Dog Euthanasia – Was It The Right Choice for Rocky?

If you have a severely ill dog would you consider dog euthanasia? In this post, I will be detailing a brief life history of our dog Rocky; how my family coped with his illness, and how we ultimately decided for euthanization. And I ask my readers of this bog this question: “Was dog euthanasia the right choice for Rocky?”

What is Dog Euthanasia

Dog Euthanasia is mercy, painless, and humane life-ending procedure for dogs.

Who Was Rocky

Fourteen and a half years ago, my youngest daughter, my son, and I drove 25 miles to pick up our new pet dog Rocky.  He was an adorable cute little white rat terrier puppy with black spots all around his body.

His belly was pinkish in color with several black spots. His face had a distinct white from his snout running between his eyes towards his head while his jaws and top of his eyes were brown.

My daughter suggested that we name him Rocky Silver Cow since he looked like a cow from afar. We raised him as a house dog and he lived like a normal rat terrier pet dog.

I thought that he had special talents; he was able to jump up my chest when I tap my chest (of course I catch him) and jumped to pick up fruits. (He would be first to pick our apricot and peach fruits).

Rocky Playing Soccer with a Basketball

Severe Case of Arthritis and the Use of Steroids

Playing soccer ball, jumping to pick fruits had stopped; he was no longer capable of doing such amazing things. Little did we knew that at age 14, Rocky had developed a severe case of arthritis on his spine. He was in pain and unable to stand up; arthritis had affected his back legs where he lost the feeling of where they were.

Rocky’s Vet suggested two options to make him walk again; one was surgery to remove arthritis from his spine and the other was a daily regimen of steroid (prednisone). Considering a rat terrier’s life expectancy of 18 years, I opted for the latter. The doctor warned me that the use of the steroid has many side effects including muscle mass degeneration and scaling of the skin.

After two days of dosage of steroid pills or even one day, Rocky walked again and I was so elated to report that to the Vet who reminded and told me to be careful and watch Rocky not running and jumping too much. Of course, Rocky runs and jumped; living a normal dog’s life for over one year; he even was back to picking peach and apricot fruits from our trees himself until the prednisone dosages stopped working.

The Vet asked me how’s Rocky’s quality of life on a scale of 0 – 10? My response was below 5 perhaps 3 or 4 because we have to carry him outside to urinate and move his bowel; he was very alert, however; responsive when you call his name, eats and drinks normally.

After a thorough observation, the Vet was teary-eyed to suggest that I may leave Rocky at their clinic for euthanization; assuring me that the procedure would be the painless and humane thing to do for a case like Rocky. I declined this suggestion thinking that I am not ready for it so does my family, so I took him home with an additional 10 day supply of steroids.

The Decision to Administer Dog Euthanasia

As I mentioned earlier my family wasn’t ready to part with Rocky. They understood his health situation and were ready to care for him until his condition becomes worse and unbearable.  We knew that there’s no hope for Rocky to walk again but we continued to give him his daily dose of prednisone; I even considered seeing a healer to perhaps perform a miracle so he could walk again but the signs of steroid side effects were rapidly appearing.

It’s heartbreaking to see Rocky’s back legs were all bones; muscle mass was degenerating very fast.  He would lay on his bed for hours not even whining or complaining of pain but was still able to signal whenever he wanted food or water. At times he would urinate and move his vowel on his bed to the point where our whole house would smell the stench of urine and feces.

We’ve thought of putting him in the garage or in the backyard of the house but we voted against it because Rocky, after all, was a house dog. My wife neutralized the smell by placing all kinds of air fresheners and disinfectants throughout the house and of course regularly cleaning his bed.

We had decided to not quit on him and that we will wait until he quits on us.

However, we questioned that decision every time he scatters his feces and urine which at the time he had no control anymore. I would tell my wife and my son that I’ll be taking him to the clinic the following day, but when the day comes I wasn’t able to do it. Rocky was so alert and alive and that when I looked at him and he looked back at me; I just can’t do it.

On one occasion while I was giving him water, my son told me that Rocky’s head has been disfigured. Most of his head muscle and perhaps his soft tissues on his skull had degenerated as well. His head looked as if part of it sunk towards his eyes and mouthparts. I could see and feel his skull bones protruding out. Again; a very heartbreaking sight.

Last night my wife insisted that I go ahead and give away Rocky today. After all, our son is now ready for it as well and that we have taken good care of him long enough. I told my wife that I just couldn’t do it and that we’ll just have to wait until he gives upon us. But today, while my wife was at work and my son was still sleeping; I decided to have the Vet euthanize my beloved pet dog Rocky.

The hardest decision for Rocky:

I decided to give up on Rocky when I found out that he was covered with feces and urine. He was all wet with green matters around his body, smells really bad,  and wouldn’t eat nor drink. I gave him a bath; covered him with a towel, and drove him to the vet clinic.

The thought of guilt feeling was on my mind especially when Rocky looked at me. He slid back to the very corner of my truck bed as if telling me he didn’t want to go. I paused a bit, gathered my composure, and without looking at him I carefully wrapped the towel around his body and carry him inside the clinic.

The nurse on duty knew we were coming so that I was told to go ahead put him in a holding cage. I rubbed Rocky’s head a couple of times for the last time and said goodbye…

Rocky was an adorable and amazing dog. He provided my family joy and happiness throughout his fourteen and a half years of life. Ultimately, sadness. Sadness because of the suffering he endured the last month of his life and the pity from my family knowing that we are going to lose him sooner or later. We have had options; to not quit on him or wait until he quits on us. Finally, we have quit on him; leaving me the guilt feeling of giving him up of which I have this question: Dog Euthanasia; Was it the right choice for Rocky?

More Pictures of Rocky

Goodbye Rocky!