When do you know -- Pet Dog End of Life?

[gunsandgunsmithing]

My wife and I are big dog lovers. Been blessed with some amazing ones over the years. I've put them down, I've had them put down and I've been faced with literally helping one take it's last breath to keep it from suffering any longer. Tough! Our last two were great...thought there could be no better. As fate would have it, our current Aussie was gifted to us...really before we thought we were ready for another dog. It was just meant to be that way I guess. The good news is, he is the most amazing dog ever. They've all(mostly) been good but this one just seemed to come to us when we least expected it and has been perfect from about the 3rd day on. I try to selectively forget the first two days. Man, he was was a handful for that first couple of days! More to that story for another day but I found out he LOVES pecan pie when I'm not looking. Since he got that pie, he's been perfect. I guess that's when he decided being here wasn't so bad after all. So he stayed and now he lets me sit on the couch...sometimes. Lol!

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

My wife and I are big dog lovers. Been blessed with some amazing ones over the years. I've put them down, I've had them put down and I've been faced with literally helping one take it's last breath to keep it from suffering any longer. Tough! Our last two were great...thought there could be no better. As fate would have it, our current Aussie was gifted to us...really before we thought we were ready for another dog. It was just meant to be that way I guess. The good news is, he is the most amazing dog ever. They've all(mostly) been good but this one just seemed to come to us when we least expected it and has been perfect from about the 2nd day on. I try to selectively forget the first two days. Man, he was was a handful for that first couple of days! More to that story for another day but I found out he LOVES pecan pie when I'm not looking. Since he got that pie, he's been perfect. I guess that's when he decided being here wasn't so bad after all. So he stayed and now he lets me sit on the couch...sometimes. Lol!

View attachment 1717487

good looking pooch. You can tell that boy is plenty smart!

 

[LVLAaron]

Deep down, you'll know. When you are keeping them alive for yourself, and not for them... it's time.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

good looking pooch. You can tell that boy is plenty smart!

Amazing! I find myself just shaking my head a lot. Not out of disappointment at all...but just the things he does that constantly amaze me. Yes, he's a smart dog, no doubt. Probably smarter than me and we can debate the wife on here. She doesn't get on here. Lol! He's got a really good pedigree too. The guy just didn't have the time to care for him. His dad worked for us years back and knew we'd give him a good home.

 

[ebb]

This is the reason I have no desire to own any more dogs. I was heart broken when my black mouthed cur died, and will not put myself through it again. My wife has 2 miniature Aussies and i try to keep my distance, but it's not working. I feel for you but have zero answers.

 

[338 Mollett]

We should strive to be the person our dogs think we are !!

 

[ELR LVR]

Our German Shepherd is 8 yo and being treated with Carprovet and Apoquel. He can still walk, and trot, but sometimes when I look at him , I don't know what to do or when to do it. I love this dog. Any advice is appreciated.

I dont know what those ailments are
but I recently discovered that dogs can also get Gout
I had no idea Allopurinol was also prescribed for dogs
---
Just saying, maybe get a confirmed second opinion
---
I have had Gout and the proper meds eliminate it, but without the meds you literally wanna die
Hopefully you can improve your pets life in some way
it's hard since they are so much a part of our life and family
but, we have to understand, life has its cycle

 

[ELR LVR]

Deep down, you'll know. When you are keeping them alive for yourself, and not for them... it's time.

View attachment 1717491

Wisdom

 

[C.E.Smith043]

For my dog, I found out she had a stomach tumor. It was about the size of a softball. She was struggling to have a bowel movement because the tumor was blocking food from passing properly. The vet gave me some steroid pills to try to shrink it. 4 days later she had blood coming out instead of stool. I knew then for sure that it was time.
When straight to the vet to have her put down.
Looking back I feel bad because I felt like I waited 1 week too long.

 

[TTE]

I have empathy for you.


Just a thought .... get another dog now. When your other dog is gone (and as crappy as that is) , the new dog will still need to be fed, walked and loved ...... just like the old friend you had.

 

[charlie b]

We've had quite a few pets over the 50yrs we've been married. All but one were pretty clear cut cases, cancer and other terminal issues. Maggie, the Old English, was not. Like several of others here, she just started having movement problems when she turned 13. Yes, quite old for a large dog. Vets were at a loss as to what was causing it but it was aggravated by arthritis. She had a hard time getting up and could not get on the couch anymore. I remember the day that made my decision. She came in from outside and her rear legs collapsed under her when she went over the door threshold. I laid down with her and sobbed. We made an appointment for the vet the next day. She walked into the vets office like nothing was wrong and laid down next to me as the tech did their thing. Hardest thing I ever did, but, I could not see her be in pain any more.

 

[D Coots]

Brings tears to my eyes thinking about how loyal our pets are.

Lost our 2 Shelties at 17.5 years old. Like loosing family.

Now she has cats. Never be a Real friend but would make good Chineese food....


Independent little bastards.

 

[DShortt]

Brings tears to my eyes thinking about how loyal are pets are.

Lost our 2 Shelties at 17.5 years old. Like loosing family.

Now she has cats. Never be a Real friend but would make good Chineese food....


Independent little bastards.

I'm not a fan of cats.

If they were bigger, they'd stalk you, kill you, play with your corpse and then go lay in the sun like nothing happened.

Yeah. Not in my house.

I had cats in the past. I watched and learned.

 

[ELR LVR]

I'm not a fan of cats.

If they were bigger, they'd stalk you, kill you, play with your corpse and then go lay in the sun like nothing happened.

Yeah. Not in my house.

I had cats in the past. I watched and learned.

Hank Jr.
"I'm for Love"
that line saying "and I hate cats in the house...."
agreed

 

[D Coots]

Never come when they are called.......let's say they act like gay females.......

Dogs, he'll ya......no need to call them. One of our Shelties would come over to me when I was laying on the floor(when I used to be ableto get up,) stand beside me and lean on me....tip over...he's in an urn on the mantle, and will go in the box with me if I happen to check out some day........

 

[D Coots]

Hank Jr.
"I'm for Love"
that line saying "and I hate cats in the house...."
agreed

Ya, I know, but...if I want to be in the house????

 

[DirtySteve]

When I put down my dog Walker, he was having a hard time getting up from laying down. That was hard to watch. Then when he couldn't control his bowls while sleeping I put him down. We went for a short walk and when he focused on something I put him down. Taking him to the vet always caused him stress. My dog Ginger I took to the vet as she liked rides and the vet. I was with her when it was done. You owe them that much..

 

[Rem06]

Our German Shepherd is 8 yo and being treated with Carprovet and Apoquel. He can still walk, and trot, but sometimes when I look at him , I don't know what to do or when to do it. I love this dog. Any advice is appreciated.

It gets harder and harder every time
Luke,maddie,Bear,Buck,memories
,
Nico 12. Remmy 4. Just keep spending as much time as you can with them.

And do what ya can to keep hunting with them! It takes Nico awhile to get out of the car after getting our 2 pheasants for the day,so Remmy just hangs out with him till he can walk back down the ramp. Then they hit the pillow.
Wait till you know it is time to wait no longer. Yes, that really sucks.
Don't ever abuse them and they will be happy that they did their job on you.

 

[D Coots]

Wife wanted to do this with our Shelties...so for several years I did. Her dog, my dog. Trained them and traveled around. Got rich. Got into benchrest....damn I love dogs....

Flyball - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[muleystalker]

Just make sure you have a good vet, I have had vets try and talk me Ito all kinds of procedures and surgeries that I knew weren't going to prolong their life. I had one that had me over a barrel with my yellow lab that was 15, because my wife and daughter were there. My dog got a tumor at the base of her tail the bigger than a golf ball in less than a weeks time, vet says its cancer (witch I knew) but she said it was a good cancer... we treat it all the time... we just need to amputate her tail. I asked her to be up front with me what's the chances.... she said oh 80% +, we have great results all the time. I seen the assistant get a look on here face likes couldn't believe the vet just said that. Bottom line $2400 surgery, $400 dollars in visits, my dog had to were a cone for two weeks, couldn't play with her buddy, my chocolate lab. Then I get up one morning and she cant use her back legs at all, I know it's the cancer. I take her back to the vet and they she tells me its the cancer and there is some other things she wants to try. She left the room and I told the tech no way in hell. The tech told me don't let her do it... she should have been put down two weeks ago. The the vet want $550 to put her down... I told her you can do that on you.... I just payed over $3000 on something you knew was BS. So many of the small veterinary practices are being bought by a few big companies across the US it hard to find a good one. I say when the quality of the your pets life is gone it's time to help them pass with their dignity. They give us their whole life it's the least we can do.

I had a vet tell me you have had to put down more than your share of pets and it seems like you take it so well. I told him I learned from a young age when you get a dog as a pup you need to prepare yourself then that you are going to out live him and probably have to put him down. I told my wife and daughter that when we bought are lab pups. I told them its about the pets quality of life and too many people get selfish, al be it they may not realize it, but they keep their pets too long before putting them down.