Euthanasia.
Off topic for a moment.

There are a few stories here about people having their pets put down. Mine amongst them.

From when she was diagnosed till her last breath it took my mum just over two years to die.
The last 6 mths. (as the cancer ate holes in her magnificent brain) it was clear to all & sundry, including my mum that there really wasn't any need to "treat" her.
Thankfully I managed to keep her at home (which was her wish) up until a week before she went into palliative care and died.

Yet I have had to take a few pets when they were in the same situation to the vets to get them euthanaised. Aside from the sadness and sorrow I had no qualms in ensuring that these animals were being killed in a way that caused them little or no pain and eased any suffering that they were going thru.

Now I know that the euthanasia discussion is not as cut and dried as I have suggested and I am in no way trying to represent a complete argument one way or another. But...
The fact that we'll unhappily provide a quietus for our suffering pets yet we will do almost anything to effectively prolong the suffering by means of trying to continue to treat them when they are deathly ill of our nearest and dearest kinda makes me wonder if as a species and society we are headed in the right direction.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Sun 3 Feb 2013, 6:22, 26 replies)

b3ta.com/funstuff/
(Brigadier an old boot sitting on a man's face - forever, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 10:18, closed)

lol

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 10:33, closed)

A well thought out & carefully considered
reply showing your usual innate amount of empathy and compassion about a complex and thought provoking topic.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Sun 3 Feb 2013, 22:33, closed)

Maybe Shambles mistook b3ta.com for an irreverent comedy website
Rather than one for discussing SERIOUS ISSUES OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Maybe you're a drongo. Possibly a galah. Definitely a dag.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 0:22, closed)

I like it when you talk
old-fashioned Aussie vernacular to me Plummy.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Mon 4 Feb 2013, 1:44, closed)

No. I definitely came here to read the dreary old veterinary analogy being drooled out by one of the fat miserables.
Didn't you?
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 10:42, closed)

I don't know a single medical profesional who is against euphinasia.
They all say "it's not quite as easy as that", but at the end, all their opinions lead to that it should be allowed in some cases. It seems like to me the only people who disagree are religious types, people who have never been in that situation, or philosphers/polititians/etc.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 11:44, closed)

^this

( finnbar has officially retired, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 12:29, closed)

I'm a medical professional and I am in full favour of euphemisms.

( 2 Can Chunder Word to your mums, I came to prod bums, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 1:05, closed)

Full flavoured euphemisms?
Woof!
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Mon 4 Feb 2013, 3:37, closed)

it's regrettably easy for many to imagine
That painkillers are magic pills that just work, and you can be medicated out of pain.
If your choice is between dipping your arms in lava, and painkillers that basically mean you can do little more than breath, as they affect thinking so much, it's not a good place to be in.

If you spot a lump, get along to the doctor fast!
This at least gives you choices.
Do not assume all chemo is as you may have heard of it.
It does not always these days have greatly debilitating effects.
(speedevil, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 12:11, closed)

Bloody does if its high dose chemo for bollock cancer old chap!!!
(spinks its only kinky the first time, Sun 3 Feb 2013, 17:46, closed)

Whilst a medical professional should never do anything to primarily shorten life they don't always have to give life prolonging treatment.
Generally the argument used is that the treatment is not in the patient's 'best interests'.
Pain relief and sedation can be given when these may shorten life as long as the intention is not to shorten life but to treat pain or agitation.
After Dr Shipman I can't ever see doctors being given powers to end life and it rather goes against the hippocratic oath.
( 2 Can Chunder Word to your mums, I came to prod bums, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 1:13, closed)

I think you're allowing your professional training and experience to muddy the issue here.
Cos like cats are like totally like people and like vets kill cats so herp derp sentiment twaddle herp derp innit.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 10:46, closed)

If the doctor told you that he was going to
off your old gran because it'd be cheaper and less hassle for all concerned, I could imagine quite a bit of fuss being kicked up.
I'm not against euthenasia in principle, but I am against a change in the law that would make it OK to kill people. I'm not so concerned about animals being killed, given that they're not people.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 10:57, closed)

BUT FWUFFY KITYINZ IS PEEPIL!!!

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 11:15, closed)

Depends which charity you donate to really.

(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Mon 4 Feb 2013, 11:53, closed)

I'm starting to think that this is all just a carefully orchestrated campaign
to induce a stroke in the good Dr. S.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 13:41, closed)

Why would I masturbate about the intellectual failings of an internet joyvoid?

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 15:25, closed)

Is it just me, then?
I've rubbed it raw. :(
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 16:11, closed)

Would you like Uncle Shambles to kiss it better?

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 18:22, closed)

You don't really need to ask, y'know.

( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 19:46, closed)

I have seen both sides of this argument...
my Mum died of pancreatic cancer and it was a slow horrible lingering way to go. My Uncle also had cancer (kidney) and was able to choose the option of euthanasia. In Holland there was a point where it wasn't illegal and you could choose early on in the diagnosis whether you wished to have this option later on.

He used this option later but on the first 'scheduled' death he chose not to as he wasn't ready. A week later he decided he was and then passed away. From a personal perspective it was strange knowing the time and date that my uncle would die.

N.B Not sure if this is still the case in Holland but this was about 12 or 13 years ago.
(Studentken is looking for motivation on, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 12:02, closed)

"Where should I post about my mother's harrowing death from cancer and my views on euthanasia?"
*thinks*
"I know! I'll make it an answer to 'tell us your funny pet stories' in an anecdote competition on a puerile website"
(cs1ca, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 12:24, closed)

If only there were a board where /qotw-ers could go off topic...
/talk, perhaps?
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 13:42, closed)

He's turned his mother's painful death into a 'funny' story about a pet
That's fucked up, wherever you put it
(cs1ca, Mon 4 Feb 2013, 15:38, closed)