Dog sitting in own faeces

[BlastedPimples]

So six mornings out of ten, I am coming down to my dog (aged 14) sitting in his own mess, unable to get up himself.

I pull him up and hold his legs steady until he stops scrabbling about and get him outside for his wee wee and to wash him clean.

He still enjoys his food but if he's lying down when it's meal time, I have to get him up again in order to eat. As in pick him up, steady his legs and set him in front of his bowl.

He doesn't go on walks anymore. His legs just can't cope. But then I see him managing the long, low steps in the garden.

My vet says they have good days and bad days. It's old age etc.

But when is it right to put him down? He just stares at me when I find him sitting in his poop and I start to prepare the cleaning products etc before I take him out. He literally can't get up.

I have to admit I agree actually this is indeed starting to be pretty cruel for the poor dog.

His quality of life is shocking and if your vet has genuinely given you more drugs to try instead of putting him to sleep then they are also being cruel.

This dog is suffering and the kind and correct thing to do is put him to sleep.

The vet is not playing fair - I’d have insisted I’m afraid.

Wow, NOT the update I was expecting! Please OP do the right thing for your dog, not you.

Oh OP
Please dont do this.
2 more weeks of this will be horrendous for your poor dog.

Most vets are not driven by pound signs and trying pain relief in a dog which hasn't had it before is not going to be very profitable, and is hardly Noel Fitzpatrick ego level intervention.

The vet has seen the dog and has been able to ask more questions, examine the dog and come to a clinical judgement that pain relief is worth trying before euthanasia. Whilst OP's description of her dog suggests the time for PTS is close, it could well help this old dog with mobility and improve QoL enough for a bit longer together.

Hey, your boy is 14. He’s had a great life with you, surrounded by love. He doesn’t want to be sitting in his own faeces. Give him permission to go and tell him what he means to you as he goes on his final journey. God bless him ❤️

You may be right but I am friends with a couple of vets in their 50's, one of whom mentors younger vets as part of her job and both of them say that the vets who have qualified in the last 10 or so years are very very reluctant to advise PTS. Its not a financial thing apparently, they are taught to explore every avenue first even if thats not the kindest option for the animal.
I have allowed at least 2 of my cats to go on longer than I should at the advice of my vets and will never do so again.

I agree with this. I had the same experience with a rabbit that should have been PTS straightaway instead of weeks of feeding her with a syringe of expensive drugs etc. Now I know more, I know there was no way she was going to be cured, It just prolonged her discomfort. She wasn’t in pain but it was a very ignoble way to go.

Personally, in my experience of keeping animals, it is the ones you keep lingering on for too long that you regret. Imho it’s far better to put them to sleep a little earlier than necessary, than too late.

I am one of those vets in my 50s. I don't disagree that some more recent graduates will offer a full gold-plated array of diagnostic tests and treatment options, rather than being pragmatic about the likely outcome. It does not sound like that has happened in this case. This sounds like a dog which has not receiving adequate pain relief previously. The vet has offered a couple of weeks to see if things improve. If they don't, then euthanasia is the next likely option, and would more than likely be the course of action I would recommend.

In some cases, weeks of hand feeding, or other supportive nursing can give an animal months or even years, depending on age, diagnosis etc, of subsequent good quality life. It takes experience to know which cases (part of which is knowing the owner and their ability to do the care), will be likely to respond. Young graduates don't have that experience yet.

I completely get your point and acknowledge that you are the expert but 2 more weeks of this dog probably waking up in its own faeces just to see if things improve?
I couldnt do it
I have never ever regretted putting one of my animals to sleep but I have regretted not doing it sooner more than once.
I genuinely hope pain relief is the answer in this case and OP's dog enjoys a few more years with good QOL

Update.

Well, he's able to get up himself now and isn't sitting in his own poop in the mornings.

He's still wobbly and obviously old but I can take him on a short walk around the field next door now without his legs buckling every five metres.

The drug given by the vet is Cimalgex.

Fantastic news, I hope he continues to improve and/or doesnt deteriorate

I’m glad 🙂💕

Crikey, I wasn’t expecting that update op.

So glad he has improved!