Is it time?

[flexygrl]

One of my dogs is around 14. She's a little beagle terrier mix. She was my first dog that lasted more than a year in my house. My parents were always getting them and giving them away, cause they couldn't take care of them. Well I took care of her from day one and when I finally moved into my own house I took her with me.


Well, over the last couple of days I've noticed that she seems to be slowing down. She didn't eat today and this morning there was pee in the kitchen and she threw up 3 times, this morning. My vet is off today. I will probably take her tomorrow to get looked at.

My question is for the dog owners. Do you think she is ready to get put to sleep? When did you realize it was time with your dog? I always thought that I would be ready if the time came, but when I think of it, I start to cry. I'll probably find out more tomorrow anyway, but I'm just wondering....

 

[Chester_Copperpot]

Go with what the vet suggests, how mobile is your dog?

 

[Y_lifter]

Suffering = Euthanasia time

 

[flexygrl]

that's what I thought too. I'll probably take her tomorrow. And if he thinks that she will not get better, than I'll put her down on Saturday, that way my family can be with her too, if they chose to.

 

[gettinlarger]

Put her to sleep. Nothing saddens me more than an animal in pain.

 

[flexygrl]

What do you mean by mobile? Is she still walking? Yes, but very slowly. Or is she easily moved? She's a tiny little thing. So it's very easy to take her to the vet. We were just there about 6 months ago. She had a dentistry and a whole bunch of blood work, cause she was losing weight. I changed her food and she gained 6 pounds, but now from not eating and vomitting today and yesterday she looks very frail. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Scarlett33]

Flexy,

In the last 2 months my parents have had to put 2 of their cats and one of their dogs to sleep. Its a difficult decision but if there is no quality of life for the animal, no chance of recovery, then its prob. the most humane and loving thing you can do for your pet. I hope your vet can get her better so you won't have to do it. Let us know.

Scarlett

 

[HANSEL]

When your dog is ready to expire I think you will know.

Its eyes will get really glazed and it will go outside and just sit there, ready to die. Dogs usually go outside to die.

This is a hard thing to do and this is why I choose not to have pets anymore.

Good Luck Flexy.

 

[flexygrl]

Thanks Hansel. Well this morning when I let her out, she just stood there staring at me. My husband was home for awhile in the morning and he said that she was walking around. Which is good. When I left she was just laying there. She has an appointment with the vet tomorrow night, after work. Gonna run some more blood tests. Good thing I did it 6 months ago, cause now we have something to refer to.

I'm gonna try and feed her baby food when I get home. Hopefully she will eat a little something.

 

[Code]

Get a vet's opinion. But the best barometer for that would be the dog's demeanor. If she appears to always be in pain or if simple tasks like eating seem to be too much for her, it's time.

 

[jerkbox]

man....I never realized that so many people put their animals down as opposed to letting them die naturally....

I've never really had to do it.

I think I might have a hard time doing that.

 

[notoriousQQ]

No more talkie.

show us your boobies.

 

[flexygrl]

Not,

You made me smile! Thanks!

 

[Fast Twitch Fiber]

Why do we euthanise pets so they don't suffer but we let humans suffer indefinitely when they are terminally ill?

 

[oubeta]

Once the dog acts in pain all the time. I love my dog to death, she lives to hunt. When the time comes when she can't go hunting and its painful for her to move, I'll probable shoot her or have her put to sleep.

 

[lucidblue]

Just wanted to say I hope you get positive news at the vet tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you and your dog. I can't imagine being in the same position... pets become family! Keep us posted.

 

[Fast Twitch Fiber]

By the way, don't give up hope. My mom's cat had pneumonia once and the vet told her she wouldn't likely survive but she came out of it a week later and lived for another 12 years. The staff at the vet's office started calling her the "miracle cat"

 

[Puddles]

By the way, don't give up hope. My mom's cat had pneumonia once and the vet told her she wouldn't likely survive but she came out of it a week later and lived for another 12 years. The staff at the vet's office started calling her the "miracle cat"

My cat was about 11 y.o. and he stopped eating and drinking and just laid outside on our patio for 3 days. His fur was falling out in clumps and he didn't meow or purr. Took him to the vet and they didn't know what was wrong with him, but they didn't really expect any recovery. They put him on an IV with antibiotics and he recovered quickly and we brought him home in 3 days. He's 18 now and has never had a problem since.

I'd let the doc run a few tests and try a simple IV for a day or two to see if that alone helps. You never know.

Good luck with it all. Loosing a pet like this is always really hard. I had to put my shephard down when he was 10 and I was 16. He couldn't walk anymore and wouldn't eat. I still remember that day like it was yesterday.

 

[gettinlarger]

Why do we euthanise pets so they don't suffer but we let humans suffer indefinitely when they are terminally ill?

Because it's "morally wrong." I say that's gay. If I get some terminal disease, I want a lethal injection.

 

[flexygrl]

Finally got home. Took her to the vet. At first he told me that he can hospitalize her and run blood work, but that there is no guarantee. I couldn't make up my mind, so I waited 10 minutes. Within those 10 minutes, she got very bad. Started laying on her side and twitching. The vet came in 10 min later and said that she didn't look good and the twitching was probably neurological. So I put her down. Thanks for all the kind words.

 

[the People's Champ]

 

[out_at_sea]

Big animal lover here...owner of two dogs and 2 cats ...I wont put any of my pets to sleep unless they can move anymore an they are in agonizing pain.

As long as they can eat a little and still move they do not desreve to be killed.