As a pet nears the end of its lifespan, it can be incredibly hard for the whole family.
One woman has shared her difficulty on Reddit after arguing with her husband over whether to put their terminally ill dog down or pay for treatment.
Reddit user u/SandalsAreUgly shared a post that explained her eight-year-old rescue dog Kaylee has incurable bone cancer.
It comes just two years after their 11-year-old dog Angela passed away with the same disease.
The woman said: "I am so deeply in love with Kaylee that it is hard to articulate my feelings about her. This dog is my life. Our life. Everything happily revolves around Kaylee.
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"Last month we learned Kaylee also has bone cancer. I could go on and on about how unfair it is that the universe hit us with this tragedy twice, but that's not the point of this post. She has about four months left.
"Hubby and I suffered deeply through Angela's eight-month decline, and I hate myself for trying to get her to hang on as long as possible.
"She was ready to go long before we were. I just cannot do it again."
The woman stresses that it isn't about money, and they do have pet insurance and savings aside to cover the treatment.
But recalling Angela's low quality of life after radiotherapy is enough for her to refuse to do it again.
She would like to have Kaylee peacefully put down at the vets, but her husband does not agree.
"I told my husband we need to let Kaylee go naturally and come to terms with reality as soon as possible," she wrote.
"He is absolutely furious at me for 'giving up' on her and says I'm already detaching from her and acting like it's over. He wants to 'give her a chance'."
The Reddit user admits she feels "nothing" watching Kaylee run around and play and is "detaching from her already".
She says the final moments of Angela's life will "forever haunt" her and doesn't want to delay the inevitable goodbye again.
"Part of me hopes Kaylee just dies in her sleep the night before radiation so she doesn't have to go through this," she said.
"I'm so lost in my maze of past and future heartache that I simply cannot see straight."
Many people agreed with her decision to not go through with radiotherapy, and shared their own "heartbroken" experiences.
One person said: "There is no reason to make the dog suffer. Enjoy her while she is still having good days. As you saw with Angela, you will be able to tell when she is ready to go.
"I have sat with a beloved dog holding him through the E process (euthanasia) and now I am tearing up although it has been years. Give your hubby time to adjust to the idea."
Another agreed: "If it's incurable, then why put the dog through treatments, just give her the best life possible for the remaining time."
Some advised her to speak to a vet and others suggested grief counselling to help minimise the stress on their relationship.
One vet shared their advice: "Book an appointment with your vet to discuss Kaylee's quality of life, treatment options and likely outcomes.
"Make the decision as a team. Let your husband have time to process the diagnosis and listen to his opinions."
Do you have a dog story to sell? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
