To put dog down if I can’t afford the vet

[Difficuldecisions]

my situation is, I am estranged from my family so I can’t ask for help. PDSA and other pet charities don’t cover my area. I have checked.
She is 7. I have had her since I was 13. I am 19 now. Parents didn’t believe in insurance. And whilst I was still under age she developed collapsing trachea, and also needed a 3k operation on one knee for luxating patella. She has also been to the vet for eye issues and stomach issues over her life time that she needed injections for, including digestive issues. So it was pointless me getting insurance because of the number of pre existing conditions.
She has now dislocated one of her knees again. And I have no way of affording that not even on a payment plan.
She is in pain but is still herself. I don’t know if I should ask to have her put down.

I don’t think you’d be unreasonable, it’s a quality of life issue and your dog doesn’t sound like it has a great one with all these health issues. It sounds like your dog has multiple serious issues and its lifespan is likely to be significantly shortened anyway.

Assuming a luxating patella, this is a very painful condition, it’s also genetic and usually bilateral meaning that once one goes the other usually will too. You could find the thousands of pounds needed for this one leg only for the other to need fixing in 12 months time. It’s a long and tough recovery even for the healthiest of dogs.

A collapsing trachea is also not an insignificant health issue that can affect quality of life and eventually require expensive surgery or euthanasia in itself.

I think a lot of people out there often keep their animals going far longer than they should for their own benefit rather than the animals and as someone who has worked with animals for a long time and also within a veterinary setting I can assure you there are much worse things in life than being pts and let go humanely and peacefully.

I’ve also seen people request euthanasia for far less significant or valid reasons.

It sounds like you love your dog very much and given all the problems you list, you could potentially be doing the kindest thing for her.

Because OP is 19, won’t qualify for a loan and shouldn’t be pushed into starting out her adult life in extreme debt.

OP, it sounds likes like your poor dog is very ill and likely to need an extreme amount of medical attention to stay well throughout her life. 7 is not a young dog, especially for some breeds. You’ve given her a life of love. Do not let others shame you for this decision. I think you’d be justified in letting her go peacefully and painlessly.

All that says is that vets are “not obliged to euthanise a healthy animal” (which means they can). This is also not a healthy animal, fixing its leg will also not render it healthy with a collapsing trachea. They also have an obligation not to let an animal suffer so if the owner cannot afford care and the animal is going to suffer as a result then they don’t have much other choice.

I’m so sorry and I’m sending you the biggest hugs. You are very young to be dealing with this. I agree with those that say PTS is probably the kindest thing. Your dog has multiple health issues and at 7 may not recover well from an operation, even if you could afford it. You have given her a good life filled with love and you don’t need to feel guilty for letting her go. Ignore those that are making you feel guilty.

Just posting advice for OP

Poor advice though. No vet would refuse to PTS a middle aged dog with multiple health conditions that needs a major and expensive operation.

It’s given to vets on their RSVS own website
Its the principles they work within and sign up to as part of their professional registration.

Its not my advice it’s theirs ! Unless you represent every vet in the country I think this is the best advice to give as the RSVS does.
Just passing that on to OP.

I hear you! We pay £200 a month into a savings account incase of any animal emergencies, and (touchwood) have only dipped into it a few times over the past 17 years. We keep it floating at around £3k and then have an extra £2k at the end of the year to put towards a holiday. If we'd have paid that into insurance, I wouldn't have had anything to show for it, and with multiple pets, it would have been a hell of a lot more than £200 a month, especially now with two very healthy, but elderly, dogs. Pet insurance can be an absolute con, now it's become "the norm" to have it, and has got increasingly expensive as a result. The one time we actually tried to claim when we had them insured as pups, they wouldn't pay out, as they said it was a preexisting condition. Ddog reacted badly to a vaccine, and had to be seen next day, appointment and pain relief was under £100 so less than insurance excess so they wouldn't pay, then he needed to go back out of hours a few nights later and stayed in on a drip (£800), and they refused to pay out! Cancelled it after that, and we have been extremely lucky ever since.

It’s your interpretation of the advice I’m disputing. Have you ever actually had a pet PTS? For a pet with multiple health issues one of which requires an operation a request to PTS does not contradict any of the advice you so helpfully copied and pasted. Vets do not make it harder for you in that most difficult of decisions by making you jump through hoops to justify it. Stop making the OP feel she’s breaking the vets code of conduct in considering PTS.

I’m not I’m passing the info on

Thats why OP is here. For advice and the info I posted is solid factual advice.
moving on….

You said you didn’t think any vet would put this dog, with a multiple life limiting conditions, to sleep because it would go against their guidelines. You misunderstood the guidelines.

If I was in your situation, I would rather surrender my dog to a charity who would pay for her medical conditions, rather than put a 7 year old dog to sleep. It would be absolutely heartbreaking to say goodbye but I would be comforted by the fact the charity would be treating her medical conditions and finding her a forever home. If you chose to put her down, you would also still be saying a final goodbye.

So sorry you're going through this.

You misunderstand.
I said

’i’m not convinced’ …..
and then posted the guidelines for OP to read for herself.

im clearly not the only one who is not convinced either.
Hopefully OP will get good and the best advice when she visits her vet

You’re wrong.
However you dance around it.

We foster/adopt dogs with a charity, and the demand for rehoming has gone through the roof. Many bought dogs during covid, obviously believing they would never have to return to work. Now they have, the dogs can't cope and neither can the owners. Then there's the cost of living, family break ups, new babies, and the list goes on.

Unfortunately, the charities can't take them all, and must apply some strict conditions before they do. When they do take a dog, they accept the cost of any subsequent medical issues, and we all know how much vets cost. This means dogs with medical conditions, or behavioural problems, are unlikely to be accepted for rehoming.

Unless the owner can find a new owner privately, the likely outcome, sadly, is euthanasia.

I would speak to a vet to see how they could help.

Look up blue cross / the dog trust and ask their advice. They may either agree to help fund or agree to re-home where PDSA won't. RSPCA imo are not great in this position but that might be an area problem.

Sorry it's a lot of responsibility for you. I think you should explore all the options, including support with rehoming eg through Dog's Trust, by owners who can financially take care of her needs

The sad fact here is, if the OP rehomes this dog to someone else without passing on any history...

That person can then insure the dog, take them to a vet who has never seen the dog and those conditions will then be covered.

😥

This is a 19 year old with no family support, please stop telling her to get a loan or use a credit card, the dog has several health issues, where will the commitment end? She'll end up with a debt she can't pay and the dog will be no better off. Sometimes you have to accept that you can't make everything better : have the dog pts and dont feel guilty, you did the best you could.

Unless getting a loan is not possible for the op?

Gosh how horribly sad Op. I feel for you. It sounds an impossible situation though and the ongoing costs aren’t going to stop. Vets are ludicrously expensive. The mark up on vet drugs is an absolute piss take too. My DP worked for a drug company years ago so I know. It’s not looking good for your darling doggo I’m afraid. You might be kinder in the long run ending their suffering and offering a safe loving home to a healthier shelter dog that can’t find one. Again I’m really sorry Op. You’ve done so much to help this unlucky dog already so please don’t feel too bad.

I don't have time to read all the posts so someone might have suggested this, but I think you could try to fund raise for the op. Use X and Facebook etc etc to publicise it and get to as many people as possible. Explain what your dog means to you in your circumstances and post nice pics of your doggie. Good luck!

Why are you not considering a rescue that can afford her treatment? This will be an option. Consider that she may continue to have a good life but sadly with another family.
She doesn't have to be PTS. There's another option.

This. A friend of mine was just in this exact situation & the cat went to a rescue, now treated & rehomed.