old dogs, when is it time?

[Deborajen]

My heart goes out to you, Beth, and to Nala.

Last summer, we had to have our 13-year-old Siberian Husky put to sleep. She was nearly blind and deaf and had arthritis so severe that one day she hopped off of our back deck and then couldn't straighten out her hind legs. The vet x-rayed her and she really had no joint space left in either of her hips. I know that it was her time, but it was still an awful thing to decide.

Sometime after that, I read an article about making that decision. I don't recall where I found it or I'd attach the link, but it explained that dogs don't understand that they can take medicine and feel better, they just understand pushing on through so that's what they do. It also said that dogs aren't afraid of death - they don't know what it is. So I guess if a dog is no longer "pushing through," he doesn't want to go on, and he won't hate or resent you for putting him out of his misery- or not.

I hope that doesn't sound too matter-of-fact. It was a good article and I know I'm not doing it justice.--

You and Nala have had a lot of good years together. She loves you for that I'm sure. And I hope she gets to feeling better. I don't know your dog, and they're all different, but maybe the appetite loss is temporary.

Deb

[tc1]

Hi.
Sorry to hear about your old dog. One way to think about this is, you want her last days to be as good as they can. Only you know what is "good" for her.
Ultimately, I decided to let my last dog go when she was stricken with something probably curable with cage rest. I believed that having her spend two weeks crated up to return to a very frail state wasn't the right way to treat my old friend. Two years and one dog later, I am still sad and still convinced I did the right thing.

[channlluv]

(((Beth)))

I'm so sorry. Our family has been there, too. It really is a quality of life thing. When you do take her in, consider being there with her when the vet administers the shot. We all went in with our Boo (she was nine and had an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection that, after three years, was just worse and worse and left her in constant pain) and just petted her and loved her and told her it would be okay as the medicine took effect. It was important for us to be there together as a family and face it together.

It's really hard to know when it's time if your dog isn't in actual pain. Ours was, and it was affecting her quality of life in a way we loved her too much to let her suffer through.

Good luck making your decision.

Roxy

[Selkie]

Beth - It's the most difficult decision (been there twice ... actually, this Sunday marks one year that we let Maud go...).
As others have said, when Nala's quality of life is poor and the bad days outnumber the good ones, it's time. In my experience, my girls have let me know---a look in their eyes, telling me that they have to be somewhere else and I'm keeping them from that destination. I know, sounds weird but it happened with both Agnes and Maud.
I agree w/the poster who said that dogs aren't afraid of death. It's just part of the journey to them and they know that they will see us again, in a better place. No more pain, no more suffering, just surrounded by all the things that make them happy. One of the most selfless gifts we can give our dogs is a peaceful, dignified passage, and if you're there with them, they will feel your love.
Sending you and Nala big hugs... I know you are spoiling her rotten right now.

[Bike Chick]

Hugs to you both. My thoughts are with all you who have posted here with their own experience. I'm looking at my own little guy laying at my feet and wiping a tear from my eye. I know someday this decision will come for me. I've had to make it before and it's not an easy one.

[bmccasland]

Thanks everyone.

My biggest concern is that Nala has been off her feed. Things she used to like, she barely nibbles at.

Well.... yesterday evening I brought home a roast chicken from the grocery store and she was wiggling her eyebrows. Now most of her life she ate kibble. She was not fed "people" food, and I fussed at her to "GET OUT of the kitchen!" But hey, she's old, and interested in food, so I forgave her for being underfoot in the kitchen. So I pulled out some cooked brown rice, cooked a sweet potato, chopped some of the roast chicken onto a plate, and she ate - trying to pick out the chicken. So when there was rice and potato left over, I added more chicken, cut up even smaller, and mixed it all together. She cleaned her plate. Meanwhile I had some chicken thighs poaching on the stove for future meals....

So this morning, I fixed her a small plate of chopped chicken thighs (in the broth), brown rice, sweet potatoes, with blobs of ricotta cheese on the side - total volumn of about 1 cup. And she ate all of it. So hopefully she'll hold it down (she had been vomiting last week, which was part of the reason we went to the vet), and this evening I'll fix her another plate.

Her life is pretty good, if she'll just eat. She lets me know when she needs to go out, and hasn't had any accidents in the house. My biggest concern was that she wasn't eating, or eating and then throwing up.

I've left a bowl of dry kibble out, just to see if she nibbles on it, but I'm not counting on it. I know she isn't a morning dog any more, and our colder weather isn't helping very much.

[lph]

awww, she sounds like such a sweetie. Best of luck to you both at this time, Beth.

[ivorygorgon]

Beth I just wanted to add my support. Like others here, we went through this last year with our 13 year old Springer, Jeremiah. To say it is not easy is an enormous understatement. It is truly a horrendous decision to have to make. You are a good doggie mom (I can tell from your posts), and I know that whatever happens you will do right by Nala.

My thoughts are with you.

[ASammy1]

Beth,

Sending out happy thoughts to you and Nala. It sounds like the chicken, rice, and sweet potato combo was a winner!

[badger]

gosh, I know so many of us on here have been where you are. Big huge hugs to you, it's never ever easy saying goodbye to your beloved friends.

I also went through what you're going through a year and a half ago with my dog. He was definitely going downhill, and the last 6 months of his life wasn't so fun for him. But I couldn't take him to the vet for him to be put down. I just couldn't do it, so the choice was made for me when he had a stroke and couldn't move anymore. As horrible as that was and as difficult that was (hell, I'm weepy eyed right now thinking about it!) that needed to happen for the decision to be made. I guess in that sense he did let me know it was time, but a small part of me does wonder if I didn't leave it a bit too long and that his quality of life wasn't the best in the end.

I'd say the best thing you can do, looking at things in retrospect, is to spoil her and make sure that her quality of life is the best it can be. When the time comes, you'll be so very heartbroken, but at least you know you never denied her anything in the end.

[ClockworkOrange]

(((((((Beth)))))))

My heart so goes out to you and of course Nala.

Massive hugs from across the pond to both of you.


Clock

[Selkie]

Nala eats better than I do! Sounds like she's perking up (fingers crossed).

[arielmoon]

(((Beth and Nala)))

Sometimes you know and others you have to follow your heart. Many times is day to day. For me it was when the bad days outnumbered the good ones. Be thankful that you can put an end to any suffering and indignity. I may have erred with Shadow and put him down early but I was out of my mind with concern that if I waited too long he would not be able to breathe. (He had a tumor on his snout that was closing off his airway). But in the end I did that for him to be sure that he would not have pain or distress.

[makbike]

A couple of thoughts - one if Nala is suffering from kidney disease her stomach may be upset. Ask your vet about giving her some cimitidine (tagament). Second, did your vet discussing using a diet specifically formulated for kidney disease - some are highly palatable and all are designed to be kidney friendly. Third, how are Nala's teeth? Sometimes animals will drop food due to dental disease. Finally, has there been any discussion about giving Nala sub-q fluids?

Hope this helps. Hang in there Beth and give Nala a big hug from myself and my furry family.

[Aggie_Ama]

Beth - I remember you did Sub-Q on your cat, would it help Nala? Maggie was very good for four months after starting the sub-q. Maggie slipped very quickly into a neurological problem after months of sub-q. Our vet was so kind to nicely help us make the decision because even with it being obvious it was still hard. Maggie didn't have much of an appetite for months, she wanted Heidi's food not her bland diet. The vet had her on tagament, because he felt her stomach might be upset. ((Hugs to you and Nala))