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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

p.t.s question

20 replies

Twotinygirls · 08/08/2014 17:41

Hi I'm hoping someone can advise me. Our old boy is coming to the end of his days. He is 14 and totally blind, he doesn't like to go out now so his life is very limited, to crashing about the flat all day.

The vet checked him over last month and physically considering his age she said he is in good nick, he scratches at himself day and night and she could find no cause for this. He also smells horrific, it fills our flat and makes me feel ill, again she said it's his age.

I feel that his life is miserable now and won't get better and would like him to go peacefully before he gets anything horrible and painful wrong with him.

Is this right? Should I wait until he is actually ill? Will a vet agree to do it if he is physically ok?

With our last dog we left it way too long and it was so distressing to see him in a terrible state, I'd hate for this to happen to our kind old boy.

OP posts:

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bakingtins · 08/08/2014 17:51

I'm a vet. the decision to PTS nearly always comes down to quality of life and I would always prioritise quality over quantity. I doubt very much that any vet presented with an elderly animal with chronic health issues would argue with your assessment. Be brave and speak up clearly though, if you phrase it as " I want to know what you can do for him" you'll get a list of possible treatment options. This is your call to make, for a beloved friend who has reached the end of the road.

Twotinygirls · 08/08/2014 18:06

Thank you. It's so hard, my husband is adamant that he is fine but he has been my dog since I was 21 and I know that he isn't having a happy life anymore.

I think it's because he isn't 'sick' so I sort of have to choose a date to do it, which is weird but also maybe a nice thing.

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mrsharkness2 · 08/08/2014 18:08

I have an almost 13 year old dog who for most of his life has had an auful smell about him and when you walk in the front door, you can smell it. DH says he can't and neither can DC but I can. He has a skin condition called something like malasabia and has to be bathed quite often in malaseb shampoo, £20 a bottle! The smell apparently comes from his ears, it's an auful yeasty smell. He used to scratch night and day too until we got it under control. Is now on predisilone, one a day and I am regimented with his anti flea stuff as one flea bite could start the while vicious circle again. Must admit, if I keep on top of it all, and keep it under control, the smell isn't too bad. Would it be worth asking your vet about it maybe being a skin condition and could you try the malaseb, it's only available on prescription.

Twotinygirls · 08/08/2014 18:24

She had a good look at his skin and said it's fine. The smell mainly comes from his mouth I think. We could get his teeth done but it's hundreds of pounds which we don't have at the moment. ?? if it was his only issue I'd find the money.

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Twotinygirls · 08/08/2014 18:26

I could (just about) life with the smell, he has never been fragrant. I'd just hate seeing him having no sort of life.

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LairyPoppins · 08/08/2014 18:28

Hi Twotinygirls,

We had to have our old greyhound boy PTS a few weeks ago. I had a thread about it here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/2135126-The-vet-is-coming-tomorrow-to-put-to-sleep-our-gorgeous-rescue-greyhound-boy

We were in a similar situation - nothing concrete wrong (though we suspected he had cancer we did not have it confirmed as he was fading fast and we didn't want to put him through the visits to the vet, which he was terrified of). I won't sugar-coat it - it was dreadful to lose him and DH and I wept for days - it affected us far more than we thought it would. But it WAS the right thing to do for our beloved dog. He had had enough.

I do hope you can come to a decision that you feel comfortable with. All the very best.

cathpip · 08/08/2014 18:39

I had my old lab pts due to failing health and old age, there was not really anything wrong with him just very very old and you could tell he was not happy with life. I had always said that once he didn't enjoy his walks then I would call it a day. My vet agreed that she would rather pts now then when seriously Ill, in fact she called time on my other lab who she found to be in rapid heart failure (he was being assessed regularly for arthritis), he could in her words have gone on a few more weeks but she said the probability of him having a heart attack mid walk were too high, and there was no way I could of got him home if that had happened. If you feel the time is right op then so would your vet.

Twotinygirls · 08/08/2014 18:41

Awww your post is so sad. It's. Such a difficult thing to do. Reading it has made me ever more unsure. Our boy isn't frail or fading, his chunky little body is still strong and he eats like a horse (poos like one too)

It's more that due to the blindness his life is now being stuck in a small flat all day and night. If you take him out he just crouches down and shakes or flicks about on the lead not knowing where he is and smashing into things, it's horrible. He doesn't get to go out and sniff things or play with other dogs or even feel grass.

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Aked · 09/08/2014 08:22

You know him best op. From what you describe he doesn't sound happy, and he will still be eating unless he gets something which makes him less likely to want to do so.

It is a heartbreaking decision, and so so hard to lose a pet. There is always guilt involved too when you finally decide to do it, even if the animal is very sick. It is part of the grieving process particularly where euthanasia is concerned.

To be honest, if he were mine, he was 14, blind, and fearful of going out for a walk I certainly wouldn't put him through a GA and a dental. I would also be considering euthanasia just as you are.

Good luck with your decision op, you need to be happy you are doing the right thing, and at this stage you don't need to rush into it. I think it is a fairly "lucky" for want of a better word, to be able to plan for it. You can smother him with love, feed him lots of scrummy stuff and generally make him feel like he's the only dog in the world:) Always better a day too early than a day too late.

Sending hugs.

Dinnaeknowshitfromclay · 09/08/2014 08:34

I'm a vet nurse and I am in the 'quit while you are ahead' camp on euthanasia. So many people leave their animals until they have gone too far and the animal had lost all dignity and the euthanasia is then often an 'emergency' one. An elective euthanasia is a more dignified experience for all concerned and shows kindness and thought has been put into it. People think the vet will think less of them if they do other than this but the opposite is true. It's a hellish decision to have to make, getting the timing right is hard. You know your dog and you know if he is getting miserable. I admire that you recognise this.

Twotinygirls · 09/08/2014 09:41

Thank you all for your replies. It's good to hear that I'm not being heartless. We have agreed to take it month by month from now on and hope that we will know when the time is right. ??

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Wolfiefan · 09/08/2014 09:46

Dinnae that's so true. The desire not to lose a pet can so cloud your judgement. It's so hard.
OP I'm so sorry you are facing this. Just a thought but when the day comes do you have a mobile vet? It might be less stressful if someone came to you rather than taking your dog to a strange place.

SpicyPear · 09/08/2014 11:13

The saying is "better a month too soon than a day too late". I think you will know when it's time. Quality of life comprises many factors. You do not have to be able to say he has X or Y illness to justify it.

Sorry, I know it is so hard.

LEMmingaround · 09/08/2014 11:19

It doesn't sound like your dog copes well with being blind. Crashing around the flat?

That decision is so hard I know but just because your dog isnt in pain it doesn't mean he has quality of life. Some dogs manage but if he were my dog I think id have to let him go.

Your vet will be loathe to suggest it but they should support you in your decision.

tazzle22 · 09/08/2014 11:38

Empathise for sure as faced this more than once. I had ablind dog too but she managed very well on a lead outside but stressed re vets visits when diabetes became instable causing seizeres.... so its down to how the dog manages a condition or feels about it we need to look at. If its stressing him then it is an issue to consider.

If the itching causing him stress and cant be managed then that too is affecting his quality of lifed and although in some situation s would not be a reason to pts in his case it is a significant factor.

Wishing you strength to make the decision just as for myself for our elderly gsd who is increasingly affected by more issues .... (((0)))

tazzle22 · 09/08/2014 11:38

Empathise for sure as faced this more than once. I had ablind dog too but she managed very well on a lead outside but stressed re vets visits when diabetes became instable causing seizeres.... so its down to how the dog manages a condition or feels about it we need to look at. If its stressing him then it is an issue to consider.

If the itching causing him stress and cant be managed then that too is affecting his quality of lifed and although in some situation s would not be a reason to pts in his case it is a significant factor.

Wishing you strength to make the decision just as for myself for our elderly gsd who is increasingly affected by more issues .... (((0)))

kilmuir · 09/08/2014 11:41

Poor old man. Let him go. i know its horrid, but in my experience once the decision has been made its easier. Hold him tight when its time. Its last thing you can do for him.

Twotinygirls · 09/08/2014 13:05

We would definitely ask the vet to come to our house to do it as he hates the vets and shakes like a jelly. I've always said I'd do that for him.

He copes ok with the blindness, but bumps into things so hard sometimes it makes me wince. And with two young children there are inevitably things left in his way which confuses him.

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EvenBetter · 09/08/2014 15:37

Our girl had some different health issues including faecal incontinence and a crap back end for her final few months but she still had her spark, one day it went, big time and she was in pain, we knew then it was definitely the right time, any sooner and it would have been killing her rather than an act of kindness IYSWIM.

The vet came out to the house, it was fast and peaceful for her, but sheer hell for us. The worst day of our lives. Also, we had to take the body to the vets for cremation ourselves (vets couldn't/wouldn't do it) which was a shock, we didn't know beforehand we'd have to do this.

Alreadyaugust · 09/08/2014 15:50

I'd also say better a month too soon than a day too late. I have had two dogs PTS. The first was elderly and having problems walking, the quality of his life was getting progressively worse and he was going downhill fast. I was terribly upset and worried that I had made the decision early, but the vet confirmed it was the right time. Our second dog we left too late. The decision should have been made several weeks earlier and at the end she spent two days in pain before we called the vet. It's a horrible thing to do, but the kindest thing you can do for your dog.

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