Time to say goodbye?

harrys_nan

You know in your heart when the time is right, we as carers for our pets can do one last act of love for them. Nobody wants their pets to suffer and the hardest thing we have to do is to let them go. Our pets love us with all their hearts.
I do feel for you, but I think it is time to say goodbye.
I had to make that decision almost 2 years ago after having my baby for 16 years so I know exactly what you're going through and I am def in the school of one week too early.

Sugarcandy

If your dog is not in any pain, still eating, drinking going for short walks, and very important still interacting with you, I don't personally see any rush. I would speak to your vet see what he thinks.

suki1964

GwylimT wrote: »

Please stop him having access to any stairs.

As an owner it is your duty to prevent suffering through vet care, if that isn't possible then the animal does need to be put to sleep.

My uncle kept his dog alive for the sake of xmas, none of us visited as it was horrible being around the poor thing.

I'm hoping that was t ment as harshly as it sounded to me

The stairs have to be used as my living rooms are upstairs. We keep the lights on all night so that the little sight he has still helps him from getting stuck

As for vets, he's seen every other week Indeed he has an appointment on Tuesday for yet another ailment


Our vet and ourselves have been treating on an as and when. As one thing after another we take him down, he gets seen and treatment is prescribed That ailment may clear up, and another one comes along. We keep at it, neither cost nor energy comes into the equation

The only treatment we have refused is to have his eyes removed. He has dry eye which has caused the blindness. Because of the dryness he is prone to infections removing the eyes would stop that. However he does still have slight sight so we carry on with the constant round of drops, lubricants and antibiotics. And our vet is happy to support us in that decision

See that's where I am at. It is one thing after another in an elderly dog. It's his quality of life I'm now concerning myself about. He's been up, fed, tablets given, eyes cleaned and treated and is now out cold outside the bathroom door ( that's where he last saw me) and he will sleep now till hubby wakes him to go out. He will walk about 50 metres before turning tail and heading home where he will sleep until we wake him again for a wee. Then sleep until dinner and sleep

He might have a five minute fit of madness when he's like his old self and go stand in the garden and bark and bark . He might notice the post on the floor and lift it to bring to us. But these moments are few and far apart:(. Anyone who has a cocker knows washing can't be done without a sock being pinched to be buried, all our socks are now pairs

It's all the things that made Alfie that are missing, that makes me question are we doing right by him or do we consider saying goodbye

I've made the vets appointment with the vet who has known us the longest and will discuss it further with her ( I've asked for a long appointment).

Thank you everyone who has posted, really appreciate all the replies xx

Kathy535

It really is so difficult, especially for people like yourself, who love, respect and honour their animals. Don't let anyone intimate you are not a 'good' dog owner, your dog has had the most excellent of human mothers who has his best interests at heart.

My experience has been that the decision is fraught with emotion regardless of the circumstances. I waited too long with my dog and will always hate myself for that; one of my cats had to have an emergency night dash to the vets and I will always wonder whether I should have picked up on the signs earlier and saved her that trauma. For Milo, I am wondering whether it was slightly too early and crying because I may have deprived him of a few more days of meaningful life, despite knowing that I did the best for him and he would only have got worse I will always struggle with whether I did the right thing at the right time. My only consolation in all of it is that the final moments were quick and where my last, loving gift to them all.

GwylimT

If the living room is upstairs for his own safety he clearly either needs carrying, or you're going to have to spend more time downstairs with him. I wonder if they do doggy stair lifts!

I would have thought the eye surgery would be riskier for an older pooch as well, so if it wasn't vital I would have said no to that as well with there being alternative treatment.

When he isn't snoozing what is he like? Obviously he may not be bounding around, but how interactive is he?

sheramber

Use a stair/baby gate to prevent him access to the stairs unsupervised for his safety.

How will you feel if he falls down the stairs and breaks a leg and has to be pts as an emergency and in pain?

Katiehound

Wrote a long piece earlier then pressed a key and......gone!

Having read your latest posting I have to say it- I think you have reached that point, the time is now.

Why would you wait until after Christmas? It's just any other day as far as pets are concerned. I also think it is a bit like the sword of Damacles hanging over your head. If your dog does not have a good quality of doggy life then I would say "goodbye."

I love my dogs and will do anything that is reasonable whatever the cost if I think the outcome deserves it but sadly an old dog is just that- old and not going to suddenly get well. I lost my old boy last year.
The thing you tell yourself is that you have given him a great life, you've loved him very much and you don't want him to suffer.

I remember a Christmas some years ago spent with delightful distant relations. One of their dogs was very elderly, blind and feeble but the owner was adament she would not be pts sleep before Christmas. Everyone walked around "on eggshells"- trying to avoid disturbing her, tripping over her or slipping in damp patches. Granted they would have been distressed if the dog had been pts but doing the deed straight after didn't make life any easier. I just thought it was prolonging the inevitable.

Thinking of you.

suki1964

Gwylim

I have an upside down house. Now I have done everything in my power to ensure my dog is safe. The lights are left on and whilst we are awake and in the house, Alfie is escorted up and down the sairs - hence when he did fall hubby was there for him

And Sherember, do you honestly think a stair lift is the best option? Seriously??

Im in bits here, totally floored at having to come to terms that my Alfie no longer has a quality of life - and you are both suggesting that Ive not done everything possible



Seriously Im gob smacked


Im not asking for people to say, yes, you have done all you can, time to hit the vets

What I am asking is, is it really wrong of me to keep going on


The Christmas thing.. Yes that's me being selfish as is only four years ago on boxing day we lost my dad and just six days later we lost MIL. We have enough sadness around Christmas

Im also thinking of my granddaughter who the minute she gets in the car to come stay with us says " go see Alfie", and my grandson who was here for Christmas the year both parents died

Alfies quality of life when hes awake??? hes rarely awake now. We have to wake him by physically shaking him Tonight he made it onto the sofa with a leg up, he rested his head on my knee, and was asleep in seconds. Right now hes snoring at my feet and when I hit the nest he will follow me to bed and lie on the floor and asleep till his belly wakes him at 7 - then he will sleep again - as I have already posted above

I love Alfie. if I could get him a new body I would, but I cant. Hes slowly dying in front of me. Do you know what its like to have a beloved dog who can no longer see or hear you, no longer be there when you walk in the house? You really dont know how many times we have come home and been unable to wake him and think OMG

And yet Im human. I want him to be with me all my life and thats my agony
Im agonising when I really do know I have to be strong yet Im still doing my best not to have to face it

But I will take you views on board. if the vet says a stair lift will improve his quality of life then I will gladly get one installed

As I said, this has nothing to do with time, money or effort. We will do what ever we can for our animals - always

Sugarcandy

Is it wrong of me to keep him going?

I know everyone has different opinions on this, but my answer to your question is no, he is an old dog, but he is coming to the end of his life.

You as the owner will know best, none of us on here can see how he is. I'm sure you said earlier you had discussed with your vet that she would give an opinion on when the time was right?

I had to have my dog PTS 2 days before xmas last year, but he had cancer and was in pain, he fought hard but nothing could stop it.

You sound like a very caring owner who is struggling to know what to do for the best and I really feel for you. There are no easy options when pets get ill or old.

misty_blue_2

You sound like a loving and very caring owner and just like all who care about our beloved pets they become our family.
It is so hard to make the choice you are facing
Just wanted to send you hugs and let you know some of us totally understand what you are feeling