of being pain free either. I have had many, loving critters and have only had the unfortunate experience of taking 2 to the vet to be put down. One, (a rescue cat with leukemia before they had the vaccine and fought his death sentence for an abnormally long time) and the other a very elderly dog that was diagnosed with dementia.
The cat, I wasn't even sure made it to the vet since he was so weak when I started off and the vet was closed at the time except for emergencies, They asked if I wanted to come in and be there but I declined because I really thought "Tom" was already gone.
The only other good friend that I tried to ease the death experience for was our dog, "Toto," but I am pretty sure I did him no favor. He was on his death bed and I knew it so I rushed him to the vet to ease his pain. I stayed with him and it was horrible. The vet (and these are usually excellent vets) couldn't fine a vein that was big enough to deliver the drugs but refused to give up and kept prodding him even as I begged them to quit and just give some pain medication. They finally got it but it was absolutely horrid what he went through beforehand and I am not sure I could ever go through that again.
Luckily for me, with most of the other pets I have owned deaths have been (although always traumatic for us) sudden and (at least seemed) relatively pain free.
I am very saddened by your loss but do think that you shouldn't blame yourself for not putting him down earlier. He may well have been happier going naturally with your comforting hand beside him.
We always try to do the best for out friends, unfortunately, we don't always know if we succeeded. This much I do know, the know that we tried our best.
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