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my dog diagnose with heart cancer, the first time we found that was september, but after drain blood around his heart he was fine for 2and half month, the horror came back beginning of december, we back and force in vet almost every few days to take care of the situation, he fought very hard, but the decline is continuing ,he stopped eating from dog foods to human food to treats, now just not eating anything, the worst is he is having trouble to breath, but his mind is still there, he checks on me time by time, i carry him every day time to enjoy some sunshine which his last favourite thing he still can enjoy, i have been considering to stop the suffering, anybody can tell me is it better in this way and is it the time now? can't breath is very cruel isn't it, i want the peace for him but i don't know what if he still wants to hold on
Long story short: It is kinder to your pet to put them down (at the right time) then to let them die naturally.
So make the effort, and have them euthanized, but speak to a vet about it and let them help you plan for it.
My vet said when my dog loses interest in her 3 favorite things, it might be that time.
I recently had to put down my first dog, Daisy. She was a 13 year old Pit/Lab/Sharpei/Chow mix that I had since she was 6 weeks old.
I had taken her through four different 8-week training classes, and she got her AKC Canine Good Citizen certification. So needless to say we were able to communicate with each other pretty well. She was a very expressive dog, and it was pretty easy to read her emotions.
Around age 10 she started having joint issues and arthritis. We put her on medicated food and that got better.
Around age 11 she started becoming incontinent, and would drip pee everywhere. We got her dog diapers and adult diaper pads, and that kept her dry and happy.
Around age 12 her back legs started to atrophy and become weaker by the day. She could no longer run up the stairs, but would have to take one step at a time, slowly. This we couldn't really fix.
It was a bit heartbreaking to me, considering she had been such a strong athletic dog. My parents would see her every couple of months, and to them the decline seemed more severe than I saw it from day to day. They suggested I put her down because of this decline.
So my wife and I contacted a local vet that does home euthanasia and end of life planning for animals. The vet came to our house and said she was expecting "a dog that was much worse off". No reason to put her down yet.
The vet gave us a survey that had maybe 30-40 questions, each question you gave an answer on a scale of 1-10. Based on the final number, it gave you an idea of quality of life. 100 was perfect health, and 20-30 was time to euthanize (something like that).
Every few weeks we re-answered the questions, and as her score dropped we consulted with the vet.
Just to be clear, we used the survey as a tool, not as a rule of law.
But in the final months we started to see signs, her appetite would shrink, we had to give her more and more rich and tasty food.
Her breathing became more labored, this was also not a good sign.
Eventually her walks got shorter and shorter, as she eventually wanted to lay down for most of it (she still loved to lay down outside and sniff and watch people go by).
In the last 2 months we were given a dog stroller by our vet, and she absolutely loved it! It allowed her to still go on her "walks", and it made her very happy. It extended the time she was happy to be alive.
In the end we felt very confident when it was to be the right time.
And I believe we put her down at the right time, the exact perfect moment, to the day.
The day before we had family over, had a cookout, Daisy got to eat a cheeseburger, and go to her favorite park one last time.
The last week before we put her down, we could see it in her eyes. If you know you're dog well enough, I believe you can see it too. Their eyes look tired, they lose their appetite, they sleep most of the day, and the things they used to love they have lost interest. When the light in their eyes has dimmed, more often than it is bright, you know its time.
ace passed 2 weeks ago, heart attack finnally caught him after the heart water drain procedure as vet told me what will happen in the end, it was a warmer than usual winter this year till the day he passed, 12th Jan was the only cold raining day since early December, euthanise isn't very popular in Japan, I still don't know did i do the right thing for him to let it happen naturally, he shows me he wants to live in a strong signal although i know he was pretty much suffering, i was almost with him 24 hours everyday in his last days but he picked the 3 hours when i had to be away, since i know it would happen any time, i asked my friend to be with him that 3 hours, i left 2:45, petted him on head then that was the last touch, i got called 5:05, i got home 6:30pm, heartbroken, i don't know did i do my best, i could do better if i have second chance. i miss him dearly
ace passed 2 weeks ago, heart attack finnally caught him after the heart water drain procedure as vet told me what will happen in the end, it was a warmer than usual winter this year till the day he passed, 12th Jan was the only cold raining day since early December, euthanise isn't very popular in Japan, I still don't know did i do the right thing for him to let it happen naturally, he shows me he wants to live in a strong signal although i know he was pretty much suffering, i was almost with him 24 hours everyday in his last days but he picked the 3 hours when i had to be away, since i know it would happen any time, i asked my friend to be with him that 3 hours, i left 2:45, petted him on head then that was the last touch, i got called 5:05, i got home 6:30pm, heartbroken, i don't know did i do my best, i could do better if i have second chance. i miss him dearly
This is a wonderful lesson in cultural differences for les Américains.
Amazing as it may seem, the rest of the world does not go for euthanasia with as much gusto as many in the US.
I've thought a lot about this (and mind you I am of good old farming and ranching stock) - I believe the ease with which we pursue it derives from the "take the old mare out back and shoot her" culture that is only a few generations back.
thank u so much for your kind words. i now just take my time to grief, am glad the pain for him is over and he
finally sleep in peace, i will miss him fondly but am sure we still connected in the universe, and someday i would meet him again over the bridge
lisa t
£300-£400 is going rate in London for euthanasia and cremation at home. Not cheap by any means but feel owe it to my dearest 16 year old loyal sidekick. It's hardest choice because although still eating and is up and about going short walks and garden he does have weak heart and abdomen is becoming hard and swollen with fluid vets say..the drugs were giving him not working now and I cant bear for him to be uncomfortable and deteriorate further so we have had lovely weekend together and tomorrow I shall say goodbye ;-(
£300-£400 is going rate in London for euthanasia and cremation at home. Not cheap by any means but feel owe it to my dearest 16 year old loyal sidekick. It's hardest choice because although still eating and is up and about going short walks and garden he does have weak heart and abdomen is becoming hard and swollen with fluid vets say..the drugs were giving him not working now and I cant bear for him to be uncomfortable and deteriorate further so we have had lovely weekend together and tomorrow I shall say goodbye ;-(
It is so sad, isn't it? You are such a good companion to your dog. It's very hard to do, but it is a duty and privilege to care for your friend in this way. Here is my favorite poem at the loss of a family friend go:
Here they are. The soft eyes open.***
If they have lived in a wood
It is a wood.
If they have lived on plains
It is grass rolling
Under their feet forever.
Having no souls, they have come,***
Anyway, beyond their knowing.***
Their instincts wholly bloom***
And they rise.
The soft eyes open.
To match them, the landscape flowers,***
Outdoing, desperately
Outdoing what is required:
The richest wood,
The deepest field.
For some of these,
It could not be the place
It is, without blood.
These hunt, as they have done,
But with claws and teeth grown perfect,
More deadly than they can believe.***
They stalk more silently,
And crouch on the limbs of trees,***
And their descent
Upon the bright backs of their prey
May take years
In a sovereign floating of joy.***
And those that are hunted***
Know this as their life,
Their reward: to walk
Under such trees in full knowledge***
Of what is in glory above them,***
And to feel no fear,
But acceptance, compliance.***
Fulfilling themselves without pain
At the cycle’s center,
They tremble, they walk***
Under the tree,
They fall, they are torn,***
They rise, they walk again.
Everyone needs to keep these things in mind though:
- A pet has no DPoA written out for you
- A pet has no DNRO written out for you
- It might be a good idea to imagine how you would deal with an older relative who forgot to write such things out, became incapacitated, then could no longer communicate in a way you could understand
- Don't con yourself into thinking you have an amazing ability to look into the pet's eyes and discern a desire to expedite the dying process
- Meds can do a lot for comfort
- We know how to do many things based on what we've learned about the dying process dealing with humans in hospice
- There is a large gray area possible between the extremes of the Mahayana Buddhist "never do euthanasia" and the mainstream American "take the old mare out back and shoot her."
If a dog is suffering and we can't make the suffering stop, it is out duty to euthanize them
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dogs should not suffer
