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Original poster

Would a vet help me in this way?

73 replies

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 16:52

The familys dog is old. 13 years this winter.

She was diagnosed with arthritis last year and needs monthly medication. She was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. We didn't operate due to her age.

I think its long past time to put the dog to sleep. The dog is deteriorating. Not majority bit slowly. Like, she's not able to hold for toilet for long any more. I think she is also deaf.

Me wishing to put the dog to sleep is a battle with the family. My mother and one brother living at home.

I have a brother coming home in December around about the 10th. I was told, well wait for him to come home and then we will see what he thinks and decide then. I know in my heart and soul it will be delayed further. Its not fair on the dog any more. She has a lump the size of a deflated football or breakfast bowl on her belly.

I need to go over to the vet later in the week to pick up more medicine. If I was to talk to them and tell them what's happening,would they help me. I'd like to book the dog in with the pretendance of a blood test. The dog does need regular blood tests due to her medicine so it won't be far fetched. Then when the dog is in, hopefully put her to sleep.

OP posts:

RebelRogue · 21/11/2017 20:27

I’ve read your other threads OP, this is getting bonkers now.
Ring vet,book dog in to be PTS. How is your mum going to stop you? You pay for the dog...lyour choice.

FrustratedTeddyLamp · 21/11/2017 20:35

In a similar situation but Arthritis and Cushings, I’d be devastated if somebody did this to me, you need time to prepare. That shock would be devastating pets become part of the family, especially after 13 years. Please don’t

Wolfiefan · 21/11/2017 20:39

On another note the vets shouldn't be issuing repeat prescriptions without seeing the dog.
Make an appointment. Take parents with you.

mustbemad17 · 21/11/2017 20:59

Some vets will give repeats for three months at a time Woolfie for ongoing conditions. Ours used to for my girl. Had to be reviewed every three months tho

CornflakeHomunculus · 21/11/2017 21:00

I've just re-read your previous thread OP and not only is it over a month since the vet recommended the dog be PTS but it sounds like the lump is growing very quickly. If it's grown so much in only a month how bad is it going to be in another three weeks?

If it's past time she was PTS (which it sounds like she is if she's no longer enjoying life) then it's absolutely not fair to leave her to suffer to spare the feelings of the humans around her.

Get her booked in with the vet, tell them you're worried about her quality of life. Take your mum with you if she'll go but if she won't then make sure she's aware you will be following the vet's advice which may well mean having the dog PTS there and then.

Wolfiefan · 21/11/2017 21:05

Our old cat was on thyroid medication but the vet needed to see her at least every 6 months. Aren't the vets calling to ask if thy need an appointment or if the dog has been registered elsewhere? Our vets send constant text reminders if they think we are due even a flea treatment.

Sensimilla · 21/11/2017 21:14

If you sign the consent form, then the vet will put the dog to sleep if they agree it is time (you said they suggested it already). Don't involve the vet in the family disagreement over it; unless you want the vet to phone and try and convince them. Then you run the real risk of them still not agreeing THEN the vet might not go ahead with PTS, if the family have explicitly said not to

Original poster

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 21:19

Wolfiefan,

You are right. Our vet wants to see the dog every 6 months to monitor the liver and kidneys. The last blood test was back in April. So it would be time for another blood test. The test results came back showing a poor liver and then we hot the biopsy results telling us cancer. So we are fairly snooker ed with the dog. The vet recommended putting the dog to sleep back then. I agreed with her and told her on the phone that it's the families dog and I will need to discuss with family. We've been in limbo since.

OP posts:

GardenGeek · 21/11/2017 21:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 21:28

Thank you GardenGeek,

I think this is what I will do. I need to pick up a new batch of medicine for the dog, so I will talk to reception and make an appointment for a checkup. The vet will take on look at the dog and probably more than likely say it is time.

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 21/11/2017 21:50

You are being unfair and unkind if you don't take your parents along, give them a chance to hear from the vet and be there at the end. Why won't you even consider this?

Original poster

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 21:53

The dog is on daily medicine for the arthritis. Even with the daily meds, lately upon waking she is walking with her hips swaying to one side so I think she is in pain upon waking and getting up. This breaks me and I hate seeing her like this. Another reason I think it's time to put her to sleep.

OP posts:

QuantumPixies · 21/11/2017 21:54

This breaks me and I hate seeing her like this. Another reason I think it's time to put her to sleep.

Nobody is disputing that. It’s the way you’re proposing to do it that’s wrong.

Original poster

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 21:58

Wolfiefan, I did consider it. At the weekend I said to my mam - 'look we need to consider putting the dog to sleep'. My mother is against it and just giving me the runaround saying 'we will wait until so and so comes home and discuss it then'. When he comes home, there will be another excuse and then another and another. At the weekend, my mother said 'tge kindest thing to do is to leave the dog be and allow her to live out the remainder of her days'. This doesn't make any sense to me. The dog has gone down so much.

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 21/11/2017 22:00

I wouldn't go at it as "you need to put the dog down." I would say that the vet needs to see the dog for a check up and they need to come along. (Presumably they are giving medication so if a dosage was changed etc they would need to be there.)
I think they would find it much harder to argue against a trained vet saying "this dog is suffering" than their child saying it needs to be PTS. (Does that make sense?)
It does sound like it is overdue. Poor dog.

Original poster

SMJYellow · 21/11/2017 22:05

Quantum Pixies,

Can you please tell me what's right about keeping an old, failing dog with health problems going?

Something has to be done and family just want to turn a blind eye to the dogs condition.

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 21/11/2017 22:11

You're kind of going round in circles. People aren't saying a sick and suffering animal with no hope of recovery shouldn't be pts.
They are saying you can't take the dog to the vet and just have it pts.
Either call a vet out or do as suggested. Take the dog to the vet but take your parents with you.

QuantumPixies · 21/11/2017 22:18

Can you please tell me what's right about keeping an old, failing dog with health problems going?

Did you bother reading my post? NOBODY is saying PTS isn’t the right decision for the dog. Part of being a good owner is knowing when it’s right to say goodbye.

It’s cruel to unilaterally do it without the consent of your family and giving them the chance to say goodbye to him.

LovingLola · 21/11/2017 22:21

From what you have posted before I don't think anyone in your family could care less about the poor dog. Bring her to the vet and get her put to sleep. It's the kindest and most humane thing to do for her.

LouiseBrooks · 21/11/2017 22:21

The vet recommended putting the dog to sleep back then

In April? FFS. And she's just getting worse? Poor bloody dog. Make an appointment, tell your mother she can come with you but that you are doing what the vet recommends. If you're the one looking after and paying for her, she's your dog.

I wouldn't give a toss what the rest of the family thinks. This sounds like sheer cruelty to me.

japanesegarden · 22/11/2017 08:04

I am a vet. It doesn’t sound as if there is much doubt that it would be in the dog’s interest to put her to sleep. If a family member aged over 18 came in with a dog in that state, signed the consent form, and told me that everyone was in agreement with the decision but that they were the one who’d brought the dog in, I’d put it to sleep. Why wouldn’t I? It would clearly be in the dog’s interest, I would have authorisation from an adult, and no reason to suppose there was a dispute. If, however, I knew there was disagreement, I would be reluctant to go ahead without clarifying this, as no vet wants to get involved in legal action, and it’s always best to have all the family in agreement. Mostly, in this sort of situation, one family member drags in another to have the conversation. At that point it doesn’t matter at all what the pretext you give for the appointment is, any decent vet will assess the situation and respond to your lead. Most of the time people will respond well to a careful talk from a professional.

Posters advocating a home visit may not realise that most vets will want a nurse with them to carry out euthanasia. Not a good idea to ask for a visit without making it clear to the surgery that this is what is intended, otherwise they may not have the right equipment with them either.

NoSquirrels · 22/11/2017 12:55

Mostly, in this sort of situation, one family member drags in another to have the conversation. At that point it doesn’t matter at all what the pretext you give for the appointment is, any decent vet will assess the situation and respond to your lead. Most of the time people will respond well to a careful talk from a professional.

^^ what japanesegarden WHO IS A VET says.
Make an appointment. Take the dog AND your mother.

pamelastone · 22/11/2017 22:16

You want to PTS because the animal is suffering or because you could not handle it? Either ways its not a good idea.

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