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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

What do I do if my dog dies at home?

73 replies

withiceplease · 10/03/2022 11:08

I think my dog is dying. I have a vet appt at 315 and stupidly didn't book vet appointment yesterday as I truly thought she would die and I didn't want her messed with or distressed by going in car etc
I don't know if I can deal with her dead body myself. Do I just take her to the vet if she dies?

OP posts:
PollyRoulllson · 10/03/2022 11:10

Can you just get an appointment with the vet earlier? Explain your concerns to the receptionist when you phone. Waiting until 3.15 does not sound a good move for either of you

SerendipitySunshine · 10/03/2022 11:11

Sorry to hear this. Yes, you can take her to the vet. Or is there a pet crematorium nearby? If you call them they will arrange things for when the time comes and IME are very kind and sensitive, with options to collect or for you to drop off. Thinking of you.

blinder · 10/03/2022 11:12

I agree. Ask for an emergency home visit.

If your dog does die before they get to you, they will take her body away as part of their service.

I am so sorry this is happening. I lost my elderly dog recently and I can remember the dreadful feeling of waiting. Flowers

Glitterb · 10/03/2022 11:13

I would agree that you need to try and get an earlier appointment if you think she is dying as it’s cruel! any decent vets would ensure she was seen earlier.

If she dies at home then I guess it depends what you want to happen to her body, we have always had ours cremated so they come to collect them from the house or vets.

Hoppinggreen · 10/03/2022 11:13

I’m very sorry to hear that.
I think there are services that will collect your pet and return ashes to you if required
Your vet should be able to advise

EdithStourton · 10/03/2022 11:16

Check for a local pet crematorium. The one near us will collect your dog from you.

Flowers
Original poster
withiceplease · 10/03/2022 11:18

I'll look for local pet crematorium thank you
I've completely lost faith with my current vet and this is completely new to me and they are getting all her old records and a longer consultation hence 315 and no space this morning
She's lost 1/4 of her body weight over few months (2.8kg to 2.1kg), increasingly fussy re food, pain I presume as she is livelier with metacam, tail down. Nothing to eat since Monday night now and vomited 6 times in last 36 hours and goes off legs for a bit then shaking, odd posture in legs, slow heart.

If she's going to die I just want her to be with me and know she is loved

OP posts:
bigdecisionstomake · 10/03/2022 11:20

My vets offer a pet cremation service so when I've had a cat die at home in the past I've wrapped it in a blanket/bedding carefully and taken it in. They then arrange the cremation and you usually have an option about whether you have the ashes back and in what type of urn.

So sorry to hear about your dog Flowers

Original poster
withiceplease · 10/03/2022 11:21

I feel like my heart is breaking. She's just lying on floor looking moribund and twitching in legs

OP posts:
blinder · 10/03/2022 11:23

Do you have a Mobivet branch near you? They specialise in end of life care and may come as an emergency.

SophB15 · 10/03/2022 11:23

I’m so sorry OP.

Call your vet and ask for a home visit as an emergency, and then go and lie with your beautiful girl Flowers

Woollystockings · 10/03/2022 11:23

Can you not get a vet to come now and have her put to sleep?

Original poster
withiceplease · 10/03/2022 11:29

I don't have a diagnosis for her. I've taken her to 2 vets - I spend half my time in a different part of the country - and neither seemed that concerned about her weight and she has always been a fussy dog with food but surely they wouldn't just starve themselves out of fussiness.

She's just walked 3 steps to the water bowl and had a drink.

The nurse at new vets was so kind but said as I'm still registered at old vet I would have to take her there in emergency. She's been like this overnight too

OP posts:
Palmfrond · 10/03/2022 11:32

@withiceplease

I'll look for local pet crematorium thank you I've completely lost faith with my current vet and this is completely new to me and they are getting all her old records and a longer consultation hence 315 and no space this morning She's lost 1/4 of her body weight over few months (2.8kg to 2.1kg), increasingly fussy re food, pain I presume as she is livelier with metacam, tail down. Nothing to eat since Monday night now and vomited 6 times in last 36 hours and goes off legs for a bit then shaking, odd posture in legs, slow heart.

If she's going to die I just want her to be with me and know she is loved

My very old dog (terrier) had pretty much these same symptoms, the vet had no solution/treatment to offer. She ended up vomiting up a large quantity of blood and collapsing. We put her on the sofa, sat with her, her heart was beating very very slowly, her breathing too was very slow and shallow. The next day she was up and about and is with us still, back to her old self, aimlessly wandering around, pissing all over the place, barking at the air, and being epicly passive aggressive. The point of the story being that once suggestions for treatment run out, I’d be inclined to let the dog die at home. Or not die. Vets can only do so much.
Girraffe1968 · 10/03/2022 11:32

I had a dog pts at home as couldn’t get to vets.as she could not walk without collapsing. They took her body away and I got her ashes back the week after.

Palmfrond · 10/03/2022 11:36

I should have added that we considered having her put to sleep, but after her collapse figured she was on the way out anyway. We’ll fork out for a home visit if and when the question arises again.

MrsPnut · 10/03/2022 11:38

Our dog died quite suddenly at home on a Saturday afternoon and we took her to the out of hours vet where they took her and she went to be cremated.

AwkwardPaws27 · 10/03/2022 11:42

they are getting all her old records and a longer consultation hence 315 and no space this morning

Former veterinary receptionist. This sounds like they may have booked a longer "second opinion" consultation to discuss potential treatment options or euthanasia.
If you think she is dying call them now, ask for an emergency appointment for euthanasia on welfare grounds as she is suffering and go straight there.

Londoncallingtothefarawaytowns · 10/03/2022 11:44

Omg OP. Call your vets. Tell them you're on your way ( i work in a vets!)
She sounds like she's on the way out,right now !
Sorry! I hope you make it ! Hugs! X

Original poster
withiceplease · 10/03/2022 11:45

Yes I just want her to die at home but it's so difficult. Yesterday she flopped over backwards with the retching and bumped her head then lay there twitching for a bit.
I said to the nurse that I thought she may just go in the night. Nurse said it's often not like that with animals and can be drawn out which I don't want at all. I can't bring myself to go to previous vet and as she has been like this for 18 hours or so I will wait in case cancellation or appointment at 315. She's lying quietly

OP posts:
userxx · 10/03/2022 11:46

@AwkwardPaws27

they are getting all her old records and a longer consultation hence 315 and no space this morning

Former veterinary receptionist. This sounds like they may have booked a longer "second opinion" consultation to discuss potential treatment options or euthanasia.
If you think she is dying call them now, ask for an emergency appointment for euthanasia on welfare grounds as she is suffering and go straight there.

This is the best advice. Please don't leave her any longer.
Sillyotter · 10/03/2022 11:50

Call the vets back and explain the situation and that you need to come down now as you think she’s dying. They will see you. You don’t have to wait if she’s in distress like this. I work at a vets so please don’t delay.

LottyD32 · 10/03/2022 12:03

I think you should call and explain too.

If she's stopped eating of her own accord then it's time, nature has made the decision. The kindest thing to do would be tell the vets exactly what's going on and help her along.

These sound like awful vets, is there another you could ring? They don't need her records for this, I'd be taking this up with them after.

I'm so sorry op Flowers

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 10/03/2022 12:07

My ddog died in his sleep at home- we were also told very rare to happen.
Wrapped him in a blanket and took to vets.
In a back door.
We luckily have a good and sympathetic vet and had already agreed they would do a house call to PTS as he found vet so stressful.
Is that an option?
Sending so much sympathy- an awful situation?

Original poster
withiceplease · 10/03/2022 16:30

She's at vets for a couple of hours now having some basic tests. May need to be pts for suffering depending on what they find. She'll stay with me at home which is good. She's lost 900g and now 1.9kg so we will see what happens later on.
The vet said it could be tapeworm which has just made me feel awful. No one told me before that that was possible in raw fed dogs

OP posts: