My poor old boy

[PaddingtonBearHardSprouts]

Hiding in the bathroom in tears as don't want my 6 year old to see me. Don't think we'll have our boy much longer. He's had his kidneys and heart checked recently and both fine but he's just not himself. Keeps wanting to lay in the garden even though it's cold. Vet said it could be the start of the end.

He seems to have deteriorated overnight. Got an excited 6 year old who I keep having to shush as he's excited and then I feel guilty for that.

I walked him for the first time in a few weeks today and could really tell the difference in him.

He was 4 when we got him and we've had him 9 years

Ah OP so so sorry to hear this. My poor oldie was ill over Christmas last year and PTS 6th January what a horrible thing to happen any time for you but imo just feels even worse at this time of year when meant to be festive and happy. My boy also took to lying outside in the garden despite the cold and the wet and also pacing around the garden.

Is he eating and drinking? x

When I was 15 our dog died on Christmas Eve so I think it's all coming back to me.

He's eating and drinking. He's started getting stressed when we leave him as well. We've got 9 in total tomorrow, no idea how he's going to be

I don't know if it's hit me so much as I haven't walked him in a while

gosh OP very difficult situation for you. Can he have a quiet room tomorrow with a nice soft bed and fleece? Does he like the radio on - voices rather than music?

We only have a kitchen diner and lounge downstairs so obviously they'll be in use all day. Worried about putting him upstairs if he tries to get downstairs himself as he can't manage these days.

He keeps taking himself off upstairs when he can but then we have to carry him down.

I have loads to do today but not feeling it at all

Just had a brainwave to dig out DSs old baby monitor which has a camera and leave it trained on our bed and then he can come upstairs tomorrow, will surround the bed with duvets and pillows in case he attempts to jump but he'd probably start gearing himself up to jump before he actually does so we'll have time to get to him before he does

I know what you're going through. My heart broke when we had our DDog PTS at age 13.

Oh sorry it's all happening OP.

Can't help, but am wishing you strength.

We lost our almost 12 year old Lurcher last Wednesday. I feel either in pieces or totally numb and exhausted. We have our other dog so also having to constantly see and tell other people and stand crying whilst I do so. It is so hard .

So sorry OP. It's just awful isn't it? We lost ours on January 6th - nearly a whole year ago - and I still cried today when I told a fellow dog-walker I hadn't seen all year. It's just devastating.

Thanks for the messages. He seems to have perked up since Christmas Eve but DH has booked him into vets later as he keeps shaking. I am worried if we keep taking him they'll say it's kinder to let him go (just because it feels like there's no real reason to take him today as he seems a lot better).

DHs family haven't helped as we've been getting nasty messages after they changed the day for meeting up at the last minute and then we didn't go as we were already out and it would have meant leaving him too long. There is a huge backstory to that but it's a whole other thread!

They can do one

We put our old dog on our bed when we have visitors. It works really well. She’s nearly 15 and I’m worried that she’s nearing the end. She doesn’t want to go for walks, just wants to sleep all the time, she gets really anxious and doesn’t even want to sit on our laps anymore.
She’s been checked over, blood tests etc but everything is “normal” but I’m not sure what she’s getting out of life anymore

I just came back to say obviously if it's what the vet thinks it's best we wouldn't prolong his life

He's on our bed now, we've dug the old baby monitor out as he won't be able to get off himself. It's awful isn't it

Yes it is. I’m finding I’m very anxious and stressed as I’m worried about her all the time.

And my lovely friend had her old boy put down just before Xmas. However the vet was dreadful and tried to persuade her out if it for 20 minutes .
The dog is 15, has gone blind and is very hard of hearing. He is a lab, so has had awful hip and leg problems for years. No medication seems to touch his pain. He’d just had enough and wouldn’t even go outside to the garden. He’d “collapse” when ever he tryed to walk anywhere.
It took her two sons to carry him into the vets, and the vet then tried to persuade her to have “tests”. My friend was heartbroken to have to do it in the first place but she knew her boy had had enough and the vet just made things worse.

Sorry about your dog, Miaow.

So sorry Miaow

Part of what I am dreading is our vet for as long as we've had him left the practice last week. She knew his history and would have told us what's best for him. I hate seeing other vets as we have to explain his long history.

Also dreading telling 6 year old DS

Miaow so sorry.

Paddington it is very difficult telling dc. I must admit when we had to have our cat put down, we told our dds that she had died naturally. I couldn’t bear to tell them we’d decided to do it. (She had had a stroke and the vet advised it, but it’s still an awful decision).

Poor boy xxx It sounds like it might be his time now after 9 lovely years with you.

I lost my first dog 4 years ago having owned him for 13 years - I actually howled with grief. I still miss him now.

Hugs to all of you xxx

Hi, I just want to say I know what you're going through, we had our old boy pts almost 2 years ago, he was very like your boy sounds, I am guilty to say I waited a whole 2 years with him not himself, wandering around lost, bumping into things, falling over, before I finally admitted he needed to get some rest. He had started falling down the stairs and soiling himself badly and I couldn't pretend he was ok anymore. Looking back I really really wish I had let him go so much sooner, I miss him so much every day and miss that doggy presence but no dog can take his place.
I know you will do the right thing, sending you hugs and strength as this is such an awful thing to go through.

We're just about to take him now. We've already agreed we're not making any decisions today as he seems to be okay again today (and DS will be with us)

He's actually that okay I don't think there's any need to go but DH wants to