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How does one prepare for the end of a pet's life?

Yesterday, 9/1, my 13 yo dog had an ultrasound which confirmed the worst of several possible diagnoses: she has stage IV hemangiosarcoma of the spleen with multiple macroscopic splenic and hepatic mets. There are questionable spots in her lungs also. It is too late for surgery, and her type of cancer responds poorly to chemo. I knew that she was getting older and her time would ultimately come, but she is still active, loves walks (a little shorter this year), and loves her meals. She also enjoys being close to me where ever I go, and chooses the door of the room I may be in for her spot to snooze. She currently has many more good days than bad. I would like to hear from EP members who have dealt with a pet's terminal illness: How does one prepare for the end of a pet's life? And how does one evaluate that point where the bad days out weight the good ?

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mguinm

I don't think anybody can really prepare for the end in ones own heart. I had to put my cat Jaz of 21 years to sleep. We had an incredible bond and she didn't want to leave her mama. I waited to see if she would go on her own, but she never did and then her health issues became extreme. I knew it was time. And it does make it so much harder when they love their food or love to walk and have their good days too..it makes it that much harder to do it. But you know the animal will experience a horrifying painful death and it's in their best interest.

I planned the day I was going to do it. I fed her a favorite meal of tuna. I cried in the car on the way to the vet..she might have sensed this. I was with her until her death..she was beautiful even in death. I felt her close to me afterwards when I got home. I remembered I had her meows on a tape recorder at home and I pressed play and there she was saying her goodbyes to all of us. It was a very special moment. It was interesting because I know those meows weren't there before when I played that tape, I would have had to search for them, but she made it easy for us.

The song that was playing at the vet was "Silent Night" and I'd like to think she went out peacefully on her silent night. PS. we had her cremated with a wooden urn with her named carved on top. We also have her paw prints in clay as a memento.