When To Put a Dog Down?

This is always a tough subject and I feel your pain. We just had to put down one of pointers who had lung cancer. She lived several months longer than expected and we decided a couple of weeks ago to put her down. This is a gift that we can give our pets that we cannot give other humans. We have had to put down at least six dogs and two cats over the years and it is always tough, but the vets make it very painless. I could always see it in their eyes when it was time. It sounds like your girl is there. So sorry.
 
Not easy at all. Last month I put my cat down of 14 years, like losing a child. Its never the "right" time and its going to be very hard for sure. She stopped eating also and dropped to much weight and had bad liver failure from not going to the bathroom. I did it at the vets with her in my arms, she was a stray/rescue mainecoone cat and I didnt want her to be put down alone. To this day I still think I see her out of the corner of my eye in certain spots of the house where she used to lounge in the sun. Whatever you deside its not an easy thing to do, but most of the time its the right thing to do, good luck to you.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. But unfortunately its a fact of life. My aunt and uncle are avid avid husky owners and i have watched some of there huskies do the same. And when huskies deteriorate they do it hard and fast. The best advice i can give having been through this is. Your dog will love you no matter what you choose. Best of luck with all. You are in our thoughts.

-Jhacker1
 
Euthanizing Pets


It is never an easy decision to make - and it is never easy to actually go through with it. I had to put down my big, black Labrador Retriever two years ago. He was fifteen, totally deaf, had lost thirty pounds in a matter of weeks, he was sufferering with cateracts and his right rear hip was giving out on him quite often. Every day got a bit more difficult for him, it seemed.

After an exam, the vet said it was "his time" and allowed me, my ex-wife and my son (who was 11 years old then) to make the final decision. My older female Lab passed away on her own (at 13 years of age) three years earlier and I feel that he missed her immensely. He thought she was his mother - or it sure seemed that way (although she was not). I asked the vet if her professional opinion was the same as her 'personal' opinion and she said it was. She had only seen one large Lab live beyond fifteen.

Even though we all got to say our goodbyes to "Rebel Boy" and felt as though he was ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge, it was a tough thing to do. Rest assured, that tears will flow like crazy and you will remember almost every moment you had together. We took him "home" to his back yard and buried him next to "Shadow Girl" -- so they could be together at rest.

I've seen traffic fatalities, homicide and suicide when I was a deputy sheriff....and putting down a pet was just as bad (or even worse); probably because it is essentially at YOUR hands rather than fate or an outside entity.

Good luck with whatever your decision will be. When it is "the time" to do it, something inside you will let you know. Those of us who have been in your shoes will understand and won't question your decision or your timing.


P.S. Click on the "Rainbow Bridge" text below and have some Kleenex handy:

The Rainbow Bridge Poem - A Pet Loss Poem
 
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"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil, or jealousy, or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring -- it was peace."

Milan Kundera


From my g-friend's blog when we had to put her trooper to sleep; not 6 months later I found his "cousin" abandoned on a forest road in the middle of nowhere. Peace be with you.

Mark
 
Mytoy4 said:
How is she doing?
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Honestly, she's doing okay. I decided to get her some non-healthy food just to get her to eat and she has eaten a little bit better since. I continue to give her aspirin to keep her pain free and she eats those. Losing her sight doesn't seem to bother her at all really, she gets around just fine and still hears really well. I actually even heard her howl at the neighbor dog the other day, so I think she's actually in pretty good spirits right now.

I am not holding out too much hope that she lives much longer, but at least she seems pretty happy.

Her legs continue to give her fits though, especially on the concrete, but she manages. She can still go to the bathroom okay, which is good.

Thanks for asking! We are enjoying the time we have left with her and she's getting even more special attention than normal, so she likes that.
 
I wouldn't really worry about the blindness too much. My last dog was 100% blind for the last 3 years of her life and has absolutely no issues due to it.
 
rfuree11 said:
I wouldn't really worry about the blindness too much. My last dog was 100% blind for the last 3 years of her life and has absolutely no issues due to it.
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Yeah, it doesn't seem to bother her much. Funny thing is, the cat now knows that Lucy is blind, so she'll wander through the backyard without a care in the world. There have been a number of strays that have met their demise in our backyard over the years, but no chance Lucy is catching a cat anymore, unless one walks up and jumps on her.
 
Good to hear! I agree with others, they do just fine being blind. My girl was blind for just a short time before she passed but she did really well figuring out how to move about.
You're loving her up and she's probably enjoying every bit of it! I'd be feeding her whatever she'd eat as well. What's it going to hurt?! :)
 
One thing that has helped me in times such as this is reminding myself that having these deep emotions for my dog is a good thing. It tends to mean that you are a good dog owner. You should remember that as people we are blessed to be able to give many dogs a"Dog's Life" and that we have given them the very best that we could. It makes me feel like I owe it to dogs to get another one as soon as I can, as long as it is the right one, although my dogs seem to pick me.
Be strong, and give your love freely.
My avitar is "Kitty" the dog, the love of my life!!
 
Mytoy4 said:
Just wondering how your girl is doing?
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You know, she has good days and bad (don't we all). Now that it's cooled off a bit, she seems to have a bit more pep in her step actually. She has also started to eat a little bit more than she was, so that has to help too. I continue to give her aspirin in the morning and I really think that helps.

There are days where I have to help her up in the morning off of the slick patio, but normally she'll get up okay and make her way around the yard. She has really gotten used to being blind I think and it doesn't seem to bother her that much. She does get startled a bit when you come up and pet her, even when you talk to her as you approach her. But, overall, I think she's still relatively happy and I am doing what I can to keep her pain to a minimum.

Thanks for asking.
 
Husker Z said:
You know, she has good days and bad (don't we all). Now that it's cooled off a bit, she seems to have a bit more pep in her step actually. She has also started to eat a little bit more than she was, so that has to help too. I continue to give her aspirin in the morning and I really think that helps.

There are days where I have to help her up in the morning off of the slick patio, but normally she'll get up okay and make her way around the yard. She has really gotten used to being blind I think and it doesn't seem to bother her that much. She does get startled a bit when you come up and pet her, even when you talk to her as you approach her. But, overall, I think she's still relatively happy and I am doing what I can to keep her pain to a minimum.

Thanks for asking.
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This is an upsetting thread but I'm surprised I missed it; we just recently had similar issues with our 1/2 Husky 1/2 GSD. It's hard to know when the time is right but luckily it sounds like things picked up with your dog, as did with ours.

The best thing you can do is work with your vet. If they get to a point where they've done all they can do and the dogs quality of life is shot, there you go. It's painful either way; to let them go on like that or to put them down.

I hope she continues to do better. As for the eating, we were giving ours vanilla ensure (they also make something called Dogsure but it's the same thing when you look into it) and she would drink that a few times a day. The vet had given some pills to help with appetite but we've since run out and she seems to be okay. Mix the food with as much appetizing stuff as you can, be patient and really cater to the dog. The amount of weight ours lost is scary, but she eats a little bit.

Good luck, I hope you do not have to make such a decision in the future.
 
Boy, this is tough subject for sure. I've had to go through this twice - once in your circumstances (having to evaluate when) and another time was very sudden.

I worked with my vet and she was more than open to coming to my house when I thought the time was right. Sam was a 15 years old female black lab - had her from 6weeks - and had suffered weight loss, loss of interest in the things (and appetite), and was having trouble seeing and even maintaining stability when walking. Especially on tile floors.

We took one last walk to her favorite field - we laid down - and I balled my eyes out with her - thanking her for all the great times she afforded me AND being my mothers go to soul during her terminal illness. She got a few milk bones too :). When I got back home I called the vet and had her come down. In the mean time Sam went to her place under the window, next to my bed and went to sleep. When the vet arrived, she gave Sam a sedative to keep her calm (she actually never woke up all that much), and then put her down. I held her as she took her last deep breath and it was over.

Very peaceful, and I knew it was the right time. You will too - even if you don't think so now.

I'm so glad things happened at home.

Best of luck - it's a hard choice - but the fact that you even chose to ask advice speaks volumes for the type of pet person you are, and guarantees that you'll do right by her.

PS - Atlanta Man, sorry to hear.
 
Well, we were able to spend a few quality weeks with Lucy, but tonight we had to put her down. Her poor legs finally gave up on her and I could not watch her suffer any more. We all gave her a bunch of hugs and said goodbye. It's a sad night at our house, but I know it's for the best and it makes me happy to know she will be able to be with Norm again and be able to run around like she used to.

Thanks again everyone for the kind words and thoughts. We really loved her and will miss her dearly..
 
Ahhhh, sorry to hear Husker, tough decison to make but it sounds like you did the right thing. Its going to be a tough night/couple of days ahead. Good luck to you, sorry for the loss.
 
Mtn.Rush said:
Ahhhh, sorry to hear Husker, tough decison to make but it sounds like you did the right thing. Its going to be a tough night/couple of days ahead. Good luck to you, sorry for the loss.
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Thanks my man. Love having pets but this is the crappy part.
 
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