Dog days

[RN4LaftR]

I really need some advice here. I hope someone can help me. Some lady I took care of a long time ago left her dogs to me in her will. The thing is, I hate dogs...especially little tiny dogs. One of these is old, blind, has only three legs, and the other one has diabetes, needing three insulin injections per day. It has a tumor on its scrotum and pees every time it wags its tail. Also, the first dog licks my face all the time while I am trying to sleep. I work nights at an LTC and was thinking that this dog would be a good companion for one of the residents.

Othwerwise, I am thinking of putting him down. What would you do?

[Jules A, MSN]

animal lover , but ur taking care of patients all day long then coming home and taking care of animlas ..... oh NOOOOO WAY!

i would drop them off at a shelter , as sad as that may seem but i would

Wow this is sad, just drop them off?

[nicenrse]

Wow this is sad, just drop them off?

I agree....there has to be a better option, this really saddens me, I say use the dogs for the residents, it seems the best solution and most compassionate idea.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Please, don't drop these dogs at a shelter. At their age, and in the condition they are in, they will no doubt be put to sleep by the shelter staff who, however kindly they may be, will still be strangers. These dogs have been loved and cared for their whole life by one person and to put them in a shelter when they are no doubt traumatized by the loss of their owner just makes me sad. My personal opinion is that these dogs also would not be a good fit for a care facility - especially with illness and incontinence issues.

I'm a huge dog lover but I honestly think the best thing for these two would be for you to take them to a vet and stay with them while they are put to sleep. At least they will be with someone who they have known for a while and they won't be as afraid. You could even have them cremated and put their ashes on the old lady's grave or something. If you can't keep them and care for them yourself, I honestly think this would be the kindest thing to do for these two dogs. Please don't send them off to an uncertain future someplace else.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Give them all to your local animal shelter, RSPCA (whatever it is called over there). Don't just give dogs to old people who may not be able to care for them. I know nurses/people who have done this and it was a disaster. Dogs need a lot of care. Your animal shelter will either farm them out to homes, or have them put down humanely.

You are only one person, you can't save the world, and you will get sick trying to work shiftwork and look after them. It's a big responsibility with one dog let alone three.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

We have a local shelter that does not put animals down, unless they're too sick to have any quality of life. They survive on donations, and have volunteer vets who treat their "charges." If there is such an organization nearby where the OP lives, I would suggest it as an option, but they are rare.

I think we should never forget the contributions made by four-legged companions to society. Here are two elderly dogs, small ones at that, who were an old lady's closest friends. Is it a fitting, just reward to discard them as "unwanted" or "nuisances" now that she's gone?

Nelson Mandela said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." The same is also true of how it treats its animals.

We, as nurses, know how it feels when our contributions are overlooked or disrespected.

But I have a deep suspicion of this OP! Still waiting to hear why they're sleeping on the bed; little critters have their own way of creeping into your heart

[Davey Do]

RN4LaftR:

I empathize with your situation. In fact, a Nurse/Friend of mine was in a similar situation. She said that she just took the dog out for some Chinese food.

I'm really not sure what she meant by that.

Dave