I know there's lots of threads on this, and generally the answer is you'll just know. But we just don't!
We have a lovely, old greyhound who's 13 and a half, she's been struggling with various things from old age since about August when she started showing signs of dementia and her back legs seemed to be a little weaker. She was put on various medications for pain relief and arthritis, none of which seemed to do anything so we eventually stopped and have just left her on yumove, not sure it helps at all but it can't hurt.
We have since realised its either degenerative myelopathy or some other nerve damage as the last two months she shuffles her back legs more, and her feet drag (you can hear it on the hard floors and pavements). Shes been incontinent at night both wees and poos for about 4 or 5 months now, but we've dealt with it by just putting puppy pads down on the floor each night and having spare washable beds.( 5 or 6 out of 7 nights shes had accidents in the night.) Its just become a routine now . The last few days her back foot has knuckled under quite a few times at home, she's struggled more when getting up from her bed, weve had to help her a few times as she just couldn't seem to manage from certain positions. And this morning my husband came down and she'd weed and pood on her bed and was still laying on it 😥
She still loves food, her dementia means that she thinks we haven't fed her even immediately after she's been fed! She can still do very short walks, but does sometimes stumble or loses her back legs momentarily and she still loves a fuss.
This is what is making it so hard to know if the time is right.
After this morning I just wondered if we should be thinking about having her put to sleep soon. Her legs are only going to get worse over the next months and I feel like we are just waiting until she cant get up at all to make the decision 😩 is that right? is it wrong? I just dont know 😩 im worried about leaving it too long but also worried about doing it too soon.
Sorry, thats such an essay but I wanted to make sure I said it all so anyone can give me advice on what you'd do in this situation.
Thanks in advance