Monday, August 23, 2010

Is it time to let our dog go?

our dog has been through a lot of health problems since he was just a puppy..We had him treated by the best vets we could find.He is now 10 years old..He has a bad skin allergy that we've been treating for years..last time the vet prescribed Quartezone..His body is unable to produce tears anymore so we treat his eyes daily..His back is bald from the allergy..He also gets bouts of arthritis..


IT MAKES ME MISERABLE TO WATCH HIM DETERIORATE LIKE THIS. I think it is time to let go but my husband wants to "keep him comfortable" with medications. I don't know if this is a selfish thing to do..He admits that he notices that he is deteriorating but because the vet hasn't come out and said we need to have our dog put down..my husband is holding on...I WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR DOG..PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE OR PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES..THIS IS SO DIFFICULT..THANK YOU

Is it time to let our dog go?
i feel for you. i know what you are going through is rough. I've been there, and the dog was a family dog. me and my mother thought it was a good idea to put her down but the rest of the family was against it. she suffered for about 3 years because my the rest of my family wanted her to themselves. she ended up dying in my arms with my mom next to me, no one else in the family even bothered showing up when we buried her. it was rough to see her like that. if i could go back i would have put my dog down even though the rest of the family was against it. the vet said their was nothing else they could have done to make her comfortable. she was chewing off her skin, allergic to fleas, couldn't control her bladder, blind. i know this is difficult for you, but if you really believe this should be done i think you should do it. no one wants to see their animals die, but NO ONE wants to see them suffer either. medications will only numb the pain for your dog, but seeing him just laying there high on whatever he's got will make you feel even worse. what kind of life is that? just know whatever your decision is, i will support you because i know what kind of decision this is
Reply:What type of dog?


Is it aShih Tzu by chance?


I experienced most of the same with one I had. (except the arthritis).


If the dog is eating and still enjoy some of the activities and life,..maybe your hubby is right.


It really is a judgement call.


I'm sorry for the decision you have to make.


Gd. luck.
Reply:This type of decision is very hard to make. I would suggest talking to your vet and getting his opinion. I would also suggest talking to your husband about your feelings, but make sure you take his into consideration also. I'm so sorry that you have to make a decision like that. my heart goes out to you.
Reply:No vet will out and out tell you what to do - he will give you advice and a long-term prognosis, but ultimately the decision is yours. What the vet can do is have an honest conversation with you and your husband about your dog's condition - how comfortable he is, how long he is likely to live, how much medication will or won't help. With that information, you and your husband need to talk and come to a mutual decision about what is best for your dog.





Good luck. This part of dog ownership is never easy.
Reply:He's sickly and he smells, no reason for him to die, however, unless he is in pain or has no quality of life.





I had 2 shepherds until this summer, both nearly 18 years old, one was blind,the other certainly wasn't pretty any more, but I sure didn't consider putting them down until they obviously had no more will to live.





I'm with your husband on this, you don't put your relatives down when they start to "deteriorate" and you sure hope they don't put you down - do what you can to make your dog comfortable as long as possible.





A 10 year old dog is hardly old, even large breeds live longer than that and small ones to 20 or more - please consider the dog as a member of your family, even if he has lost the "cute" feature.
Reply:That's one of the hardest decisions to make. Only you know the quality of life he has. Don't feel guilty for making the decision to put him down, sounds like you did your best with him. good luck
Reply:That's a very unfortunate decision that we have all faced one time or another. Only you know when its time to go. If the dog seems obviously happy and pain free I believe I would still go on with him. If I felt his quality of life was in jeopardy I would have to make that god awful decision but based on my dog and not my selfishness. Ask your husband what he thinks the dog would want and not what your husband wants.
Reply:at a certain point medications will no longer make your dog 'comfortable' im sorry you have to make this decision, i think its in the dogs best interest to put the dog down, and i dont think a vet will come out and say the dog needs to be put to sleep. best of luck, i hope you make the right decision
Reply:Look into your dog's eyes and ask him with your heart. He will tell you when he is ready to go. If he says "yes", and I expect he will, try to help your husband understand. Sometimes letting go is the kindest thing we can do for a dog. They have no tomorrow, so if today is painful and unpleasant, they have nothing else.
Reply:my dog died 2day..........but letting him go is better then him suffering. thats my opinion. no one wants to be in pain
Reply:I'm really sorry to have to answer a question like this.


I know how it feels, last christmas my parents had to put our family dog down after 13 years, because he kept having seizures, lost control of his organs, and they all started shutting down. He also shivered uncontrolably all the time, and going from a dog on a farm who did what he wanted, he relied on my dad to pick him up heaps.





It was really sad, but in the end, even though it hurt us all my parents did what was best for our dog.





It sounds like your dog isn't getting the enjoyment of life as he used to. Talk to your vet and see what they have to say before you make the decision though, because it's one you'll regret if you find out there's more you could have done.





Good luck, and i'm sorry again.
Reply:i am sorry to say but i think it is time to let him go. let the family say goodbye and give him the best day of his life. give him people food and play with him, then put him to sleep. i know it is hard because he is not just a dog and he is part of the family but he may be suffering. you will feel heartbroken but he has lived a good life. i know you cant replace him but think about getting a new puppy. i would get a puppy from a breeder. it may cost more but most stores get there dogs from puppy mills and they have higher risks of getting sick. if you want to get a puppy from a store, research them and see where they get their dogs(puppy mills are bad; private breeders are good, reserch them to)
Reply:Truth be told, no one on here can answer your question.





I had a dog {Ginger (a Laso Apso)} when I was little, whell she was truly my sister's dog and I was just part of the animal's life.





She was mean, bites all the time, hair was slopping off, she was unable to see, she could hear, and she was crazy over all. This was as a puppy on up into adult hood!





When she was about 8 years old my father told my sister to take better care of the dog, for she was matted and just had puppies, which I never saw one of them..





One day we as a family had to go to Indiana for a un-expectied emergency (we were in Texas) and Ginger had to be left in a kennal that watched your dog in these kinds of cases..





The kennel felt that Ginger was so bad off that the vet put her to sleep. We never had to make the decision on that, thank GOD!





I would tell you to weigh the options when it comes to the life of your beloved dog! I had a cat that I had no choice but to let go of, and he (the act) haunts my heart to this day!!





If this was me I would flat out ask the vets if your dog is at deaths door, or is this alright? For people are always wanting the answer to letting go of there animals, but it is up to you and your husband.





Pray and you will recieve the right direction for what it is that the dog wishes would be done!!
Reply:I had to make the same decision this year with one of our Boston Terriers. She let me know when she was ready to go. She kept me up all night, and I knew she was in pain, so I called my vet the next morning. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I couldn't let her hurt any longer. I think your dog will do the same and let you know when it is time. Good luck, and my prayers are with you.
Reply:I was deeply touched by your story. From the way you described how you two have taken care of your dog, you must be true dog lovers.


My last dog had terminal cancer. Our first vet recommended that we have him put to sleep. I refused to do that probably because I was in denial. I found another vet who was willing to perform surgery. However, that only extended my dogs life by a few months and did not provide a cure. I would sleep with my dog next to me on the floor every night right up until the night he died.


I suspect your husband is in denial just like I was. I think I made the right decision because my dog was relatively active during most of his illness.


Unfortunately, this is not the case for your dog. There are good arguments for putting him to sleep and for continuing his treatment. But both of you have to come to an agreement.


I believe that your dog realizes just how much you two care for and love him. I will pray for your dog. And I will pray for both of you so that you can live with whatever decision you decide upon.


Hope for the best but plan for the worse.


God bless you.
Reply:Skin allergies, lack of natural tears, and bouts of arthritis aren't the type of things you put an animal down for. Sure the allergies can be an annoyance, and arthritis can at times be painful and make mobility difficult, however, these are common and can be treated. And by the way, treatments for all these conditions do not require a RX - Cortisone (correctly spelled), artifical tears, and whatever is given to dogs for arthritis can all be purchased OTC or online.

shamrock

No comments:

Post a Comment