RIP Kia <3

con1888

How do you know when it's time for your dog to go ??

Kia has been deteriorating recentley, her legs seem to be going and she has been given Metacam but it does not seem to help. I had her out today as advised for a short lead walk and she was struggling so much and looked miserable, she has lay in her bed since.

I will have her back at the vet this week but just want to be prepared incase there is nothing can be done.

Maybe some of you will think I am over reacting and I hope that I am but just can't help but think the worst at the moment.

elsien

My sympathies - I'm on the same path with mutt (although not quite as far along as you, I don't think) and I've been having similar thoughts.
I think you have to take the lead from Kia and whether she seems to still have her spark or whether it all seems to be a burden to her for most of the time. In theory, better early than too late - my friend has just had her little dog PTS because his legs finally went, and she possibly left it that little bit too long, but that's much easier to say when it's not you making the decision. But if Kia gets to the point where she's in pain the majority of the time and her quality of life isn't really there any more then maybe it's time to let her go.

Mutt has good days and bad days and watching her failing to get up the step and falling over is heartbreaking, but then she bounces back (literally) and has her mad 30 seconds chucking shoes everywhere and biting my feet. For me, when that goes is when it'll be time to say goodbye.

con1888

I really don't know, I have only had her since March and she does often look a bit glum and sorry for herself but at times seems really happy too..

Obviously I will take vets advice, it may just be a case of different medicine or something but going with gut instinct here.

If it is time for her to go then obviously I will be absolutely gutted that I haven't had a lot of time with her but will be happy that she at least had happiness and love in her final few months.


It started with a limp on her front leg, which now seems to have healed but her back legs are unstable..

con1888

Hope your dog is okay though, thanks for the kind wishes

elsien

How old is Kia? I was presuming she was older and the leg problems were to do with age, but there may be other more treatable reasons as well.

Fire_Fox

Sorry to read that. ((hugs)) I have made it clear to vets that, whilst the money/ insurance is there for any tests or treatment, I want them to let me know when the time is right. It's VERY hard to hear but you know you are doing the right thing when the time does come.

ka7e

OP, it's a horrible decision to have to be responsible for and I really sympathise. Personally, I am a firm believer that a week too early is better than a day too late.

We had a 5 year-old Lab suffering from a very aggressive cancer and we had her home for the weekend (after biopsy results) to say "Goodbye". With hindsight, I bitterly regret putting her through another 2 days of suffering when I should have been brave enough to end it sooner.

My next Lab got gradually more frail and unsteady with old age and at 14 the bad days outnumbered the good. She could no longer be walked and was deaf but struggled to get up great visitors and enjoyed her food. But one day she couldn't get up and was so upset to have soiled herself - it was my "one day too late".

I think you have to steel yourself, when the time comes, that you MUST do what is best for your dog. When, no...before, the bad days outnumber the good, when their quality of life is so diminished, it's a kindness to let them go. It's a gift we can bestow with love, not a death sentance, but a release.

con1888

elsien wrote: »

How old is Kia? I was presuming she was older and the leg problems were to do with age, but there may be other more treatable reasons as well.

She is 10, we thought she was only about 5 when we rescued her as then she was quite quick on her feet and didn't look old but we have since found her chip with was registered 10 years ago. So she is quite old unfortunately, she was going to have an op as she has bad teeth but I have decided against it as don't think she would cope with the anaesthetic.

con1888

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Sorry to read that. ((hugs)) I have made it clear to vets that, whilst the money/ insurance is there for any tests or treatment, I want them to let me know when the time is right. It's VERY hard to hear but you know you are doing the right thing when the time does come.

That is how I feel, my old dog was 12 when she got cancer and the vet could have done an op but he said she may not wake up and even then she would only have a few months and be in pain so we made the decision to have her PTS.

I would rather have her put out her misery than it comes to it, got to put her feelings before mine.

con1888

ka7e wrote: »

OP, it's a horrible decision to have to be responsible for and I really sympathise. Personally, I am a firm believer that a week too early is better than a day too late.

We had a 5 year-old Lab suffering from a very aggressive cancer and we had her home for the weekend (after biopsy results) to say "Goodbye". With hindsight, I bitterly regret putting her through another 2 days of suffering when I should have been brave enough to end it sooner.

My next Lab got gradually more frail and unsteady with old age and at 14 the bad days outnumbered the good. She could no longer be walked and was deaf but struggled to get up great visitors and enjoyed her food. But one day she couldn't get up and was so upset to have soiled herself - it was my "one day too late".

I think you have to steel yourself, when the time comes, that you MUST do what is best for your dog. When, no...before, the bad days outnumber the good, when their quality of life is so diminished, it's a kindness to let them go. It's a gift we can bestow with love, not a death sentance, but a release.

Thanks, I agree with everything there. Don't get me wrong two days ago she seemed fine but she seems to be getting worse, MAYBE it is her meds but just want to be prepared for the worse. Going to phone vet tomorrow and have an emergencey appointment to have an x-ray done or something as when we took her to vet last week she only had a limp on front leg which he said was a little bit of arthritis, that limp has now GONE but her back legs are bad

gettingready

Con - so sorry to hear that Kia is not well....

You do have her insured, don't you?

Why not get her Xrayed and see what shows up?

Perhaps then a referral? Perhaps to FR?

Zara's op came to £5700 for one leg, she could have the other done now but I need to wait for the insurance "pot" to renew (28th October) and we will do the second leg then. She is insured for £7000 per year so impossible to have 2 ops within one year. Plus want her to have a little break/run time in between the ops.

The one that was done is brilliant..still a bit of a limp but the leg is much stronger then the other one - she is on 45 min walks (on lead) from tomorrow, it was hard 6 weeks with her in a cage post op but the difference in her is unbeliavable...

See what the Xrays come up with and take it from there.

Big hugs to you and a tummy rub forKia