To think a vets wouldn't put down a dog unless absolutely necessary

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So DB and DSIL have a 13 year old dog who I recently minded whilst they were away. DDog sometimes struggles to stand back up after lying down and does have lumps that the vet supposedly believes are not worth operating on due to her age. DDog did have an operation a few years ago on something (not too sure of what) that would have killed her if left untreated.

Whilst minding her she slipped and couldn't walk for a week although the vet said it wasn't broken. This has left her mobility worse than what it was. Along with the fact that although she isn't incontinent, she's started to urinate indoors, DB is planning on taking her to the vet as he feels it's not the best quality of life for her anymore.

I suppose my AIBU is would a vet put down a dog for the reasons above? I've told DB that I don't think it's fair unless necessary and they should see her through her old age but don't want to seem like I'm sticking my ore in.

DM had a JRT that had reached the age of 14 when his health started to fail. He had arthritis and heart failure. The vet mentioned euthanasia but DM begged for treatment, so Ddog was on various different meds. Cost DM a fortune, think it was around £200 per month 10 years ago.
However, Ddog had a reasonable quality of life with treatment and lived until he was almost 17.

The vet will put the animal first and do what is best for the dog.

Better a week too soon than a day too late.

It’s so important to remember that dogs have no idea of time- they live in the “now”. And if the now is painful and undignified that is what life is for them.

Dogs are not people. Dogs don't want a 'comfy old age'. Animals are designed to die or be killed as soon as they weaken: there are no frail elderly animals in the wild. A vet should absolutely euthanize an animal if an owner wants them to. The alternative is usually worse for the animal.

My dog was elderly, arthritic and was repeatedly getting sick every couple of months.

We could have gone on the cycle of medicating, put him through an operation which may or may not have improved things. But he had no quality of life.

Our vet was amazing and when we came to the decision to let him go he said he was glad we'd come to that decision and it's what he would have done if it was his dog, but it had to be our decision.

It's the kindest thing.

I'd hope the vet would want explore the issues and try physiotherapy, medications, check for urinary infection etc before euthanising. Athritis is common but can be treated for example and urinating indoors could be something as simple as an infection.

Sounds to me like it the right thing to do, the dog is becoming incontinent and mobility is declining to extent the dig couldn’t walk for a week ☹️
You’re very wrong to question this, when the time comes it will be horrendous for them.

My sister has in the the past had two much loved (by the whole family) dogs that lived long and happy lives. The advice she was given by the vet as they aged and suffered various ailments was "You'll know when the time is right" With one dog it was a very easy decision, with the other several non evasive treatments were tried first. A good vet will advise properly and I'd like to hope not prolong the suffering just for monetary purposes

"they should see her through her old age but don't want to seem like I'm sticking my ore in."

Either there is a typo in the initial description, or OP does not grasp that 13 is elderly for a dog. She has been seen through to her old age, and now they have the most heartbreaking decision to make

Yes, a vet would put an elderly, lame, incontinent dog to sleep. And will be very understanding to the bereaved owners.

I am facing this decision soon. Discussion with vet who has said they would support the decision at any time going forward from now, but that there are some things we can try which I’m going to do with a short timescale for review. If not he will be euthanised as it’s the last thing I can do to not let him suffer.

I think it’s clear you don’t understand about looking after pets and think you should support your DB in what will be a traumatic time rather than giving him grief

"her dignity"

Dignity? Do dogs have a concept of dignity?

Many years ago I had my dog put to sleep purely on the premise that I did not want to spend any more money on his treatment. He had a condition that could be managed but after 3 years of spending over £100 a month I decided that I could no longer justify it. The vet never questioned my decision at all, he just said ok. I think they will do what a client wants at the end of the day. Not sure they would put a healthy pet to sleep though. Your DB is doing the best for his His dog is v v poorly.

I think the last thing you need when you are facing having your dog put down is someone educating you on the idea it's not very good to put their dog down.

I think they might already understand this idea, and it's actually insensitive to act like they haven't considered it (a lot more than you have)... you should have the nouse to realise that if you think about it.

*to put your dog down

My dog is 12. I’ve shown commitment for 12 years so far. If he starts wetting himself and is unable to walk then we will consider having him PTS and if anyone decided to comment negatively they would quickly regret inserting themselves into my business during such a hard time.

Depends on the medical needs of the dog.

My old boy had arthritis for the last two years of his life. Regular anti-inflammatory jabs and daily tablets to help with his mobility and control the pain. Expensive, but it meant he could go off wandering round the garden and endlessly sniff things (his favourite activity!). The cost is part of the responsibility of having an older dog.

He started seizing just before Christmas, and his mobility went severely downhill. It was so obvious that he wasn't happy - he didn't wag his tail anymore and spent most of his time asleep. As hard as it was we knew the time had come to let him go. He went peacefully in his sleep just before the New Year.

No vet will PTS lightly, but they will put the welfare of the animal first.

It's only humans we allow to die in great suffering and distress OP. We are kinder to animals.

Euthenasia is one of the best things that we can offer for our clients - and there would be no hesitation in going ahead with what you have described. To relieve suffering of an animal, or prevent suffering of an animal heading that direction is something that humans don’t even get.
I have assisted with them for dogs with (much) lesser health problems, and ones with worse.
It’s not only about the animal - it’s about the owners too. Physically, emotionally, financially, timings and personal circumstances, and then the consideration for your dog/pet too. It’s not as simple as ‘yes put my dog to sleep’ or ‘no don’t put it it sleep’. Ever.

I used to believe in better a day early than a day late, but I now think it's way more complicated than that. Towards the end my dog had maybe one very bad day out of 10, on those days I'd think "this is it", then she'd be back to herself for a couple of weeks. I am so glad I didn't make a rash decision BUT I'd say it always depends on the illness, pain factors, how they are etc.

It is hard op, but I'd never judge someone for making the decision if they feel it's right.

I really wouldn't say anything at all to your DB except words of comfort. It's not your decision and dogs are a part of the family. It will be hard enough for him to realise that the dog may need to be PTS without other people sticking their noses in and questioning it

“Dignity? Do dogs have a concept of dignity?”

No. It was the wrong word to use, but I can’t think of a quick shorthand for an animal being unhappy if it can’t keep itself clean and has started to pee on the floor after a life time of being housetrained.

Yes depending on its size the dog is either old or very old and quality of life is diminishing so the vet would and may well recommend

should see her through her old age but 13 is old in most dog breeds.

Waiting for a dog to die of natural causes usually results in unnecessary suffering.

Our dog was put to sleep at 17.5 and for the last 6 months was a shell of his former self. Looking back I can see we should have had him pts 6 months earlier. Selfishly we couldn't face it.

Loving dog owners (and you've given no indication your dB isn't) don't ask a vet to euthanise their family members on a whim.

Nose out.

Not your choice and stay well out of it. Also you don’t know what’s going on inside the dog.

My Lab. was 12 and had limited mobility which was fine, she pottered round the garden and was happy. Then one night before Christmas, she couldn’t stand at all and her stomach swelled up. Rushed her to the vets and there was a massive cancerous tumour in her stomach.

She hadn’t changed eating/toileting habits, she’d been cuddling on the sofa an hour before. The vets hadn’t spotted it on previous visits and it only was picked up on a scan.

The vet advised us we could take her home (not an option as she was obviously in pain by that point) and we had her put down. It was really traumatic making that decision and frankly if someone had told me I’d done the wrong thing, then I wouldn’t be talking to them ever again.

A lot of vets believe that some pets struggle with "losing their dignity". It's well known that dogs want to please their owners, and a lot of distress comes from toileting inappropriately. I think the phrase can also be applied to, for example, a cat urinating itself while sleeping, when cats are notoriously clean animals.

It's maybe not the best saying but I think most people know what's meant by it.

Actually I think you were right first time, BertrandRussell and dogs do have a sense of dignity and in the same way they have a sense of shame when they loose control of their faculties.