when to call it a day with our beloved pooch ?

shykins

lets hope he makes it thru the summer hes certainly looking brighter

i appreciate your support .. have a good summer

x

superpup

Balmaiden, I have read this thread and have got to the end sobbing my eyes out. I'm so sorry for your loss. She was very lucky to have you and your OH as owners. It's obvious from your posts how much you cared for her.

Shykins, I feel for you. I have a GSD who is in the same position as yours. Don't want to hijack Bamaiden's thread but would like to compare treatments, etc with you if you wouldn't mind? Am finding it very hard to deal with at the moment. Please PM me if that's okay as I said, don't want to hijack this thread.

The dog isn't really mine as I said I'd look after it for a friend for a couple of months but that was over 2 years ago so I suppose she is mine. I would never choose to have a GSD as I couldn't knowingly have a dog that is almost certain to go through the distress involved when their back legs go. It's heartbreaking to see an otherwise healthy dog struggle to walk.

x

GhostDog_2

A very emotional and painful thread to read.

Balmaiden - I sincerely hope sharing your thoughts and feelings throughout helped you in some way as I am sure they have helped many others who have read this thread.

The part that has hit me hard in this is reading how both your dog and Shykins dog had taken to spending time in places they identified as "safe"

My beautiful GSD (almost 12yrs) has also started doing this recently by hiding behind the kennel block. When she first did it, I confess to freaking out as I know cats often find a quiet place to die and was convinced this is what she had done

As I spend more time more closely watching her I now realise she becomes very worried about loud noises despite not being at all noise sensitive as a younger dog. She too is slightly incontinent but as she is kennelled this is not so much of a problem for her or us. Her back end sways now - so many people are quick to tell me its a GSD thing and her hips are shot...but with a hip score of 12, I know it is more likely to be CDRM which brought about the end of her sire's life when he was 10 yrs old. She can balance but her back legs will not take her weight and she often sits unexpectedly. She often whines but I cannot work out why.....then I feel useless

She is currently on medication (Salazopyrine) for her bowel problems. A positive side effect of this medication is some relief from her arthritis although she still can only lie down very slowly....... A negative side effect is "dry eye" and I am currently treating her sore eyes with Golden Eye.

She manages to enjoy a very short stroll but then becomes short of breath.....I cannot work out whether the panting is through pain or just general effort.

I cannot bear the thought of losing her yet but then feel overwhelming guilt for keeping her going....:(

I pray that she will simply fall asleep dreaming of bunnies.:A

balmaiden

Hi Guys,
Back online now after a 6 week break thought I would check this thread to see if there were any updates and to say thank you to everyone who replied. I hope it helps others who face a similar situation.

Update on us we still miss our girl greatly and alternate from never having another dog to well...maybe, but not just yet.

shykins

Hi balmaiden nice to see u back online....i bet it does feel weird still no doubt u will know when the time is right to have another

my old boy is still going, the doubled meds help but its still a week to week decision
x

lindasheb

Hi

Have you tried using the propalin and the incurin together. One of my dogs developed incontinence after being spayed at 18 months. Neither propalin or incurin worked but when given together they did the trick. Just a thought. Also you can buy a homeopathic remedy "LEAKS NO MORE" - it didnt work for my dog but gets good write ups and does work for some people.

As far as knowing the right time - I think you will know yourself when the time is right. I know with any of my dogs I have known the exact right time. I think everyone knows what there dog lives for, usually their walks, food etc, when this is gone I think the time is right.

Hope you make the right decision for you and your baby.

GhostDog_2

I don't know if you'll see this (Shaykins & Balmaiden) but our old girl left us this morning. She had been failing rapidly over the last few weeks and I believe (from the huge volumes of water she was drinking) her kidneys were also failing.

I knew it really was time to seriously consider letting her go when I saw her beautiful warm brown eyes become bottomless black pools last weekend....she obviously felt very poorly.

After a week of agonising over "what to do for the best," I made the decision last night when I arrived home to find her unwell.

After a sleepless night (for me) just her and I took a last gentle stroll with her favourite ball to a nearby field where I hugged her and told her how much I loved her and she had to give my love to all the other dogs I've lost at when she catches up with them at Rainbow Bridge.

She fell peacefully to sleep in my arms at 9am this morning in our local vets.

God Speed Beautiful Girl - you really were one in a million. :heart2:

sandy2_2

Well done for being so brave when she needed you to be.
Big hug

rosieben

This thread made me cry. I have such good memories of my own dogs, sadly none of them with me now -

THE BEST PLACE TO BURY A DOG
There is one best place to bury a dog. If you bury him in this spot, he will come to you when you call - come to you over the grim, dim frontier of death, and down the well-remembered path, and to your side again. And though you call a dozen living dogs to heel, they shall not growl at him, nor resent his coming, for he belongs there. People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall, who hear no whimper, people who may never really have had a dog. Smile at them, for you shall know something that is hidden from them, and which is well worth the knowing. The one best place to bury a good dog is in your heart.

Ben Hur Lampam

sandy2_2

rosieben wrote: »

This thread made me cry. I have such good memories of my own dogs, sadly none of them with me now - THE BEST PLACE TO BURY A DOG..in your heart.

Rosieben, that´s really lovely....