i've been doing a lot of thinking lately about canine health. a friend of ours recently discovered a lump on his dog's leg, and it turned out to be bone cancer. he sent me an email, and memories of working at the vet lab immediately came flooding back. dealing with all kinds of animals in various states of health, including dogs on chemotherapy and cats on kidney dialysis. some animals are not so lucky; i had a difficult time coping with some things. walking into the fridge to get lab supplies and stepping over bodies awaiting necropsy. opening the freezer containing animals post-necropsy. eating lunch with the pathologists, chatting about their 'cases'. needless to say, it was a short period of employment. i am an animal person, a dog person in particular, and i was unable to separate myself from my 'patients'. for some reason it was much more difficult than working in a human lab.
when this friend talked to my husband about what he had decided to do for his dog, it really made me think about what i would do if i were in his shoes. if my dog was terminally ill, what would i do? would i spend the thousands of dollars to buy her another year of life full of needles, drugs, and side effects? would i simply let her be; que sera, sera? would i give her painkillers to ease the pain until the end? when do you make the ultimate decision that enough is enough, and that she would be happier in the next life?
I have to tell you that these are not easy thoughts and to be honest i still don't know what i would do. my dog has such zest for life that i would not have the heart to put her down. but i don't think she would want to live life without running, swimming, cuddling....it's a tough call. i hope i never have to make the choices that my friend is now facing. i wish him all the best.....
