I probably looked pretty silly to the vet as I hugged my baby girl Daff. I never looked up once at the vet while I was there, just kept my eyes on Daff. My stepson Kaleb, who did Whitney with us last year was with us and he and I cried our eyes out. My wife had to be the strong one. My wife paid the bill and we had the funeral a couple of days later. She was an Akita and my "fishing dog". She loved the Sierras, especially swimming in the canals and North Lake. Long live Daphne.
QS - In our family, it's cats, but the emotion is the same.
We had 6 cats for a long time. Then, beginning Nov. 2002 and ending this past autumn, we had to put down, each in their turn over time, 5 of the 6 (the other one ran off in early 2002 and never returned), starting with our favorite one who had cancer at a too-young age. For the first one, both of us were there, hugging on the cat (who was ready to go), and touching him continually while the vet did the deed (we had a long history with our vet, too). It was very hard, and when we buried that one, I cried my eyes out (as did my wife).
For the remaining 4, my wife was either away or couldn't handle going through it again, so it fell to me to be with each of those at the vet and to then bury them at our farm.
While the emotional impact of the final 4 wasn't quite as severe as the first one (cuz he was a very special personality), it still didn't make it any easier. So I am totally empathetic to what you had to go through. Our pets are truly part of our family.
And no, I'm sure you didn't look silly to the vet. Any good vet is very sympathetic when this has to be done. Many of them have pets of their own, being animal lovers themselves, and I'm sure they have had their times of loss too. Our vet has always sent us a pet sympathy card each time.
CaT
