Hmmm... thinking back on what my vet told me with Nixon.... maybe she put it in some words that made it "ok" or maybe since I was in the office once or twice a week between two horses, two cats and two dogs, she felt comfortable saying more.

She says things that start like: "If it was my dog..." (if I remember correctly)

ETA: She never said, "you should put him down." but she made it clear somehow to me (I can't even pin down how) that she felt it was a good and right choice.