Dog: Euthanize or not (yet) - tough call

tommytee

Hi Folks,
this has caused a lot of anxiety over the past few weeks, and looking for impartial advice.
We have a 17yr old dog that we inherited about 8 yrs ago, unfortunately he was not as much of a house dog as we would have hoped for, but he enjoyed great walks, plenty of food and a warm bed.
Now at 17yrs of age there are a number of heath issues,
the negatives:
1)skin, loss of approx 30% body hair, was treated with injections and tablets, cleared up but keeps reoccurring. Vet not keen on biopsy due to pain and general anesthetic at that age.
2) teeth, back ones are not good according to vet.
3) arthritis in hind legs,
4) almost bind and deaf, can see some outlines, and moves around his surroundings well but bring him somewhere new and its not nice looking at him so nervous.
5) hearth murmur
6) had a couple of seizures last summer, one in front of the vet, none since that we know of, they indicated a possible tumor but my gut feeling is that he was stung by something.
6) doesn't care where poops or pees, not a major issue unless hes in house so he's in and out on the hour.

he now spends most of his day sleeping, walks are not really enjoyable as he cannot see kerbs/path and going unsure of his footing, hence slow.
the positives:
1) still is lively when shown attention but tail rarely wags now
2) super appetite
3) loyal as hell.

Our previous dogs had to be put to sleep due to heart size and cancer, they were easy decisions, but not a dry eye in the house nevertheless. Also with old dogs I now realise that kennels don't suit them, he got colitis after one and the hair loss after another trip- probably stress related.

we have him booked in for his last visit tomorrow, the idea is that we are not going to wait for a catastrophic event to happen and then have regrets on euthanize, his quality of life is just not where I would want it.
On certain issues I am not decisive enough as I would like to be and this is one of them, are we rushing it or doing the right thing??
ta,
T

VonVix

There is a quality of life checklist you can go through, there are lots of various ones you can try if you do a Google search. Some others here may have a better one, but here's a link to one: https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/

Personally, I am 100% of the feeling it is better to put a loved pet to rest a day too soon than a day too late.

Morpheus

So sorry for you, but this is the burden we take on when bringing a pet into the our lives, a dog will be in your family for part of your life, but you will be his family for all of his.

As above poster said, better to be preemptive with good intentions, than to walk out and find him passed away, some cold morning, stuck half in and half out of his kennel - I say this with the utmost respect for what you're going through, but sadly also through heartbreaking recent firsthand experience. were currently house training his slightly younger companion as the younger dog has been desperately lonely without him and needs much more attention from us.

Big C

If you have to ask then it's time to let go.

VonVix

VonVix wrote: »

Personally, I am 100% of the feeling it is better to put a loved pet to rest a day too soon than a day too late.

This is very true. Theres few things sadder than the sight of a dog who knows his time is nearly up

sadie1502

But he doesn't sound like there isn't life in him. Is he enjoying his walks and food and is lively I wouldn't be able to.

ITgirl73

I had to make the decision recently 17 year old dog. Eating & drinking up to the last day. She lost the use of her hind legs, blind but she had great spirit & like you I agonised over decision. I didn't even expect to lose her on that day but in the end I knew the fight had gone out of her & the kindest thing to do was let go. I always thought I would never be able to do it but they let you know when they are ready & it is the last act of love that you can do for them. A good vet (mine was a great help to me) will advise you. Don't second guess whatever decision you make. Go with your gut. The end was peaceful in my case although I still cry a month on missing then but the onus is on us to make the best decision for them. Don't rush in but look at the dog, discuss with vet & you will know what to do. Best Wishes

ITgirl73

Just a follow up as I know this is very hard for you. My dog had heart problems but for the last two weeks she was walking & eating normally again. Then the day before she died she refused to go for her walk. She had her dinner & took her heart tablets. I took her to vet as I was worried & he gave her steroid injection. Unlike previous times the injection had no effect. Took her back the following day they gave her another steroid injection at 9 am. No impact again so that was my first indication that we were in trouble. I brought her home she slept a lot & when she was awake she had no interest it was like she did not know us. She took a drink but then collapsed could not walk & head went to one side. So I knew then. Try if it is suitable a steroid injection- if it improves the situation well you might have more time. But if like me you get any clue or indication that there is suffering or injection has no impact well you will make the right decision then. I agonised so I know how hard it is & I had no inclination the night before that it was our last night. Talk to your vet hopefully they are supportive. They can't make the decision for you but they can highlight areas that you need to consider.

tommytee

thanks all,
I gave it serious thought last night and realised i am not ready for Rusty to be PTS and the reason I am not ready is because he is not at the end of his journey yet. Yes he has health issues but not to the point that he's in serious pain or discomfort. There is just too much life in him to cut it short at this point in time. he got his steroid and antibotic (for skin) that worked the last time, hopefully it will do same this time. From the moment i walked into the vets this morning I knew I had made the right decision, the vibe from staff, other people i spoke to, even the weather etc. So Rusty is with us for a bit longer, @ITgirl73 that's a tough break,but at that point you had no choice and did the only thing you could, I look at rusty and see him move well for a 17yr old albeit between sleeps, even got him out for a light stroll this evening. After reading opinions and experiences of others and trusting my gut, I think i've made the right call,
thanks
T

ITgirl73

tommytee wrote: »

thanks all,
I gave it serious thought last night and realised i am not ready for Rusty to be PTS and the reason I am not ready is because he is not at the end of his journey yet. Yes he has health issues but not to the point that he's in serious pain or discomfort. There is just too much life in him to cut it short at this point in time. he got his steroid and antibotic (for skin) that worked the last time, hopefully it will do same this time. From the moment i walked into the vets this morning I knew I had made the right decision, the vibe from staff, other people i spoke to, even the weather etc. So Rusty is with us for a bit longer, @ITgirl73 that's a tough break,but at that point you had no choice and did the only thing you could, I look at rusty and see him move well for a 17yr old albeit between sleeps, even got him out for a light stroll this evening. After reading opinions and experiences of others and trusting my gut, I think i've made the right call,
thanks
T

You made the right decision. Trust your gut & enjoy him. Keep us posted - best wishes

happyday

tommytee wrote: »

thanks all,
I gave it serious thought last night and realised i am not ready for Rusty to be PTS and the reason I am not ready is because he is not at the end of his journey yet. Yes he has health issues but not to the point that he's in serious pain or discomfort. There is just too much life in him to cut it short at this point in time. he got his steroid and antibotic (for skin) that worked the last time, hopefully it will do same this time. From the moment i walked into the vets this morning I knew I had made the right decision, the vibe from staff, other people i spoke to, even the weather etc. So Rusty is with us for a bit longer, @ITgirl73 that's a tough break,but at that point you had no choice and did the only thing you could, I look at rusty and see him move well for a 17yr old albeit between sleeps, even got him out for a light stroll this evening. After reading opinions and experiences of others and trusting my gut, I think i've made the right call,
thanks
T

It shows how much you love your dog. You've gone with your gut feeling and it sounds like you have done the right thing. You'll know in your heart when that day comes. Wishing you and Rusty all the best.

sadie1502

I'm so happy I was waiting to see the out come and I'm delighted for you both. Still life in rusty older few problems but who wouldn't have at that age still life in the old dog yet. This made my day. Brilliant news.

Rainbow Kitty

It's such a hard decision to make, my staffie has a nasal tumour and I just hate to see how much he has changed, he is subdued and not himself at all. He can't breathe properly through his nose and is sneezing up blood. I have an appointment with the vet on Wednesday evening to PTS as I can't bear to see him suffer any more. The tumour has gotten so big that he has a huge lump between his eyes and it's starting to come down through his nose.
I dread that visit as I know I will be coming home without him. I'm glad that you made a decision that you are happy with, I think you know when the time is right.

happyday

Rainbow Kitty wrote: »

It's such a hard decision to make, my staffie has a nasal tumour and I just hate to see how much he has changed, he is subdued and not himself at all. He can't breathe properly through his nose and is sneezing up blood. I have an appointment with the vet on Wednesday evening to PTS as I can't bear to see him suffer any more. The tumour has gotten so big that he has a huge lump between his eyes and it's starting to come down through his nose.
I dread that visit as I know I will be coming home without him. I'm glad that you made a decision that you are happy with, I think you know when the time is right.

My heart goes out to you Rainbow. Such a sad day. :-(

tommytee

Rainbow Kitty wrote: »

It's such a hard decision to make, my staffie has a nasal tumour and I just hate to see how much he has changed, he is subdued and not himself at all. He can't breathe properly through his nose and is sneezing up blood. I have an appointment with the vet on Wednesday evening to PTS as I can't bear to see him suffer any more. The tumour has gotten so big that he has a huge lump between his eyes and it's starting to come down through his nose.
I dread that visit as I know I will be coming home without him. I'm glad that you made a decision that you are happy with, I think you know when the time is right.

thats real tough, to see something get a hold on him like that, our previous jack russell was only 11 and was riddled with cancer, it progressed real quick on her, P2S was prompt and had to be done, no indecision or questioning, just pain and lots of it. you'll bounce back in time - when you are ready. You've done all you can.

tommytee

After 4 months from my initial post Rusty was put to sleep tonight , Sedated at first then the main injection, very humane way to slip off.
He was a warrior to the end and over 17yrs old. Sleep well Rusty, you'll be sadly missed.

jellybear

So sorry for your loss tommytee.

Sleep tight Rusty x

123shooter

tommytee wrote: »

After 4 months from my initial post Rusty was put to sleep tonight , Sedated at first then the main injection, very humane way to slip off.
He was a warrior to the end and over 17yrs old. Sleep well Rusty, you'll be sadly missed.

I am sorry for you mate. I have lost 4 over the years and it hurts like hell as you know now.

Things slowly get better but I know that's no consolation just now.

happyday

Sorry to hear that Tommy. It's so hard when that day comes. I wondered how you were getting on.

Knit wit

Sorry for your loss Tommy.

TG1

So sorry to hear this tommytee I was lurking in the thread at the time as we were coming to the same conclusion about our 15yr old furry family member. We put him to sleep a month ago and while it's just awful, I know it was 100% the right thing to do for him.

Thinking of you, it's a tough time, but just keep thinking of the great life you gave him.

Bushmanpm

It must be so hard right now but you chose to give Rusty an extra four months with you. To him, that was an extra two dog years.
Sorry for your loss.

The Rainbow Bridge
(Taken from Wikipedia)

The story tells of a lush green meadow located just "this side of Heaven" (i.e., before one enters into it). Rainbow Bridge is the name of both the meadow and the adjoining pan-prismatic conveyance connecting it to Heaven.

According to the story, when a pet dies, it goes to the meadow, restored to perfect health and free of any injuries. The pet runs and plays all day with the others, there is always fresh food and water, and the sun is always shining. However, it is said that while the pet is at peace and happy, they also miss their owner whom they left behind on Earth.

When their owner dies, they too arrive at the meadow, and that is when the pet stops playing, turns, sniffs at the air and looks into the distance where they see their beloved owner. Excited, they run as fast as they can until they are one jump away from their owner's arms. The pet licks its owners in joy while the human looks into the soft eyes of their pet -- who might have been absent on Earth, but never absent in their heart. Then side by side, they cross the Rainbow Bridge together into Heaven, never again to be separated.

tommytee

Thanks all, it nice to read these posts and if Rusty knew you guys were typing messages about him he'd be real chuffed, he never asked for much.
Looking at photos of him the decline in the past year was very obvious now but I think our minds and hearts mask things so we shy away from the reality,
I have attached a picture here of him aged 13 1/2 yrs, doesn't he look great.

Just before he went to sleep we here forehead to forehead and I looked deep into his cloudy eyes, he both knew this was the right time.

I can imagine Rusty in Rainbow Ridge alright, only interested in dogs 3 x his size, he suffered a little bit from small man(dog) syndrome and like to throw shapes only at the bigger dogs, God he was funny
anyways i wish you all health and happiness with your dogs, we've always had dogs and will do so again, just not a priority at the moment.
cheers all,

sadie1502

Awww so sorry for your loss. Little pet rest in peace.

Pawwed Rig

Sorry for your loss tommy. Remember the happy times

ThisRegard

We've found ourselves in a very similar situation to tommytee. Our dog, around 15 years of age, got a new lease of life after it not looking so good a while ago, will be put to sleep today.

Over the months he's been slowly going downhill, we think he had a stroke about 2 months ago. I brought him to the vet at the time and was sure I'd be coming home without him. But he had bloods taken and an antibiotic/steroid injection which seemed to do him good. He was back to having his walks (albeit short) again, bounding off footpaths, not a good idea as he'd forget his legs aren't great and sometimes faceplant.

But he had a turn for the worse again. He doesn't know where he is, what he's at, what's going on around him, very restless at times. I've had to free him when he's trapped himself in corners just facing the wall, or somehow stuck in tiny gaps between cupboards and walls. This morning I had to lift him from his bed when he was whimpering as he got stuck lying on his back and couldn't get over. Our other dog bumped into him and he yelped, either pain or fear.

It's no quality of life for the poor fella. What is troubling me a bit is that he's eating ok, but you have to literally stick his face into his bowl. So today he's having his favourite, chopped chicken breast.

kathleen37

I'm so sorry, it's so difficult. I keep photo's all around the house, so I can see them all the time. He'll always be with you.

Take care
x

Tony H

Hi im in the same position My 7 yeat old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with lymphoma yesterday , i noticed a swelling under his neck on friday night and by the time i got him to the vet on monday the lump had gotten fairly big ,
I prayed it was a blocked saliva gland but unfortunately it was not ,she found growths in 4 other sites and confirmed it was lymphoma ,
and it was agressive
at the moment he is on high dose steroids which have reduced the growth on his neck by quite a bit but the vet said all its doing is making him more comfortable
We are taking it day by day and if we see him suffering we will let him go , its so hard to make the choice
our last golden went at 14 yeats and this has come as a bolt out of the blue , a week ago we had a happy lunitic of a dog and now our Joey will soon be going to the rainbow bridge to Join our Charlie
Hopefully we will get the timing right and let our Joey go with dignity and all my familys love for all the love and loyalty he gave us over his short time with us
Thanks for reading .

jellybear

Oh my heart is breaking for you

So sorry you're going through this. Try to spoil him rotten and enjoy every minute with him.

Tony H

jellybear wrote: »

Oh my heart is breaking for you

So sorry you're going through this. Try to spoil him rotten and enjoy every minute with him.

Thanks jellybear , my whole family is devistated ,
Im a 57 year old guy and Im going between crying and anger , some people saw its only a dog but he has been there for us when times were bad and always made us smile with his crazy antics ,
at least the postman will be able to relax now , our postbox is outside and Joey had a habit of surprising him with a lusty bark just as he put the post in
I dont know if I can get another dog after this , I know dog have a short lifespan but to loose Joey in his prime is too hard to take .

PS
HEis been spoiled rotten he is getting treats and hugs and kisses all day and night and never left alone , we are taking turns sleeping next to him just like we dis when we were house training him not so long ago .

jellybear

Oh I completely understand how you're feeling.
We lost two of our dogs very young to cancer

Leia, our rough collie/alsation cross was 5 and our belgian shepherd, Zowie was 5. It is utterly heartbreaking and so, so unfair.

One of the biggest comforts I get is knowing what an amazing life they had as part of our family. They wanted for absolutely nothing and knew they were loved right up until the end.

Joey is so lucky you found him and he found you as God only knows what a crappy life he might have had but instead all he knows is love and friendship.

In time you may choose to add another member to your family when the time is right. We have had many dogs and it gets harder each time we have to say goodbye but again I just think of it as getting to give another dog an amazing life!

Tony H

jellybear wrote: »

Oh I completely understand how you're feeling.
We lost two of our dogs very young to cancer

Leia, our rough collie/alsation cross was 5 and our belgian shepherd, Zowie was 5. It is utterly heartbreaking and so, so unfair.

One of the biggest comforts I get is knowing what an amazing life they had as part of our family. They wanted for absolutely nothing and knew they were loved right up until the end.

Joey is so lucky you found him and he found you as God only knows what a crappy life he might have had but instead all he knows is love and friendship.

In time you may choose to add another member to your family when the time is right. We have had many dogs and it gets harder each time we have to say goodbye but again I just think of it as getting to give another dog an amazing life!

Thats a great way to look at it , must have been devestating to loose Zowie and Leia so young
Joey has had a great life with us , anywhere we went Joey came too even if it was only going to the shop , he lovea his spins in the car with us , he has travelled most of Ireland wit us ,
even now he's in the back waiting with me for my wife .

jellybear

Oh it was heartbreaking. We got Zowie after Leia passed away so two dogs in the space of 10 years...it was awful.

Awh he's gorgeous!! Plenty of cuddles and just enjoy every minute, as tough as it is.

happyday

Tony H wrote: »

Hi im in the same position My 7 yeat old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with lymphoma yesterday , i noticed a swelling under his neck on friday night and by the time i got him to the vet on monday the lump had gotten fairly big ,
I prayed it was a blocked saliva gland but unfortunately it was not ,she found growths in 4 other sites and confirmed it was lymphoma ,
and it was agressive
at the moment he is on high dose steroids which have reduced the growth on his neck by quite a bit but the vet said all its doing is making him more comfortable
We are taking it day by day and if we see him suffering we will let him go , its so hard to make the choice
our last golden went at 14 yeats and this has come as a bolt out of the blue , a week ago we had a happy lunitic of a dog and now our Joey will soon be going to the rainbow bridge to Join our Charlie
Hopefully we will get the timing right and let our Joey go with dignity and all my familys love for all the love and loyalty he gave us over his short time with us
Thanks for reading .

This is so sad. I have a beautiful 5 year old Golden Retriever so I really feel for you. He's lucky to have such a great family.

Hey! I said hey!

It sounds like he still has quite a good quality of life tbh. That might change if the fits get worse or more frequent in the future. I personally wouldn't put him down just yet. On the other hand I hate when people let the dog go on and on because they'd feel guilty. My mam refused to put down a dog who was 18, blind and deaf, fitting, and either lay staring off into space all day or wandered around in circles for hours on end and was completely incontinent because she thought 'it wouldn't be fair' to put him down. The poor fella had no quality of life for the last year at least