How do you know when the time is right to PTS?

creditcarddebt

Hi

I have a boxer dog who is now 13. Since April he has been going downhill, really showing his age. He went for blood tests, which have indicated that he has a malignant tumour somewhere, but as he is so old we decided not to do any further tests to find out where it is. He has lost so much weight, at the moment his ribs are really prominent, he does not really want to eat. At the beginning of May, he didnt eat for a week, was being sick, having accidents in the house, and we were close to making the decision that enough was enough. Anyway, the vet gave him some steroids and an anti sickness jab which really perked him up, he was like a new dog. His appetite picked up, but he didnt put any weight back on. Slowly but surely he started to deteriorate again, his back legs are really really weak, he is not so interested in going for a walk, we are still having accidents, and lately unfortunately he has had the runs, so I have had that to clean up too. I have tried given him all sorts to eat, hes not that interested, though at the moment he is happy to eat the cat food....am kind of thinking thats not really going to do him any harm at this stage of things. Some days he looks so sad, and then others he will roll around out in the sun. He does not seem to be in any pain at all, we took him to the vet two weeks ago, I guess kind of hoping he might make the decision for us, but he just said he was not going to give him any more treatment and just let things take their course, and when we feel the time is right to give him a call. But we are really struggling to know when the time is right....we think its right now, but a bit of me just can't make the call. I know 100% that I don't want to leave it until its too late and he is really suffering, but what if its too early?!

Really sorry for rambling on, makes me really sad to think about having to make the decision.:(

HRV

We're going through a very similar time with our little cat- she has lukemia (confirmed via a bone marrow biopsy). Like you we have good days and bad days- she is now having accidents, not eating much and is very thin. Up until a few days ago she was jumping onto worktops etc ok- but now seems less keen.

One day I feel like it's time but the next she perks up- my mum says when the bad days out weigh the good days it's time.

We've used this time to create a memory box- we've done her paw prints, kids have drawn pictures, printed lots of photos etc

Not much constructive advice but just to let you know youre not alone in this difficult decision:(

dianadoesnt

I feel so bad for you. I have a lab and he is my first dog so have never had to experience what you are going through.
I thing is that we never really know if our pets are in pain-they dont cry like we do, they dont shed tears and of course they cant speak.
I would maybe say that when he is having more bad days than good is the time to say goodbye.
Thinking of you both
Diana

Darlyd

Oh I really do feel for you. With us it happened so quick. Sam was fine today, had a little fit tonight, rung the on call vet was told it can happen sometimes (he was 9 yr old staffy), Everything was fine, then nearly 2 weeks later he had a huge fit, never came out of it, took him down to on call vet, and they had to put him to sleep to get him out of it, was touch and go, they said they think it's a brain tumor, he started to wee everywhere which was not like him, we paid for an MRI and yes he had a massive brain tumor, vet was shocked he was still standing, We made that decision 2 days later and had him PTS at home in his bed. Was the hardest thing we have had to ever do. But he is now at piece. We have his ashes in a beautiful box next to his ornament with his lead around it.

It will be hard for you, very hard, you are me 3-4 weeks ago (I posted here too). But I am so glad we went through with it... He never looked ill, and like I said it all happened so fast.

vicx

I feel your pain. I had to make the difficult decision of having my 15 year old yorkshire terrier put to sleep 5 weeks ago. It still breaks my heart and I still feel guilty even though it was the last kindest thing I could have done for him.

He was suffering but it happened so quick, he was fine one minute and then he was so distressed - coughing and suffering lack of oxygen. I was too scared to pick up the phone to make him an appointment at the vet as I knew myself there would be nothing they could do to prolong his life. I took him straight to the vets and brought him home then within 3 hours we had to rush him to the emergency vet (30 minute drive away from home) and make the difficult decision of having him put to sleep. (Theres the tears starting again!).

If your dog is not eating or enjoying life it maybe kinder to let him go peacefully, your vet will help you make the right decision. Just think a day too early is better than a day to late. 13 is a good age and I'm sure you have gave him a great life. x

creditcarddebt

It happened quickly with one of our cats in January, she had been poorly for a while, then all of a sudden she had a heart attack, and it was all very distressing, she died in the car on the way to the vets. In hindsight we had probably left it too long with her, and I really don't want to do that this time. Its snuck up on us a bit quick really, that all of a sudden all of our animals are old.

I have just popped home to see him now, I have left him in the garden today as my office is just a minute walk away, and hes happy in the garden, he loves the summer house! So have moved his bed out there today, and hes done a little sunbathing...

spike7451

HRV wrote: »

We're going through a very similar time with our little cat- she has lukemia (confirmed via a bone marrow biopsy). Like you we have good days and bad days- she is now having accidents, not eating much and is very thin. Up until a few days ago she was jumping onto worktops etc ok- but now seems less keen.

One day I feel like it's time but the next she perks up- my mum says when the bad days out weigh the good days it's time.

We've used this time to create a memory box- we've done her paw prints, kids have drawn pictures, printed lots of photos etc

Not much constructive advice but just to let you know youre not alone in this difficult decision:(

I was the same with Orbit,As long as he wasn't in pain & had a quality of life,I wasn't going to deprive him of it.A couple of days before he died,he was getting worse &,after the last vet trip,I lay awake & decided it was time.
However the little begger got the last word in as he died peacfully at 7.10am on the Friday morning.I am glad I didn't have to make the decision & also that he went at home,in his own time.
RIP Orbit & to all the pets we have lost.

rising_from_the_ashes

I have to agree with the others - as long as they have a good quality of life, aren't in pain then keep going.

I have an elderly lab with cancer - like you I decided "aggressive" treatment wasn't fair at his age - fingers crossed he's still enjoying life and is full of mischief. He does obviously have good days and not so good ones but these are thankfully far between at the moment.

I read a thread a few weeks ago from someone who'd gone through something similar who said something along the lines of "better a day early than a day late" and this really struck home with me.

My old cat had kidney failure and when he was pts I felt guilty for many months as I felt I'd given in too soon. I've finally come to terms with the fact that I did do the right thing - yes, he could maybe have lasted a few weeks more, but that wouldn't have been fair in terms of his quality of life and I know I did it at the right time.

Maybe have another chat with your vet and keep an eye on him for the next few days and see if he is still enjoying life of if it's really a bit of a chore and not enjoyable anymore.

Huge ((((hugs)))), I know what you're going through and it's terrible but at least we can stop their suffering.

spike7451

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

I have to agree with the others - as long as they have a good quality of life, aren't in pain then keep going.

I have an elderly lab with cancer - like you I decided "aggressive" treatment wasn't fair at his age - fingers crossed he's still enjoying life and is full of mischief. He does obviously have good days and not so good ones but these are thankfully far between at the moment.

I read a thread a few weeks ago from someone who'd gone through something similar who said something along the lines of "better a day early than a day late" and this really struck home with me.

My old cat had kidney failure and when he was pts I felt guilty for many months as I felt I'd given in too soon. I've finally come to terms with the fact that I did do the right thing - yes, he could maybe have lasted a few weeks more, but that wouldn't have been fair in terms of his quality of life and I know I did it at the right time.

Maybe have another chat with your vet and keep an eye on him for the next few days and see if he is still enjoying life of if it's really a bit of a chore and not enjoyable anymore.

Huge ((((hugs)))), I know what you're going through and it's terrible but at least we can stop their suffering.

My neighbor below me had a black cat,around 12 years old,she was an outdoor cat & started being sick.He took her to the vets who could find nothing wrong with her,so he decided to rehome her.
The CPL couldn't take her & he didn't think of the place where I got Daisy from,so he had her PTS.
I found out ofter he done it & was (still am) angry at him for doing it.I wouldv'e taken her!

loulou123

Went through similar with my dog a couple of years ago, he had cancer too and we decided not just to treat any pain etc, and not have any operations etc, as he was 11 and had problems with one of his back legs too. The vets gave him 6-12 weeks, it was over a year later we had him pts! We actually went through similar to you, thinking the time had come and then the vet fiddling with the medication etc and that brought him a few more weeks.

We knew the time was right, when he went off his food, kept being sick and weeing indoors (he was always such a clean dog and you could see he was ashamed at weeing in his bed, even though we always cleaned it up without a fuss) it was the hardest desicion i have ever had to make, but by this point the tumour in his tummy was so big you could see it from the outside.

On the day, he walked to the vets, even chasing a cat on the way, and then stood wagging his tail in the surgery itself, but i still knew the time had come (did want to grab him and run away at this point though.) The vet was brilliant, but a neighbour had the cheek to ask why we had him PTS when 'he could still walk!'

Sometimes i do think we did it a bit too soon, but he was always the kind of dog that lived life at 100mph and he had begun to lose this zest for life, and i know he would have hated to have got to the stage where he was very poorly and weak. As another poster said i feel much happier knowing i possibly did it a little early (although i dont really believe i did) then left it too long - you know your dog best and im sure you will know when the time is right.

ItchyFeet

I'm very sorry you're going through this - it's terrible to lose a friend.

I recently lost my much loved cat who had chronic kidney failure. I struggled with the decision from when he first started to go downhill but was very conscious that i didn't want him to be in any pain. I felt that if i left it until i 'knew' the time was right i had probably waited too long as it would then be obvious that he was in pain.

As it was, i let him go before things got too bad and i had the vet come to the house rather than take him to the clinic as it was much much less stressful for him. It was expensive but i don't for one minute regret it. I am glad i did it when i did and it was over for him in seconds.