Saying Goodbye to My Dood
Death is a taboo subject that makes us uncomfortable. Every living creature ceases to live at some point.
As pet owners, we are all too aware that the moment we say hello, that our time with them is limited. If you are faced with having to make the decision, knowing when to make that call is almost impossible.
If you are familiar with my photography, you know that I tend to flood social media with countless photos of my Golden Doodles, affectionately referred to as “Dayboyz” – Hopper and his “Bruthafrumanuthamutha,” Zeke. Last week, I had to say goodbye to my beautiful 13-½ year-old Hopper. As his health rapidly declined, so did his quality of life. So here I was, faced with that very agonizing decision of when – not if – to have him euthanized. My Artie and I agreed that we must try our best to not let our selfish desire to have him with us get in the way of doing what was best for our struggling boy. Although I have been down this road before, I still found myself in need of additional guidance and support.
I have had many in depth discussions over the years with several veterinarians on this subject including Dr. Dani McVety, a family friend who is the co-founder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. For those seeking in home euthanisation, of which I have had prior personal experience, they provide services and offer a plethora of information through their website Lap of Love which, for me, was incredibly helpful.
Despite my anxiety and with support of my family, I made the call and scheduled the appointment with our veterinarian. Knowing our time together was coming to an end, Hopper and I spent the next days doing his favorite things and just hanging together. And if you’re wondering, I most certainly played my guitar and sang to him. He will always be my best audience!
Dr. Kristen Dabasinskas and the amazing staff at Coastal Animal Hospital made the transition for our boy as comfortable as possible. They gave him an ice cream pop which he devoured and enough chocolate to make Willy Wonka proud. (Please note that you should never give chocolate to any animals as it can be toxic.) Hopper let out a frat-boy-worthy belch letting us know how much he enjoyed this forbidden delectable treat as he drifted off to sleep on a Mickey Mouse blanket. We deliberately had him pass on the blanket so we could bring it home to Zeke so he could get some closure, as well.
Letting go is so excruciating. The hard truth is that we all have an expiration date. Some of us take that fact for granted and some of us live in fear of it. For so many, it stems from worry. We worry about pain and suffering, and the fear being incapacitated. I cannot, although I wish I could, help humans, but that’s a subject for another time. In my soul searching for what was the right thing to do for Hopper, it became apparent that I would exercise my power as a compassionate human. It was only going to get worse. I needed do the most humane act of kindness I could for my boy and take away any suffering. The bottom line was that he was loved enough to allow him to go peacefully on his terms and with dignity.
I am an artist, an empath, a sometimes over the top drama mama who is oftentimes way too emotional and feeling all the feels to my very core. I admit that I can be a lot. I make no apologies for the way I’m wired. I still grieve for all my dogs that came before Hopper – each touching my soul and enhancing my life as only a loyal companion can. I believe in the Rainbow Bridge because it gives me comfort. I also believe that a dog is not just a dog.
I hope if you are faced with your own agonizing decision, I hope I have helped you and that you take comfort knowing that you are giving your fur baby a true gift.
And by the way, my Zeke is doing quite fine. You can be sure we will continue to flood social media with our photos.
Sheri Nadelman is an accomplished musician, nature photographer, and a frequent contributor to the Suncoast Post.
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