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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

PTS seems the only Option :(

20 replies

StripeyChina · 15/04/2019 22:46

I have a rescue Basset.
She has bad cherry eye and developing cataracts and vet says no further eye surgery will help much.
She has grown a number of 'fatty lumps' which have needed surgery in the 4 years we've had her (she's around 11 now) but other than almost no eye sight and the lumpectomies has been fairly healthy.
She is very neurotic and does not cope with being left even to go into another room so she is very 'tying' but we love her and try our best.

But, she has developed a nasty ear infection and we can't seem to get on top of it. Vet says swabs show 3 separate well-established infections including 'profuse strep, proteus, and psudomonous (sp?)'. Vet feels there is no antibiotic which will treat all 3 and that it will be a very long haul as her ear is quite damaged already. We went through this, including a double inner ear removal with a spaniel some years back and wouldn't want to put another dog through it.
She also has a large weeping lump on her shoulder that vet says cannot be removed with the level of ear infection and it keeps opening and bleeding.

I feel that the time has come to let her go as she has a number of other lumps under her skin and I just feel the next few months at least will be lots of sedated ear flushings and treatment and surgeries. Before the ear infection was just beginning to lose her back legs sometimes when she stands and she shudders a lot in her sleep now.

I need to face it, don't I?

OP posts:

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AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 15/04/2019 23:13

It sounds like she has a lot of health issues going on at once that are tricky to resolve.

Is she still enjoying life overall?

StripeyChina · 15/04/2019 23:17

thank you for replying...
well, ' eating and drinking and wagging her tail.
but she is subdued and shuddery (pain? jolting out of her sleep like she's been plugged in poor old girl) and scratching at the shoulder lump and the ear :(

OP posts:

Blackboot1 · 15/04/2019 23:18

Sorry OP. But it sounds like the tome has come. Easy for me to say, I know.

Blackboot1 · 15/04/2019 23:18

*time

Singlenotsingle · 15/04/2019 23:23

You need to be brave and do what's best for her, and it sounds like she's had enough

StripeyChina · 15/04/2019 23:33

Yes, what is best for her, defo.
Just when she looks up at me with a toothy grin (and I give her a biscuit) and she wags her tail. But she is very weary certainly.

The other thing I was stupidly unprepared for is - we have no garden ground, just hard concrete patio (so she got lots and lots of walks).
I can't bury her, and Dd has autism and has just freaked out at the mention of cremation. The GPs have gone into planters but although I know you can get really enormous ones, that would be crazy right?

OP posts:

NeverSayFreelance · 15/04/2019 23:40

In terms of the burial, my dad built little wooden sheds for our dogs ashes and painted them like kennels. I realise you don't want to cremate but maybe you could make a little shed for Ddog's body?

It means should you ever move, you can take her with you. That's why we did it.

Love to you and your family. I know how hard it is to let go.

DramaAlpaca · 15/04/2019 23:44

I'm so sorry, but I think it's time. I know how hard it is

StripeyChina · 15/04/2019 23:48

NeverSayFreelance
Thank you for that thought. I really think dd needs to see the body and 'bury it' somehow to process it.
I don't want to keep my lovely hound hanging on in pain whilst I dither, but I want to know what to do with her remains.

OP posts:

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 15/04/2019 23:50

I'm afraid I have to agree with others that it sounds like her time has come

Do you have any family who have a garden where you could bury DDog? I'm renting so departed pets of mine now reside in DF's garden.

StripeyChina · 16/04/2019 00:00

I don't, no :(

Thank you all for helping me accept that the time is here.
I am so sad but I guess we gave her 4 peaceful years where she knew she was loved. She drove me crazy but she WAS loved. She was cheeky, nosy, and incredibly affectionate. Oh, and the worlds biggest thief (but only if you left the room). I have been leaving slices of ham / roast beef on the edge of plates for her to sneak up on. She looks SO proud when you come back and exclaim about the missing 'leftovers' (the only word apart from 'Dinner' that she knows). She GRINS at you.

Would a mahoosive terracotta planter on patio be unhygienic? The Vet was very concerned about the level of infection (I had minor surgery last week so I am being paranoid about hygiene I think?)

OP posts:

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 16/04/2019 00:10

I worry that things might not go to plan with the pot burial plan and if, for instance, it started to smell it could be more distressing all round. I've heard of it being done successfully with hamsters etc but this is a fairly large dog.

How old is your DD? Vets will arrange cremation for you, but could she be told that the dog has been sent away to be buried somewhere that's too far to visit?

I'm sure your vets will have been asked this before and can advise on the available options.

StripeyChina · 16/04/2019 00:21

She is nearly 12 (Dd, not Ddog)

OP posts:

Maneandfeathers · 16/04/2019 06:38

So sorry to hear about your dog.

I got my dogs ashes back and planted those in a pot, maybe that’s a better idea?

villainousbroodmare · 16/04/2019 06:49

Sorry OP, the burial site will be utterly horrific unless it is very deep and draining. Most vets can organize burial by the remains disposal company if cremation is not an option.

Propertywoes · 16/04/2019 06:53

You can't bury a dog in a planter. It definitely sounds like her time has come and I don't think you can leave her hanging on for fear of how dd will react to a cremation, which it sounds as if it's the only real answer. It's not fair on the dog.

turbototty · 16/04/2019 06:59

Have your lovely dog cremated and get your husband (or someone) to bury the ashes in a large pot, before being bought into the house. Tell your dd that the dog is in there (true) but you don’t have to go into a huge explanation as to what has happened to the body. Then you can have your ceremony (goodbye words) outside, plant some lovely flowers in the pot, but there are no hygiene issues. X

StripeyChina · 16/04/2019 07:53

Just to say I won't keep Ddog hanging on re burial stress.
I will call the Vet later and make arrangements.
Thanks for your input.

OP posts:

OverFedStanley · 16/04/2019 09:00

I'm not sure I would put down a dog with ear infections unless that is what the vet strongly recommended.

The other issues fatty lumps etc do not usually bother a dog and they get used to restricted eyesight really quickly

I would chat with your vet express your concerns and see if there is a plan that could help eg just medication or trying medication and then drawing the line if it comes to surgery

MrsMozartMkII · 16/04/2019 09:12

I've been at this stage too many times. It hurts like hell, but it does sound like there's too much going on with no chance of fixing it and like the dog is in pain.

Unfortunately burial in a planter isn't going to work.

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