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

[upthetop]

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.

I think most people would expect an incontinent pet with severe mobility problems to be put down.

Leaving your animal until 'its on it's last legs' is cruel imo. If you are going to have animals you need to be aware of the quality of life assessment and make the call when it's in their best interests.
( cinqueportsvets.co.uk/information_sheets/tag/pet-quality-of-life-questionnaire/ )

I'd also suggest that if you can't say anything supportive to your brother that you don't say anything. I had to do this last year and it was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I had a thread on here actually, it was called 'dogs and the rainbow bridge' I think.

@upthetop - our vet told us that dogs often don’t show they are in pain - they want to please their owners, so they try to carry on doing all the things their people want them to do.

It is also worth remembering that different pets have different life spans - some breeds of dog are considered to be elderly at 9 years old - so just because some cats live to 19, and some dogs live to 15, doesn’t mean that that is the life span for all dogs.

It sounds as if this dog has very little quality of life left - mobility issues, incontinent, probably in pain - it would be cruel to make to dog carry on suffering. Our job, as pet owners, is to make the difficult decision at the right time for the animal, not the right time for us. As others have said, better a week too early than a day too late.

His Vet will be able to advise on whether this is a good idea or not. A Vet is unlikely to agree to put down a pet that has some decent quality of life left.

Unfortunately, too often, people keep a pet alive in pain/suffering because they can't bear to part with said pet. To my great regret, I speak from experience.

What isn’t fair, is keeping a dog alive, in pain, with reduced mobility and ladder control just because you don’t like the idea of not having your cutie wutie pet at home any more. That is selfish and cruel.

“Life at any cost” isn’t the right attitude.

And I think I’d probably have slapped you if you had told me I wasn’t being fair by having my elderly and sick cat PTS

I truly think it’s selfish when owners force their ill, elderly and in pain pets to live until they pass naturally. They should really do what’s in the dog’s best interests.

My childhood dog developed hip dyspraxia and could not move his hind legs at all. He developed severe wounds on his paws (not his paw pads, but the other, furry side) due to dragging his hind legs around everywhere. They would bleed, scab then reopen the next time he was let outside. They would keep him outside in this condition for HOURS until he was distressed and whining to be let in. They stopped walking him or giving him baths as he couldn’t move without assistance. He couldn’t eat or drink without help and would defecate/wee whilst laying on his bed. He had random cysts and issues. I felt so sorry for him, he was essentially bed bound. But of course, my shit family think that they were the best owners ever, even though the refused to take him to the vet!

Ear issues*

Like they would literally let him drag his hind legs around for hours and hours on end, whilst doggo just wanted to come inside

I'm currently binge-watching Supervet. It comes up over and over again that the owners have no idea how much pain their dog is in when they take him to the vet for mobility issues. It's only when they see the CT-scans of bare bones rubbing against each other or collapsed discs pressing on nerves that they appreciate why their dog struggles to get up or is limping when he walks.

Op's brother's dog slipped and was unable to walk for a week. His mobility has been affected and he now has a bladder problem. It sounds as if he may have damaged his spine.

13 is a good age for a dog. Much better to let him go now than wait for things to get worse. Please don't second guess your db's judgement. You'd only be making a very difficult time for him even worse.

hatemyhair that’s awful. Not kind at all. What a sad memory for you to have.

It's absolutely none of your business. If the dog is struggling to get up then it must be in pain. I wouldn't like like a dog urinating in my house plus it would be distressing for the dog. Our dog was put to sleep last year at 18 but if it was suffering before that then I definitely would have made the decision sooner.