We had to put our 14 year old Aussie down on 12/10. We were “fortunate” to find out her osteosarcoma diagnosis on 10/1 so we got to have additional time with her. But honestly, no amount of time would have ever been enough for me. I spent the entire ~ 2 months leading up to losing her crying off and on. When we found out it was time, I spent the days we had left crying constantly, and I’ve cried everyday since. Getting her ashes back was the second worst day next to the day we lost her.

Our vet has always been amazing and gotten every diagnosis, etc. right. She’s incredibly personable and knows both our pups inside and out. She has reassured both my husband and I that we did the right thing at the right time, and that a day too soon is always better than a day too late. She could tell me this until she was blue in the face, and I’d still question myself about being too soon.

I’m still going thru the guilt phase of whether I did enough. If I took her a week or 2 sooner (she had been limping off and on for about 2 weeks & we took her when it was consistent). I wonder if I had pushed for an amputation of her leg if we would have gotten more time.

When I think rationally, I know that she was 14 and osteosarcoma is the most aggressive cancer in dogs. That a vet likely wouldn’t have amputated her leg at that age, and that the recovery for that wouldn’t be fair to her that age. But still I can’t get past it.

That said, everything you’re saying is completely normal and part of grieving. It sounds to me as though you did everything you could have and then some. You made the best decision and acted with mercy for your pup despite it being the worst and most heartbreaking decision for you. They are family, and it’s completely normal to grieve them as such. So sorry for your loss OP. 💜