Should I put my dog to sleep? Confused

[alessandrae83]

Hi,

I have a 5 year old mixed Breed dog who j adopted a year ago. He has Addisons disease which I was aware of when I adopted him. I was told that it was one of the more manageable diseases but so far it's been nothing but emotionally and financially draining on my family and the dog. We have been back and forth to the vets about his condition and just 8 weeks ago he went into a crisis. He was shaking, vomiting etc. He was on a drip at vets for 2 days and recovered well. His dosage was upped once more. After a couple of weeks he was fine in himself overall but more lethargic. We are now back to him not eating and shaking. it's only been 8 weeks since the last episode! There is an option of an injection but I just feel so bad keep putting him through all these vet trips, especially when nothing seems to work. My OH lost his job recently and we can't financially Afford to make the switch to the injection. I don't want to stress his kidneys more by handing him back to rescue. He's only 5 but very rarely enjoys life. He spends most of his day in bed, he can only manage 10 min walk most days. What should I do?

[Soontobe60]

We have just had our lovely dog PTS. He was a lot older than yours, 15, and had Cushing disease. He was a rescue dog and incredibly anxious around vets. Up to the age of 10 we had pet insurance, but after his anxiety increased, culminating in him getting hysterical and running away when we took him for his boosters, we decided to stop the insurance as we knew that if his illness became a major problem we would have him PTS rather than put himthough the stress of more vet visits. In the end, he lasted another 5 years. He deteriorated very quickly, and within a couple of days was clearly ready to let go. We took him back to the vets, and he didn't even bother about being there, a clear sign to us that it was time to let him go.
A vet will not PTS a dog that's healthy, or reasonably treatable. Ask their advice. Think about the dogs quality of life. Letting them go isn't a cop out, but the cost is a massive factor for some people.

[Yeahmum]

Put him down - it's the kindest thing

[Floralnomad]

If the rescue is foster based why not tell them that you want him to stay with you until another home can be found that way you can explain any issues to new adopters , or alternatively get in touch with dogs trust and explain your issues with the original rescue and see if they will take him . Whichever way you look at it there are numerous people on this thread ( vets and others with experience ) who are all saying the same thing which is that it should be a relatively easy disease to manage once the initial stabilisation is done .

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I think the point those of us are trying to mayor is that whilst the initial start up with the injections (zycortal is not cheap). Once they are stable the disease is very well controlled.
It is not Addison's disease that is your problem it is trying to control it without a mineralocorticoid ( in the old days Florinef tablets and now zycortal injections). I have many, many years experience with multiple addisonian cases and once you get them stable with the mineralocorticoid they have the occasional relapse, but owners become very good at recognising the early signs and you can up the glucocorticoids ( preds) and things are stable.
I appreciate you have not received accurate information from the rescue, but you are now being poorly advised that stabilisation is possible without the zycortal injections.

[BiteyShark]

You are certain that someone else will be conned by the rescue and nothing will change. How can you be certain of that. He was rehomed as the previous owners could not finance it and now you are doing the same thing. Other people will be able to finance further treatments and investigations.

[alessandrae83]

I'm not saying he will be pts. I don't want to pts. I was just wondering what people's thoughts were about it if a dog was suffering as much as him and the contract said i will have to give him back to a rescue who are happy to lie to potential adopters, probably to get them off their backs because of the finances. What if they pts anyway? I would at least like to be with him as that happened as he's been my dog for a year who I care about :(

[BiteyShark]

OP you are upset by the messages but I am not sure how many people will agree with you to PTS when you can give him another chance at the rescue.

[alessandrae83]

I wasn't complaining about time. I've been quite proud of the time I've spent on him and how I've helped him come as far as I have with his behavioural needs I wasn't told about. I did ask for advice though and the majority thing I should pass him back to the lying rescue to con someone else and risk him being passed around when he's already miserable and when stress can cause Addisons to become worse. sigh . I'm so stressed I've made myself ill. I know a decision needs to be made though as he's becoming unwell again

[BiteyShark]

Yes,finances are a factor as we can't afford to go through the process of the injection when it could take a few tries and blood tests before the dose is right.

But the frustrating thing is that you can't afford to try the injections but you won't send him back to the rescue so your answer is to PTS. As you own the dog of course if your vet agrees then no one else can stop you doing so.

If this was an old dog or that really you had exhausted all vetinary options I would be agreeing with you but I can't in this case.

He also suffers from recurrent ear infections that no one seems to be able to tell me why apart from possibly allergies. Has this been investigated thoroughly? What investigations have been done? Presumably the only way to check the ear and ear drum closely would be to sedate and put a camera down there? Has that been done?

I think you have two choices, accept you can't afford to get a second opinion on his condition and to try the injections and rehome back to the rescue or PTS based on your finances.

[Kate123cl]

Agree with @LadyDeadpool you need to find him another suitable home or rescue that is willing to do so. The only reason I'd ever put a dog to sleep would be if they're in a fair amount of pain although he spends time in his bed, isn't interested in toys and is a fussy eater, he might be more than happy so I wouldn't pts knowing I'm not doing it with his best interests at heart if that makes sense.

[LadyDeadpool]

The problem is that it comes across as though having him pts is just to ease the financial burden he's causing you. You're obviously not suited to each other he's a high needs dog who needs someone who can be working with him basically 24/7 to sort out his needs and obviously you can't do that.

You need to give him a fair chance rather than putting him to sleep for being a difficult dog, I'm not going to judge you for not being able to do that but the dog deserves better than being pts as a burden financially and time wise.

[alessandrae83]

Disagree with the majority*

[alessandrae83]

I appreciate all your comments as that's why I posted but I have to agree with the majority that says it's an easy disease to get controlled. It has been hell for us and him for the last year and it was also hell for him and his previous owners before. He was previously given up due to owners not affording vet fees. Did do my research and saw that it should be easy to control. I was working with the rescue at the time, who are foster based and no one wanted him so I took him on believing not only what I had read but also what I was told by the rescue owner and the foster carers. Most of what I was told about the cost was lies and because it's a pre existing condition we can't get insurance for it. He also had behavioural issues that I've tirelessly worked on and have improved. He is fussy with food and still mis behaves on occasions and stresses himself out at the smallest thing, he then loses his appetite or becomes fuss with food and sends himself into a spiral but I also refuse to give into all his demands on not eating dog food but quick to eat human food because of his Addisons because I don't want him walking over me especially as we have 2 young kids he is around. He also suffers from recurrent ear infections that no one seems to be able to tell me why apart from possibly allergies. He's on a hypoallergenic diet and even has canine suitable anti histamines which clearly aren't working. We've had full blood done to check what it could be and no closer to an answer. He enjoys a 10 min walk before becoming out of breath and he spends most of his time in bed. He doesn't want to sit with us most of the time. He has toys he doesn't have interest in and his life seems generally miserable. My contract states he must be returned to the same rescue but as they lied to us I don't feel I could trust them not to lie to someone else put the dog through hell again by having him passed from one person to another. Yes,finances are a factor as we can't afford to go through the process of the injection when it could take a few tries and blood tests before the dose is right. I was quite upset by some of the messages because I know how hard we have tried this last year and we have cancelled our family holiday and upset our two young kids to pay for all his treatment so far so we aren't discussing this like it's nothing trust me :(

[Fairylea]

Wouldn’t - not would in my post above. He wouldn’t be able to raise cortisol levels.

[Fairylea]

I am a person with Addison’s. If he has recurrent ear infections this will mean he will struggle to stay healthy on a regular dose of steroids - in people with Addison’s if we are unwell or need antibiotics we have to double our dose of steroids for the duration of the illness. A dog can’t alert you in the early stages of illness so he will be slipping into adrenal crisis quickly as he would be able to raise his cortisol levels. I feel really sorry for you all, so many people think Addison’s is such an easy thing to treat and actually it often isn’t - if there are other health issues then it can be really complicated.

I think the injection is definitely worth a try if you can stretch to it though.

[RatherBeRiding]

I am assuming that either the dog isn't insured or your insurance isn't covering the cost of the Addisons. We had a dog with Addisons and stupidly I didn't have good enough insurance and ended up paying for the treatment myself.

When she was just on the regular tablets it wasn't too bad - but after a year or so the licencing of the medication changed meaning vets could no longer prescribe it (or something) and we had to switch to the injections. It was an absolute nightmare getting the dose right and meant very frequent vet trips and blood tests - all extremely expensive.

So if money is tight and you're not covered by insurance then I can understand you're struggling, but ultimately Addisons is not uncommon, the treatment is there and vets are familiar with it, and it can be well controlled once the dosage is right.

You could try Blue Cross, or a different rescue organisation. PTS because you can't afford fairly standard treatment for a fairly standard condition seems somewhat drastic.

[BiteyShark]

I may be completely wrong OP but there is no shame in saying finances are tight especially as your OH has recently lost his job. Perfectly understandable in those circumstances but not really a reason to PTS hence why reaching out to rescues for either financial help or to rehome is the right thing to do here.

[Kate123cl]

This thread makes me quite sad if I'm honest. For a disease so manageable, you really need to look into other options.

I know that Bluecross, Dogs Trust and some other charities help with finances under certain circumstances so maybe try and get in touch with one of those?

As many pp said, the disease is easily managed with the right medical care

[VioletCharlotte]

Reading this has made me so sad! Please sing ha e him PTS. My dog was diagnosed with Addisons 3 years ago. Luckily I have insurance which covers most of the costs. He is perfectly healthy, you wouldn't know there's anything wrong with him. Addison's is easy to control. I'm wonder why he's having crises. Normally, once diagnosed, vets get it under control fairly quickly. What medication is he on? Once stable, the medication isn't expensive either. It costs me £20 a month for his injections and £10 for a 3 month supply of steroids.
I'm slightly confused as to why you would adopt him, knowing he has Addisons, without the researching the disease properly and being certain you could afford the vets bills?

I think you should get in touch with the rescue ASAP and seek advice.

[BiteyShark]

OP why are you so reluctant to take the dog back to the rescue? With someone who can pay whatever the cost is to get him stabilised he could have many happy years ahead.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Doodley the tablets (Fluronef) are still available, but prohibitively expensive. I prescribed on cascade until very recently for a 17 year old Addisonian who had been stable for five years and the owners were prepared to accept the cost.
It sounds like only press are being currently used hence the vomiting etc. as the mineralocorticoid side is not being control at all.

[notapizzaeater]

If hubby out of work can you not go to a charity vet ? Have you approached the rescue ?

[doodleygirl]

What medication is he on at present to control the Addisons? As far as I am aware the only option is the Zycortal injection as the tablets which were used to control the symptoms were discontinued at least a year ago if not longer.

If you dog is not on any medication that is the reason the Addisons is not under control. Perhaps you should change your vet.

[doodleygirl]

As others have said Addisons is really easy to control and once under control the dog should live a normal life.

Mine has 1.5ml of Zycortal every 4 weeks (injection) which we administer and quarter of a prednisilone every day, simple. She has blood tests about 3 times a year to check her electrolytes.

Please dont PTS just talk to your vet.

[DontCareWasMadeToCare]

I thought the decision to PTS was because the dog is too ill to reasonably survive or have any quality of life.

People report addisons as being controllable and fine to live with. So it sounds here as though it's a case of PTS because of finances. Therefore I wouldn't PTS. I'd give the dog a chance with another family. The poor dog could live to 12 or 15 for all you know! If the rescue thinks it's somehow cruel they will PTS. But I'm sure they'd be happy enough to tell you that outright.