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Your opinion on dog's condition - should it be put down?
My friend has a 12 year old dog that's clearly having problems. It's
consistenly incontinent - both #1 & #2, which I witnessed and helped clean up last night. I last saw the dog a few months ago and since then it's obviously developed some problems walking and his hind quarters have atrophied noticeably. She says it's due to arthritis. His rear legs have a very stilted gait and tremble when his weight is on them. He seems to gets a little better when he moves around for a while. The dog has always had a somewhat hyperactive personality and her personal circumstances dictate that the dog has to spend a large portion of it's life in a large cage. I can't imagine sitting around like that is helping his condition. The only dog I've ever had was out of my life when it was still young so I have no experience with caring for an old dog. Any thoughts? |
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Your opinion on dog's condition - should it be put down?
"HiC" wrote in message ... My friend has a 12 year old dog that's clearly having problems. It's consistenly incontinent - both #1 & #2, which I witnessed and helped clean up last night. I last saw the dog a few months ago and since then it's obviously developed some problems walking and his hind quarters have atrophied noticeably. She says it's due to arthritis. His rear legs have a very stilted gait and tremble when his weight is on them. He seems to gets a little better when he moves around for a while. The dog has always had a somewhat hyperactive personality and her personal circumstances dictate that the dog has to spend a large portion of it's life in a large cage. I can't imagine sitting around like that is helping his condition. The only dog I've ever had was out of my life when it was still young so I have no experience with caring for an old dog. Any thoughts? Its a personal decision thats very hard to make. Someone here helped me decide when it was time to put Old Dog Rexer down (I think melinda was the one who made the suggestion) and her suggestion was to think of the dogs three favorite things (with rexer; eating, riding in the car, playing with Kavik) and when he can no longer do at least two of those, its a good time to consider putting him down. I decided it wasnt time yet after that excellent advice - he could still eat and play with the puppy (he didn't like going down the stairs to the car though). Laterl he got very sick and never recovered enough to walk and then there was no quality of life, and we put him to sleep. It was still a crappy decision. I'm wondering if the dog you describe has DM and not arthritis - although obviously I'm not a vet and can't diagnose him even if i saw the dog in person but the incontinence makes me wonder. |
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Your opinion on dog's condition - should it be put down?
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Your opinion on dog's condition - should it be put down?
On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:48:57 -0800 (PST), HiC
wrote: My friend has a 12 year old dog that's clearly having problems. It's consistenly incontinent - both #1 & #2, which I witnessed and helped clean up last night. I last saw the dog a few months ago and since then it's obviously developed some problems walking and his hind quarters have atrophied noticeably. She says it's due to arthritis. His rear legs have a very stilted gait and tremble when his weight is on them. He seems to gets a little better when he moves around for a while. The dog has always had a somewhat hyperactive personality and her personal circumstances dictate that the dog has to spend a large portion of it's life in a large cage. I can't imagine sitting around like that is helping his condition. The only dog I've ever had was out of my life when it was still young so I have no experience with caring for an old dog. Any thoughts? Diddy, a poster I respect, said, "I feel an owner must be ready before letting go. This owner obviously doesn't feel it's "time" yet, and I have to support that." Agreed, this owner is not ready. However, in my opinion, she should have been ready before now. Reasons for euthanasia: 1. 12 year old--not ancient, but most of his life is behind him. 2. consistenly incontinent - both #1 & #2--I can't believe this is how he wants to exist. 3. hind quarters have atrophied--nothing pleasant about that 4. has to spend a large portion of it's life in a large cage.--borders on cruelty, in my opinion. Reasons against euthanasia: 1. "He seems to gets a little better when he moves around for a while." So do I, but I don't spend most of my time in a cage. This is always a tough question, and draws a wide variety views. My heart breaks for dogs, and their owners, in this situation. However, personally, I could never force my dog to exist like this. As an aside, a senior Rottweiller was brought to the shelter today, to be killed--euthanized. The dog's left rear leg contained an internal growth that made that leg about ten pounds heavier than his normal leg. The swollen area was almost as hard as stone. I can empathize with lacking funds for corrective surgery, but I can't comprehend making a dear friend suffer with such an ailment. ________________________ Whatever it takes. |
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Your opinion on dog's condition - should it be put down?
In article ,
Michael A. Ball wrote: 2. consistenly incontinent - both #1 & #2--I can't believe this is how he wants to exist. I don't think that's a reason to euthanize, myself. I don't mind cleaning up after an elderly dog who's otherwise doing okay. However, combined with the generalized muscle atrophy in the hind end I'd tend to want to look at degenerative myelopathy or a lower motor neuron disease. With different vet care the dog could probably be doing somewhat better but not a lot - those aren't treatable. I'm not saying that's what the problem is, but that it sure sounds like it and if it were my dog I'd want to know one way or the other. 4. has to spend a large portion of it's life in a large cage.--borders on cruelty, in my opinion. I think so, too. I've had two dogs with similar symptoms towards the end. In my experience you can tell when the dog has given up, but that crate thing would influence my decision a lot. My vet's advice has been to take a week and watch the dog, and if the bad days outnumber the good days, it's time. I think that's good advice if you're really not sure. -- Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community |
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