Help ... Time to put a pet to sleep?

[chemenger]

We've had a little white poodle for something like 4 years now. He is at least 16 years old (we don't know his exact age because we are his third owner) and suffers from congestive heart disease, renal problems and possibly cataracts. I can't tell you how much I love this little guy. However, it seems that his health is slowly declining. He moves more slowly now and doesn't seem to enjoy things like I remember he did. He has had this terrible racking cough, due to the fluids building up in his lungs, that is getting progressively worse. Needless to say I am torn about the decision to put him to sleep> He still does have a mischevious spark in him. And he is my little friend.

[wryter2000]

1. Sympathies

What an awful decision. I would guess that if he's in a lot of pain, it might be time for the last trip to the vet.

[commander bunnypants]

2. sympathies to you and your family

Do what you must but always keep the welfare of your doggie first



DEMMAN

[DonP]

3. My heart goes out to you.

I just had to make that decision for my Lab of 13 years.

In his case the cancer that we had licked for four years came back and was causing my good friend more pain and discomfort than he could bear.

I spent sevearl thousand dollars on that dog and used up most of my vacation time to drive him cross country to a better vet center that specialized in his type of cancer. I never regretted any bit of it.

It was hardest on my youngest son who grew up with the dog and was away in the Army. So it had to be my decision alone.

There is, of course, no easy answer to this terrible question.

At some point you just have to ask yourself are we being "selfish" in keeping the friend around and in pain for our own needs ro doing what is best for them.

No one outside can tell you what is in your own heart on this. But I do sympathioze. It is one of the hardest choices we are forced to make, but it is part of the unwritten contract we make when we take a dog to our home and heart.

I read a great quote one time that said something along the lines of:

"It is one of God's few truly tragic mistakes that he did not make the lives of our beloved pets and our own the same length".

Good luck.

Don P.

[BiggJawn]

4. A hard descision..I'm struggling with that, too...

I think it comes down to Quality of Life. What does his Vet say? I think that you should weigh what his life is like now, vs. what it was when you first found each other.

One of my big (2 pound)goldfish that i've had for almost 7 years came up ill this past weekend, first started off like its normal chronic swim bladder thing, but it has gotten to the point where it's laying on its back on the bottom of the tank with a severley swollen belly....If it hasn't righted itself and taken a healthy dump by the time I get home tonight......:-(

Just gotta think of the good times you had together...

[canuck]

15. yeah I know...

I'v had to put several fish to sleep. Always a sad day.

Vets tend to know more about mammals than fish, so us fishkeepers are pretty much on our own.

I read about a guy whos favourite koi made the big jump, and was out for like an HOUR. So he threw him back in, and moved him back and forth through the water to "pump" the water through his gills for 10 minutes. -To no avail. So finally he grabbed the garden hose and stuck it in the koi's mouth and blew water through his fills. BINGO, the koi came back!

Koi are like big aquatic dogs, they have personalities and people get attached to them. My koi Cookie is about 2 1/2 feet long, and makes a huge splash and frolics at the front when I come home.

BTW, for swimbladder, try a water change + salt (about a handful per 20 gal.) and then slowly (about 1 deg. per day), raise the temp. to about 80 for a few days.

Also, if he's still eating, moisten his food before throwing it in.

edit: oh yeah, use non-iodized salt. -I use Kosher salt, or you can get aquarium salt too.

[Sandstorm]

5. My sympathy

I had to do the same thing a few years back with my 18 year old dog. It was one of the most difficult things I ever had to go through. But I knew I didn't want my old friend to suffer anymore. You'll know when it's time.

[blackcat77]

6. We've had to put two beloved dogs to sleep

And both times just tore my wife and I to pieces. But in both cases, the doge couldn't get around any more, had stopped eating and basically were just waiting to die on their own. All their quality of life was gone and we couldn't stand to watch them suffer any longer.

It's just a terrible truth that dogs have shorter lifespans than people and so we must part with our beloved friends. Dogs can't understand suffering and have no concept of their own mortaality, so what you're really doing is ending their pain -- no more, no less.

Damn, I'm crying again...

RIP
Ida ? 1986 - 8 Dec 1997
Siva 13 Oct 1987 - 28 Nov 2002

[displacedtexan]

7. i went through that last august

almost the same symptoms.
really difficult, but a bit easier with another dog at home.
now we talk about him as if he were still here and celebrate his time with us.

[retread]

8. We had to do that last year with one we had for 14 years.

It's a responsibility we have when we become stewards of their lives.

[trof]

9. Sometimes we're selfish,

and we let them linger too long because WE don't want to lose them.
Think about the pet and what's best for them. When quality of life is nil, or worse, then it's time. In 40 years of having canine companions I've done it 3 times. It's never easy, duh. If you can do it, if you're up to it, I recommend you be there at the end. Hold a paw and stroke their head and reassure them and tell them what a good dog they are. It really is painless for them and they...just...go...to sleep.

My vet will come out to the car and do it there in comfortable and familiar surroundings. He's a peach.

Nasha is 12, and getting more feeble every day. She's a German Shepherd and is the longest lived we've ever had. Her back legs are pretty wobbly and she's on meds for her arthritis, bladder, and eyes. I don't think it'll be long now, and I dread it.

Do the right thing, and I think you'll know when it's time.
My heart goes out to you.
trof

[trof]

10. Didn't read the other replies

before I posted mine.
It's amazing how much we all think alike about this.
Now I'm crying.
jeez

[AnnabelLee]

12. I'm crying too, trof

Chemenger, you have been given all of the same advice in this thread that I would have given you. It's so very, very hard to say goodbye, but if you think your friend is suffering, you must help him with the only means left to you.

[SOteric]

11. I'm so sorry your little friend is ailing.

This can never be an easy decision. As long as there is some quality and joy to life, it's not our first choice to lose an animal companion.

I think it has to be the measure of such a decision just how much quality of life there is. If your little guy still has some good times every day, then maybe it's not time yet. Only when I'm certain that the bad times are greatly outweighing the good would I think it time to put him at peace.

Keep watching his eyes. I think they'll tell you when he hasn't the heart to struggle with it any longer.

[Kamika]

13. If the dog is in pain yes..

Just make SURE you and your family is there with him as he slowly falls asleep from the shot.. possibly holding him in your arms or so

[corarose]

14. My Poodle died 10 years ago from the same thing and I still miss him

Take him to the vet and they can drain the fluid off of his chest and give him medicine for chf.
If nothing else works I would let him live until he can't get around any longer.
I can't put my pets to sleep they are my family. Don't let him suffer.

[dflprincess]

16. Talk to your vet

She'll have a better idea how much your dog is suffering. If he's still got some spark in him you may have some other options. Don't worry about the cataracts, my friend's parents had a 17 year old poodle that had them and was blind but their vet said that it doesn't matter that much to dogs - especially if the blindness has come on gradually and his nose is still working. They apparently adjust much better to blindness than humans do.

Good luck and God bless, I know how hard this is.

[trof]

17. Forgot one important thing.

Pay in advance or get them to send you a bill.
It may sound like a small thing now, but you do NOT want to deal with this right after.

[noonwitch]

18. I'm sorry about your dog.

I lost my beloved Rosie about 5 years ago to a splenic tumor that burst, causing her chest to fill up with fluid. She had similar symptoms and was 13 at the time. I brought her to the vet er, and she died while they were preparing the shot to put her to sleep. When they start having trouble breathing and are unable to eat, it is time. They stop eating when they are in pain.

[nuxvomica]

19. As long as he has that mischievous spark, I'd wait

An animal may suffer pain or discomfort but his quality of life is still strong if he can still be playful and happy, even just a little.
Regardless of anyone's advice, you need to follow your heart. You'll know when it's time. And afterwards, you should never doubt that you made the right choice.