When to put dog to sleep ? Updated.

verysillyguy06

How is it possible to make that decision?

Our well loved family pet is getting old rather quickly. She refuses to go for walks and very often falls, her legs give way, when even out for a small time.

Not sure her quality of life is very good. She has been given medicine for her old age aches and pains and the vet has been involved.

Any one having had to make this decision who can give some pointers?

And then if you had to make that decision, how much does it costs?

Sagz_2

I paid £45 for PTS at the surgery and the same for disposal (cremation) earlier in the year.

Price will depend on where, when and if you want a 'normal' or private cremation. It's a hard conversation to have with the Vet (I got OH to do it for me) but it's best to be prepared so that when the worst comes to the worst the Vet is clear what you want.

Hope you don't need to use the info too soon xx

ETA (since change of thread!):
When to PTS is one of my lifes toughest decisions, it's been different for each of my dogs. It really boils down to are the good times outweighing the bad times?

For the dog I PTS earlier this year (Norbert) the day came when he lost interest in food, didn't play with the other dogs and had trouble 'going' and kept falling over whilst trying. We had shared a lovley life together and I couldn't bear to see him so unhappy. Still wasn't an easy choice to make, but I owed it to him.

EmptyPockets

I was posting a reply but then the title of thread and original message are now totally different to what they first were..???

verysillyguy06

Norbertsmum wrote: »

I paid £45 for PTS at the surgery and the same for disposal (cremation) earlier in the year.

Price will depend on where, when and if you want a 'normal' or private cremation. It's a hard conversation to have with the Vet (I got OH to do it for me) but it's best to be prepared so that when the worst comes to the worst the Vet is clear what you want.

Hope you don't need to use the info too soon xx

Thank you, I changed the title as it seems a bit more advice on the general decision would be appreciated as well...:o

MrsE_2

verysillyguy06 wrote: »

How is it possible to make that decision?

Our well loved family pet is getting old rather quickly. She refuses to go for walks and very often falls, her legs give way, when even out for a small time.

Not sure her quality of life is very good. She has been given medicine for her old age aches and pains and the vet has been involved.

Any one having had to make this decision who can give some pointers?

You can't explain to an animal that tests/vets/medicines are to prolong its life, so if those become necessary for the animal to live then I think its time to let them go - otherwise they have no quality of life.

verysillyguy06

EmptyPockets wrote: »

I was posting a reply but then the title of thread and original message are now totally different to what they first were..???

I changed it as more advice would be helpful....:o

Tigsteroonie

The Ex and I had our lovely doggie (Corrie) put to sleep after his quality of life suddenly deteriorated, he stopped wanting to go for walks, and looked like he was in pain. We felt it wasn't fair to put him through a series of operations, simply to extend his life by one or two years.

It was a very heart-wrenching decision. I have no idea how much it cost, we had a lovely vet who told us not to worry about that at the time; my Ex went back a few days later to pay for that and disposal of his body.

elsien

It's a hard one to assess, the quality of life one. With my last dog, she wasn't falling but she stopped wanting to go for walks and spent most of her time asleep. I didn't think she was getting much out of life, but she wasn't in pain, was eating and drinking ok and apart from not doing much seemed ok in herself. I asked the vet as I was concerned about quality of life - she wasn't ill, just old. The vet at the time said that as she wasn't in pain, his criteria was the day she stopped objecting to going to see him was the day she'd stopped caring.
I could see what he meant, and it's going to be different for each dog, it's an individual thing which only the people who know them can decide. Do you think your old dog is unhappy, or are there things she still likes doing (pottering around the house, having a fuss etc) that make her life ok, or has she just appeared to have given up on everything?
I sympathise - it's a hard decision, you don't want to let them go too soon, but you don't want to leave it too long either. Maybe talk it over with the vet again?

jayII

I'll jump in too, as VSG's dog is also my dog.

There is no question of her having operations, as the vet told us a year ago that the relaxant effect of an anaesthetic would make her arthritic joints deteriorate. She is on anti-inflammatories and various joint supplements, and still enjoys our company (and her food), but the falling and reluctance to go for walks, make me wonder how enjoyable her life really is.

It feels worse because at 9.5 years, she is relatively young for a retriever, and of course our teenagers will be devastated to see her go. It's such a hard decision.

jayII

elsien wrote: »

It's a hard one to assess, the quality of life one. With my last dog, she wasn't falling but she stopped wanting to go for walks and spent most of her time asleep. I didn't think she was getting much out of life, but she wasn't in pain, was eating and drinking ok and apart from not doing much seemed ok in herself. I asked the vet as I was concerned about quality of life - she wasn't ill, just old. The vet at the time said that as she wasn't in pain, his criteria was the day she stopped objecting to going to see him was the day she'd stopped caring.
I could see what he meant, and it's going to be different for each dog, it's an individual thing which only the people who know them can decide. Do you think your old dog is unhappy, or are there things she still likes doing (pottering around the house, having a fuss etc) that make her life ok, or has she just appeared to have given up on everything?
I sympathise - it's a hard decision, you don't want to let them go too soon, but you don't want to leave it too long either. Maybe talk it over with the vet again?

It's the question of pain that most concerns me, she's stiff but still potters and follows me around at times, so it's hard to judge.

MrsE_2

jayII wrote: »

It feels worse because at 9.5 years, she is relatively young for a retriever, and of course our teenagers will be devastated to see her go. It's such a hard decision.

Ted (my cat) died suddenly a couple of years ago aged nearly 8. I'm glad now he didn't suffer & had a quick end:(

I think you & VSG will know when the time is right:(