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I've got an ancient (22 or 23 y/o) Beagle mix named "Buddy". He is blind, deaf and incontinent. On the other hand he still wags his tail, sniffs around for food and eats really well.
On Friday it seemed as if he was not feeling well, eyes half closed, head hanging low and not as coordinated as he usually is. I felt he was approaching the end so Saturday I dug his grave and was going to make an appointment this week for him to go. Sunday he was back to his normal behavior and possibly the best I have seen him in months (lots of tail wagging and speed while he wandered around the yard).
Is this just a last rally? Should I go ahead and make an appointment to have him put down? He doesn't seem to be in any distress or pain; just really old.
Our Dobie I believe experienced this. He was 12. In the days leading up to his sudden death, he acted like a young puppy again.. i remember one day after having a rough week...he just raised up, stretched his massive body up like he was reaching for the sun, took in a heavy breath of fresh air and turned his stoic face to me...it was like he was saying" I'm leaving soon let's play"
They say people have a last rally, so why not? My Basset Hound had been off her feed and water for three days (all weekend) when she suddenly had the urge to go down to the lake, something she hadn't done in many months. I'd go down there and bring her back up in a wagon. That afternoon I didn't see her and my husband said she'd gone down to the dock. We called and called and couldn't find her. My husband, on a hunch, went and looked underneath the dock, and she had curled up in a comfy position and died there.
They say people have a last rally, so why not? My Basset Hound had been off her feed and water for three days (all weekend) when she suddenly had the urge to go down to the lake, something she hadn't done in many months. I'd go down there and bring her back up in a wagon. That afternoon I didn't see her and my husband said she'd gone down to the dock. We called and called and couldn't find her. My husband, on a hunch, went and looked underneath the dock, and she had curled up in a comfy position and died there.
I do think they know. I can tell my old fellow is winding down, my prayer is that he gets the chance to die in his favorite place like yours did.
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Location: NYC based - Used to Live in Philly - Transplant from Miami
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OK this is a very sad thread. I do not know why I read it....
I had a dog when I was a kid and she died. I refused to eat for 2 days. And since then, I did not want to have another dog.
We had made an appointment to put our dog down when she was really ill. In spite of a rough night, that morning she was playing, running, wagging her tail, chasing her ball so we almost cancelled the appointment. However, after she played that morning, she started shivering and hid under the bed and wouldn't come out; something she had never done before. So we kept the appointment.
I think dogs use whatever energy they have left to please their masters, so that's what she did for us that morning.
Every dog I've ever had told me when it was time. Each in a different way, but the message was clear. If you are listening, he will tell you when it is time.
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