It almost feels wrong to write a review about the process of putting our sweet Mr. Lucky to sleep, but it feels right to give credit to the people who were there with us in a supportive manner until t... Read More
It almost feels wrong to write a review about the process of putting our sweet Mr. Lucky to sleep, but it feels right to give credit to the people who were there with us in a supportive manner until the very end--that being the staff and Dr. Jiminez, Vincent and Tamia. Let me first begin by informing whomever is reading this, that our Min Pin suffered many ailments. At ages 5 and 7 he had cancer--both times it was removed by the doctors at Hoboken Animal Hospital. As a result, he was able to live a longer life and to our delight, we had more quality time with him. It was so blissful to have our puppy back, and healthy again. It's the one thing that divides the good quality of life versus a not-so-good life. So, as a healthy dog again, we were able to move him out of our apartment to a house with outdoor space which was all his for roaming and prancing. He lived out the last couple of years at home (we hope he slept all day when we weren't around). He was such a good boy and waited for us all day while we worked in the city. He never had accidents until this past week. The elder years really crept up on us. And, for anyone who knows what I'm talking about, this was the stage of denial for us. We didn't want to see the grey under his chin, or his little leg shaking, or his eyes slowly changing to silver. We wanted to believe he was always going to be okay. But, we noticed lumps were starting to take over his little body. That was something we could not deny. He was constantly thirsty and cried at night because he couldn't get comfortable--he would shift and move from room to room hoping to find a comfy spot. One night this week, he was up all night whimpering (I gladly stayed up with him--he stayed up with us when we were out and about as a younger couple, so it's only right). This weekend, he was up again whimpering at 4:30am until around 8am. We alternated taking him out and giving him cookies, water and anything we thought might satiate him. But, he continued to cry and yelp in what we think was pain. The next few hours got worse, and that's when we called Hoboken Animal Hospital. My husband made the call in private, and then we gently hugged all three of us, and drove to Hoboken. It was not an easy ride. We were hysterical the whole way there, and each took turns holding our puppy and giving the last bit of love we could give. The rest of the story I will spare the details, as this is where the moment is very private and unique to each individual. I hope our experience helps you in your situation, and have faith that you can find the strength and courage to make a choice that is appropriate for you. We struggled with the decision, but the support and space we were given at Hoboken Animal Hospital is what I find comfort in. They were present throughout his life to also share the ups and downs of our sweet Mr. Lucky and I feel very fortunate to have had the pleasure to work with them in making the right choices for the quality of his life. Read Less