Two good years or four quiet years?

[DoubleCarrick]

Just out of interest - what would you do....?

My boy has a degenerative condition, he's only four and the physio said he'd give him four years (although not an exact science) if we're careful with him, keep up the physio exercises and manage with pain relief.

Would you just say "sod it" - give the pain meds, do the physio but give him a good time knowing it might shorten his life?

He currently is on massively restricted walks, on lead only and we have to be really careful with play time too.

He loves nothing more than to chase balls, sticks, stones. He loves to run, play frisbee, wrestle with my husband and just generally be crazy. Yet he's stuck on the lead with boring walks.

Is it worth extending his life if it's going to be boring for the poor boy? Maybe we should give him a couple of action packed, fun years where he can play, swim, explore and chase, dose him up on pain killers and let him enjoy. Or "retire" him just to earn him extra time?

My heart is breaking for my poor boy

I'd give him the best life you can. If he's an active boy I'd let him play as long as he's not in any pain. Not quite the same but DS has a generative condition and I'm of the same opinion for him.

I'd go with the shorter, happier life.

*degenerative

I would give the best life I could to make him happy. If that meant less time but a happier dog I would choose that.

In theory it sounds better to have better quality than quantity, but in practice does the physio feel he'd manage that activity or likely to over do it and then need periods recovering in that 2yrs?

Maybe adapt & find some new fun games but less strenuous, its often more the twisting/sudden stops with things like frisbee/fetch that cause issues more than the running along.

Hydrotherapy can help build and keep muscles toned and allow more of a work out without the strain of usual weight bearing exercise. Sometimes used for dogs on total rest when going bit stir crazy.

I wouldn't play frisbee/ball type games, as they are very hard on even a fit dog - but I would let him off the lead and let him enjoy life. Quality over quantity, every time.

It's a tough call. One of ours had disabling arthritis. We opted for meds so that she could run and sniff and not be in pain. It may have shortened her life but we have good memories of her being happy.

A short life but a happier one. Definitely.

I would give him the best life until you feel it's not fair to keep him here. Trust me, you'll know when that time comes.

It could be in 2 years, 4 years or even 8 years.

I wish you both well

Short and sweet.

Dogs don't worry about how long they will live and will they be around to collect their pension, they live in the moment.

So give him the best life you can for however long that is.

Thankyou all so much for your thoughts, it's a tough one.

After further conversation with the physio, apparently if he does his exercises daily then his condition will improve but won't go away. I've been told not to over do it with him for the time being as it'll cause everything to inflame.