When is best to let your old dog go?

[Somethingsnappy]

Just that really. It has got to the point with both of our dogs (same age, had since puppies) that we are wondering if now is the time to have them put down, or to wait. My instinct is saying sooner rather than later. They are old for their breed and have rapidly declined in recent months, and in particular, recent weeks. They just don't seem to be enjoying life much anymore. They both have age related health issues which have been getting worse.

Is it better to let them go now, while they are not suffering too badly, or try to manage things and wait til later? We do have an appointment to discuss with the vet, but meanwhile I can't think of much else, and just hoped for others' opinions really.

Better a week too early than I day too late.

My question to myself is who am I keeping the dog alive for

The minute the answer isn't them, it's time

Good luck with your decision and I admire you for thinking about it. So many people don't

Just my personal experience, but my dogs have always let me know when life isn't good for them anymore. The fact you are even thinking about it means you know your dogs. But what a dog thinks of as pain, or quality of life, isn't the same thing that we humans think. Like I said, I believe they tell you when enough is enough, you just have to be listening.

Thank you for your replies. I always imagined there would be one specific thing that would signal the end of days for them, and that it would be very obvious. But this is a general decline with a few things going on, but I don't think their quality of life is good anymore, and I don't want them to be unhappy or to start properly suffering. It's so hard, isn't it?

My vet gave me this guide-

• they can't get up and down easily
• they're no longer excited for walks/food/treats
• frequent toileting accidents
• medication is no longer helping their symptoms
• significant weightloss/being unable to matain their weight

There might have a couple more things but I'm doing it from memory.

It's so tough! I've personally always thought it's better to let them go before they have a massive or sudden decline.

We let our almost 17yo lab go a few weeks ago. There was never any one thing, just that gradual decline you speak of. He got to the point where he couldn't get up from lying down on his own once he'd been sleeping a while. Once you gave him a hand up he was fine, and enjoyed a short walk etc. But I could just suddenly tell he'd had enough, and we were ultimately waiting for him to not be able to get up at all each day, by which point it would become urgent and that wasn't we we all wanted for him.

We took him to the vets for a chat too, brought him home for the weekend and made a fuss of him and then he we took him back in on the Monday evening.

Decision had to be all mine, as DH couldn't bring himself to make it, but it was 100% the right one. He had a weekend eating all the stuff he shouldn't and loads of fuss made, and then it all happened in a calm manner, and he was never scared or in pain, he was able to walk in etc.

Absolutely better a bit early than a day too late.

We had to have our boy pts several years ago due to illness. It wasn't a curable condition, but there was a chance that it could be controlled enough for him to live a good life even though he was 10.

I had a long conversation with our lovely vet, and she said you'd just know when the time was right. And she was right, sadly.

Unfortunately the medication made him really poorly, and when he couldn't get up to go out for a wee that was when I knew. I remember the time vividly, sitting on the kitchen floor with him on my lap and just knowing he'd had enough.

It's the hardest decision, but also the best thing you can do as a pet owner. And I see it as your most important responsibility.

Thinking of you, so hard.

With our old boy, he got to the stage he was struggling a bit getting up and down, and around in general. One day after a particularly difficult morning, we ended up our eyes meeting over him, and in that moment we silently just knew.

I've had to put two pets to sleep, and both times have been heartwrenching. And both times, I can hold my hand on my heart and in reflection know I did 100% the right thing for them, at the right time.

That you're thinking this, means it's close for sure.

So sorry for you.

Thank you so much everyone for your support, and for sharing your own stories x