To ask when you know its time to put your pet to sleep?

[Cleanbedsheets]

My dog is 13, she is now completely blind and yesterday she had a fit amd temporarily lost the use of her back legs. It was the most terrifying experience I've ever witnessed. I rushed her to the emergency vets and she wasn't very pleasant. Said she is an old girl, and she can feel hard lumps in her mammary area which may or may not be cancer. She then asked if I would be taking her home or putting her to sleep.

I was shocked at the question, she is old but she still has a good life.

Then I looked at her tonight and noticed that she hadn't really moved all day. She has eaten and drank but has barely engaged with us and has peed on rug twice. Which is unlike her.

I am taking her to my usual vets tomorrow to have some advice and get her checked over.

Dp amd I have both agreed that we wouldn't want her going under anaesthetic to confirm if lumps are cancer, given her age.

She seems so sad and no energy. I don't want her to suffer but maybe I could push it out a bit longer if she isn't in any pain.

What are your thoughts?

We had to have our rescue greyhound put down in January. He had had a hind leg amputated months before due to cancer and his remaining hind leg deteriorated very quickly— he couldn't stand, walk etc. I got an emergency vets appointment and certainly didn't expect that as an outcome but he was in so much pain and distressed. It was the kindest, and hardest thing to do.

You'll know! I've had to put two fantastic dogs to sleep and I remember that moment. Heartbreaking but you just know. They tell you when they've had enough.

Ive done it too many times but its got easier over the years.

Quality of life, when they have v little it's time to go. I've nearly always had it done at home though. With all of us with them.

I advise finding a vet who will come to your house so that her last hour can be one of comfort and peace in her own home. Many vets will do this.

We are going through this right now with our MuttDog and it's heartbreaking. It's so hard to know what to do - ours still shows so many signs of joy (particularly around food!) that I keep thinking she's ok, but then she has a coughing fit and I wonder if I'm keeping her going just for me. I think it's harder at this time of year as well - in the summer I was saying I didn't think she'd make it to Xmas, and now I want her to go that little bit longer.

The one thing we have decided is to go with Dignipets rather than our vet as the Mutt is SO scared of the vet that I don't want that to be her last feeling. It's just making that call...

Thinking of you @Cleanbedsheets its a horrible position to be in.

Ask yourself this: if you could trade places with your dog, would you want to live that life knowing there were no prospects for improvement?

I've always been guided by the vet. They let me know when it's the right time. To be honest, it's always been pretty clear thar my pet has lost their quality of life but it's hard to let them go when you're so emotionally involved.

Ddog deteriorated very quickly from diagnosis of lymphoma we had to make the decision to pts less than a week after finding out.
It's devastating and the hardest choice you'll ever make to if it's right for the dog then it has to be done imo.
I'm sorry you're going through this.

Put yourself in your dog’s situation. DS was reluctant to let her dog go. In the end he was blind, deaf, had dementia and incontinent. Would you want to live like that?

Disagree with this. People end up with pets that are already too far gone, waiting for some mystical ‘sign’ that might never come.

Other posters here have admitted they should have had their pets PTS sooner.

It’s the last service you can do them is to be unselfish and act promptly rather than dither and continue to let them deteriorate. So sorry op x

I just wanted to say thank you for this thread.

DCat is 17 and is nearing the end now. I think we can give him one last Christmas but it’s nearly time. He has a range of health conditions but still eats and plays occasionally. Just recently though, he has had some fecal incontinence issues and his dementia is definitely worse.

It is the worst part of pet ownership but we have to take the responsibility seriously and give them a peaceful death at the right time. 💐💐💐

We let our 17 year old cat go last week. He had a slow-growing cancer which could not be treated, so we decided (with the vet) to just monitor him closely. He got slowly skinnier but suddenly deteriorated last week. He was a greedy guts and we knew that when he stopped demanding food at every opportunity it was getting to be time. You know your animal and what is quality of life for them. Trust your instinct, and hard as it is, be honest with yourself. (I am still not sure we got it 100% right, the vet said we hadn't left it too long, but of course I am questioning myself).

It's such a hard thing to do, but he knew he was loved to the end, and even reached out to me with this paw, as he always did, when he was on the vet's table.

She deteriorated badly last time so are going to ring the vet at 9 and ask if a house call is possible.

Devastated

I am so sorry. I recently learned that it’s a pain like no other.

My boy had heart failure but up until his last evening he was still eating, drinking, wagging his tail and doing his usual doggie things. He was tired and had slowed down but still had quality of life.

Then he deteriorated rapidly overnight. He had fluid on his lungs and didn’t want to walk at all. I had to carry him into the emergency vets. He looked up at me and I just saw “the look” - he was done fighting. He still managed to give me a tail wag when he saw me though even though he was exhausted and could barely lift his head at that point.

I am glad I stayed with him and cuddled him right to the end but it’s utterly heartbreaking.

I’m so so sorry. It’s the hardest decision to make and heartbreaking to go through. But at least with our animals we are allowed to end their suffering, which is a blessing. They say grief is the price we pay for love. Hugs to you x

Cleanbedsheets sending you and your special friend much love ❤️

Im so sorry 😞 it’s the hardest part of been a pet owner.

A few years ago now I lost my two boy dogs about 18 months apart. The first one I didn’t know he was sick. He deteriorated really really fast. He died at home in my arms waiting for the vet to come to be put to sleep. It happened in maybe 30 mins. It was awful seeing him past the way he did. If someone had of told me the day before that the following morning he would die like he did I’d of had him put to sleep the night before. I vowed that I’d never let that happen to any pet of mine again.

My second boy who adored me and I him became “sick”
slower and was diagnosed with cushins ( horrible disease)
he was 14 and we decided against treatment for many reasons that we felt best for him. He was “fine” for months and then he just wasn’t and I wasn’t prepared to wait and see if he picked up again. I remember looking at him “knowing” it was time and I called the vet who I explained what was going on and scheduled him to be put to
sleep the following day. His last day was a good one he had cheese, chocolate, cuddles and I like a crazy woman told him
what was going to happen and that I loved him and I always will. I was hard and I won’t lie it killed me BUT it was the right and best thing for him.

I truly believe that been able to give our loved pets a peaceful death is one of the kindest things we can do.
I read on here that it’s better a week to early than a week to late and in my heart I really believe that.

Big hugs to you and your girl

It's sad but its your responsibility to not let your pet be in pain. Personally, i didn't let my dog get to the point his legs were collapsing, blind, deaf, incontinent. He was on meds for arthritis, he was 16, and once the signs of pain started creeping in when he was on the max dose for the medication, i arranged a time for someone to come to the house to pts. He was pts in his favourite chair, with as much of his favourite food as he could eat inside him and us with him to the end. He still had quality of life and i know i could have eked him out for a few more weeks/months but what's the point? I didn't want him to be suffering before i put an end to it. He would never get better than he was at that point. The fact that he had such a painless and gentle end is what kept me going through those initial weeks.

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received when I was going through something similar is to ask yourself - "am I prolonging life or avoiding death?".

Your dog is lucky to have someone who loves her so much - so sorry that its such a difficult time.

My lovely boy - DCat - had become incontinent, after the discovery of stomach tumours. He then stopped eating but still purred. I had the vet appointment for later in the week so that gave us time to say goodbye. I knew we would be taking him to put to sleep.

I'm really sorry, OP.

If I had been able to have my cat put to sleep, I would have done it. I was working in another country that didn't have proper vetcare and local culture was opposed to euthanasia, and watching my girl suffer from cancer was terrible. Here is my thread if you want to see what the alternative looks like: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_litter_tray/4836351-my-cat-died-and-i-feel-so-guilty-and-heart-broken

This happened to me in the summer and I still feel such pain. I don't think people who don't love pets can understand.

Putting to sleep too early is preferable to too late. I'm sure of it. Do this for your dog, and know that you are giving a wonderful final gift. I do not think it is possible to choose too early a time if you know your dpet is already on the path. Follow your instincts here.

She sounds very similar to my dog. I thought he was nearing the end a year ago. Walking into stuff and one day he couldn't even get up the stairs or onto the sofa. He wasn't eating, he did a few wees and poos in the house and I thought that was it. The vet recommended adding a bit of glucose powder to his water when he seemed to have no energy. He bounced back within a day or two though and he's been fine all year (not needed glucose since) He's obviously still pretty blind, but he's having a good life. I'd give her another couple of days and see.

I'm sorry I didn't read your update before I posted. My heart goes out to you 💔

My baby girl was put to sleep at 10am this morning. She really suffered this morning and I regret not getting there sooner. She's at peace now, I've collected her ashes from the local pet crem and we will scatter them on her favourite beach in the new year.

We are utterly bereft