Should You Put Your Dog to Sleep? A Veterinarian’s Advice
Believe That You Will See Your Dog Again One Day
Deciding if it’s time to put your dog to sleep (euthanasia) is agonizing. Here, a veterinarian describes how to know when it’s time to say good-bye.
These guidelines are from Marie Haynes, a veterinarian who had to put her own dog to sleep. This veterinarian shares her story of putting her dog to sleep, and offers information about pet euthanasia.
“If you can save your dog or cat even one day of discomfort, you must,” says Dr Haynes.
And that’s the number one criteria for deciding if you should put your dog or cat to sleep: if suffering is involved. If your dog is suffering in any way, then it may be time to decide on pet euthanasia.
One of the best ways to cope with your dog’s death is believing that their souls and spirits live on – and you’ll be reunited one day. Read Animals and the Afterlife: True Stories of Our Best Friends’ Journey Beyond Death to learn how some pet owners experience their beloved animal companions after they’ve passed.
And, here are some guidelines to help you decide if it’s time to say good-bey to your dog or cat to sleep…
Is It Time to Put Your Dog to Sleep?
It’s often difficult to tell whether a dog is in pain or suffering, says Dr Haynes, but there are some general guidelines:
- Is your dog’s appetite suffering? If so, this is often a sign of pain.
- Does it seem like your dog is enjoying life?
- Does your dog still do the things that bring her joy?
- Are you enjoying having your dog around — or is there more pain than happiness?
- Does your dog seem happy more often than not?
- Or, do you find that your dog looks distressed or uncomfortable most of the time?
Pet owners often want to be told what to do about putting their dog to sleep, but it has to be the pet owner’s decision. The vet only sees a snapshot of the pet’s life, while the pet owner has the big perspective. “I see a scared, sick animal in the hospital,” says Dr Haynes. “I don’t see a pet owner’s beloved dog.”
“You have taken care of your dog or cat all its life,” says Dr Haynes. “This is your final chance to take care of your pet. If you can spare your dog pain and suffering, then putting it to sleep is the ultimate gift – no matter how hard it is for you.”
The bottom line: when it’s time to put a dog to sleep
There will come a day when it is absolutely clear to you that your dog or cat is not enjoying life. That day is one day too late. If you can save your pet even one day of discomfort, you must.
Deciding on euthanasia is difficult, but it could be the most loving thing you do for your dog.
You can be present if you put your dog to sleep. Euthanasia is similar to falling asleep, and you can be with your dog when he or she drifts away. Remember that euthanasia is generally painless, and almost always goes smoothly.
To help you cope with with feelings of guilt, read 4 Ways to Deal With Guilty Feelings After Pet Loss.
How this veterinarian decided to put her dog to sleep
“My shepherd/cattle dog cross, Eddie, had a multitude of problems and I couldn’t decide if it was time for euthanasia. Then, one day he tore his cruciate ligament. He had already previously torn the ligament on the other knee and although it was healed he had severe arthritis in that knee. With both knees injured, Eddie was unable to walk. My decision to put my dog to sleep was finally made for me.
I went to my office and collected the supplies I needed for euthanasia. Eddie was such a good boy as I shaved his front leg and placed the needle in his vein. I will never forget the look of love and trust he gave me as I made the injection. Then, the life just went out of him and he was gone. Once he had passed away, his buddy Joey (my other dog) came in the room but he did not seem to care about or comprehend what was happening. Then, my two cats came in and I swear they suddenly had a look of glee in their eyes as Eddie was very much a cat tormentor!”
For help saying good-bye, read Letting Go of an Animal You Love: 75 Ways to Survive Pet Loss. I interviewed veterinarians, grief experts, counselors, and pet owners who survived their dog’s death for the best coping tips.
Are you still confused and unsure? You may find Can’t Take Care of Your Dog Anymore? Help for Pet Owners helpful.
If you have any questions or thoughts on putting your dog to sleep, please comment below.
Category: Dogs & Doggy Care Tips, Pet Care Tips
Dear Linda,
I don’t think you’re being the “bad guy” by making the decision to put your dog to sleep…sometimes, it’s the best and only way to truly love our animals. I know it seems cruel, but letting an animal go can be the kindest, most compassionate thing we do for them.
I can’t tell you it’s time to make that decision…but I do think you should listen to your gut instincts. If your dog isn’t enjoying a good quality of life, then maybe it is time to say goodbye. If he’s sick, tired, and helpless, you need to ask yourself if you’re prolonging his life for his sake, or your own sake. If you’re keeping him alive to keep yourself happy (though tired and torn!), then maybe you’re not doing it for the right reason.
I hope this helps, and wish you all the best.
Blessings,
Laurie
P.S. In Letting Go of an Animal You Love, I interviewed pet loss grief experts, veterinarians, and people who were devastaed after losing their pets. They share dozens of helpful, inspiring, strength-building, and sometimes surprising tips for coping with pet loss – none of which are here on Quips and Tips.
My husky was diagnosed with Lyme Disease earlier this year. We put him on antibiotics and he seemed to recover most of the way, though not completely. Since then, he has thrown up a lot, often has diarrhea, and he becomes irritable and attacks the other dogs. There have been occasions where he has also snapped at my children. When he snapped at my daughter, she had grabbed him by the collar and was trying to get him to enter the computer room where we keep our dogs. He’s snapped at me once when I grabbed him by the collar and tried to lead him to his crate when he didn’t want to go in it. A few months ago, he badly injured a 3 lb. Chihuahua that was living with us. Her entire stomach was badly bruised and bleeding in some places. It took one to two weeks for her to recover from it, much longer for her to trust the other dogs enough to come out from under my computer desk. I don’t know what provoked that encounter. Tonight, my other Chihuahua (who is a treasure to me and I will be devastated the day he’s no longer around) was attacked by my husky. They were both at the food dish and my Chihuahua was doing his normal territorial growl around the food dish. Normally, my husky just ignores him. Tonight, though, he attacked. I jumped up and got him off my Chihuahua, then put him in his crate. My Chihuahua was limping around and whimpering for awhile, but seems to be okay otherwise. The randomness of my husky’s attacks scares me. Something that has never set him off before will suddenly cause this kind of reaction. It happens once every month or so. I’m concerned about someone getting seriously hurt one of these times and I’m not sure what to do about it. Can you advise me?
My Fiance has had his pup from age 6mths he was a rescue he is now five years old and in fairly good health. i have only been a part of the pups life for 2 years. from the start, he was openly defiant as my fiance was the ‘alpha’ however over time i became unemployed and was left with him for longer periods of time. he started to obey me and what not. however over the last 6 mths we have had increasingly more problems with his behaviors. when being ‘reprimanded’ [taken by the collar and held still ans a smack across the nose and sent to go lay down he would pee occasionally but not often. over the last two months this has increased to where it is a rarity that he does not pee when being taken by the collar and no other reprimands done.] i personally have been holding his snout and making him look me in the eyes and then showing what he has done wrong [getting in the trash, getting food on the tables, eating paper, getting in the kitty box, potting occasionally in the house, etc.] he has high anxiety from separation issues that were never addressed properly when he was a pup. my fiance has sought many options over the years and hasen’t been able to find anything that works [like training and medications] we recently had a instance where he had bit me because i ruffled his ears playfully as i do often and from there it went down hill. when i could not gain control my fiance stepped in and got him to the floor and held still he was shown the bite mark smack across the nose and ran, my fiance then told him to go to his kennel he did not do as my fiance commanded and ran in the opposite direction, however i was standing there so he ran to the sofa table and would not come out from under so i put my foot towards him to coax him to the back room where his kennel is and instead of getting movement i got bit again. this is highly unusual behavior and has only bitten successfully once before out of agitation. he has nipped a ton though, which is cause for concern. we are uncomfortable with keep him as we are looking to start a family and have other smaller animals however we don’t want to ‘rehome’ him because of the increasing behavioral issues and biting. we are at loss to put him down as he is a beloved family pet and usually isn’t a “aggressive” dog however he has bitten one too many times and it will no longer be tolerated. we have tried training but cannot afford a professional, unfortunately. what can we do? advice would be wonderful.
thanks.
-heart broken
My 15 year old schnauzer had a “spell” almost a week ago. He had just come inside from being out in the cold and was standing in the dining room. He let out a yelp, fell on the floor and seemed unconsious for maybe a minute or two. He eventually snapped out of it, got up and went about his business. This happened three more times over the the next several days and always seemed to happen after he came in from being outside. Our vet said his heart was bad but everything else seemed alright except for his liver enzymes being high and subscribed meds for that. A few days later I came home from work and found him with an arched back, couldn’t raise his head and his front leg seemed weak and he wouldn’t put weight on it. Another vet said he had a heart murmur and severe arthritis or disc degeneration and put him on tramadol for the pain. He sleeps most of the time but is still eating and drinking, even though we have to lift the bowls up to him. We have to carry him to do his business outside. I think it’s time, but my daughter says he’s doing better. I’m torn, I’m tired and I don’t want to be the bad guy. Is it too soon to make such a decision or should we wait to see if he does get better?
Paula,
Eleven months is so young! Poor Kilo.
I think “quality of life” is determined by if and how much a dog eats, how well and how long he sleeps, if he can walk around outside, if he plays, and how happy he seems to be. I think we can judge how happy our pets are, especially if we’ve had them for awhile.
Such a tough decision…if he’s not in discomfort and you have the means, ability, and willingness to take care of him as he is, then maybe his quality of life is good. But as soon as he shows signs of discomfort or pain, then maybe it’s time to think seriously about saying goodbye.
I hope this helps — I wish I had a better, more concrete answer for you! A veterinarian may be able to shed more light on the “quality of life” question, because it’s a good one.
Let me know how it goes…
Blessings,
Laurie
Dear Megan,
Deciding if it’s time to put your dog to sleep is one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make…as you already know!
From what you’ve said, it sounds like your beloved lab isn’t enjoying life the way she used to. Her quality of life seems poor. I don’t know if she’s in pain, but the fact that she’s pulling away from you may mean something. She’s definitely uncomfortable.
It pains my heart to say this, but I agree with your parents and husband. I’m sorry.
Let me know how it goes, okay?
Blessings,
Laurie
I have a 11 month old Boxer named Kilo. He was diagnosed with Pulmonic Stenosis at 2-1/2 months of age and at 5 months of age he underwent a balloon valvuloplasty to correct his problem. The surgery was a success or so we were told. 2 weeks later we were in the ER with him and found out that during his procedure the tricuspid valve in his heart was torn. So now he is in heart failure and is on 5 different pills a day for a total of about 15 per day to help his heart work harder so fluid dont build up in his abdomen as quickly. he has to be taken in atleast once per month to have his belly tapped and drained of the excess fluid building up. Those days he is at his best, he is more active and seems happier. We are torn right now not knowing if it would be best for him to have him put down. He is such a lovable boy lately he has become more aggressice towards the other dogs in the home and i think its because he is uncomfortable. i know as his abdomen fills its uncomfortable for him as you can see he isnt as active. he never acts miserable he still plays but mostly while laying down, he sleeps quite a bit and of course has frequent urinary accidents due to the diurectics he is on. The cost of the medicine and the tapping is a bit straining on us financially but the love we have for him outweighs any cost. My heart breaks seeing him when he is uncomfortable and i do not know if its time. How do i know if his quality of life is suffering?
Looking for advice. I have a 13 year old lab. She has arthritis and has difficulty getting around. She still does the stairs up to our bedroom at night but it takes her five minutes to get up or down them and almost every other day she slips and slides down them on her belly. She falls alot or slips. We have a young lab as well and the slightest bump from her knocks the older one over. I am afraid she is going to hurt herself. She has a cloudy covering on her eye so she cannot see well. She also gets constant ear infections. She has had deep cleanings and various types of medicines. Usually she lets me clean them but recentlly she fights me and pulls away. It is not aggressive but I can tell that it is painfull. She has accidents in the house both poop and urine. This happens almost every other day if not every day. I have had her for such a long time and I do not want her to suffer. My parents and my husband all say that it is time to put her down, but I do not want to do it prematurely. I have talked to the vet and he says its a decision I have to make which really doesn’t help. Any ideas?
Thanks Michael ~ I’m really glad you shared your story, and that this article about when to put your dog to sleep helped.
Annette ~ What a difficult decision to have to make! While I can’t tell you if you should put your dog down or not, I do encourage you to think about the possible consequences of her attacking another dog…or even a person. You may have been able to control her until now, but what if she breaks away from you or escapes from the yard? I don’t like to live in the land of “what if’s”, but do wonder if your dog’s aggression may get worse over time.
I’m a big fan of Judge Marilyn Milian, and she often hears cases of people suing dog owners when dogs get loose and hurt other animals or people. Milian’s lawsuits are all less than $5,000 because it’s small claims court…but I know that dog owners get sued for much, much more if their dogs cause serious harm to people or other animals.
Pet euthanasia is heartbreaking to consider, especially when the dog is as young as yours. But sometimes it’s the best, kindest decision to make. Like I said, I can’t tell you if you should put your dog to sleep, but I do think you should take your vet’s advice very seriously.
I’m very sorry — my heart goes out to you.
Let me know how it goes, and what you decide.
Sincerely,
Laurie
I have a 6 year old Doberman named Roxie. I’m struggling with the idea of whether or not to put her to sleep. She has become a very aggressive dog, to the point of biting anyone that comes into my home and if she encounters another dog, she wants to fight it. I have to muzzle her just to get her to the vet, due to her aggressiveness.
I also have a male Doberman, they have been together since they were 6 weeks old but they can no longer be fed alone because she will attack him. If we don’t stand between them Roxie will go after the male. She has always been protective but never at this level. I should also mention she has killed a skunk and raccoon and has become more aggressive since then. I’ve spoke with my vet and he has suggested I put her down, she is fine with me and has never shown any aggressiveness. I would appreciate your thoughts.
Thank you,
Annette
Thanks for this blog. I read it a few days ago and it was very helpful for me to decide to put my baby Rileydog to sleep. I have had Riley for 11 years. His body was fairly healthy actually, but he had cognitive decline. This made it really really hard to decide because it was his behavior and mind that were getting worse, not his health. This really effected MY quality of life, and his. Two different vets gave two different suggestions to help things get better, but neither one seemed all that supportive of my decision. The Humane Society vet however was willing to talk to me about Riley realistically. One thing she told me that really helped was, “If you were selfish, this would be an easy decision. Obviously, you love your dog very much, so I don’t think you’d want to put him down unless it was the right time.”
I am hoping that my post here will be helpful to someone else that might be in a position like I was in. Many people talk about putting down dogs because of an illness, but I could find much about cognitive decline.
I will admit, this experience was MUCH harder on me than I ever expected it to be… the day I put him down was full of tears, and the last three days have been better, but it has still been awful. i miss my little Rileydog, so so so much…. but I know that at least he was put down at a time when he wasn’t in too much pain and all the memories of his life are ones that he enjoyed.
If you are struggling to put your dog down, honestly, that probably just really means it is time. There is always something you COULD do, no matter how sick your dog gets…. so there is never going to be a time when you can tell yourself you did all you can… let go of that feeling. Instead, focus on the fact that you loved your dog very much and enjoyed life together. Then, do something in his memory. I took Riley’s paw prints in clay, took lots of pictures, and made a donation to the humane society. These things helped, reading this blog before I made my decision helped, and writing this post afterwords has helped too.
You will get through it… and your dog will know that you loved him.
Michael (& and Riley)
Helena,
What a dilemma you’re facing! I don’t know all the details, but from what you’ve said, I think there’s nothing wrong with letting your relatives who can afford your dog’s treatments to take care of her.
I’m curious why you’re hesitating to let your relatives help out? Is it because your dog’s kidneys will eventually fail? I know you have good reasons for your hesitation, and it may help if you write down those reasons. You may gain more clarity and insight, which may help you make your decision.
Blessings,
Laurie
Shelley ~ I’m so sorry I missed your comment! I’m also very sorry about your dog’s health issues and the cost of surgery….have you made a decision yet? Are you still struggling with what to do? If you let me know where you’re at, I’d be happy to give you my thoughts…
Amanda ~ One of the most important questions is how your dog is affecting your physical and emotional health. You need to stay as balanced and healthy as you can. It sounds like you know what you need to do, and maybe like you’ve already made your decision. But, knowing it in your head is different than accepting it in your heart and following through with it! This may sound heartless, but I think it’s more important to put your needs and your baby’s needs ahead of your dog’s needs….but I’m not in love with Bailey like you are. I KNOW how heartbreaking it is, and how much guilt people feel after they put their dogs to sleep. It’s horrible. It’s important to know that you may struggle with guilt and remorse after your dog is gone, and to start dealing with that now.
Of course, I can’t tell you what you should do…the final decision is completely, totally up to you and your husband. Maybe you need to talk to a vet, for some professional feedback. But I think there’s nothing wrong with putting your needs first.
I hope this helps a little. I’m very sorry you have to make this decision, and hope that something comes up to make it an easier one!
Blessings,
Laurie
I can’t believe I am writing on a message board about this, but here goes. I have a 14, almost 15, year old lab, Bailey. At a healthy weight, when she was young, Bailey was about 90 lbs. She hovers around 80 now. Her health issues: defecates frequently in the house and in her bed in her sleep (and I cannot keep her clean); urinates in the house occasionally, but this seems to be getting a bit more frequent and has also happened a couple of times in her bed in her sleep; she goes through phases of having a cough or sort of hack which often results in her coughing up food (she will doe this a few times a day for about a week and then it goes away for a few days and then comes back) due to laryngeal paralysis; she has difficulty standing on her own and standing without moving for any period of time; she can walk, but sometimes loses control of her back legs and falls (however, she’s usually alright as long as she’s moving) and she also drags her hind feet a bit more (I was told she has a progressive neurological condition that causes this). I have to help Bailey stand up and help her up the 3 steps to get into the house. Her bowel issues are completely unpredictable. I have her out as much as I can, but I simply cannot plan for it as it can happen at any time. Bailey’s attitude toward life seems to be generally good. She enjoys going out, still very interested in food, and very interested in me and anything I am doing.
I, however, am losing my mind. I can’t leave her for any period of time. I am up several times in the middle of the night taking her out because when I hear her get up, I get up with her in case she needs to go to the bathroom. I clean dog feces off the floor ever day, sometimes 3-4x/day. I honestly don’t know what to do. Everyone in my life is worried about me and my level of stress and the fact that I can’t really do anything away from home. People have started telling me I need to consider my own needs at least a little bit in this situation. I just always felt that my role in Bailey’s life was to make the best decision for HER, no matter if it was best for me or not. This has been going on for over a year. I never ever thought I would be in this place with her, but sometimes I just feel like it’s never going to end. She’s declining for sure, but at a very very slow pace. If she were at all suffering or sick, I would absolutely do what was best for her.
I feel like a horrible person and horrible pet owner wishing daily that something would just happen that would make euthanasia an easier option for me. How much do I consider my own needs in this situation? My quality of life has declined greatly. Hers has probably declined slightly (she’s always been an incredibly happy dog). I should also add that I am 4 months pregnant and while my husband is very supportive of the dog situation (she’s my dog), he is not comfortable with the amount of fecal matter I deal with on a day to day basis as well as the lack of sleep and lifting of my 80 lb dog off the floor or up the stairs. Not to mention he has to also live in the filth and deal with her. He has started telling me it’s time in less and less subtle ways. The baby thing also sort of puts a deadline on the whole situation as there is no way I will be able to care for a newborn and care for Bailey. I will probably not be able to care for Bailey as I get bigger and as the weather gets more severe. What do I do?? (I apologize for to novel, but I must admit it was cathartic to some extent).
I was wondering if someone could give me their opinion on what I should do with my dog at this point. She is in the close to final stages of renal failure. We’ve brought her to the vet and her numbers are very high, but she has responded well to treatment. She is back to barking, jumping around, gaining weight and playing with people. The vet says with treatments she could live longer, and because she’s still eating and responding to people she isn’t suffering at this point or in any pain. It’s a lot of money to do these treatments at home, and there’s obviously no guarantee of how long I can keep my dog through this. I’m considering putting her to sleep so as not to drag out the process, but I have quite a few family members with the funds available that want to take the dog home and allow her to be with her family until it’s no longer possible. Is it cruel of me to not want to allow this and rather end her life now? I’ve been told that it’s a form of animal cruelty because she still has viable quality of life. Please let me know the answers to my questions.
Hi there I have a question. I adopted a 2 year old Rotti this summer and recently found out he has hip issues but not as bad as the vet was expecting. About 4 days ago he was playing with our other dog in the backyard and started screaming and when i got to the door he was limping with his right leg off the ground. We waited till the next day to take him in just to make sure it wasn’t something little. When I took him in I was told he had torn is CCL. He is a 115lb dog. Although in the last four days has lost about 10 pounds. We are stationed in Alaska where everything seems to cost more. Are quote is 2800 to 3200 for his surgery. But also just a quote. He will not eat or drink. I have to bring it to him and force him too and even then he won’t. I was giving nerve pain meds for him. We can’t not afford the surgery! Its not that I don’t want to do it but we literally just don’t have that kind of money plus I we have three young children. I am torn on what to do. He is losing weight and I know without him getting his walks and runs like normal that he is going to go down hill. I was told they don’t suggest at home recovery for him because of his size. But he is only 2! That is where I feel like such a bad person. I just don’t know what to do. Any advice would be wonderful I just fear the worest and don’t want to make him suffer. I understand most would see me as a bad pet owner becuase of his age and us not getting the surgery but its just not possible, and I already feel like a bad pet owner for not being able to give him the proper care he needs at his time in need. Thank you for reading. Shelley
Dear Cassandra,
Have you talked to a dog trainer, or dog obedience handler? We found a terrific dog trainer in our city; she came over to our place and did a home assessment and gave us all sorts of great advice.
You might also talk to a couple of veterinarians about if you should put your dog to sleep. I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, but an experienced vet might be able to give you some guidance.
I wish you all the best, and invite you to come back and let me know what you decide…
Blessings,
Laurie
hi i have a dog with really bad separation anxiety she drives my neighbors nuts. she also is very aggressive to anyone who is not a child. i am afraid she is going to bite someone. she is constantly peeing and pooping in her kennel no matter how many times she is outside. even if i sit outside with her all day she comes inside and does it again… if i give her a bath she does it instantly. she also snips at my daughter whenever i am not right there. we recently rescued a blood hound and she we are not sure what she is but she looks like a miniture lab. i know that when she was abused as a puppy but i have tried to work with her to no luck she whines all night i just don’t know what to do. im not sure if i should get her put to sleep or what i don’t think that i could find a family that could take her due to her aggression and the anxiety.. any suggestions ?
Dear Viktoria,
I’m sorry to hear about your dog — how sad. Losing a pet is unbelievable hard, especially if he’s been a constant source of love, trust, and happiness.
He sounds like he’s not enjoying the same quality of life that he used to…which is one of the things vets ask pet owners to consider when they’re thinking about putting their beloved animals to sleep. If your poor dog isn’t happy…it may be time to talk to your vet about making a hard decision.
You don’t have to decide today, and when you call the vet, it’s only to talk it through. As you describe his symptoms and behaviors, the answer may become clear to you.
I wish you all the best in this time.
In sympathy,
Laurie
I have an almost 11 year-old Bolognese. He’s been with me since he was 8 weeks old. For the past ten years, during which all three people I’d known since birth – my Mother, and both of my grandparents – passed away, he’s been the only constant thing in my life, and I’ve gotten used to organizing my entire life around him.
He is a victim of inbreeding, and he’s had problems since he was a puppy: seizures, separation anxiety, stage 4 dental disease by the age of 7, allergies, back knee problems.
The past few months, his separation anxiety has gotten completely out of control for no apparent reason, and nothing seems to help. He “outbarks” the citronella anti-bark collar (which had worked great in the past,) ClomiCalm gave him daily seizures, and regular anti-anxiety medication isn’t doing anything: my neighbors tell me that when I leave for work, he starts crying obsessively and doesn’t stop. I work six days a week so that I can work shorter days at a time, but he apparently starts maybe 15 minutes after I’m out the door. Even though he’s on anti-seizure medication, which used to make him overeat, he’s been eating less and less recently. He is suffering, and medication doesn’t seem to help anymore.
I’m at a point when I feel like I need to discuss the possibility of putting him to sleep with his vet, but the thought is killing me. I really don’t know what I should do.
Dear Amber,
I’m sorry to hear about Zelda — it sounds like she’s quite sick. Have you taken her to a veterinarian? I think you should take her in right away, and get her checked out. She may only need some medicine or something — I don’t know.
Take her to the vet, and let me know how it goes. If you’ve already taken her to one vet, I encourage you to get a second opinion. Some times vets don’t recognize problems right away, and it’s always to good to get a second opinion!
Laurie
I have a 10-12 year old German Shepherd named Zelda that I adopted almost 2 years ago from a shelter. When I first brought her home and for the first year she was doing well. She would run around outside and be very playful. I had to move into a small apartment a year ago and my mom agreed to let Zelda live with her until I was able to find somewhere bigger. A couple months ago Zelda has not been able to hold her bowel movements inside of the house and has also begun urinating all over the floors as well. Now she begun throwing up her food whenever she eats. It’s not her diet, she doesn’t eat trash so those were ruled out. She also will not leave my mother’s side or mine when I am over there. She whines and pants constantly and I know panting is a sign of pain. When she is outside she falls down and slips on the rocks. I know her sight is going as well. Her eyes are cloudy and she runs into things sometimes. I don’t know what to do. I know she must not be happy and in pain and I hate how I make myself believe she is happy and full of life. Please advise. I’m tearing myself apart.
Madeleine ~ Poor Andy — it sounds like he’s healthy enough to live, but sick enough to be sufering a bit! I encourage you to take him to the vet, or get a vet’s opinion via telephone. Another option is to talk to a holistic animal care provider — they sometimes have remedies that work for big and little health issues. It might be good to remember and talk to your mom about the fact that he probably won’t get healthier. Keeping him alive until he’s on his deathbed may not be the best way to spend his remaining days. I’m not saying you should put your dog to sleep, but just giving you a few thoughts! It’s an impossibly sad decision to make, and we dog owners often have to say goodbye long before we’re ready.
Emily ~ It sounds like your mastiff has had a good life, and may be ready to go….it’s often us owners who want to keep our dogs alive even if it’s time for them to leave. It’s a very hard decision, but it sounds like you know in your head what the right thing to do is. It’s just your heart that is having trouble accepting it. I wish you all the best.
Alison ~ I’m so sorry to hear that your dog is so sick — and so young! Our black lab is only one year old, and we’ve been told that she’ll still be a puppy for at least another year…which means your dog is still a puppy in many ways. It’s heartbreaking. Sometimes the animals we love just aren’t meant to live long lives – just like some people. But, as much as you love your dog, you can’t put your financial future or home at risk. Every pet owner has to decide for herself if and when it’s time to put their dog to sleep…and if you can’t afford to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars trying to figure out why your dog is sick, then you have every right to make the hard decision to put her to sleep. I hope you can make this decision without feeling too much guilt or heartbreak….though I know it’s easier said than done! This is one of those impossible life decisions. Even though your dog is so young, her quality of life is one of the most important determining factors…and it sounds like she’s not doing well. Another thing to consider is how she’ll be in six months, or two years. Will she always have health issues? I guess nobody can answer that for sure.
I hope you return and let me know how thing go.
Wishing you all the best, and giving you all my sympathy,
Laurie
I have a 2 year old black lab/rotti mix. She has had medical issues since I adopted her as pup. Severe allergies which I think I have controlled at times, though she usually miserable with them. More recently she’s developed an intestinal problem. She’s obviously in discomfort. She is pacing the house and whining most of the night. I’ve been to 2 vets and spent close to $1,000 and they still don’t know what is wrong. Now she has bloody diareah and isn’t eating regularly. One day she eats fine, the next nothing. She is the most gentle good natured dog and I want to help. They want to do exploratory surgery and I just can’t continue to spend this amount of money. I feel so cold hearted and guilty but there are no guarantees the surgery will even show anything. She’s had 4 xrays which do not show anything wrong. Several meds, several trips back. I’m so torn on what to do. I’ve spent close to $3000 in her short 2 years and now this. I can’t get in a position that I have to choose between my mortgage and my dogs health. Back to the vet today to see what else he can possibly do for her. I’m heartbroken over this especially since she is only 2. I’m just sick over it.
My family has a 10 year old female neapolitan mastiff. Over the past few years we have noticed some minor problems with her hips and back legs, which is to be expected for her breed. However over the past month or so, her hips/back legs have deteriorated to the point where she can barely walk anymore, and she gets around by dragging her body with her front legs. She is mainly an outside dog but we have been letting her come in the house so she doesnt scrape up her legs. In the past, she has been able to walk up the step into the house but about a week ago it became impossible to do that, so my father and my brother have been carrying her into the house (she weighs about 120 lbs)
Another problem she has, because it takes her a lot of energy to move, is that she will just urinate or defecate wherever she is laying, which usually means on her bed. Then she will just lie in her pee until someone notices and cleans her up. Her problems have been getting worse and worse and the reality of the situation is that she needs someone attending to her most of the time, and in our busy family we just can’t do it. My father has been suggesting putting her to sleep and my mother has spoken to our veterinarian who has told us that she’s never going to get better. However, my brother and I are having trouble coming to terms with this because outside of her health issues, her “personality” has remained the same. It just doesnt seem right to us because she seems like the same dog she was five years ago, just less mobile. I have to admit, writing everything out like this has sort of helped me see that maybe putting her to sleep is the right thing to do but I guess i just need some outside validatio