Many choose to stay at their dog’s side in their final moments, however some fear ‘tarnishing’ the last memory of their four-legged friend by remaining in the room.

Nothing can prepare you for the last goodbye to a family pet. Many choose to stay at their dog’s side in their final moments, however for some the situation is too painful, and they fear ‘tarnishing’ the last memory of their four-legged friend by remaining in the room as they are put to sleep.

But a vet has issued a heartbreaking plea to owners after a truly devastating experience with one dog. Taking to Reddit, the woman urged owners not to leave their pets as they are put to sleep after the harrowing situation left her ‘in tears for weeks’.

She said: “I will always try to give grace and save my judgements on how people are able to deal with grief because everyone is different, but it is depressing to have a dog spending it’s final moments looking for where their owner went. I feel like it’s the very last comfort you can give your friend, just being there by their side to comfort them.

“We had one recently that hit me hard, I just wish it could have ended differently.”

xplaining how the owner stepped out into the hallway while their dog took their final breath, she said the poor pooch tried to follow his master before his medication hit him. She added: “I am not judging the owner’s emotional capacity for grief and I am not saying the dog died thinking ‘omg I’m dying alone’. I’m not even talking about the actual euthanasia, but the moments leading to it.

“For those of you saying dogs ‘just think their owners stepped out for a moment’ are missing it. Even if that was the case, they still stress out.

“This dog we euthanised literally tried so hard to walk himself out the front door with his leash after his owners left and continued to cry and stress out until the Propofol got him. We did our jobs and gave all the treats and love, but the focus was always ‘where did they go?’

“Say what you want, I just think it’s a bummer that those were his final moments. He was a really good boy and I wish he could have been more relaxed because I think he deserved it.”

While most users agreed owners should stay in the room no matter how painful it is for them, other vets tried to explain how it is simply just too much for some people to handle. One vet explained: “I used to work at a clinic that did boarding, and we had one where an elderly boarder wasn’t doing well and the owner couldn’t get back in time to be there.

“The poor lady was literally on a plane that had just taken off on her way to her grandson’s graduation when we called. We all felt so bad so we made sure to all love on this elderly golden retriever extra because it was so sad.

“I still remember this cute little old dog to this day. That was one I definitely understood why the owner couldn’t be there.

“But on the same coin, not everyone can handle seeing death the way we do, especially when it’s a loved one. So I can certainly understand why someone can’t be there when their pet is euthanised.

“But it does suck for the animal, but we just make sure to give them the extra love they need before they pass on. The main thing is that you’re helping them be free from pain, and that’s the most important part.”

Another vet said: “I used to be very judgemental of this but now I’m a few more years into the field, I’m much more understanding.

“Not everyone can handle seeing the moment of death happen. I mean there’s a reason relatives and visitors are kicked out when a human is coding or critical.

“You’re not meant to watch loved ones die. Its easy to forget how well we cope with things as professionals.

“Although I do hate when people essentially hand the animal over and leave without a care, as if the animal was just a nuisance.

I have included this video of the tender moment when Derek (played wonderfully by Ricky Gervais) says his final goodbyes when Ivor the dog has to be put to sleep.

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT

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The average cost to feed a dog for one month typically costs somewhere from £16 to £50, depending on the breed. Microchipping costs about £10 to £15. The average cost of essential vaccinations is £64. A routine vet appointment costs between £40-£60, surgery can cost anywhere over £1000. Physiotherapy, Hydrotherapy – the average cost is £50 for a 30-minute session. Prosthetics and dog wheels etc can cost up to £500.

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