Re: Letting Go vs. Prematurely Taking a Life

Alice Steinke (alicest@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net)
Fri, 10 Jan 1997 22:06:36 -0600

You do bring up a good point as well. I do know that this mare lived 5 or 6
years longer than anyone ever thought she would. She always said with any
animal she kept alive, she could kind of tell that it wanted to live and
that she would know if it didn't. I dont' know if this is true, but
sometimes we do need our animals to stay alive for us. If we put them down
then we wonder if we shouldn't have. There is never a right answer.

alice

>How are we to know if someone (animal or human) is suffering, and how much
>is too much? They don't always tell us, and sometimes when they do, their
>perception (or ours) isn't always accurate. I have plenty of patients
>(human) who are old, skinny and so arthritic that it takes them quite a
>while to get moving in the morning, who are fiercely opposed to the "Right
>to Die" legislation in Washington state. Some people that you would think
>were suffering alot and were ready to die, aren't. Some other patients, who
>you would think have every reason to live, want to die and we in the ER, of
>course can't let them. This issue has become so grey, that the only way I
>feel I can be sure my old Granny Peach (36 this year) is ready to go is when
>she stops enjoying her feed, stops playing with the foals, basking in the
>rare winter sunshine and/or just lays down and doesn't even try to get up?
>Every winter I think is going to be her last, and she still keeps going.
>Five years ago, I bought her a really nice, expensive winter blanket because
>I was sure she was dying. I changed jobs, moved to a warmer climate, have a
>new vet, different feed, and this year she's fatter, and more sleek and
>shiny than ever. Who Knows????
>
>Happy Trails,
>
>Patty and The Roan
>
>Rainbow Paso Fino Ranch
>4331 Garden Spot Rd.
>Clayton, WA 99110
>
>
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Alice Steinke
Willie (15 pound 3 yo red wire), Lacie (7 yo schnauzer mix), Sandy ( 6mo
cocker puppy)
Turbo, the cat
Hannah and Chester, the horses

If I ruled the World, Every Day would be the First day of Spring.
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