In turmoil about whether to euthanise our dog

[moana1234]

She is a 13 year old springer. We’ve been told by our vets she’s got the worst anal prolapse they’ve ever seen most likely caused by a tumour & it can’t be operated on and the best thing for her would be euthanasia. This came as such a shock as i presumed it could be fixed. She does have periods of panting & restlessness & she keeps licking the area. The area smells pretty awful as well. However - She is eating and drinking like normal if not excessively. She is still keen for dog walks & running after scents. Am I right to feel like the worst most guilty dog owner ever putting her to sleep when she looks so healthy apart from
in that particular area??!

let her go. Shes 13 and suffering. 13 is a fantastic age.

there are fates worse than death and it is better a week too early than a day too late.
Loads of cuddles, a great tea and let her go.

She must be in a lot of pain with that, bless her. As the PP says, better a day too early than a day too late. Listen to your vet on this one

I always think id rather a week too soon than a day too late. Its awful, we lost our springer at 5 she had, had and survived Alabama Rot as a young pup it was devastating to say goodbye after all that but equally I know it was the kindest thing. i was grateful for the happy times.

Spend a lovely couple of hours with her in her fave place if she is up to it, feed her her fave foods and cuddle her whilst you say goodbye knowing you have done the kindest thing for her animals dont show pain and discomfort like us theres a poem that helped me, i will add it below. If you feel its trite please do ignore but it certainly touched me
If it should be that I grow weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep;Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle can’t be won.
You will be sad, I understand;But don’t let grief then stay your hand.
For this day more than all the rest,Your love for me must stand the test.
We’ve had so many happy years;What is to come can hold no fears.
You don’t want me to suffer so
The time has come, please let me go.
Take me where my needs they’ll tend,
But please stay with me ‘til the end
To hold me close and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.I know in time you will agree,It was a kindness done for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,From pain and suffering I’m saved.
Please do not grieve that it was you
Who had this painful thing to do
.We’ve been so close, we two, through the years;Don’t let your heart hold any tears.

When our 15 year old dog went into heart failure our vet said to us better a day too early than a day too late. We wanted and did give our boy a dignified passing and did everything we could 💖

I would feel guilty not putting her to sleep. Please listen to your vet. Our pets rely on us to do the best for them. Please stop delaying putting her out of her misery.

I’m sorry. It’s time. Let her go

I’m so sorry you’re in this position.

We just had similar with our cat- she had an aggressive lung cancer. We kept her with us a few days (as vet said it was fine to) and even in those few days watching her deteriorate and suffer felt unkind so I agree with the sentiment of better a day too early than a day too late. However, even knowing she couldn’t be saved, I felt immense guilt as she was still eating, drinking, enjoying things & I think as our job is to protect them, it’s only natural to hesitate.

We gave her a day of steak, garden sunshine and all the fusses on her last day with us, I hope you are able to do similar for your girl.

Take care during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry, I think you already know the answer.

And it's ok
It's the right thing to do.

You will likely find that she will suddenly go downhill very quickly, and then you'll be left regretting not having her put to sleep sooner. I understand that it's a difficult decision for you to have to make, but you need to advocate for your much-loved dog and do what's best for her. Remember that dogs don't present with pain in the same way as humans, she's licking the area a lot because it's causing her pain.

I say this as someone who had to make that decision for our 12 year old Springer just a couple of months ago. Two weeks away from his 13th birthday, he started going off his food and lost his happy waggy personality in a shockingly short space of time. I'm sure he would have carried on for a few more weeks but it wouldn't have been fair on him.

Sending you a big hug, because I know how heartbreakingly difficult it is to be where you are now.

I don't know @moana1234 , but I know the decision is so, so hard. We're a few months on from making that decision. I still know it's right, and I'm still grieving. The wonderful vet who came to our house said she could see from her behavior that our dear girl had dissociated from life. Honestly? We weren't in a good position to see that for ourselves. It's a tough call to make. My heart goes out to you.

My late boxer had bone cancer in the front leg.

She was eating, drinking and still bouncing around.

Until the early hours one night where she screamed like a human and I had to rush her to the on call vet and have her PTS.

I feel guilty I didn't do it sooner. That scream has stayed with me for the last 7 years.

Don't let them suffer.

On Saturday 12th my old girl had a 20 minute walkie (it had been a while since she managed that) and even squeaked her toy dinosaur for a few minutes. I was patting myself on the back for doing the right thing by not calling time the weekend before as we'd come close to. However on Sunday 13th she was very quiet, and by the Monday she could barely walk and screamed in pain when we lifted her, and everyone was in a flap to get her euthanised, which made it all so traumatic. I will feel forever guilty that her last day was spent suffering like that - we should have let her go when she was 'doing ok still'. As the others have said, so much better not to leave it.

Sending enormous hugs. I know how hard it is.

I know it's very hard but a vet would not tell you it was time if there was any hope. One day of favourite foods, a little walk and lots of cuddles then have the vet come to your home to PTS. It's so much less stressful for the animal in their own home.

IME vets very rarely advise euthanasia.

It's a horrible decision to have to make - I've been there - but deciding to put an animal out of incurable pain is the last good thing you can do for them, aside from being with them when they go.

Poor old girl, and poor you. Arrange for the vet to come this afternoon and give her a spoiling morning. It is so hard, I’ve done it 4 times now and it doesn’t get easier. But it is our last duty to them, we take their physical pain away and the cost is emotional pain for ourselves - our last and most important gift to them.

I wish I had this advice before my dog passed. She had similar symptoms, panting and licking but was still eating and walking. Vets said possibly tumour but no way to know without invasive surgery at 14 that they didn’t recommend and to monitor. 2 weeks later I came home to find her in an awful state that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. The tumour had ruptured. Dogs are good at masking their pain, it’s an awful decision to make and I feel your pain. If I could go back I would make the decision to have her peacefully euthanised at home.

It’s the kindest thing to do.

She isn't healthy though and must be at least in severe discomfort. I'd let her go as soon as you can for her sake.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone saying they wish they'd waited longer but I've heard a lot of people say they wish they'd acted sooner.

Ask yourself what it's going to take to make you sure it's the right thing to do. If you wait till her suffering is severe enough to be obvious then you're effectively choosing to put her through something horrible for your peace of mind.

I don't buy the idea that there's a right time that you need to wait for. There's a long period into their lives when it would be the wrong thing to do, and if something catastrophic happens there can be a time when it's the only responsible thing to do, but in between there's a period when it's OK to keep them going but it's equally OK to let them go.

Sending love and courage to you both.

The panting is probably pain. Ring the vet
and book her in for tomorrow. Spend the next 24 hours spoiling her rotten, and say goodbye when she is still "herself".

It's definitely time. You don't want to wait until something catastrophic happens to force your hand. She will never get better than she is now.

Listen to the vet - don’t wait till she’s miserable

I'm sorry, OP, it's time to let her go. A vet doesn't advise euthanasia lightly.

Thank you all so much I think this is what I needed to hear and feel a lot more at peace about it now although utterly heartbroken at the thought of her no longer being here.

We are booked in at the vets for 4.30 tomorrow to end her suffering.

Your kind words have meant the world to me ❤️

Your beautiful girl. Spoil her rotten and love her all up, and feel at peace with yourself, knowing that you're doing the right thing by her.