Is it time for my dog to be pts?

[Horcrux]

Hi, I think it has come to the time were we need to think about our hound being pts.

He is a 12yr old Deerhound, not many 12yr old ones about! He’s done well!

His walk distances have reduced massively in the past 6 months to an hour tops and definitely no hills! He still loves a good run and bounce for about 30% of his walk. Still happy to greet other people and dogs, have a good sniff and dawdle about.

He has an accident nearly every night, despite me getting up and letting him out, he even sometimes during the day goes out only to come back in an poo on the floor like he didn’t even register going out.

What are the signs of dementia? He stands and stares alot!! Just stands there, staring at walls, in to thin air, at your face!

Although he can be bouncy outside he is struggling to climb in to the car or on to the sofa, he hates moving off the sofa when he’s been there a while.

We think it’s time, but then feel so guilty as he still loves his walks!

[Horcrux]

Oh, he is also sick often, not daily or even weekly but enough to notice.

He suffers from seizures, has done for a few year. It’s managed but I worry what strain they are having on him physically

[TheoriginalLEM]

He sounds like he is having some sort of seizures. What does your vet think?

[TheoriginalLEM]

Cross posted, is he on any meds for the seizures? They may need adjusting.

Thing is, your gut feeling is there for a reason. Quality of life is more important than quantity.

[Dogwalks2]

I’m also a Deerhound owner and lost our old lady a few years ago at 12 and we knew that was an excellent age. Is she messing herself and not moving? If so that’s a sign that the time has come to let her go. If she is messing in the house but not herself and still happy with walks, I’d keep her close for a little longer. So sorry we never get long enough with our pers.

[Horcrux]

Yeah, he’s in meds. Has them reviewed every 6 months. The seizures he has a the violent ones, it never occurred to me that he might suffering the petitmal ones too

[Veterinari]

12 is a good age for a deerhound.

He very likely has senile cognitive dysfunction. A medication called Selgian can help. Also anti inflammatories as he'll have arthritis.
How often are the seizures?

If managing him medically isn't right for you then euthanasia is reasonable. I personally think many people wait for animals to suffer before they make that decision. It's so much nicer if they instead never experience that suffering.

[Horcrux]

Thanks @Dogwalks2 He doesn’t mess himself when he’s still, or resting. It’s always in the same place so he’s ‘conscious’ if that makes sense.

He messes himself during a violent seizure, which is to be expected as they’re horrendous

[tmh88]

We had our DDog pts at 12, but he wasn’t walking at all anymore, yelped when he laid down, Yelp when he stood up was absolutely awful and the guilt you feel after is awful. The night we were to take him to the vets to be Pts is when his back legs fully collapsed from underneath him we couldn’t physically get him to the vet and they came to pts at home! As your dog is still enjoying walks and doing so for a good hour maybe see if he can stay a bit longer? It’s a tough decision and you know your dog best.

[Horcrux]

Thanks yoh @Veterinari, I’ll have a look at the drug you have suggested. He has anti plus turmeric.
The seizures tend to come in waves, he hasn’t gone more than a month without having one, when one does occur he tends to have another a day or 2 later. They last between 30 seconds and 2 Minutes

[tmh88]

Just to add we didn’t leave him to suffer he stopped doing things he enjoyed very quickly, we were given pain relief on the Sunday and was pts the following Sunday! I was shocked how fast he deteriorated and wished I had pts the week before rather than seeing if the pain meds/anti inflammatory worked.. still makes me feel guilty to this day

[Horcrux]

Thanks @tmh88 If his walk is longer than an hr or involves uphill... which is tough when you live in the Lake district! His hips and back legs will give way, it heart breaking and tough to deal with as it’s not like you can carry him. He is lifted over styles, which is amusing to passers by as he’s so big but so compliant.

[Horcrux]

That’s my worry too @tmh88, I see him enjoying his walks but I also see him struggling. I don’t know where the balance is

[Anise7438]

We nearly had our old dog put down just before Christmas. She had lost loads of weight then wouldn't stand. Kept messing in the house. Turned out she just needed a change of diet and some painkillers. Oh and she wears a coat of cold for long periods.

She's still old but she's happy. Coming up to 13. Speak to your vet. Mine was really helpful.

[tmh88]

Yeah it is really hard, I felt guilt for keeping him alive and guilt for Pts! It’s hard but one of the inevitable that it has to happen at some point, like you say it is just the balance of when! Best wishes and if I could do my time again I would of done it sooner, but it’s not easy to make such a snap call is it! I think you’ll know with your heart when it’s time

[Dogwalks2]

Hi, nothing more to add than earlier. Whatever’s decision you make you will have your pets best interest at heart. Stay strong.

[Veterinari]

Hmm that's pretty frequent seizuring. Ideally we'd aim to control seizures to 4-5x per year. Have his seizure meds been reviewed recently?
He could well have other neurological pathology too