Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Time to think about euthanasia

Jellybean (my betta fish) has been sick for some time now, and today he's looking really bad. On Saturday, he looked constipated again (bulging in front of the anus--but that could also be another tumour) so I'm trying the standard treatment of fasting for a few days and then feeding pieces of a cooked pea (for fibre), which really helped last time. But this time not only is he spending virtually all of his time lying at the bottom of the tank, he is having trouble swimming. When he comes up for air, he has trouble staying upright, sort of staggering all over the place, as though maybe his swim bladder has been affected.

It really looks like the time for euthanasia will be soon (if it hasn't come already). I hate the thought, and my son got furious when I explained that I will have the euthanize Jellybean soon, and what that means. He says I can't because I'm a vegan, and vegans don't kill animals. He wants Jellybean to die "normally".

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who has had to make the euthanasia decision; I've had to make that choice once before. It doesn't get any less painful.

Originally posted on the late great Vegan Porn.