We took our rescue beagle to the vet today. The vet talked to us about her quality of life. There’s a fine line between giving care to an animal and not being selfish by keeping an animal alive even though it is in pain. I really liked the vet because he let us know about his own experience. He said that with his own cat he let the cat live even though he should have put it out of its misery long before he did. He had a difficult time forgiving himself for it and promised himself that he wouldn’t do that again. He told us that he would be willing to do treatments for our dog, but that he could tell us that she was in pain, uncomfortable, had tumors that could be malignant, and needed surgery.
I don’t want to cut her life short, but I also don’t want her to suffer. There are so many ways that this particular dog has changed my view on love. She has taught me that sometimes people and animals aren’t easy to love but making that choice and effort to love changes me and makes me a better person. I owe this dog so much because she gave me so much more than I ever gave to her.
At this end of her life, I want to make sure, I don’t do what is easiest for me. I want to do the most loving action that respects her life and all that she means to the world. So, tonight I pray that God give me the guidance to do what she needs and to respect her life. I pray that I can choose to love her as I would love myself.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
