What should I do??

[Buzz]

What do you do when You have a pet thats Over 14 years old and is just going down hill before your eyes.??? And it Hurts to watch... Do you put him down or not???

[zfleebin]

Take the dog to a vet and get their opinion before doing anything. Earlier this year I had to put down my 16 standard poodle. She slowed down but still enjoyed life for a lot longer than I expected and when she started wheezing I knew it was her way of telling us she was ready. I took her to the vet to find out she had lung cancer and had fluid in her lungs. Ask the vet honestly what he/she thinks and describe the differences you have seen and they usually will give you an honest opinion. Losing a loyal pet is very hard I wish you and your pet the best.

[KeyserSoze]

If it's suffering do the humane thing and end it's suffering. Spend one last day and night with it and have someone help you to do the task.


Wish you the best and God Bless

[oldman2003]

Originally posted by zfleebin
...loosing a loyal pet is very hard I wish you and your pet the best.

amen.

I had a beagle for 18 years. one day I came home from work and my wife had him put down. I never forgave her. He was suffering. had cancer. thats why she did it (I didn't know about the cancer) I was hurt because I never had the chance to say goodbye. He was family. Years later she called from the vets office. said they had to put 'sally' (pet dog) down and asked if I wanted to bring our little girl to say goodbye. most heartbreaking thing you ever could see. A six year old girl sitting on the vets floor(waiting room) crying and petting her dog one last time. saying goodbye to her. not a dry eye in that office.....

I feel for you....

[yakimushi]

If your pet is in obvious pain, then you should consider euthanasia.

I would consider it an act of love and respect for something that has come to be a member of the family.

[bundy]

you have to euthanase it.
but only if a vet that you trust agrees.

i had to put down my 16 year old Border Collie a few years ago...

he´d been going down hill for about a year, which in a way, made it easier for us to say goodbye.

[Slims]

I would say treat it as well as you possibly can, and only euthanize it when you feel that if you were in your pets shoes, you would like to die. Just because a pet is in pain, doesn't mean it is unhappy, or that it is done living.

We just recently had to put my dog to sleep after probalby 15 years of companionship. Over the last two years, he started on a series of ups and downs. This last year, he went blind, got all kinds of (cancer?) cysts, developed arthritis, and got food allergies. Several times, he looked so bad that my parents called to tell me that they were probably going to put him to sleep in the morning, but each time he pulled out of it, and was relatively happy and healthy for the next couple months. He even collapsed and couldn't walk or eat for a couple days before magically getting better right before he was put to sleep. SO don't think that just because your dog is sick you need to put it to sleep right away, sometimes they can get better, or at least, get some more time.

[Mel]

awww don't put him down... =) make the last days of his life the best

[Averett]

I'm sorry to hear that Buzz.... Its such a hard decision to make. But if the animal is truly suffering, it would be for the best to put it down. Talk to your vet, see what you can do. It bothers me when people keep their animals living hopped up on medication for far longer than is humane. I understand it, but its hard.

We had our cocker Sandy for a good 10 years when we had to put her down. She was getting blind and disorientated. She wasn't eating, peeing all over. She would just look at us and wimper. The day we put her down my Mom and I sat there with her as the doctor gave her the injection. She licked both of our hands, as if to thank us.

Its never easy losing an anmial like that. Good luck.

[Rodney]

Yeah, like everyone else says. Do take him to the vet and see if there's anything easy to be done that will make life better; treatment for arthritis, etc. If not, it may be time. Have a nice day or night with him first, if possible. If not possible, 'twere best done quickly and with love.

One thing: if the vet prescribes "heroic" medicine at this point -- some kind of major operation -- turn him/her down and go to some other vet in the future. It probably won't work, will bewilder your pet and make its last days painful, and will cost you a lot of $$$.

I'm kind of smarting right now because we just two days ago had a cat die in the vet's office after anaesthesia given for a tooth exam. He (a 17-year-old) had been incredibly healthy, but after a recent infection the vet convinced us that the best thing was to give him "the works" (all possible diagnostic tests). And he died.

[jbrooks544]

If pet is obviously not happy, and vet doesn't have anything short of a $2,000 treatment that might not work, then you might consider putting him out of misery. For me and my cat it was obvious when the pet was losing so much weight - was probably cancer. Very sad. The cat was miserable and I feel I waited as long as possible and that the cat would have rather been asleep.

[Buzz]

Hi guys thanks for the support. Think we're going to give it a week or so. But it still don't look good. He's haveing more and more trouble getting up and back leg just don't seem to want to work.. One of the problems with golden's. the rear end...

[WhoaitsZ]

.... good luck, dude....

[badflsh]

We just had to put down our samoyed last wednesday. She, like your dog, was having a lot of trouble with her hind legs among other things.

Its a very hard thing to do but when the time comes it helps to realize that your dog has probably already lived much longer with you that it would have in the wild. I know that there is no way my dog would have been able to survive in the wild even several years ago. So although it feels like you are shortening a life, in reality you have probably already extended it.

Hopefully things will work out and you will have a little more time. I wish you the best.

I wanted to post this poem that one of my moms co-workers gave to her. The Author is unkown.

When the time comes...

If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And the pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this--the last battle--cant be won.

You will be sad I understand
But don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes,
Please, let me go.

Take me to where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agree
It is a kindness you do to me.
Although my tail its last has waved.
From pain and suffering I have been saved

Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do.
We've been so close--we two--These years.
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

[skysooner]

It was an easy decision to put down our 12 year old Lhasa Apso. He had been slowing down a bunch and had kidney problems, but he seemed to still get around okay. One day we went to church and came home and he had thrown up yellow bile all over and couldn't get up. The doctor said he had a raging infection and while he could fix it, it was more than likely it would reoccur soon. We couldn't stand to let him suffer like that and put him down. I don't cry often, but that was one time I did. It was my wife and I's first child and had been with us since just after we were married.

[krwlz]

We kept my dog around way to long in my opinion. But it was hard. In the end, senile as he was, he wandered into the road during a snowstorm (white german shepard...) and got hit. While easier, im not sure how much kinder it was. Then again, he prolly never knew what happened.

[tricks]

Quality of Life. If he's happy and not suffering, then let him be. If he's in pain or somehow not enjoying his life, then it's time. Often it's best for you and him.

My childhood dog, a 12 year old Lab mix, began having bloody discharge from both ends. Cancer. We put her down. My 13 year old cat, who I thought was the healthy one, suddenly had a hunchback one day. Cancer again. I had the growth removed but it came back. He got to where he couldn't walk and it was his time.

You should be able to tell when it's time.