When is it time?

[Adarajames]

Sorry, this is probably going to be a longish one, but really hope you'll stick with and help me :(

My old girl is coming up 16, she arrived a little over 4 years ago, I was a reluctant fosterer to her and another from the same owner, but she soon snuck in and became very much my beloved girl.
She's had a couple of strokes which she recovered so well from, her stubborn refusal to accept being limited meant she soon learnt to walk and run again! She also has arthritis which is controlled by pain meds, and is rather senile now. More recently she started to have problems with her back legs giving way. A breakdown of the myelin sheath and the nerve impulses from brain to back legs; vet says she's not in pain though and she's still eating mostly well and seems excited to go for walks alth only for short ones and is rather wobbly.
She's getting to point where her legs are giving way more often, she can't always get herself back up again, and sometimes needs supporting to go to the toilet so she doesn't fall backwards into it; just when I think she's had enough though, she'll suddenly perk up her ears and chase (albeit rather wobbly!) up the garden after my younger one like she's years younger. So I just don't know what to do for the best?! Spent last few hours trying to sleep but sobbing instead. Is it time to let her go even though get those little bursts of life and energy, but before her legs go completely? Or do I leave it longer? I wish I knew the answer, can anyone help?

It is such a difficult decision and you will have doubts you're doing the right thing whatever you do. The first dog we had when I was growing up was a lovely Labrador who sadly got cancer at the age of 13. She was pts when she was obviously in pain but could still eat, drink and just about walk. My dad was wracked with guilt feeling he'd cut her life short. Four years later our second Labrador, now 14 so a really good age for the breed, had a series of strokes which affected her hind legs. The rest of us thought it was time but my dad wouldn't make the appointment while she was still eating and having (increasingly rare) moments of enjoying life. In the end she had a massive stroke and died at home but in retrospect we inadvertently put her through more suffering than needed. It is a horrible decision to have to make but I think that better to go before she really starts to suffer

Aww, bless her, it does sound as though it's something to really think about. Better too early than too late.. I'd keep her exercise very low, even just pottering in the garden rather than walks. With my old dog, the having to help him go to the loo etc was the time. He seemed upset, especially if he had accidents.

I think it would be better to look back on her going now than remembering her more frail and wishing you'd done it sooner. I had two old cats that I let suffer too long and I look back, fifteen years later, wishing I'd done it sooner.

Sorry for the waffle. Best wishes to you both.x

Better a week early than a day late.
It's quality of life that matters not quantity.
Making that choice that it's time is difficult as we all want more time with our pets.
With my old ddog it was sudden and the decision out of my hands really he was 16 and one day he just went off his food I called the vet the next morning as he was sick but before his appointment that day he went down hill quickly and couldn't even walk vet saw him as emergency and advised pts as his organs were shutting down.
But I think if the quality of life isn't there, they are not enjoying things like walks and play anymore and are struggling to do basic things like toilet and eat and there are more bad days than good then it's time to pts but only you will know in your heart when that is.
Best wishes to you both at this difficult time.

It maybe too late now, but with my last dog I knew she was dying as there was nothing that could be done about her cancer. We only had two weeks from when she first got ill until the end. But this time I got the vet out and we buried her in her prepared place just after. It was still awful, but not as horrific as the time before when I took my last girl to the vet and left her there after. It was like leaving my dead child on the floor it was that traumatic. There's not much difference in the price really, but well worth it at any price.