How do you know when it's time to let them go?

[Besom]

Ddog diagnosed with bone cancer last week and is home for palliative care. He is old and they told me he wojld only have a few weeks realistically. Other than this the vet was just sort of saying ' see how he goes and give us a phone' I suppose they are wary of being more directive?

He doesn't seem to be in pain and is eating fine but he is a big dog and has gone totally lame on one back leg and the other is shaky. He has fallen a couple of times and going to the toilet is a struggle. I'm afraid of the other leg going. He is finding it more difficult to stand up. We are taking turns to sleep on the couch as afraid to leave him unsupervised in case he falls. I feel like I should phone them tomorrow and arrange to let him go It's hard.

There is no right or wrong answer in these situations.

Personally I would spoil him rotten and say my goodbyes and give him a peaceful ending.

Don't wait until he loses the use of his other leg. Let him go while he's still got a quality of life. I think you already know what you need to do. I'm sorry op. It's really hard.

Better à week too early than a day too late. If you are at the stage of sleeping on the sofa I would say it was time.

Thanks both. Yes exactly I don't want to risk the other leg going. He is having chicken an sausage. And lots of bread which is his favourite thing for some reason.

Mine have come up to me and given me an extended period of eye contact. Quite marked. As thought they are just asking me to help them. They had a rather distinctive smell which I understand happens when the kidney fail. Even water seemed to taste off for them.

I’m sorry. It really is the price we pay for love 💐

Put a towel under his tummy to make a sling to help him walk.
If he’s enjoying his food I’d keep going for now and have a daily review.

Ah yes thank you the towel is a good idea to help him toilet.

I am so sorry.

We have been there with an elderly dog with bone cancer. Same presentation, suddenly lame on one hind leg. If he’s lame, he is in pain, dogs are so incredibly stoic, they just don’t tend to show us how much pain they are in.

We were advised to scheduled a scan to check for spread and kept her comfortable, spoiled and happy in the couple of days till she had it. Unfortunately she did have secondaries on her lungs, which would have made the decision for us anyway, but the bone was so weakened that, the morning after the scan, she fractured the leg that had the tumour just by turning on it and had to be pts as an emergency.

In hindsight, we wouldn’t have taken their advice to do the scan, we would have brought her home for a couple of days to spoil her, then let her go peacefully.

Thinking about this more I would avoid at all costs a last minute rush to the vets because he had deteriorated quickly. Much better in my opinion to do it a few days/week early in a relaxed manner than it being an emergency.

If he deteriorates quickly he might pass away of his own accord. We had this with one of our cats - we had made the appointment, but he died a few hours earlier.

The only regrets I've ever had around this are when I waited too long.

Bone cancer is a painful disease in humans, we know that. Do the kindest thing.

Thanks all. Yes he is a very large greyhound and so even carrying him and transporting to vets would be difficult and distressing if he goes completely lame. I will phone in the morning.

Earlier rather than later would be my advice.

We lost DCat a month back, and like yours our vet was non-committal "see how it goes, you can have a last weekend", and like a fool (because DS adored her) I took that last weekend. I shouldn't have. She did not have the gentle death I'd planned for and I am wracked with guilt.

I think often vets put too much stock in palliative care, and animals can't tell us how they actually feel.

CaraDuneRedux I'm so sorry to hear that.

vet nurse - don't use the fact that he is eating delay the decision , every one of my dog's have eaten right up to the moment of euthanasia and lots of the dog's that i have looked after at their ending have too .
Look at the way he is functioning as a whole , if he is falling and having difficulty standing i think it would be the kindest thing to act very soon.
Remember he has no understanding of the agonising decision you are making , but if you wait to long this could become a painful end for him.
I hope everything goes smoothly for him and you , i'm sure your vets will treat him with love and kindness.

Thank you that's very helpful advice.

I know it's a cliche but you'll know when the time is right. Trust your gut. Your fur baby will thank you for it x