How do you know when it's time to put your pet "to sleep"?

[Rebecca VA]

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about our border collie, who was rescued from the edge of the grave by a blood transfusion from another dog. Since then he has had pneumonia (he's well now) and is scarcely eating (he has irritable bowel syndrome, and he isn't getting his medication because it's in the food, which by the way is his favorite kind, all blender-prepared). He has lost at least a third of his body weight. He is drooling almost constantly.

 

My husband, poor thing, wants so desperately for Sneaker to live that he's trying everything. He put him on an exercise program (three short walks per day) to get his appetite up. He frets about him constantly. Even though the vet has told us that they've done all they can do for him, my husband still holds out hope.

 

How do families KNOW when it's "time" for an animal to be put out of its misery?

[littlebug42]

My mother was faced with this decision a few years ago with her beloved dog. The dog at the time would walk into corners and could not get himself back out. I think when it reaches a point where their quality of life is suffering, it is time to address the situation. I currently have an elderly cat with some weight loss and a few other issues, but he is the same cat he has always been and does not seem to be feeling any ill effects. If that changes and he seems to be suffering, it will be time for me to step up to plate and take care of him, even though it will break my heart.

[OHGrandma]

A few years ago we had to put down our beloved Doberman. Our vet said we would know when it was time, that wasn't much help.

We did what we could to ease her last few months. When she needed help to get up to potty, we helped her. We gave her whatever she wanted to eat, as it wasn't a food issue for her. The day she saw us going out to do chores and wouldn't even try to get up to go with us, just whimpered, we knew it was time. I still cry, knowing we had to make that decision.

We knew she remembered things, and the suffering she showed about not being able to go with us seemed to be worse than the physical pain she suffered. It would not have been right to prolong that pain.

[Old Dominion Heather]

We had to put down our scottie when he has had a stroke and was obviously afraid all the time. He was staring and barking at things that just weren't there. He was pitiful.

[Danestress]

We put our border collies to sleep two years ago. It was awful. She suffered a lot, but I was committed to caring for her until everyone (even the little kids) in the family agreed it was time. It wasn't time until she could take no liquids. At that point, no one could stand watching her die of thirst.

 

God's peace and blessings to you in this very sad time. Bless your husband for his devotion and sensitivity, and bless you for your desire to do the right thing, whatever that ends up being.

[vettechmomof2]

For myself I figure out my pets 3 favorite things in life. When my last Anatolian's cancer was getting the better of her I picked her 3 things.

Food: She was vomiting every meal for almost 2 weeks. We had her heavily medicated so she could stomach her food. She could not even handle treats.

Walks with me: She could not physically do that anymore.

Barking at strangers or strange animals. She would not even attempt.

 

So I finally decided to take her to work with me on a Sat. to euthanize her. Well, she really perked up. I was very torn up to that point about doing this do her. So, all of my coworkers could not beleive that she was really that bad as she "appeared" fine that day. So I decided to take her back home and wait. We gave her tons of extra loving all weekend, food,etc. By 3:00am Monday am she was unable to stand well on her own, had gotten a decidedly sunken look even though she was hooked up to iv fluids and was not urinating well. I took her @ 5:00am and no one could beleive how quickly she showed everyone else how bad she was.

 

It was the "decision" I needed though. I hated that I made her wait longer just for me but the weekend was a good time for her. She received and asked for extra loving, barked at a few things and overall had a wonderful time with us. it was what I needed, the extra time with her.

 

So, even though I can say find 3 favorite things in your dogs life and as those are not favorite for your dog anymore or that they cannot do those things anymore, it doesn't always work for me to do it either.

 

:grouphug:

[Liz CA]

We had to put down our scottie when he has had a stroke and was obviously afraid all the time. He was staring and barking at things that just weren't there. He was pitiful.

 

When they are either in pain (the kind that will not get better or cannot be managaed with meds), cannot get up to do their business, have trouble eating/digesting food, become so disoriented/demented that they are a danger to your family and/or others.

 

These are some of the criteria I can think of. We had to put a beloved dog down because of metastasized cancer. I cried for two days.

[katemary63]

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about our border collie, who was rescued from the edge of the grave by a blood transfusion from another dog. Since then he has had pneumonia (he's well now) and is scarcely eating (he has irritable bowel syndrome, and he isn't getting his medication because it's in the food, which by the way is his favorite kind, all blender-prepared). He has lost at least a third of his body weight. He is drooling almost constantly.

 

My husband, poor thing, wants so desperately for Sneaker to live that he's trying everything. He put him on an exercise program (three short walks per day) to get his appetite up. He frets about him constantly. Even though the vet has told us that they've done all they can do for him, my husband still holds out hope.

 

How do families KNOW when it's "time" for an animal to be put out of its misery?

 

I have been here many times and I honestly don't think it is a hard decision. Hard to experience, yes. Painful to go through, yes. But KNOWING when is not that hard if you are willing to be honest with yourself. You have to put your pet first before your feelings and fear of loss. Look into your pets eyes. Does he have a good quality of life? Is he in pain? Pain that can not be medicated and is not going to get better means it's time. Constant diarrhea that can not be controlled means it's time. Dull eyes and no joy of life and a vet who says there is nothing more to be done means it's time. I'm so sorry for your family and especially DH.

[Ginevra]

When I faced this with my little sheltie mix of 16 years, a lot of my struggle with it was philosophical. Am I playing God? What gives me the right to decide that she is better off dead than suffering? That sort of thing.

 

She was blind, deaf, incontinent and senile (if a dog can be senile). But what really made the decision for me was that flies would settle on her back and just eat away at her. She made no attempt to relieve herself of the flies. After about 3 days of seeing flies land on her and camp out, I made the decision.

[BillieBoy]

I have been here many times and I honestly don't think it is a hard decision. Hard to experience, yes. Painful to go through, yes. But KNOWING when is not that hard if you are willing to be honest with yourself. You have to put your pet first before your feelings and fear of loss. Look into your pets eyes. Does he have a good quality of life? Is he in pain? Pain that can not be medicated and is not going to get better means it's time.

 

I agree. We have always had our pets for life, till the very end. Once I was more selfish than I should have been and a dear pet suffered more than he should of. I regret that to this day. My heart goes out to you and your family. You have obviously been very loving owners. They will know this.

[gingersmom]

I'm going to start crying thinking about this.

 

I got my beloved Norwegian Elkhound as a rescue when he was 1 and I was 22. He was my first dog I had on my own. He had enough personality for 10 dogs!!

 

I digress........

 

He was basically healthy till he turned about 14 and then I noticed his hearing was going. Then little changes in his behavior, accidents in the house. It got so bad I had to keep him locked in a bathroom. By then he couldn't hear and by the end he could not stand.

 

When I found him lying in his own pee and could not stand I knew it was time.

 

My vet said he had maybe a few weeks at most left.

 

I like to think he left with just a tiny bit of his dignity left.

 

The waterworks have started.......time to end this.

Edited July 15, 2009 by gingersmom
typo

[Brenda in FL]

This is so sad - I'm sorry that you are going through this. We just had to put our dog to sleep so I know how hard it is to know when. I also know what it is like when dh is having a very hard time with it.

 

With us - the vet bills kept climbing but she would be bad some days and seem fin on others. We woke one morning and her heart could no longer pump blood to her back legs. We took her in and there was nothing more that the vet could do.

 

Our vet's position was to make her life as comfortable as possible (we knew that her heart would give out - we just didn't know when). That morning there was nothing else to be done.

 

I don't really have an answer except that you will know when its time - (and you may know before dh). The fact that your vet says there is nothing more they can do does speak volumes though.

 

Again - I am so sorry that you are facing this - it is so hard to lose a loved pet.

[Veronica in VA]

I'm sorry - it is so hard. We have faced this a few times, and now we are starting to go through it again. We just had my daughter's bunny put to sleep a few weeks ago, and mow my 7 year german shep has suspected nasal cancer. In the bunny's case, he all but told us. He was eating fine, even though his back legs weren't working. Since no one could figure out what was going on, though it might have been cancer, and he wasn't old, we hand fed him, and syringed water for a couple of weeks trying to get him back on his feet. One day he just refused the water and food and all attempts to persuade him failed. He was quite stubborn about it, and it was clear it was time. My german shep may have nasal cancer and is getting nose bleeds. In spite of all the tests and x-rays, etc they have done, the vet can't get a firm diagnosis, but she is pretty certain. But right now my pup is enjoying herself, eating well, and playing with the other dogs. When that stops, then we will know it is time. It will be hard, especially since she is only 7, but it will be the right thing for her.

 

Veronica

[Rita]

I have been here many times and I honestly don't think it is a hard decision. Hard to experience, yes. Painful to go through, yes. But KNOWING when is not that hard if you are willing to be honest with yourself. You have to put your pet first before your feelings and fear of loss. Look into your pets eyes. Does he have a good quality of life? Is he in pain? Pain that can not be medicated and is not going to get better means it's time. Constant diarrhea that can not be controlled means it's time. Dull eyes and no joy of life and a vet who says there is nothing more to be done means it's time. I'm so sorry for your family and especially DH.

 

I totally agree with this.

blessings to you and your family as you walk this difficult path.

Rita

[Karen sn]

Answer:

When living is more painful to the dog than his dying would be to the human.

I loved my dog Jake. When he was 12 and a half he had stomach cancer and could no longer get up. I chose a dignified death for him and we put him to sleep. I knew in my heart that he would die on his own late that night but then I would not be holding him in my arms as he went. And that is something I could not bear. I could not have him pass on into his next life alone and cold.

 

I wanted him to be free of pain and I wanted him to die in my arms.

Years later and I am a hospice nurse!

 

Death with dignity and no more suffering.

Your husband is delaying the inevitable and unfortunately it is causing the dog a longer life in pain. No judgement - I understand that everyone deals differently with death.

 

When Jake was 6 years old and my dd was born at home a few feet away from where he lay, I prayed that he would die of old age (not get hit by a car) and that he would be my dd's first experience with death. I got what I wanted. It was the most beautiful death I have ever witnessed. And it was the best funeral I have ever been to. Shortly after he passed we began our 3 years of attending funerals almost non stop. At the first one my dd asked, "Mama, when's the death party?" She thought all funerals were parties because of how the dog's had been. I am glad her first experience with death was our dog and we did right by him in his death and his funeral.

 

I want to die in comfort like my dog. And I want a party for my friends after.