The emotional highs and lows of having critters with serious health problems can take a toll on the human, not to mention the checkbook. I've had three simultaneously requiring lots of home medical care and trips to the doctor. It's exhausting!

In 2004, I lost 3 kitties within 7 weeks. None had been ill and all were lost from something different.

All of the above has made me somewhat paranoid about Fluffy not eating or acting a little off.

"You know, as bad as these last few months have been, I wouldn’t have given up having these animals in my life even if it meant avoiding this pain. They brought me that much joy."

So true.

It's been a bad few years here too. We lost our chi to heart disease last summer, our 24 year old hyperT cat last week to kidney failure and our 14 year old lab mix has degenerative myelopathy and Horners syndrome and the 13 year old beagle has cancer. She is also deaf and going blind. The youngest, our 13 year old cat is starting to drink a lot. So off to the vet to check for diabetes and kidney problems we go.
I also wouldn't have missed having them , despite how hard it gets at times. And as for my back lifting the 70 lb dog constantly , I keep muscle relaxers on hand always !

...is my 16-year-old Best Friend. He's an odd cat, probably owing to all the attention he got while growing up with all his medical conditions. Too big for his mama's womb, he was born with bilateral hip dysplasia & caude equine that required 3 different surgeries before the age of 2. Each time, I was allowed to bring him to work with me, rather than leave him in a cage all day. At night, I slept on the floor next to the crate.

I've had cats since I was 12 (57 now) & this one is different. TOTALLY tuned-in to me. Walks on a leash. Goes to the vet in a wicker basket, since he's too big for cat carriers - & he just sits there while strange people & dogs approach this Cat In The Basket. In the car, I lock his harness into the seat belt & he stares out the window while sometimes chattering. He's a Therapy Cat for a local nursing home. He's "not allowed" at the chemo infusion center because so many feign cat allergies. (But there are plenty of stinky lap dogs there...oh well.)

2 months ago, he went to the vet. Symptoms? He just didn't "look" right & I "felt" something was wrong. The vet found hyperthyroidism & severe arthritis from his old surgical sites. After a shot & a few days of meds, he stopped eating. Back to the vet, who gave him another shot. He's bouncing around like a kitten again! :)

We paid attention to our gut feelings & we have an extraordinary vet who is FABULOUS with cats. (IMO - most vets are good with dogs, not as many are good with cats.)

Oliver has been expensive. I wouldn't trade him for the world. And I had a long talk with him - he better not die on me yet. As an indoor cat, I expect at least 20 years out of him. (3 other cats are 14, 8 & 6. GSD is 3)

And I'll be a mental mess when I lose him. But he's enriched my life in so many ways.

the heartbreak...usually. I'm old(er) so I've been thru the "time to let them go" a lot. There are two that still make me cry, my heart cat who got cancer at 10, we did surgery, chemo and got another 14 months of good quality life to share. When we let her go it not only broke my heart, but, the heart of her best friend, a 6 pound puff of white fur mutt named Teddy. He only lived for a week after his kitty was gone, we'll never know what he really died from as he wasn't showing any signs of being ill and just slipped away one morning. I think he died of a broken heart. He spent the entire week looking for Punkin in all their favorite places. He even took to sleeping in her kitty bed with his paws wrapped around a stuffed baby seal. As hard as Punkin's death was on me it seemed even more difficult for Teddy.

My 2 guys died within 2 months of each other last year. One was expected; one was not. I was totally devastated and still cry when seeing a cocker spaniel that needs a home.

My cocker had been sick for years. Mickey, my terrier mix, was only sick toward the end. However, the love and closeness between us outweighed every other consideration. I'd do it 100 times over if they would come back to me.

Parenting pets is never easy; but it's always rewarding.

Ugh, please don't leave it to the pet sitter. We're just as emotionally invested as the owner. I've left several vet offices sobbing and unapologetic. I'm just a mess at this type of thing.

Got lucky last summer though. A client asked me to take their middle-aged cat to a vet because she was a bit off and they were heading overseas. Poor kitty was yellow with liver failure. I managed to catch them in customs and they cancelled their trip.

She was a wonderful kitty and they nursed her, best they could, for another 2 months. They now have a new, very special, sweet kitty that I'm caring for and send them pictures and emails regularly.

How lucky we are to have pets of all different personalities in our lives! They bring us joy, happiness and know when we are sad. To me as a med tech, it is also wonderful that we are able to euthanize our pets and not have to leave them to suffer until they die like we must for humans.
I've been there gently stroking my pet's muzzle while the first shot is given and continue stroking long after they are gone. My vet is wonderful in that all are allowed outside for this final service I can perform for my pet. They often stop for one more cuddle before their soul leaves. Their soul does come back for a visit from time to time, I cherish those moments also.

Please be reminded that is we are to called "pet parents" or" pet guardians" our ability to make a decision based on our knowledge of our pet will be be not allowed. They will be equal to human children and when was the last time you heard of deciding to euthanize a child instead of treating cancer? Please be careful what you wish for..........you just might get it. Leave pets as property so the people who know them best can make decisions about their health and well being. The owner and their vet.

maybe we ought to call veterinarians "pet pediatricians" then. Seriously, can't we leave the term "parent" to those who are the parents of human children and call pet owners "pet owners" instead of guardians or parents? I don't have human children and I never wanted human children. My pets aren't filling in for human children, I love and admire my dogs and other animals for who they are and have no need to humanize them. I have actually always preferred pets over having human children. I would have loved to take that survey, but I am not going to play into this pet parent stuff. The legal implications of not being considered the owners of our pets are scary. I will take a survey for pet owners, but not for pet parents, as that's not what I am.