My dog has kidney cancer with lung secondaries - when to PTS?

[MawkishTwaddle]

I’m devastated, but I just want to do the right thing for my boy.

I don’t want him to suffer for one minute - he doesn’t deserve that.

But he still wants his walks and dinners. He’s only just showing signs of discomfort.

I don’t know what to do.

[MawkishTwaddle]

Anyone?

[hendricksy]

When he seems to be struggling .. it's never too early but often too late is a phrase I stick to when saying goodbye .
If you can I would have the vet come to the house , it's quieter , kinder and less stressful . My last boy went quietly in my lap . It's awful but it's the last gift you can give them x

[SnowsInWater]

I think you need to work with your vet on this one, our gorgeous girl was given three months max last February but is still with us. As long as she seems happy and not distressed we are enjoying our extra time. Once she seems to be in pain if uncomfortable we will ask our vet's advice. So sorry you are in this position, it's horrible x

[PotteryGirl]

I'm so sorry..I have two dogs but have had to say goodbye to two cats through illness and it's the hardest decision but you'll know the right time in your heart. ..take advice from your vet..spend some lovely time together and catch him before he is in pain..be there for him all the way to the end..Sending you a big hug..x

[PotteryGirl]

I would definitely second the vet coming to the house, it's expensive but calmer for your boy..x

[MawkishTwaddle]

To make matters worse, we have a bloody holiday booked for three weeks time. Holiday of a lifetime, cost thousands. We had no idea when we booked it.

There’s no way I’m leaving him in this state.

[MawkishTwaddle]

I’d definitely have the vet to the house. He’s going to go to sleep with his head in my lap, like he always does.

Oh I love him so much. He’s my pal. I can’t bear it.

[hendricksy]

That's tough but unless you can. Hangs the holiday I would definitely say goodbye to him before you go . Such a hard decision 😢

[spiderlight]

Oh Mawkish. It' awful, isn't it? We're facing a similar decision with our beautiful old boy, whom the vet thinks is in end-stage kidney failure. He's sleeping lots, barely eating, but still enjoying tiny walks and saying hello to other dogs. We have blood results coming back this afternoon and will know more then, but I'm not optimistic. It's devastating me because he's so very special, a rescue we've had for 15 years and our absolute soul dog, and to make it worse, we buried my lovely Dad last Friday, so I'm in absolute bits.

Sending you a handhold and hoping that you have some more time with your lad. Do you have insurance that you could use to postpone the holiday?

[MawkishTwaddle]

Thank you everyone, and sympathy to anyone going through similar. It’s just heartbreaking isn’t it?

I don’t know whether insurance covers this eventuality. I don’t think it does.

[pigsDOfly]

So sorry to hear this, it's so hard.

That's awful timing with the holiday coming up. Obviously you can't leave him and this sounds really hard of me, but if your vet thinks he could go at any time and might be suffering in any way, would you consider letting him go sooner rather than waiting for the illness to progress and cancelling your holiday? Having said that, that's going to be really hard to do.

I'm a great believer in sooner rather than waiting until the animal is suffering in any way - had two cats I've had to have pts - so in your shoes, from the way you describe it, I'd be thinking about having a discussion with my vet about when rather than if.

Agree with pp you need to work with your vet.

[pigsDOfly]

I think most insurances cover pts, I know mine certainly does.

[MawkishTwaddle]

pigsDOfly I’m thinking sooner rather than later. My last dog died of cancer, and in hindsight, we let her go on too long.

This time, our agreement was ‘not one minute’ of suffering, but it’s so bloody hard to do.

I want to ease his end, but not rob him of life.

[MawkishTwaddle]

Sorry, I meant holiday insurance.

[pigsDOfly]

Sorry, yes I wondered if you did after I typed it.

I suspect you're right, I doubt most travel insurance would cover that.

[pigsDOfly]

It's so hard to know when is the right time.

Five years down the line and I still sometimes wonder if I let one of my cats go too soon. Vet said it was the right time but when you're making that decision it so very hard. But truly, a little early is not robbing him of life. You've loved him and given him the best life you could and you want to give him the best easiest death.

[DeadButDelicious]

It's never easy. My beloved Lolly pug is as diagnosed with a neurological condition at the beginning of 2016, she lived just over a year with it but at the end she was just a shell. She wouldn't eat a morsel, you could see in her eyes she was already gone. The vet talked of installing a feeding tube but that was a line for me, I wouldn't of been doing it for her, I would of been doing it for me, I so desperately didn't want to let her go. She was like that for about 5 days. It was to soon for me, possibly too late for her.

I'm so sorry you have this decision to make. Lots of love to you.

For what it's worth, my insurance didn't cover PTS or her cremation. We paid for that ourselves. She was home a week or so later and she's safely stashed away out of the reach of small hands.