Don’t know what to do for the best

[Ilovepugs2017]

We’ve got a westie - we rehomed her around 10 years ago and the previous owner said she was around 7 at that time.

She’s been with us as a family since then but has various problems now due to old age. We’ve discussed between me and DH about the right time to let her go and have spoken to the vets to book an appt to have her put to sleep. The appointment is Wednesday.

We are now both wondering whether it’s the best time for her. Seems so sad to think that she isn’t going to be with us for much longer she’s been such a lovely dog.

How do you know when the right time is?

she has some issues with her eyesight, hearing, isn’t able to enjoy walks that much anymore due to getting tired easily and she has an issue where her back legs keep on giving away when she walks up stairs.

Is now a good time to say goodbye? 😢

We had to have our nearly 16 yr old westie PTS just before Christmas. He was much like yours for around the last year, quite deaf etc but perfectly happy but slow.

One night he was clearly having issues, potential stroke, so he was PTS then being cuddled by DH. I think had it not been as obvious right then we may have still be pottering on with him, it's so hard to know. A good vet will advise.

Have a look at this quality of life scale, it might help.

https://www.lapoflove.com/how-will-i-know-it-is-time/lap-of-love-quality-of-life-scale.pdf

Oh I feel your pain. Its so raw for me, I had my beautiful sweet girl pts only 4 days ago. She'd stopped eating, didn't look happy and had explosive diarrhoea daily for a week. Vet visit, blood tests and then an ultrasound scan which showed a tumour in her intestines. Surgery not advised, I wouldn't put a 10 year old dog through that anyway. So I had to let her go, still weepy everyday. I think you'll be doing the kindest thing, you won't want to see her get worse and suffer. But it's so hard as you love her as one of the family. Best wishes.

I’ve learnt from my SIL’s decision to keep her elderly dog alive as long as possible, because she couldn’t bear to pts. It was awful, the poor dog was drugged up to the eyeballs on painkillers and struggling to move. In the end, the vet had to pretty much tell my SIL that it was time, because she was so resistant.

If your Westie is approaching this situation, I personally feel that it’s kinder to pts now, rather than let her suffer. That’s what we’re planning to do with our boy.

A vet once said to me "better a week to early than an hour too late"

I'm sure you know your dog - very sorry for you though

You've given your dog an amazing happy life.

It is really hard but the last duty of a pet owner is to help them at the end. If the dog is no longer able to enjoy life due to incurable pain then it is the kindest and right thing to do.

You're doing the right thing

It's so hard. My wesrie made it to 19, but in hindsight we should have let her go sooner. She didn't have a quality of life for the last six weeks or so.

My cairn also made it to 19 but he was full of life to the very end and then just died in his sleep.

I currently have. 13 yo cairn with a history of health issues, at the moment he is still happy, loves his walks though they are much reduced and food. We have had conversations with the vet and won't put him through any treatment.

Better a week too early than a week too late.

Thank you all for your advice and input. After speaking to the vets we have decided it’s best to pts now rather than wait and then she will likely be in more pain and suffering 😢

Gotta take her in later today

Got some nice photos of her to treasure like this one 🥺

You're doing the best for your dog OP. We shouldn't keep our beloved pets alive and suffering for our benefit (I feel the same about human suffering too). I know I have the same decision to make soon too with my nearly 16 year old terrier who currently has good days and bad days.

Thinking of you 💐

I can't walk very far now and have real difficulty getting upstairs but I love my life.

?

You are doing the right thing op. We had to make that painful decision with our lovely dog 2 years ago. It’s a horrible thing to take responsibility for but sadly that’s the tail end of pet ownership, the thing that most of us tuck away deep in our brain, something we don’t want to think about but it’ll be one of the last caring things you can do. You’ve obviously given her a lovely life.

She looks such a lovely dog ❤️

I work in a veterinary clinic op. I see people all the time struggling with decision. I think if you're thinking along those lines, then you might have already subconsciously come to it.
One of our old vets, used to advise people and say the time is here when the bad days start outweighing the bad.
Definitely better a little early than later. I've had soooo many clients really feel regret (and really quite bad) when they've kept their dogs going longer than they should have. As they realise they did it for themselves and not for their beloved pet. But all the best, sounds like you've given your dog an amazing life, and I'm sure you'll treasure those memories.

I think the fact her legs are giving way, and she's losing weight despite eating are key signs it's probably time.
She's had a long and lovely life with you. But once their movement is impaired and they can't keep weight they won't last much longer in my experience. My auntie had a lovely westie. Wonderful little dogs.

The day before we put my dog to sleep she put her head on my Mums lap and a tear trickled out of her eye ..

We knew !!! It broke my heart but it was time for her to go.

@Ilovepugs2017 thinking of you and your lovely girl today. Xx

It doesn't sound helpful but you'll just know when it's the right time. In the meantime, as much love and snuggles as you all can manage.

She’s gone now 💔
Put her head on DH arm as she went 😭

Is so hard, but you couldn’t have done better by her. 💐💐

So sorry for your loss ❤️

💕

I'm so sorry you lost your lovely dog xx

So sorry. She knew how loved she was x

Thank you all 💔

They gave us this which is lovely. Feels so strange being home without her here 😢

Im so sorry OP. But I hope you take comfort in knowing you gave her a full life and a painless, dignified death with the people she loved (something not all of us are lucky enough to have). ❤️