Honestly don’t know how I’m going to cope getting DDog PTS

[sweetkitty]

I can’t sleep and I’m in bits and it’s not even happened yet, DDog is 11 which is a great age for her breed, she has a tumour, she was at the vets 2 weeks ago and it was touch and go then. Apart from the tumour she is still very much herself, eating, barking at everything and anything. The tumour is in her nose and is taking over her face nose, it’s horrific and so so sad. She’s on 5 different painkillers.

I know at best she’s uncomfortable, at worst she’s in pain even though she’s hiding it. I can hear her snoring beside me now. We have utterly spoiled her rotten these past few months. She’s put on weight with the amount of treats she’s got bless her. I know it’s probably 2 weeks tops. She’s like one of my DC, they have grown up with her, they all adore her too. I honestly don’t know how I am going to do this. (yes I’ve been here before with a dog and several cats) but she is my once in a lifetime heart and soul dog. If she had stopped eating and was very poorly it would make it a bit easier but she’s still so strong.

You do it for them as it's the final kindness as an owner
I've been there with horses and cats and it's awful at the time but I've never felt guilt or bad after as I knew it was the right thing to do
I lost my soul horse in 2019 and I haven't ridden since and I still can't say her name but it is definitely better than it was
I'm so sorry you and DDog are at this point

I'm so sorry, OP.
I've been through this so many times, and it's always very difficult. You know it's the kindest thing you can do, but it's still incredibly painful emotionally.

I know I know it’s the last kindness I can do for her and as I’ve said to the DC if it wasn’t this it would be something else as she’s an old lady 😢 my heart breaks every time I look at her beautiful face

My beloved golden retriever had a tumour over her eye. There was nothing they could do for her. I grieved as I watched her deteriorate and when she stopped eating, I knew it was time. I stroked her as she was pts.

You will do the right thing for your dog @sweetkitty. It’s hard and heartbreaking but you will get through it. I found in the end that I’d already done some of my grieving. It’s natural to be upset but you do get over it. 🐾❤️

Op .You will know instinctively when the day is the right day.
My gorgeous partner in crime just got to a day when she was ready and I accepted it was ok for her . Absolutely no drama ,spoke to the vet ,went to her favourite place,where she didn’t even want to mooch . We did the right thing for my beloved doggie. Our pets are so lucky that we can make a decision that is best for them. Sending love ❤️ Xx

How are you today, @sweetkitty?

Wont pretend it will be anything but difficult & heartbreaking. I’ve been there SO many times over years so know there’s no avoiding the anguish. The way I think of it is that you are taking the pain away from her on to yourself. Taking on her suffering into your grief so she can be pain free & rest, while you do the suffering instead, sorry not explaining it well. It’s hard, I know, it’s the price we pay for all the love they’ve given us.

You know you want to do it a week early, rather than a day late.

Your last gift to her after a spoiled few months, is a peaceful sleep.

I'm dreading it too- my lad has no signs, he's just getting old and I know the day will come.

I'm so sorry, we went through the same thing with our cat last year, he was also 11 and had a nasal tumour. He was incredibly special and I thought I would have years left with him and I'm still heartbroken tbh. But I know it was the only thing I could do

My heart goes out to you.
Been there with cats and 2 rabbits.
My last one was my beautiful family cat.
14 with cancer but I couldn't stay as it was lockdown.
We do the right thing and it's better than watch them deteriorating.

OP, I had my DDog PTS in January. She was almost 13 and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. You will know when the time is right as a PP said- better a week early than a day late.

It's the ultimate kindness and our experience was very peaceful.

Sending lots of virtual hugs and strength.

The tumour is in her nose and is taking over her face nose, it’s horrific and so so sad. She’s on 5 different painkillers.

She's suffering. There's no way she's not suffering if she's on 5 different painkillers. Please don't make her wait 2 more weeks.

This is such a wise and perfect way of putting it. I remember saying, so many times in tears, that I'd willingly take on Ddog's pain to make it easier on him, and in the end, that's what we did - but in our hearts, not in our left elbow.

I've now had to hold three dogs while they were put to sleep, and in two cases, it was cancer. The first was my heart dog, my absolute soul dog, and I didn't even know she had cancer; the tumour disintegrated suddenly and she went downhill very fast, in one horrendously distressing day. It broke my heart to lose DDog but her own little legacy is that she gave me the courage to make that decision before crisis point for the dogs that followed - I couldn't put them, or us, through that again, even though I cried for days after each time.

I'm so sorry you're at this point. Be guided by your vet, be brave, and make sure you're got happy last memories of your final days together, not stressful ones.

If she's in pain it's nearly time and that's how you cope. Knowing that she'll be in a better place.

If you can make it so she's as comfortable as you can.

(We had DCat PTS Christmas before last and in retrospect I wish we could have had her at home).

She got up as usual this morning starving for her breakfast, then I dropped her cocktail sausages I use to put her medicine in and of course she “helped” me clean them up lol. When I got in from work she was so happy to see me (she’s definitely my dog) she came and lay with me with her head on my lap.

The vet was 50/50 last time and we both knew her next visit would be her last. I said the minute I see a change in her behaviour I’ll know but I haven’t so far. But the tumour itself is red and angry and looks like it’s about to burst through her face. Like a PP she’s on 5 painkillers. But if she even thinks there’s a strange cat in her garden she’s trying to scale 6 foot fences like a rocket, she’s got her head in the bin tumour and all, in the past 2 weeks she’s jumped up on the worktops and stole and ate packets of food! She ate 3 chocolate biscuits wrappers and all, she does not act like a dog at deaths door, she’s even naughtier than she was.

I know from experience my dog masks pain and can go from mostly ok to emergency in a few hours.

I have rushed him in and nearly lost him a few times for various reasons and it broke my heart each time when the vet said there is a significant chance he would not make it through an operation as that would have been a traumatic end for him to be left like that without me by his side.

I am telling you this to give you another perspective. I hope when the time comes I can plan a stress free end for him rather than an emergency. And I would do that earlier than most people to make sure that his last days were the equivalent of a bucket list for dogs and a pain free ending at home.

My own personal feeling is that as a dog owner the best thing we can do is to give them a good ending having showered them in love.

Our dog died with a tumor in his nose. It eventually grew so big that he couldn't eat & breathe at the same time- and he was a Labrador so you know how they love their food. We did eventually PTS but I really regretted his last weekend. The vet said 'you'll know when it's time' but I as too uncertain and waited too long. His final weekend was really sad and he was uncomfortable.

Just don't wait too long. It's unkind to the poor dog

We have an appointment tomorrow afternoon , all I have don’t today is cry. I know it’s what’s best for her but it so bloody hard. She was out this morning trying to scale a 6 foot fence to get at a cat (the same cat that if it had turned round and looked at her she would have ran back inside as she lives with 4 cats and is terrified of them). I always said “once she’s stops eating” as for her food is life but I feel the tumour is just too advanced now.

I'm very sorry. I know how difficult this is.

Op may I suggest asking for sedation? Our rottweiler was unmanageable.. Partly due to her brain tumour but mostly she was just a crabby buggar.. Vet quickly jabbed her with the sedation and left me and dh alone with her. She slipped asleep without strangers and fuss. Then the nurse administered the pts meds. She was oblivious.. We were left alone... Very calm and ddog knew nothing. Added and extra £50 to the bill.
You got this op. Your last gift to your special friend. Peaceful passing in your arms.

YY to the sedation. Our most recent dog had this, and it helped us all - he was relaxed and completely pain free, (probably for the first time in too long, thinking back), and we cuddled him and said goodbye for as long as we wanted, then the vet popped back in and added an extra injection to the canula and he slipped away. if only the vet could have given us some sedation too

Has the vet discussed the risk of the tumour rupturing? That would be my concern, especially if your DDog is still quite active. Keep reminding yourself that this day is inevitably coming soon enough, and at least you're guaranteeing a calm and dignified falling asleep, rather than a frantic dash to the vets. Big hug to you - it's the worst.

Yes I will ask for sedation (this unfortunately is not the first time) and when she has had an op they have sedated her and left me with her until she’s sleepy.

There’s a very good chance the tumour could rupture (I would post a photo but it could be distressing) it’s right from under her eye now all the way along her jaw and has now pushed her nose over, you can see the skin is at breaking point. It’s bright red and all stretched. There no sign of an infection (which we were told to look out for). She’s been on antibiotics for the past 14 days just in case. She’s on gabapentin x3, paracetamol x 3, rhemacalm plus another painkiller for osteosarcoma plus a monthly injection. Breathing wise she sounds like a pug (this is how the vet described it). She is drooling a lot too.

I think it will either rupture through her skin or cause an infection that could turn septic. We’ve had monthly vet check ups since we discovered it back in September to keep her comfortable

Forgot to add she’s a Rhodesian Ridgeback their average lifespan is just over 10 and she’s almost 11.

Take some footprints if you can, it’s heartbreaking. I had to take leave when my dog was put to sleep. My second dog is 7 now and it took years before I got her, thoughts with you. X

You're doing the right thing. It sounds horrific. Lots of people do have "dog not eating" as their line in the sand - i think if your dog did reach that point, she would already be in significant pain.

as it is, she's going to have a lovely, calm, peaceful pain free end in the arms of the people who love her. What could be better for a dog than that?

Much better that than ending in an emergency dash to the vet for a traumatic pts.

I lost my elderly dog last year. I let him go probably before many people would have, because he was never going to get any better than the point he was at right now, he still had a good quality of life but he was as good as he was ever going to get, he couldn't be cured. I could have eked him out for a few more weeks or months but i let him go before he got to the point he was suffering.