Thread: Life threatening abscess on rear leg of my cat.

I am so deeply sorry for your devastating loss :( it is so hard losing a family member and it sounds as though you guys had a lot of emotional ups and downs with the diagnosis. My mom always says that our animals live just long enough to make themselves unreplacable, and it's so true. I agree that it was a very brave and selfless decision not to put your boy through surgery. He was clearly a very loved kitty

I do want to add a comment about being there for your pets at the end: I agree that it is the best thing to do, for them and for the owners, it helps you say goodbye and gives closure. However as a vet tech I can assure you that if you just can't do it, your pet will still go gently, comfortably, surrounded by loving people. I DO NOT judge people for not being able to be with their pet in their final moments, it can be very difficult and it is a very personal choice that I would never question. At my clinic most people chose to be in the room but when they don't we take the pet in the back, get them comfy on a nice blanket, one of us will hold them in our arms as though they were our own. We tell them they are loved, that their pain will be over soon, we pet them and kiss them until they are gone. There is not a single euthanasia I have been present at where I didn't shed a few tears, I remember the names of every animal whose final moments I have shared. Rest assured that it never becomes routine for us. I just felt it was important to share that for people who may not feel like they can be there in the end.