Call to vet to PTS - behavioural euthanasia

[Bookcasebasketcase]

My OH and I have made the difficult decision to call the vet in the morning and ask for our 6 years old rescue lab to be put to sleep.

We got her at 1 year old, no apparent bite history although we know that people don’t always give the full story when giving up a dog. She has always been extremely anxious and if I’m being honest there’s just something about her temperament where we feel like we have a ticking time bomb in the house.

Prior to Xmas she started to display some aggression towards us, snapping and completely intolerant of being handled in anyway. We took her to the vets immediately and she has undergone all manner of tests and scans with no obvious medical cause. Her behaviour is now escalating and we have had a couple of bites towards us. To be clear we very much leave her be, no fussing or anything like that however she is constantly on high alert. If I sit next to her on the sofa I’m wary about how I might move in case that sets her off. We have muzzled her out and about but now we just don’t feel safe with her in the home. We had a visitor stay last week and it really struck me how tense we were the whole time (obviously we warned said visitor not to touch her etc). We now have a situation where she’s not entirely safe in the home, is unpredictable and we can no longer have someone safely look after her if we need to be away.

The decision was made yesterday after a bite and now we have this sickening wait to call the vet in morning when they open to start the process. It feels devastatingly
awful and I feel like I can’t look at her. We haven’t slept and have both been crying since we came to the decision.

I suppose I’m just curious to know what it will be like speaking to the vet. We know rehoming is out of the question and continuing to live like this isn’t for us either. I feel like we have failed her.

Ignore that one.

Dogs live in the moment. She won't know anything about it. People anthropomorphise way too much on here.

You deserve sympathy and understanding, not condemnation. You're doing the right thing for you and your dog but some dog people on MN think all dogs should be kept alive at literally any cost, regardless of how unhappy or ill they are.

Wishing you all the best for this morning.

You just seem to want to hasten the end to spare your feelings, maybe I’m interpreting your posts wrong and this isn’t the case.

Yes @Sasqwatch you are interpreting that wrong, anyone with any empathy can understand that this dog is not a happy dog. There is something about life and living with humans that is making her unhappy and reactive to the point of biting without warning, actually a rare thing for a dog to do. I'm not sure why you would wish to extend her suffering, but it is that, rather than to save themselves is the reason the OP and her DH want this done quickly in my mind.

OP you are doing the right thing.

ignore the odd person with some mix of poor comprehension and low empathy.
I'm so sorry you're all going through this. All you can do now is be as kind as your dog will let you be to her for the remaining time, and then be kind to each other.

Seriously???

Yes, but even before that they knew Lottie wasn’t right in the head. They’ve had dogs for years.

I know killing a bird that flaps is normal dog behaviour but the other GSD has lived happily with the parrot (in a cage) and had never ever touched him. But put two dogs together and yes high drive behaviour.

I’ve had dogs though and they don’t kill birds that flap. Squirrels and rabbits yes, but not birds.

I’m not posting the rest of the story here as it’s outing but ended tragically all round.

She was an ex army dog as far as I recall, and was quite young, less than 5 years, so if the army didn’t want her or didn’t feel she was suitable or well then that says something. My aunt and uncle always said it looked like brain damage somewhere but tests by the vet didn’t bring up much, behavioural issues maybe so they left those after a while until she was rehomed to my other aunt and uncle. This was in early to mid 80s so maybe testing for brain injuries etc wasn’t as far advanced as it is now.

She was a nice dog (long haired German shepherd) and never snapped at us, but we were teenagers not young children and didn’t live with her.

I think you have gotten it totally wrong - they are absolutely thinking about the dogs best interests. Keeping a stressed and unhappy dog which probably is going bite someone and then to deal with the fallout from that is someone who is not thinking about the dog. All well and good being an animal lover but it’s making the right decision no matter how hard that makes a good owner.

Was that really necessary?

There's no need to be cruel just because you disagree with OP. Some dogs are beyond helping - and the mark of a good dog owner is that they recognise that rather than forcing a dog to suffer.

I think this is all desperately sad.

Going on your posts I do think there is more that you can explore before euthanasia. You may have done things you have not detailed but I can't assess on that. However you have lost faith and trust in your dog and are now scared of her. That's understandable. Nobody knows what they'd do until they are in that situation and every situation is unique. You will need to inform the DT though else you will be in breach of contract. They actually have very good behaviourists (I know several).

I hope you can all be at peace with whatever you decide.

@Bookcasebasketcase It's evident how much you have done to give your dog as much of a feeling of safety and stability as her nature allowed. You have had the emotional intelligence to let her have her space, and not try to force her into the affection that as humans we naturally crave from our dogs.

I hope that once this desperately difficult event is over you can take consolation that you gave her years of life in which her needs were understood and respected. Imagine the additional suffering she might have had in a less understanding home.

Even in your final decision you are attending intelligently to her needs. It would be easier in some ways to fantasise about rehoming her or persisting with the battle to make her contented in your home. But you know that isn't what is best for her and you are taking the brave decision to ensure that her suffering doesn't continue. That will cause her no distress, but it is so hard for you xxxx

We’ve now spoken to the vet, and we will take her down for later this afternoon. They were extremely understanding and agreed without an obvious medical cause and how she is it’s the kindest thing for her.

The vet did also comment that he had thought her behaviour back in Jan to be very extreme even if she had had a strain which was suspected at the time.

I am so sorry for you, you are being so brave.
This dog is clearly not happy and being PTS is not the worst thing that can happen to her.
Only a proper dog lover who is thinking of their pet rather than themselves would do what you are doing.
I will be thinking about you today x

Thinking of you. It's hard but the kindest thing you can do for your wee doggie.

Crucial observation from the vet.

Thinking of you. You are doing the right thing. Take time to grieve 💐

Take care @Bookcasebasketcase its really heartbreaking but it is the last kindness.

Thinking of you and 100% believe you are doing the best kindest thing for her. Brain/mental conditions can’t be scanned for and treated and her behaviour tells you she is in pain whatever the mental or physical source. You are doing her the biggest kindness you can and it would be cruel to keep her alive to ease your distress, you are a wonderful person.

Good luck OP. You are doing the right thing.

I agree with others that being pts is far from the worst outcome for a dog in this situation.
At the end of the day people have pets to bring mutual pleasure to themselves and the animal and this obviously isn’t the case here.
I’m really sorry OP-she will have had some lovely times with you-hold on to them

@Bookcasebasketcase will be thinking of you.

@Bookcasebasketcase, its very clear that you are a dog lover and are doing the absolute best for your dog. Hold onto the fact that you have tried, the vet agrees and you have given the dog a good life and home, and now a peaceful ending. Its much more than many have.

Well done and comfort yourself with taking the hard, but correct decision.

I just wanted to come on here and say thank you to those read and listened. She is away now and she was very peaceful at the end, it doesn’t really feel real.

So glad it was peaceful… allow yourself to feel your emotions.. allow yourself to grieve… you did the right thing

Take care

Sending a big hug ❤️