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When to put my dog down???



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 21st 11, 07:50 AM
Junior Member
 
First recorded activity by DogBanter: May 2011
Posts: 1
Unhappy When to put my dog down???

I have a 15 year old Doberman/Beagle mix. Her name is Dakota and is a rescue dog. I have had her since I was a teenager and she has gone and done everything w/ me for her entire 15 years. She weighs about 45-50 pounds and is a good dog. But, she is almost completly blind now. She walks into walls, objects, when we try to let her outside we have to open the door wide or she ends up going in behind it, she also can't navigate our stairs w/o a light on and sometimes falls down some of them, she also walks right off the side of our porch sometimes. This is sad in itself, but she also has gone through bouts of weightloss. We have always managed to bring it back up. Most of her teeth are broken or rotted. She can no longer hold her bladder for more than an hour or so, when she has to go, she has to go. She no longer even tries to tell us. She doesnt yet go while sleeping or anything like that, she will get up and go to our kitchen and if we don't catch her then we have a mess to clean up. But, she is so depressed acting. All she does is sleep and when she is up and about she usually has her head slung low except if there is food and she perks up then. It is so sad to see a once vital, happy dog become this sad dog. My question to everyone is: when do I know enough is enough? My vet says as long as she eats she is not in pain, others say that when they become unhappy and no longer enjoy any part of life than it is time. I am conflicted. Part of me feels if she is not in pain than it is not right to take her life, but part of me feels like she is in pain, emotional pain. She's so sad and lifeless. But, is that enough to take her life. My vet says she is holding on for a reason and believes it is her loyalty to me. She has always gone everywhere (I mean everywhere) w/ me. I do not leave my home unless she is in the backseat of my car, even now at her age. The vet claims that she doesnt want to leave me. Could this be true? I keep hoping that someday I will wake up and find that she has past quietly in her sleep. But, I fear that will not happen and I ultimatly will have to decide. I hate this, can anyone give me any sound advice on this. I just am so torn on this whole subject and I can't keep ignoring it and hoping that nature will take it's course. I do not take this lightly and losing her will be terrible. But, am I doing more harm than good right now? Thank you in advance to anyone willing to touch on this subject.
  #2  
Old May 21st 11, 03:31 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,538
Default When to put my dog down???

On Sat, 21 May 2011 06:50:40 +0000, Jen1980
wrote:


I have a 15 year old Doberman/Beagle mix. Her name is Dakota and is a
rescue dog. I have had her since I was a teenager and she has gone and
done everything w/ me for her entire 15 years. She weighs about 45-50
pounds and is a good dog. But, she is almost completly blind now. She
walks into walls, objects, when we try to let her outside we have to
open the door wide or she ends up going in behind it, she also can't
navigate our stairs w/o a light on and sometimes falls down some of
them, she also walks right off the side of our porch sometimes. This is
sad in itself, but she also has gone through bouts of weightloss. We
have always managed to bring it back up. Most of her teeth are broken
or rotted. She can no longer hold her bladder for more than an hour or
so, when she has to go, she has to go. She no longer even tries to tell
us. She doesnt yet go while sleeping or anything like that, she will
get up and go to our kitchen and if we don't catch her then we have a
mess to clean up. But, she is so depressed acting. All she does is
sleep and when she is up and about she usually has her head slung low
except if there is food and she perks up then. It is so sad to see a
once vital, happy dog become this sad dog. My question to everyone is:
when do I know enough is enough? My vet says as long as she eats she is
not in pain, others say that when they become unhappy and no longer
enjoy any part of life than it is time. I am conflicted. Part of me
feels if she is not in pain than it is not right to take her life, but
part of me feels like she is in pain, emotional pain. She's so sad and
lifeless. But, is that enough to take her life. My vet says she is
holding on for a reason and believes it is her loyalty to me. She has
always gone everywhere (I mean everywhere) w/ me. I do not leave my
home unless she is in the backseat of my car, even now at her age. The
vet claims that she doesnt want to leave me. Could this be true? I
keep hoping that someday I will wake up and find that she has past
quietly in her sleep. But, I fear that will not happen and I ultimatly
will have to decide. I hate this, can anyone give me any sound advice
on this. I just am so torn on this whole subject and I can't keep
ignoring it and hoping that nature will take it's course. I do not take
this lightly and losing her will be terrible. But, am I doing more harm
than good right now? Thank you in advance to anyone willing to touch on
this subject.


Your vet is incorrect if he says that if your dog is eating she isn't
in pain. While many dogs that are in acute pain, such as just after
surgery, refuse food for a day or so, most dogs that are in chronic
pain, such as from arthritis, will continue to eat normally. If your
dog did stop eating, at her age, I would say that is a sign that she's
had enough of this life. Dogs don't always tell us when they're
ready, though, which makes it even harder for us. However, try not to
think of euthanasia as taking your dog's life, so much as giving her a
peaceful, painless death and freeing her from any pain she might be
in. When your dog is having more good days than bad days, if she
can't do most of the things that used to make her happy, then it's
time. I'm sure that she is very loyal to you, and it could very well
be that she's hanging on because she doesn't want to leave you. You
may need to reward her loyalty by telling her it's OK to leave, and
releasing her spirit from her old, worn-out body.
  #3  
Old May 21st 11, 08:13 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.health
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 479
Default When to put my dog down???

For the original poster........

After many years of living with dogs, I have to agree that it is only
fair to your old sweetie to tell her.... in real words.... that it is
alright for her to cross over that bridge. That you will join her when
your time comes, and she will have prepared the place the two of you
will share. That she will find comfort there. That because you see her
suffering, you will help her to make that transition and will be there
to hold her as she does. The act of saying these things will help You,
too.

As a child, you may have heard someone who was deeply religious say,
"Let go. Let God." You are letting God take over for you in caring for
her soul, now that her body is steadily failing her. A wise friend of
mine always says she has "sent [dog's name] to God."

I can't say that I think she will understand those words, but I believe
that many dogs understand the intent of the sounds. I think that dogs
know God, even if some of us don't.

You will feel horribly guilty if one of her falls results in injury or
death, and there is no dignity in that kind of death. There is great
dignity and caring when the loving owner(s) and the vet who has helped
them keep her healthy to old age and inability to enjoy life, assist
together in releasing her from her failing body.

Having had three old guys who lost sight and hearing, but plugged on, I
know how difficult it is to make the decision. Max "told" me when he
no longer carried his tennis ball, even when I put it against his lips.
Alvin and Fred "told" me when they barely ate two meals. For the rest,
I have had to make that decision. And regret Not having made it for two
(not-so-old) who died when I was not with them, but knew their time was
limited. I do not regret having made the decision for a mentally ill
(human-aggressive) dog that I could not help any longer, or the one who
would have suffered greatly and probably died without me there at the
vet clinic if I subjected him to surgery at an advanced age.

One friend always offers the old dog a wonderful meal (homecooked
chicken or some steak!) before heading to the vet clinic.... and tells
the dog that he wishes it had been possible to feed that way for it's
life. His own finances make this a huge gift.

I find myself releasing the old ones earlier and earlier, by weeks or
months from the inevitable, but before they have lost all joy and all
trust in me that I will do all to prevent their suffering. I currently
have a 15 yo lover boy who will probably not be here next winter....

But it is your decision. I have only told you how I and others face it,
to help you make your own decision.

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia

  #4  
Old October 15th 11, 07:16 AM
Member
 
First recorded activity by DogBanter: Oct 2011
Posts: 36
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jen1980 View Post
I have a 15 year old Doberman/Beagle mix. Her name is Dakota and is a rescue dog. I have had her since I was a teenager and she has gone and done everything w/ me for her entire 15 years. She weighs about 45-50 pounds and is a good dog. But, she is almost completly blind now. She walks into walls, objects, when we try to let her outside we have to open the door wide or she ends up going in behind it, she also can't navigate our stairs w/o a light on and sometimes falls down some of them, she also walks right off the side of our porch sometimes. This is sad in itself, but she also has gone through bouts of weightloss. We have always managed to bring it back up. Most of her teeth are broken or rotted. She can no longer hold her bladder for more than an hour or so, when she has to go, she has to go. She no longer even tries to tell us. She doesnt yet go while sleeping or anything like that, she will get up and go to our kitchen and if we don't catch her then we have a mess to clean up. But, she is so depressed acting. All she does is sleep and when she is up and about she usually has her head slung low except if there is food and she perks up then. It is so sad to see a once vital, happy dog become this sad dog. My question to everyone is: when do I know enough is enough? My vet says as long as she eats she is not in pain, others say that when they become unhappy and no longer enjoy any part of life than it is time. I am conflicted. Part of me feels if she is not in pain than it is not right to take her life, but part of me feels like she is in pain, emotional pain. She's so sad and lifeless. But, is that enough to take her life. My vet says she is holding on for a reason and believes it is her loyalty to me. She has always gone everywhere (I mean everywhere) w/ me. I do not leave my home unless she is in the backseat of my car, even now at her age. The vet claims that she doesnt want to leave me. Could this be true? I keep hoping that someday I will wake up and find that she has past quietly in her sleep. But, I fear that will not happen and I ultimatly will have to decide. I hate this, can anyone give me any sound advice on this. I just am so torn on this whole subject and I can't keep ignoring it and hoping that nature will take it's course. I do not take this lightly and losing her will be terrible. But, am I doing more harm than good right now? Thank you in advance to anyone willing to touch on this subject.
It's very hard to decide to put your dog down. We had to put our family dog when I was 13 years old and I cried for almost a month.
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Last edited by PickePekingese : October 15th 11 at 05:28 PM.
 




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