At what point do you call it?

[satellitemike]

So some recent threads have hit home for me lately.
We have an 11 year old yellow lab, Eli. Son named her that cuz she grew up with him working at Eliminator, kind of the shop dog.
Eli has always had bad hips and my wife has always added supliments to her diet, but the last 6 months have been pretty much just managing the pain. she can barely see and pretty much sleeps all the time, gets up from time to time, starts panting for a few minutes then turns in circles for a few moments then back to sleep. About 3 to 4 trips a day to go outside to relieve herself, which is a good sign to me, hasnt gotten to the point where she says F it and just doesnt get up! The last month or 2 we have had to start bribing her to eat, with some chicken, cheese, or other goodies.
Only time she gets excited is when her little sister Remi comes to visit, Sons 2 year old chocolate lab.

At what point do you put a dog down?

 

[satellitemike]

 

[Romans9]

When it is time.
Only the dog owners actually know.
Consult your trusted vet.
Give your pets the best life you can and that includes letting them go peacefully.
I think the problems come when we animal caretakers are overwhelmed by our love for them and our desire to make them stay one more day even though they are in pain.
When putting them down is merciful it is the right time.

 

[DILLIGAF]

That is a very personal decision and a hard one to make. It is simply a quality of life issue. The decision should be made for the pup and not for you.

With my pup Roxy I knew it was time......knew it was coming but when she couldn't get up-down the stairs after basically being an athlete her entire life I knew it.

Broke my heart but I had her lay down in the truck in her favorite spot in the back seat. I held her head and quietly talked to her while the vet administered the medication. She didn't flinch and just went to sleep. She was ready to go as she had given me every last moment she could.

Man.....I just literally relived this emotionally as I wrote this.

I miss her tremendously......

You will do the right thing at the right time......

I posted this and the support from the membership really helped me out.

The life of Roxy

First of all, thank you for the kind words. I read all of them and appreciate the condolences. This little "obit" (a long read) if you will is really for me to clear my mind and remember all the great times that made Roxy so special to me. These are just a few of the stories that bring a...

www.riverdavesplace.com

 

[Havaduner]

For a dog especially, it's not the quantity of life, but the quality of life. If she's in pain, and miserable, it's time.

 

[wayniac]

SUCKS!!! our dogs are part of our family as yours seem to be. You obviously love them, so the fact that you are asking means you know it is close. Does she have a good part of the day every day? What would you want in her place. When it is time, find an in-home euthanasia person. Sorry you are going through this.

 

[Singleton]

By writing this post, you know the answer already.
It is not an easy decision.

I had to put down my last dog. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Lasted a year, but the last 3 months were hard. He had to wear diapers at night (no bladder control when he slept), would only eat cooked chicken and was aggressive with everyone in the house but me. He was taking 21 pills a day and a week before I left for a month long business trip, he would fight me taking his pills And would not allow my wife to feed him or give him pills.

Put him to rest the day before I boarded the flight. I could see it in his eyes, he was ready when we went for the drive.

 

[beerrun]

There are people that will come to your house to put them down don't take them to the vet and stress them out. Look for PAWS TO GRACE they are first class when it comes to this

 

[FreeBird236]

I can't really tell you, but you have my condolences.

 

[HBCraig]

You'll know. It's hard but has to be done. My golden stopped moving and eating and it was time. Broke our hearts but it was best to be honest

 

[Deckin Around]

we had one dog we had put down at home and it was totally peaceful. I would never terrify my dog by taking them to the vet for their final goodbye. we waited too long for another dog who died while we were at work and it wasn’t peaceful. It’s a huge regret my wife and I have for waiting that long.

 

[Riverhound 2.0]

We just went through this yesterday with our 8.5yr old yellow lab. It was heartbreaking for our family but we owed it to him to end his suffering. When it's time, do right by them.

 

[brgrcru]

So sorry that your best freind is at this stage of a dogs life .
My condolences to your family
We have one getting up in age . 13 .
So we give her and let her have what ever she wants .
Probably never have a better dog.

 

[AzMandella]

I feel for you . We had to put our 14yr old lab down in Nov . We had bought her for the kids for Christmas . We were hoping she would make it to this last Christmas . But it wasn't in the stars . We waited 4 months and then bought another puppy as our shepard mix was lonley .

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I've had 3 Labs. One had really bad hip dysplasia at around 10 years old. he could barely walk. The Dr. put him on a food containing glucosamine/chondroitin and within a couple of weeks he was running around, his coat thickened up and he lived a happy 2 more years.

 

[TPC]

If they’re in pain or can’t eat/drink we put them down.
Sux.
I always feel just like when my mom died.

 

[Activated]

Starting to go through something similar.
She quit eating, so we started wet food and one of those fresh dog foods for her, she is eating again. Slow getting up or laying down but will still go for a walk, only a few houses down the block and back most days. She still wags her tail and comes to me every morning and seems generally happy but we know it is a matter of time. She just turned 16.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

I'm so sorry that you are going through this It is one of the toughest decisions to make. When our golden didn't want to eat anything despite me offering chicken, beef, etc., I knew it was time.

As heartbreaking and sad as it is, try to remember that it truly is a beautiful thing that, after all of the unconditional love and loyalty they gave us every day of their lives, we can offer our pets the gift of peace and relief from pain and suffering. It's a gift that we aren't even able to offer our loved humans when they are suffering.

 

[dread Pirate]

There's no easy way. It's so hard to let them go,,,,,

Sorry man,,,, it's too soon. I can't talk about what I just went through yet...

 

[Havasu blue label]

It to soon at that age the just chill all day if they have an accident we just deal with it . Broiled chicken and very short walks

 

[RogerThat99]

When it was time to put my last dog down, my wife didnt think it was time. I knew it was time, as I had slept on the couch with him that night, and he was miserable. We went to the Vet, and he very thoughtfully explained that it is a hard decision, but WE as owners have a responsibility to not try to extend our time with the dog, at the expense of the dogs comfort. He said he had had to make the same decision on his pet recently. He told my wife that in his opinion, if it was his dog, he would stop the suffering. That is what my wife needed to hear.

It is a tough decision, but only you know the time. Good luck.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Always hard to loose a family member. Still tough for the wife or son when the topic comes up and it has been about 8 years. Best to you and the family making the pup comfortable at this difficult time.

 

[LuauLounge]

Always the toughest decision we ever have to make. Our male yellow lab developed breast cancer at about 10. Vet suggested we do nothing as he wasn’t in pain and it wasn’t interfering with his daily routine….mainly eating and sleeping. He lived another 4 years and it was time.
His buddy developed bone cancer and we did the full treatment of radiation, surgery and chemo. He was miserable, we were miserable and faced with that situation again, we will reassess our options.

 

[stephenkatsea]

When we knew it was time for our beautiful Newfoundland, we called her Vet here in Havasu. Spoke on the phone with his office. They said they could maybe see her in 10 days. I asked if she realized what our dog needed. She did. Called Dr McGuire's office, he had never treated our dog, but they understood our needs. They were professional and very understanding. They saw us that afternoon. We stayed in the room with her. Some say that is best for the dog. It was rough as hell on us. It SUX. Period. There is no sugar coating. It is a loss that, even over time, never goes away. We were very blessed to enjoy her for 12.5 years. That's a good life for a Newf.

 

[RadMan]

For mine in the past it seemed to always relate to their ability to go to the bathroom and hold themselves up.

I had a blind dog for years, 1/2 acre back yard, she could wander everywhere as long as I didn’t leave anything in the yard. If I did, Lucy would always find it and hit it. When we moved, she learned the new place fairly quickly.

Hard slick floors are tough on them, cutting the hair short between the pads of their feet helps a ton. Having a carpet area for them where they rest helps them stand up.

If it was just about being sore when they standup, they would put me down too.

I wish you the best, it’s so tough to decide.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Its a tough situation. We knew it was time when our Boston Terrier basically jumped up on the couch to lay down and no longer wanted to get down to eat or use the bathroom.

 

[sonicss31]

You’ll know when the time is right and believe all of us here, it won’t be easy for you.

 

[satellitemike]

For mine in the past it seemed to always relate to their ability to go to the bathroom and hold themselves up.

I had a blind dog for years, 1/2 acre back yard, she could wander everywhere as long as I didn’t leave anything in the yard. If I did, Lucy would always find it and hit it. When we moved, she learned the new place fairly quickly.

Hard slick floors are tough on them, cutting the hair short between the pads of their feet helps a ton. Having a carpet area for them where they rest helps them stand up.

If it was just about being sore when they standup, they would put me down too.

I wish you the best, it’s so tough to decide.

My wife has rugs, runners, and towels everywhere do to the slick floors we have. Its helped her get around a bunch!

 

[dread Pirate]

Ok here we go,,,,

This pic hurts a lot. The last one of all 3 together and I didn't know it at the time. Each of my daughters dogs were diagnosed with cancer within days of each other after Christmas of 2022. Blaze the pit had just turned 10 and was in excellent health besides that. Vascular cancer. Had a tumor removed and we were hopeful, but it came back fast, spread and was awful to watch. The tumor literally dislocated his hip. I still miss him and am having a hard time typing this. He would do anything for my daughter and our family.
Nala the Rott mix was the ultimate zero fucks given dog. Had an eating disorder and was drastically overweight, but happy. About a month ago she started losing little weight and though cool spring is coming and she's more active. She spent a day throwing up, but as she ate a bunch of horse hooves trimmings again I didn't think much of it. Normal as she ate nasty crap all the time. Last day she crawled under the stairs and I tried to get her out. Didn't want to some , but slid over to get some salami. Ok whatever thats Nala in a nutshell. An hour later she passed quietly.
Landy had a different cancer and even with my daughter at Davis they decided chemo would not be in her best interest. She fought it for over a year. I brought her home in October as she was starting to have some bladder issues. Once she got back to the ranch she did great up until few weeks ago. Week before last I made the call to my daughter that she needed to come home. She had lost motion in one of her front legs and was depending on me to help her outside. We built her a ramp for the stairs, but after my daughter left on Wednesday she lost motion with her back legs. I spent Thursday with her outside in the grass and played as much as she could. She was in good spirits and enjoyed the day. We had a vet appointment Friday afternoon. At about 1am my other shepherd woke me up and she was having seizures. I spent the night with her on the floor and called the vet first thing. I have put animals down before but even with her the way she was I just couldn't do it. The drive down was rough for me, but the hills were blooming with pink flowers and she reacted to the birds and the hills on the ride. I can never thank her enough for choosing my daughter and the time spent. She was and amazing spirit with unmatched trust and loyalty.

 

[Deckin Around]

If you think about the fact that maybe they are just hanging on in pain because they are so loyal and love you, it's a little easier in my mind to help them be at piece.

 

[Singleton]

we had one dog we had put down at home and it was totally peaceful. I would never terrify my dog by taking them to the vet

This!
Since I had a young kid at home, my last dog went for a drive to the beach parking lot.
As the sun was setting, vet administered the drugs in the bed of my truck as he laid down next to me.
Gave me 30 minutes and then took my guy with them.

It might of cost me $500, but was worth every penny!

 

[Socalx09]

I usually know when it’s around the corner. Conversations with vets shift to quality of life.

Gibbs was brutal. He was good and then he wasn’t. We noticed things were off with him in August, and he would just yo-yo. We would fix something and he would be ok and then other numbers would skyrocket. We spent 10k in his last months doing anything that wasn’t invasive because we felt he didn’t need to be put through exploratory surgery at his age. Then, we figured there is probably a cancer that imaging just can’t find. And, we shifted to treating symptoms. I would gauge his day to see if he had happiness. He would get up to greet us, wag his tail, eat and play with the toys until one day he didn’t get up to greet me and my heart broke. Then, he had problems getting up to relieve himself and very quickly, he couldn’t eat. I remember laying on the floor with him talking to him and he gave me this “look.” My vet always talks about “the look”. I called immediately and said please let me bring him in right now. I knew he was ready. I always tell my mom I felt like I was providing “hospice” those last months. That drive there never gets easier, but the drive home is hell. I never know how I manage to make it home those days.

 

[Mini Kat]

Every dog that I have ever had my whole life. Has been personally tucked into bed and would have to give me a kiss goodnight. He always do what is best for your best friend! I would never want any of my kids to be in any kind of pain. They have always been tucked into bed even until the last time that they will be tucked in! Even though it's a hard thing to do. Make sure that you are there with them so they don't feel lost and have your comfort and support you have to love them that much.

 

[dave29]

I've cried more having to put down our dogs than friends dying. My wife and I have always said the dog will let you know. It's usually the way they look at you or when the are no longer doing what they like to do. We think of them not ourselves when making the decision. i wish you the best. It's such a horrible time.

 

[Mini Kat]

GOD IS GOING TO TELL ME THAT ALL OF YOUR FOUR-LEGGED BABIES HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ME PATIENTLY!!

| Ruth St Cyr | sonofgodposts · Original audio

. sonofgodposts · Original audio

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[lbhsbz]

I like dogs better than people, it’s hard as hell to let ‘em go but it’s your duty as their master to make the call when the time comes. Only you and your dog knows when that time is. I’ve had to do it 2 times, but only took the opportunity to do it once. I missed the signs the second time, I still don’t forgive myself for it…poor little Shorty crawled under the trailer at the river and took his last breath.

I try to give it a day and see if it’s just some shit they ate putting them in a shitty mood, but looking back, it’s pretty damn clear when it’s time. We lost 3 dogs in 2 years....was ruff.

Just look in their eyes…you’ll see it.

Sorry for what’s about to happen. It fucking sucks.

Only good part is you will go get a new puppy that tears up everything and shits everywhere….and in the “new dog”…I always see habits and personallity traits that the old dog had…it’s like they talked first, and shared the stuff that pisses me off. Brings a tear when I notice those things.

 

[satellitemike]

She's in a better place now. I dont remember it being such a hard thing to do, I think I'm getting soft in my old age.
My sons dog Remington "Remi" came to say goodbye yesterday. You could say they had a little bond.
She was the shop dog at eliminator for about 3 or 4 years when my son worked there. No that's not my son, lol.

 

[Wedgy]

She's at peace, playing with my Darlin, and Dody. RIP old girl. Godspeed.

 

[PaPaG]

Hardest thing in the world to do when you have a fur baby, she is resting now and no longer in pain. I had to lay with our babies each time in the vets office with the last 7 babies that we had over the last 20 years, honestly the hardest thing I have ever had to do but I WOULD NEVER EVER have let them go through it alone and without me holding them letting them know it is going to be OK. They pass so peacefully in your arms and no longer in pain. We remember that day forever.