To ask a possibly upsetting question?

[Cherrysoup]

If you had a dog and it has now died, how old was it and what did it die of? I lost one of mine during the summer and it looks like his brother is going the same way at 11, I’m absolutely devastated. The first one had cancer, his brother also has a tumour, diagnosed today. Isn’t 11 quite young for a medium sized dog? I lost one at 16, same breed (spaniel) so was hoping I’d have the others for longer. 😢

My fur baby was 12, PTS due to dementia and incontinence.

Lab, 14 years and 1 month, he had osteosarcoma and died 10 days after diagnosis (having eaten a whole pack of custard creams before we took him to the vet so he could be PTS). I am so sorry, it is an awful decision to have to make

I had a lab cross who lived to 17 and a few months. He was deaf and a bit arthritic, and had a few tumours that didn't appear to trouble him too much, but from about 14 onwards he would have spells where he seemed listless, off his food and weary and not interested in much for a spell. Each time, we'd start to wonder if it was time to pts, and then the old bugger would rally and often have spells where he was positively puppyish.

Until the time he didn't, even after a week, and it was so obvious that it was time to let him go.

My lakeland terrier dog developed heart failure and was pts at 13.5, my lakie bitch lived to 15.5. She had some tumours that would have required massive surgery, and as she was so old I felt it wasn't fair to put her through it.

I've been holding off on getting another dog because I was waiting for knee surgery but it's done now so I'm after getting a rescue.

He was 10. He died of cancer which they found after he was poisoned in a park. They stopped the poison killing him but during the checks realised he had cancer of the spleen and liver. He later less than 5 days.

I'd left for uni a week before he died. I was devastated.

Both my previous dogs have died aged 11, the first of cancer and the second from GDV (when their stomach flips). Current Ddog was 12 last week and still in good spirits although she smells and struggles with incontinence . Despite doing everything we could to avoid GDV with current Ddog her stomach did flip at the start of lockdown last year, and even though we vowed after previous Ddog not to put another through the surgery only for it to happen again a few months later we just couldn't let such an otherwise healthy dog go and the vet advised we should go ahead with surgery. We are so glad we did as she bounced straight back and 18 months on it hasn't happened again (keeping fingers crossed!).

Should have added they were/are all the same large breed.

So sorry.
15, kidney failure. She was ready to go.

So sorry OP.

I lost my cocker boy in 2019, he was 12 and had a stroke, lost all ability to use his legs so had to be pts. It’s heartbreaking.

My family has always had dogs, mostly corgis. One died at 5 from a genetic heart defect. The others have died between 12 and 16. One got to 16.5. Typically cancer when they get very old but we have always pts before they got very sick. Always a good end. We also had a gsd who was pts at 9 for crippling hip dysplasia but she was badly bred. I think there's always a fear of when it's the right time but I live by our old vet's words: better a week too soon than a day too late. Euthanasia is kind. Natural death is wrongly romanticised.

As a dc we got a ddog when me and the ddog were 18 months old.. Ddog was pts just before we were both 21!! She had lost the use of her legs over time and one day just couldn't move. Vet came to the house... Very sad day. Cross collie.

My rottweiler had mammary cancer in 2019. Had surgery and was her normal self within a couple of months.
Sadly vet presumed her aggressive behaviour last year was likely a brain tumour.. She had 2 incidents with 2 of our other ddogs and a scarey stand off with me. We took her to be pts on Pancake Day after fish and chips and 2 pancakes.. She was 10 and a half.. Guilt still terrible.

So sorry OP.

My greyhound was put to sleep at 12. She had bad arthritis and one day she just couldn't get up.

Spaniel has just turned 12. All but one of the litter are still alive. His Mum died at 8, but a great grandmother went on until 15. He's had a few health problems (mainly due to his repeated attempts to poison himself), but seems to be doing OK. I'm just trying to enjoy every moment - I will be utterly devastated when we lose him

I lost a couple of young ones years ago - that was terrible. At least when current one pops off I'll know he's had a great life.

Mine was PTS at 13, didn't get any specific illnesses but just old age, started to get incontinent, not eating well, wasn't getting much pleasure out of life anymore. It was a hard decision and one that we battled with for some weeks, I do feel for you.

Sorry to hear that. It never gets easier. I've had 4 dogs, otr 1st, a mixed breed we lost at 16 due to old age. 2nd was a doberman, lost her at 8 after being diagnosed at 7 with heart failure. 3rd was a greyhound, we got him at 3 and lost him at 5 due to cancer. 4th and current dog is another greyhound.

Too many dogs since I was a child. Medium size dog,12 is average.last was 17 year old border collie,had dementia a few years,but kidney failure, desided it was time to help nature. At the moment ,6 year old border collie,and 15 year old Phalene. The toys have longer life expectancy
His 'mean" average is 15
He's got rotten teeth,but vet unwilling to anaesthetic due to age. Recent MOT no heart,lung,or mobility problems. Border collie before that 12, seemingly completely fit, healthy collapsed on a walk,rushed to vets
Splenic tumour,they give no symptoms of till they rupture
She had secondary liver spots,so I had her put to sleep rather than bleed to death. Husband was furious,said we should have tried to operate. I feel for you,it's hellish

Oh I'm sorry.

My small terrier went at 12 - she'd had spinal troubles all her life and eventually we just couldn't manage her pain anymore. She couldn't sit, stand or even lie down without air snapping and snarling in pain, and I just thought...why do we keep filling her with tramadol? It was terrible and I still get emotional thinking about her last day 2 years later (the anniversary of her death is on 17th Nov), but it was the right thing for her and she was free of pain at last.

@Cherrysoup

If you had a dog and it has now died, how old was it and what did it die of? I lost one of mine during the summer and it looks like his brother is going the same way at 11, I’m absolutely devastated. The first one had cancer, his brother also has a tumour, diagnosed today. Isn’t 11 quite young for a medium sized dog? I lost one at 16, same breed (spaniel) so was hoping I’d have the others for longer. 😢

Spaniel, 11, cancer also.

She was a rescue and a real ru!t, congenitally deaf and was dumped instead for drowned :( I think she was from a puppy farm and not bred well at all.

Her successor is 5 now, same breed and in rude health. I have high hopes of her getting to 14 or older.

I've lost 3 , they were 2 , 8 and the third because we never knew her true age was possibly could have been 11 the breed does tend not to get a long life medium sized . First one was kidney disease second had a few different disorders third old age but had developed a number of different conditions in the last year of life , vestibular syndrome , epilepsy and spinal issues . Heart breaking every time and after each one I swore I would not get another but I did

We lost our Westie at only 9 years old. V rapid deterioration in 24 hours, showed a lung mass. 😕 took us ages to get over the loss.
We now have our adorable cockapoo and we love her!

Our golden lab (dhs for a year before we met but we both loved him) died age 5 of a very unusual stomach condition. Our black lab cross age 12 of a heart condition. My German Shepard 14 just old age and passed peacefully in her sleep. Dhs westie "westie lung" age 13.

I had my Border Terrier put to sleep at home on the sofa by my vet friend in July this year. She was just 14, in great health physically, apart from being a bit blind and deaf. She was fully continent, still eating everything, could gallop across the garden if she suspected a cat was there.
However her dementia was so bad, and progressed through the day so when she woke up she was quite lucid, but by lunchtime she would pace back and forth in a line from the front door to the back door until her legs would give way or she got stuck in a corner/behind furniture. We ended up crating her more than I was happy with to ensure she rested, and her quality of life was so poor that I couldn’t let her carry on.
I got a ‘spare’ dog when she was 12 as I knew I’d be devastated when she went and having another dog in the house made it easier to make the right decision. My ‘spare’ is nearly three and we’re about to get another as I don’t like having just one dog.

We had our dog PTS at 16. She probably could have gone on physically for a while longer but she had dementia, was always scared and didn’t enjoy cuddles, food or walks any more. It was the right thing to do for her though it broke my heart.

This is heartbreaking. I'm so sad for all your losses ❤️

I'll list them - I know putting them in a list looks callous but believe me each death was accompanied by lots of tears

Jack Russell - 16 - old age, PTS when he could no longer walk
Jack Russell - 15 as above
Mutt - 14 plus (rescued as an adult) as above
Retriever - 15 - fell asleep in her basket after going downhill
Terrier cross - 15 - old age PTS after a stroke
Jack Russell - 13 - had problems with lungs and liver function. Had a fit and died in my arms.

All of them were castrated or spayed and had no health real health issues. The oldest JR had congestive heart failure but kept going for years.

I felt cheated by the loss of the youngest JR last year. He and I had such a close bond and he will always have a special place in my heart - but so will all the others.

My Cairn terrier mix was killed in a freak accident at 5. I thought we would have years and years together. It was so traumatic for me I don't think I've been quite the same since.

I'm sorry about your dog OP. There's no pain like losing a pet.

It is always sad and I'm sorry for your loss, Cherrysoup.
Lovely dog 1 - Female - |PTS at 17 when too worn out and wobbly to go on.
Lovely dog 2 - male Dachshund, only 9, he had spinal surgery that didn't help paralysis due to disc problem.
Lovely Dog 3 - male, he died in his sleep aged 15, old age.
Lovely dog 4 - Male rescue, he was diagnosed with leukaemia soon after we got him, sadly he was PTS aged around 8.
Lovely dog 5. Another male rescue, PTS aged 12, he came to us with stiff legs and although he improved for the first few years he then became unable to walk.
We have lovely dog 6 now, still charging around like a puppy, she is 12.
I think you get to know when the time is right. It was very hard with dog 4 as he had had a rough life out on the streets and he loved living with us in his final years.