sick pet/when to throw in the towel?

[shvl73]

Alan, It's great to hear she is able to take the meds. I wish you luck, they're definitely worth the effort. Awfully good to hear you're getting support at home, she's a good person, you just gotta reason with her!!
Dan's story hit home, the only night I can sleep through is when I'm away! Other than that, I have to get up with the crew at least once a night, usually twice. Funny, our oldest, a 16 (almost 17) year old Dalmation is now able to go through the night by managing his diet. Nancy has researched it alot and is making the food for the whole crew, with supplements for the elderly. The old guy is very weak in the hind end but, still has plenty of attitude. We'll also be faced with the decision soon but, not yet.

 

[texasjohn]

Tough situation. Been there. Never easy. Not a $ decision for me, but a probability of quality of life decision.... when the quality is below a certain level, gone, not likely to rise again, it's time... You're doing all the right things, if they don't make things better, then it's realistically time. It's a process and your entire family is going thru it.

 

[CurlyDave]

When God created dogs he first made all the lesser breeds. Only then, having honed His skills to the utmost, did He create Labradors.

When I faced this situation, I starting by looking at the relationship between my family and our lab, Rose. She did not choose us, we chose her and she had no say in the matter. Despite this, she gave us 100% of her love, affection and loyalty.

This placed a moral burden on me that I would make decisions in the best interest of both the family and our dog. I would have paid any expense to have her back in good health, but that was not to be.

My decision was easier than some -- when the vet gave me a handful of syringes of pain reliever so that I could spend a last weekend with her, I knew that the time had come and the weekend would have been for me and not Rose. I gave the medicine back, and sat on the floor with her while she passed. That was 6 years ago, and I still grieve for that dog.

Do not take an apparent lack of pain as a sign the dog is feeling good. Labs will endure a lot of pain with no outward sign.

The kids have grown and gone, and we now have two more labs. I don't think I will ever be without at least two.

When the time comes, you will know it. Give yourself time to mourn, and then go out and get a new companion.

 

[dmccarty]

Shvl73,

We have been trying to manage the poo with diet as well. It sorta works. It certainly has lessoned the amount that has to be cleaned up. The dogs are sorta on a schedule but sometimes things just happen and then the schedule is all upset.

The other thing I forgot to mention is in regards to putting the dog to sleep.

The last dog we lost fought cancer for two or three years. We knew when it was time. Chase really did not want to move. She had laid down on her bed in a quiet space we made for her. She and we knew it was time. We could tell the end was nearing so we called the vet and scheduled a home visit. The vet and a helper showed up to put Chase to sleep. Chase did not have to move. She just stayed in her bed and her pain was ended.

My dog Kelly checked on Chase one last time and I had to hold her to let the vet get near Chase. I think both dogs knew what was happening somehow. When Chase stopped breathing Kelly started to howl.

Chase and Thorpe where cremated and are sitting on a book shelf in the study.

Chase was put to sleep when we still lived in the city. Our new vet happens to be a neighbor and a client of the wifes. In the small world department, the new vet is a partner in an office where one of the vets who treated Chase's cancer worked.

When it is Kelly's time the vet will make a house call. Its easier on everyone.

Kelly pooped outside last night! Woo Hooo!

Later,
Dan

 

[shvl73]

Shvl73,

We have been trying to manage the poo with diet as well. It sorta works.

It sure isn't foolproof is it! Sometimes you just get clean up duty!

we called the vet and scheduled a home visit.

Our vet does both large and small animals so, home visits are doable. She was here recently to vaccinate the whole crew and do a general health check on our two oldest. A vet that does house calls is valuable.

 

[tallyho8]

After I read this thread yesterday I had to take my old Bluetick out of the kennel and go for a walk. I had been putting this off for some time and he really needed the attention. I sat and brushed him for a while after the walk and when I went inside, my wife wondered why my eyes were so red.

 

[Tig]

Our dog is in her 18th year and has some difficult times. She is still healthy but does not see or hear very well. I joke that she was never very good at listening so not much has changed there.
Twice my wife has been ready to give up on her because of illness and the mess. She reconsidered each time and things did get better. I am now the one who gets up as required in the night to take the dog out out. Careful diet and regular trips outside have helped give her a chance to not embarrass herself. The biggest turn around for her was after her last close call with the needle. I decided to try long walks after sunset. We don't go very far but we wander around for an hour or so. That seems to have helped her become more regular and sleep better. We still get up through the night to have a drink and to have a pee but not to clean up a mess.
I am fortunate to work from home so I am able to give her this amount of attention. If not, the decision to put her down would have been made for me.
All the best to you, Alan and Pepper

 

[jinjimbob]

Always do what is best for the pet.
Being alive, but in horrendous pain is not what is best.

I never let cost come into it when it comes to giving our pets the best help.

 

[schmism]

ive discussed this numerous times with the wife when i comes to our 2 labs.

For a sickness we are willing to spend nominal amounts for non-invasive procedures. If we can fix it with some basic rounds of medicine we would go for it. After that, make the dog comfortable. IF it improves we continue, if not we put it down.

Traumatic injuries follow the same path. set the broken bones, minor surgery perhaps. But if the prognosis is not good with long road of recovery ahead, likely to just put the dog down then and there.

An example. We have a couple of free barn cats. We are fond of both, one more than the other because he's a great cat. But when he got sick a few weeks ago, we just let nature take its course. He wasnt in pain as best i could tell, we were prepaird to come home and find him dead a couple of times. but each day he hung in there. WE did our best to keep him watered and fed even offering up treats we normally wouldnt give. IN a few days he started to turn around, and some 2 weeks later he is just about back to normal.

SHure i could have taken him to the vet, spent tons of money on diagnosis, medicines, treatments, but at the end of the day, hes a free expendable barn cat.
Are you more attached to something if you spent lots of hard earned money on it? In for the penny, in for the pound? Spend a non-insignificant amount on a pet only to have it bite it on the highway a week later? (if not the highway perhaps the coyote)

I suppose at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and ideals.

 

[escavader]

Its been a few days since i first posted.She hasnt seen much inprovement,so i doubt its a virus or infection.With her liver swollen on that xray,its probably much worse.About the only thing she will eat is chicken[that we cooked last weekend] .She will only eat 3 or 4 peices[its white meat strands] to a time ,but it is a start.Daughter said she aint 1/2 of her muffin today,which is the first other food ive seen her eat for 5 or 6 days.Got one more night of the pills and they are done.Vet said id notice a big change in two days[if it was some sort of bug]
,its been 5.
Shes on her own after tommorow,its in gods hands.We are going to make her as comfortable as possible.If i think she is suffering we will put her down.If she stops eating all togeather again,im not going to have her die from starving its not right.Ilove the dog ,but im not gonna have her final days,being chopped up needlessly by a vet,in some exploratory surgery,when all they are going to find that her liver is full of cancer or something.Im not having some ultra sound done ,when the xray revealed her liver is swelled up,what use could that be?
If its GODS will for her to die,shes going to right on the front porch where she is the happiest,ill have the vet come here.As a person if i had a choice,it would be die at home ,not in some hospital.As her master and best friend ,the kindest act i can do for her ,is to put her down if shes suffering
As you can see ive stopped my sniveling ,and made up my mind about a few things.Iknow what im gonna do,and i need to be strong about it.The sniveling and tears will be saved for after.Hopefully like the barn cat ,shell come around.
ALAN