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Runswithscissors:[We say when your dog cannot perform/enjoy three things he used to do it's time to start evaluating his quality of life. They can be small things. Eating, smelling grass, enjoying another dog's company, playing with a toy, coming to you for affection. They are measurable. You WILL know, I believe.
My bulldog after 6 weeks of intense treatment and really no improvement INSISTED on walking back to the end of our 3 acres in the middle of the night over and over. When we got there he simply lied down and didn't want to come back home. He USED to go out at 2 am lay on the open hill and stare at the stars. I took that hiding in the woods as a sign. A dog in pain will often hide in a corner/next to a bed or something. Not ALWAYS but hiding is a sign. Martha Stewart's Chow did the same thing, actually.
i had a similiar experience. about a month ago, my dog was howling to go out. it was like 3am or something. she never did this before. i woke up, i let her out and she didnt want to come inside. i called her name and she was just sniffin the wind, looking up and around. i thought that was so odd. she finally came in like a half hour later. i worried about that behavior and i remember thinking that i hope nothing was wrong with her.
i had watched marley and me and remember marley hiding or running off because he was sick. Growing up i had a dog who had a sebaecous cyst that needed to be drained. after a while it got bigger. something wasnt right. the vet said itneeded to be drained or it will just pop on its own , no biggie. well that "cyst" was actually a tumor and she was hiding because it started bleeding.
now back to my dog who hid in the yard. the day after she hid in the yard everything was fine. in fact she was playing and evrything. running around. all that. just maybe 2 weeks ago she went blind and was diagnosed with diabetes. Dogs know when something is wrong.
Runswithscissors:[We say when your dog cannot perform/enjoy three things he used to do it's time to start evaluating his quality of life. They can be small things. Eating, smelling grass, enjoying another dog's company, playing with a toy, coming to you for affection. They are measurable. You WILL know, I believe.
My bulldog after 6 weeks of intense treatment and really no improvement INSISTED on walking back to the end of our 3 acres in the middle of the night over and over. When we got there he simply lied down and didn't want to come back home. He USED to go out at 2 am lay on the open hill and stare at the stars. I took that hiding in the woods as a sign. A dog in pain will often hide in a corner/next to a bed or something. Not ALWAYS but hiding is a sign. Martha Stewart's Chow did the same thing, actually.
i had a similiar experience. about a month ago, my dog was howling to go out. it was like 3am or something. she never did this before. i woke up, i let her out and she didnt want to come inside. i called her name and she was just sniffin the wind, looking up and around. i thought that was so odd. she finally came in like a half hour later. i worried about that behavior and i remember thinking that i hope nothing was wrong with her.
i had watched marley and me and remember marley hiding or running off because he was sick. Growing up i had a dog who had a sebaecous cyst that needed to be drained. after a while it got bigger. something wasnt right. the vet said itneeded to be drained or it will just pop on its own , no biggie. well that "cyst" was actually a tumor and she was hiding because it started bleeding.
now back to my dog who hid in the yard. the day after she hid in the yard everything was fine. in fact she was playing and evrything. running around. all that. just maybe 2 weeks ago she went blind and was diagnosed with diabetes. Dogs know when something is wrong.
See that's funny I posted to you about the dog on Cesar Millan sniffing air and going in circles and the owners thought it was stress and panic and called Cesar in. I don't think I knew that part about your dog doing that at the time.
Because the dog on Cesar was BLIND like yours (for years tho).
He told them RELAX your dog is right and you are wrong trying to keep guests away from her while she's sniffing the air and circling the living room. She is using her nose to figure out what's going on since she can't see.
And that's exactly what your dog was doing but we'd never know that since we're not dogs LOL. It's so stressful and hard when they get sick but we just have to stay calm and INFORMED like you did so we don't make up things and project HUMAN behaviors on dogs. Like hiding. Doesn't always mean they want to DIE but it COULD mean pain or fear. Then it's our job to figure it out.
My female boxer is approx 13 years old. She is generally healthy. This is a very old dog for a boxer. She has a bit of arthritis which we treat with joint medication. In our Texas heat, she can only take about 20 minute walks in shady areas. She is becoming less interested in getting up on the couch these days. Anyone who joins these threads needs no comments from me describing the extent our our attachment to this girl. If she has pain that medication doesn't control remarkably well, when she no longer can rest comfortably or enjoy her food, or if she loses control of her bodily functions on a consistent basis, I will do the most powerful act of love I can and help her leave this world. I will stay with her at the vet's office until she is gone so there is no doubt at all about the circumstances of her passing; she will be in my arms as she slips away.
exactly. as it was only a one time thing with my dog doing that in the backyard so late a nite, i actually thought that maybe she had a dream about a bone or dog toy being left out in the backyard. lol!
it wasnt untill i noticed her being clumsy and tripping UP the stairs that i thought something was wrong and u know from my other posts that my dog is now diagnosed as being diabetic.
being that one of her eyes is more cloudy than the other, when she lost sight in one eye, she knew something was wrong. 2or 3 ( i cant tell because she pulls away)of her front teeth fell out this past week.
I know there are dogs who can live a well balanced life being blind but it breaks my heart to see her bump into things. she must be so scared and confused. ive cried so much this week.her diabetes progressed as well. im not going to do the insulin treatments for several reasons. she had so much life in her and now itsjust deteriorated. im putting her to sleep. i feel like thats the only way for her to be released from all this pain sadness and confusion she is in.
a dogs life is one not plagued with diseases, medications and heartache.
Oh wow, thanks for the responses. I appreciate the advice and the stories.
We had to have our Greyhound mix PTS a few weeks ago. She was approx. 12, and we thought she'd have a few more years. It was a slightly easier decision for us when there is a definite diagnosis, but with Odie it's more difficult because his health is deteriorating slowly. The vet came to our home, and Lanie got to go laying on her dog bed which was topped with a down comforter while DH and I petted her. I can't imagine having to take a dog to the vet's office, and I definitely recommend finding a local vet who will come to your home, if at all possible.
I just can't believe we could end up losing both so close together. Over the weekend we took Odie on a trip down memory lane, taking him to some of the places he liked to go when he was younger. Poor guy was dragging his back legs and had to keep laying down on our short little walk. He can't walk far at all. But we took him through a drive through for a burger, and he enjoyed being in the vehicle. We're going to take him out again this week, and will take him to a pet store where he can "shoplift." (He picks out the treats he wants and we pay).
I'm going to ask the vet about Adequan (although this vet is pretty aggressive, so I'm thinking there is a reason she hasn't recommended it) but we've decided we're not going to treat the Cushing's. At this point, he doesn't seem to have noticeable symptoms. We're basically going to do doggie hospice, and keep him as pain free as possible. When he can no longer enjoy food, walk comfortably around the house and around our yard, and/or if he has trouble laying down and getting up, I think it will be time.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dogmomof2
Oh wow, thanks for the responses. I appreciate the advice and the stories.
We had to have our Greyhound mix PTS a few weeks ago. She was approx. 12, and we thought she'd have a few more years. It was a slightly easier decision for us when there is a definite diagnosis, but with Odie it's more difficult because his health is deteriorating slowly. The vet came to our home, and Lanie got to go laying on her dog bed which was topped with a down comforter while DH and I petted her. I can't imagine having to take a dog to the vet's office, and I definitely recommend finding a local vet who will come to your home, if at all possible.
I just can't believe we could end up losing both so close together. Over the weekend we took Odie on a trip down memory lane, taking him to some of the places he liked to go when he was younger. Poor guy was dragging his back legs and had to keep laying down on our short little walk. He can't walk far at all. But we took him through a drive through for a burger, and he enjoyed being in the vehicle. We're going to take him out again this week, and will take him to a pet store where he can "shoplift." (He picks out the treats he wants and we pay).
I'm going to ask the vet about Adequan (although this vet is pretty aggressive, so I'm thinking there is a reason she hasn't recommended it) but we've decided we're not going to treat the Cushing's. At this point, he doesn't seem to have noticeable symptoms. We're basically going to do doggie hospice, and keep him as pain free as possible. When he can no longer enjoy food, walk comfortably around the house and around our yard, and/or if he has trouble laying down and getting up, I think it will be time.
I have nothing of insight to say. I just wanted to tell you that I'm so sorry that you're going through this.
The vet came to our home, and Lanie got to go laying on her dog bed which was topped with a down comforter while DH and I petted her. I can't imagine having to take a dog to the vet's office, and I definitely recommend finding a local vet who will come to your home, if at all possible.
I'm actually the opposite on this. I considered having it done at home but then the thought of them hoisting her up and removing her from the house after it was done was the deal-breaker for me.
Guess my general point here is that the whole process is so very personal and we all have our own unique way of going about it...choosing when, how, what to do with remains. You just have to do what feels right to you and your family.
When he can no longer enjoy food, walk comfortably around the house and around our yard, and/or if he has trouble laying down and getting up, I think it will be time.
I'm so sorry. We went through this last year.
Does he have arthritis or degenerative myelopathy? If it's degenerative myelopathy, I have some advice on "when."
I'm actually the opposite on this. I considered having it done at home but then the thought of them hoisting her up and removing her from the house after it was done was the deal-breaker for me.
Guess my general point here is that the whole process is so very personal and we all have our own unique way of going about it...choosing when, how, what to do with remains. You just have to do what feels right to you and your family.
Hugs to you dogmom!
I agree, I would never have this done at home. Thelast thing I want is to look at any spot in our house and remember that was where we said goodbye to one of the dogs. And I sure wouldn't want the surviving dog to be anywhere near where the procedure was done.
Our vet's office has a lovely living room type waiting room just for owners who are waiting out surgeries and for euthansia procedures. Jimmy couldn't have been in a more comfortable and quiet setting. We really appreciated how it was done.
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