05/09/2024
~ Last Moments: A Veterinarian’s Perspective ~
Our pet friends, too, harbor last wishes before they pass away. Yet, this knowledge is confined to veterinarians who compassionately guide old and ailing creatures through their final moments. Recently, Twitter user Jesse Dietrich posed a question to a vet: What is the most challenging aspect of their profession?
The vet’s response was immediate and heartfelt. They shared that witnessing elderly or sick animals search for their owners with pleading eyes before drifting into slumber is the most difficult part of their job. Surprisingly, around 90% of pet owners choose not to be present during their beloved companion’s final moments. They step away, perhaps to avoid the pain of witnessing their pet’s departure. But what they may not realize is that these fleeting moments are when their pet needs them the most.
Veterinarians implore owners to stay by their animals’ side until the very end. It’s an inevitable truth that pets often pass away before their human companions. Yet, owners must remember that they were the center of their pet’s universe. While the pet may have been just a part of their life, they were undoubtedly family. No matter how heart-wrenching, owners should not abandon them.
Avoid allowing your pet to breathe their last breath in a sterile room with unfamiliar faces. For veterinarians, it’s agonizing to witness pets frantically searching for their absent owners during those precious final minutes. The animals don’t comprehend why they’ve been left behind. All they crave is the comfort of their human’s presence.
Veterinarians strive to minimize fear and anxiety, but to these animals, they remain strangers. So, summon your courage. Endure the pain—for your pet’s sake. Be there until the very end, offering solace and love as they cross the threshold into eternity. 🐾❤️
In loving memory of Samu (Sa Majesté le Roi Soleil)
https://gofund.me/e4a380c8
Text credit: rewritten from Tricia Mo’orea original article
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