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You all said I would know when it's time. It's time.
My 16 year old labrador. He's had a rough 6 months. In December, he couldn't walk. The doctor diagnosed him with arthritis. Put him on anti-inflamatories. He was doing good, not perfect, but he had quality of life.
This morning, I came downstairs. He couldn't get up. Once he did, he kept falling. When I got him outside for his morning business, I had to carry him back into the house. He's 85lbs and I'm not a large woman.
After picking up some medicine from the vet in the late morning, he slowly got better throughout the day. Finally went #1 in the late afternoon and #2 in the early evening. He was and is still eating and drinking---like normal.
(I started to wonder if he had a stroke while I was sleeping last night. His eating seemed to be affected, like his tongue wasn't working right. And there was some slobber while he tried to eat.)
In the evening, all progress he made during the day with walking regressed.
It's 1:30am and now I know for certain that he is having seizures. His eyes are going back and forth, sometimes rolling up in his head. He is resting on the sofa.
I know it's time. He has been through enough. He's 16 years old.
My main problem is my son is out of town camping for the weekend. Do I try to get him through the weekend? Do I call my son and tell him to come home early? Do I put the dog to sleep without him saying goodbye?
PLEASE, no posts insisting I rush him to the vet or vet ER hospital. He's very old and it's time. The next trip to the vet will be his last trip to the vet.
I'm going to get a camping cot and sleep next to the sofa tonight.
Noteworthy: The day before this happened, he kept standing next to me all day. He seemed fine otherwise. He knew. He knew. He knew.
It breaks my heart to read this--I think most of us have been through similar situations.
How old is your son? Much depends on his age. If he is old enough to have a cell phone and there is a signal, I would recommend you call him and tell him about the situation. It is far better that he is traumatized by the place/memory association than if he thinks you have gone behind his back. Your dog is, in effect, his sibling, and he needs to know--protected him from bad news may feel right at the moment, but it may create endless second-guessing and even hostility, blame, and feelings of guilt in years to come--and I'm speaking from experience. Make him feel (if he is old enough to understand) that you need his understanding--that you are there for him, but he also needs to be there for you. It may be one of the truly deep emotional moments of his young life, and you should be able to share the grief. If he is close to your dog, he will want to come home.
Of course I don't know about your family dynamics--but that would be my recommendation. And I'm so sorry your moment of goodbye has come, but it seems like your dog has picked his own time, and that is a gift in itself...hard as it may be...
It is with a heavy heart that I read your words, Hopes...I know you have been struggling with this, and I'm so, so sorry. You gave each other 16 incredible years, and the connection you have can never be lost or broken...it exists for all eternity, transcends time and space. Just remember this, and know your final act of kindness is just that...an act of kindness, a decision to free his spirit from an ailing vessel that no longer allows him to be comfortable on this plane. You will see each other again. (((HUGS)))
I also have a 16 y.o. dog that her time has come. She's not in any pain but very, very tired now. I'm hoping she dies in her sleep. She is the last of my pets.
I can only hope that your visit will bring some good news. But if you have to put him to sleep, I'd agree with what Clark said above about your son.
My thoughts are with you through your difficult time.
My cocker is 16 years old and a couple months ago she started falling over on her side, like someone would when their foot falls asleep or something. She always had siezures when she was younger, but I hadn't seen it happen for a long time. I knew then she was on her way. She has since stopped falling over but sometimes loses the muscle ability in her hind quarters to get through the dog door and I have to get her myself. She's in no pain so I hope she goes quietly and I am here with her when it happens and I have been able to hold her and tell her it's okay.
As far as your son, I don't know how old he is and a lot probably depends on that. My nephew's dog was dying and my brother took it to the vet and the vet called my SIL and told her he was going to die before the day was out. She told them to do everything they could to keep that dog alive until my nephew was out of school and she could take him to the vet to be with the dog. The dog died and they brought it back to life just in time and the vet explained to my nephew (he was in grade school) what she was doing step by step and after the first injection he turned all teary eyed to my SIL and said, "You're a nurse and you save people all the time can't you help him?" I think I would have collapsed at that moment.
They left the dog with the vet for cremation, but in the middle of the night my nephew busted into my brother's room and said they had to go get him and bury him, he'd changed his mind and the night -on call service called the vet and he let them come to the office in the middle of the night to pick up the dog.
So, I don't know what to say about your son, all children are different when it comes to this.
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I'm going to the hospital afterall.
