The Last Day Of The Dog Duke; Here We Tell Your Story

The decision to euthanize a pet is always a difficult one. We will always ask ourselves if it was the best option and we will struggle with doubts about leaving the pet alive at any cost or letting it go in peace. Today we will tell the story of the last day of the dog Duke.

who was duke

Duke was a black Labrador who lived with his human family in a home in Houston, Texas, United States.

A few years ago, he had been diagnosed with an osteosarcoma, which is a very common form of bone cancer in dogs.

To try to stop the spread of this disease, one of his front legs had been amputated, but even so the cancer had advanced to his ribs.

the best farewell

When the veterinarians considered that they could no longer do anything for the animal to bear its illness with quality of life, they communicated to Jordan Roberts, its owner, that the best option was to sacrifice it.

Faced with this irreversible situation, the Roberts family decided to say goodbye to their pet showing all their affection and making the last day of the dog Duke in this world to be special.

So they made him a lot of his favorite food: hamburgers. They also took him for a walk in a park where he threw himself into the water – the Labradors ‘ taste for this vital element is known – and he was pampered at all times by his loved ones.

Chronicle of the Duke Dog’s Last Day

The last day of the dog Duke was portrayed by photographer Robyn Arouty, a friend of the Roberts, who posted the material on her blog.

The story was quickly published on the BuzzFeed website and went viral on the networks, causing other people to report their dogs’ last day.

We leave the link to Robyn Arouty’s blog, in case you want to see the images of the farewell of the dog Duke.

What is canine osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer in dogs. It mainly affects the forelimbs, although it may also present in the axial skeleton.

This disease also damages neighboring tissues and metastasizes quickly through the blood. The most common organ of metastasis is the lung.

For the treatment, a combination of amputation and chemotherapy is used, seeking to avoid pain and offer quality of life to the pet.

This disease presents itself mainly in dogs of large size. According to statistics, the breeds most likely to suffer from osteosarcoma are:

• Great Dane;
• St Bernard;
• German Shepherd;
• Irish Setter.

Some considerations about the so-called dignified death

While we know that sacrificing a pet will allow it to stop suffering, it’s a very difficult decision to make. Veterinarians advise to practice it in the following cases:

• Advanced state of painful, chronic and irreversible illnesses such as cancer;

• Degenerative diseases such as myelopathy;
• Vital failures of some organs;
• Excessive damage due to a serious accident;
• Great deterioration in physical and mental condition caused by old age.

Rules for euthanasia in animals

The World Society for Animal Welfare (WSPA, for its acronym in English) signs it that the practice of euthanasia must meet certain standards :

• Absence of pain;
• That the medication given allows the animal to lose consciousness before its death occurs;
• The drugs to be applied must produce irreversible effects.

letting a pet go

Although we rationally have all the information that indicates that it would be selfish to want to keep our pet with us, prolonging its suffering, it is not easy to process the matter on an emotional level.

If it is difficult for adults, explaining the matter to children is no less simple task. All family members will have to add strength and courage and decide to let go of the pet.

Will be the memories of the good moments shared and the consolation that he was an animal loved and cared for until the last moment of his passage through this world, as was the case of the dog Duke.