ache.
The vet done so anyway, she pressed hard on pennys tum. Penny was in agony already, so she snapped at her. She didn't bite her she just snapped.
So my gorgeous lovely natured girl who had never shown anything but affection to anyone was pts wearing a muzzle!!
Penny had never had anything like a muzzle before, she struggled she tried to get out, the vet put her on the table, she wouldn't lie down. I held her so tight with hands around her neck I buried my head into hers and didn't stop kissing her, telling her it was okay and that I loved her. The vet must of put the needle in, she collapsed. With one last sigh she was gone. For one tiny moment I felt complete and utter peace pass through me ( I know that was her) There was brown liquid on the table because her bowels had emptied and I couldn't look at her face because of her tounge sticking out- that's the two things people should be prepared for I think. I gave her one last kiss, handed the vet a letter I had written to penny and then I broke down, bawling my eyes out, I had to be taken through the back door and I realise now it must of been distressing for other people in the waiting room too. If/when I have to do this again I think it would be better at home for me personally.

Although we've had family dogs PTS, I was never there to see it and never made any decisions so I have yet to experience this heartache.

One thing I do know is that I want my dogs individually cremated and their ashes back. There is a pet crematorium a couple of miles up the road and thats where they will be going.