Old dog - time? Not time?

[Bloodyhelldog]

Just looking for some thoughts really.

I have a lovely 12.5 year old Sprocker. His hips are gone but he's on medication for them which seems to keep the worst at bay. He seems quite deaf (or he's just really upped his ignoring me game) and the vet confirmed his eyes are developing cataracts. We can't let him off the lead any more as he has lost all sense and becomes disoriented in seconds (presumably because of his sight and hearing). The last straw for this was the other day when I let him off and he sprinted away from me in a straight line then, rather than turn and come back as you'd expect, threw himself off an 8 foot wall to get to the next nearest humans.

He is also pooing in the house a lot. Whilst preferable to weeing, I have a toddler and it's not ideal. Our morning routine of coming downstairs and her sitting on the step while mummy clears up the dog poo is just... not great? It makes me so sad to come down and see him lying in his poo. It's at least once or twice a day no matter how often I take him out.

In a way, I wish something was more seriously wrong with him and this decision could be taken from me? But equally all the things he loved in life are gone for him. He used to swim against the Thames tide for hours. He hiked for 12 hours through the Peaks, slept for two and was ready to go again. He was never meant to be a round the block and sleep for the rest of the day dog, he doesn't like it, he wants to run... He can't be happy about lying in his poo, he hasn't had an accident since he was tiny.

It all just makes me so sad. Poor old thing. I thought I'd know when it was time but now I'm not so sure.

He has multiple health issues and may have a form of dementia. You wouldn't be asking if you didn't think it was time. We went through similar with our old dog. Believe me, they don't want to go inside when they've been trained not to. Far kinder to have him pts.

Having respect for him means it is time. So sorry.

I agree. Better a week too soon than a day too late when it comes to PTS for pets is a saying I’ve heard a few times - and it’s the approach I take. Death in nature is cruel but quick. Once our pets get to the stage they wouldn’t survive if in the wild, then I start assessing their quality of life. I would definitely PTS in the circumstances you describe. It is harder to make the decision when it is your own, I know.

And I'm sorry, it's hard to see them deteriorate.

Sadly it does sound like he's lost all quality of life. It's heartbreaking doing the kindest thing.xx

Your last but one paragraph says it all, I think.

I think when they start to go to toilet indoors , then sadly it's time . X

I think the lying in his own poo and not even realising would be the deciding factor for me. A dog wouldn't do that unless something was wrong, whether it's that he hasn't noticed or he hasn't got the strength to get up and move. Please don't wait until he's suffering.

He has multiple health issues and may have a form of dementia
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It is impossible to know if he has dementia or is just an idiotic spaniel 🙃

I would add that he is still so excited to go for walks and bounces up and down at the door. He can still be happy? But I don't think he understands the point of a lead walk and they definitely don't satisfy him.

And what else is there if you're that kind of dog really? He walks and he eats. That's all he's ever wanted to do.

Ach. So rubbish. I'm a really hard hearted dog owner and I'm in pieces. This must be awful if you're one of those softies that lets them on sofas 😉
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Hi
My lurcher was like this. Aged 15. Lost, afraid, doubly incontinent. I really anguished about letting him go. Was it right, too early, was I doing it for me, was I selfish, what about him?
My friend is a specialist vet and said ' You will never regret a day too early but you will always regret a day too late'
I took him for a walk, we sat down where he once chased swallows, brought him to his favourite pond, rubbed his head. We had the vet come to our house and he was put to sleep in his bed. We were heartbroken. The next day I was so thankful I had done it. He was at peace, asleep, not confused and not in pain. He was a rescue, he was lucky that he got 14 great years with us, saw my kids grow from tiny babies, but in the end I was the one who had to decide for him and it was the kindest thing I could do. I see saw-ed a lot before I decided, but you must decide for him. Remember the great days and thank yourself for being such a great person to give him days of swimming against tides and rambling in the countryside - a dogs dream life. He will sleep well.

'he can't be happy lying I his own poo. He's never had an accident since he was tiny". That, for me, tells you everything you need to know op. That is when we sadly had to make the decision. Seeing our dear dog's sadness and her r tail, which had always waved, down in her distress was when the realization that we were keeping her for us not her had to be faced. Be his best friend now op. It's time to let him go 💐

I've always had the rule if that's what I can call it, that when a dog messes himself in old-age then it's time to do right by them.

It's time. Have a think about what a perfect doggy day would look like for your chap. Give it to him then book the appointment for the end of the day.

It's the best thing you can do. We had an elderly rescue cat who had been neglected before he came to us. We called our house 'Dave's Retirement Home.' I knew this was the final thing I could do for him, even though the kids were heartbroken. He had always been a bit 'leaky' but meticulous about his poo. When he started pooing in the house, we knew. He also kept smelling the places where he had pooed, and I think it bothered him. We took him in his favourite blanket to the vets and he was buried in it.

The kids planted Snowdrops where he is buried and we still call them Dave's Snowdrops. Sending you online hugs.

Hearing about Dave’s retirement home has bought a couple of tears to my eyes.

My old dog (nearly 16) pooed in his bed at night and occasionally in the daytime. He was blind but still enjoyed his walks (on lead for the last few years), ate well and loved lying in the sunshine. It's your decision but mine was made when I came downstairs and he couldn't stand. Only a few weeks before our vet said he still had a good quality of life. I couldn't have PTS for something that only inconvenienced me. But we are all in different places and no one should judge you, whatever you decide is best.

Thanks for all your lovely responses, I've had such a big cry over them all.

@ThisisMax did you write a similar thread? I think I read it in my search for answers.

I thought, of course, today we were having a perfect day. No poo this morning, I took him out for walks that he seemed to enjoy, came home from a walk and ran upstairs for two seconds, came down to a kitchen covered in wee 🙃

Sighhhhh. My husband has two weeks off from next week. We think we're going to give him a perfect two weeks (we can keep him safe off the lead with both of us there, and my husband is stupid enough to get in the freezing river with him) and then...let him have a rest.

Thanks again for all your kind and thoughtful responses, they're so appreciated.

The poor thing. He hasn't got any quality of life. Please do the right thing for him and have him put to sleep.

In the nicest possible way , is the waiting two weeks for your dogs benefit or yours ?

I had my lovely boy pts on Friday and I wished I'd done it earlier. Since January he went down hill, looked spaced out, unsteady. Last 4 weeks he slept more and didn't even get out of his bed. Friday he took a turn for the worse... its awful situation op, so so hard xx

He was a rescue so about 14. He lived for his walks

@MayBeee He's honestly not particularly sad. I think when I tell other people/family/neighbours they'll be quite surprised and I'll spend a long time justifying myself.

He's not in pain. What he'd really like to do is go for a run and a swim and with the two of us, we can do that for him.

What I mean is, I think with a different dog owner who perhaps viewed things differently, he'd maybe have another year or two.

Which is why I'm struggling so hard with the decision and said in my OP I wish there was something more wrong with him.

(See. Justifying myself already 🙃)

I was in turmoil asking people's advise, I rang vet on Friday before he deteriorated and they said uts better slightly earlier than waiting for him to be really ill. It's also hard to tell when a dog is in pain

Appreciate thoughts re. pain but he's on painkillers for his hips. He used to be quite grumpy around my little girl (sign of pain) (always supervised, always with soft hands, I generally keep them apart) but since he started on those, he's content and relaxed around her which I think is a reasonable sign he's comfortable.

Dogs don't manifest pain the same way as humans. For them it's about masking in order to survive. From what you've stated about him, his quality of life does not sound very good.