End-of-Life Pet Choices

[zoom-zoom]

Animals mourn, too. They don't think they are next. That requires rational thinking. They don't have the part of the brain that does that.

I wonder if they mourn her, though. One lived to harass her, until she got too old to care. Otherwise they mostly didn't notice her for the past couple of years. She tended to sleep in the same places all the time and they mostly ignored her...it was pretty mutual, since she ignored them, too.

[zoom-zoom]

They're acting clingy...

And we're loving it...except for the one who has decided that it's now his job to wake me for no apparent reason (other than he seems to think his dish is empty, even when it's full...and it's always like it's a big surprise to him when I show him so), every morning...by standing on me and scratching my shoulders and face. He's a big dummy.

[OakLeaf]

(((((grey)))))

If it's "just" a lipoma, is surgery out of the question?

As far as the other dogs ... we had the vet come to our house for one of ours, and we put the other two dogs outside until he was gone, with the remains . When we let the other two back in they were confused and upset. I think it might've been a better idea to let them see and smell her after she was gone. But I wouldn't have let them witness the procedure, I don't think - too much stress on everybody, too many to comfort all at once.

[grey]

(((((grey)))))

If it's "just" a lipoma, is surgery out of the question?

As far as the other dogs ... we had the vet come to our house for one of ours, and we put the other two dogs outside until he was gone, with the remains . When we let the other two back in they were confused and upset. I think it might've been a better idea to let them see and smell her after she was gone. But I wouldn't have let them witness the procedure, I don't think - too much stress on everybody, too many to comfort all at once.

The problem is the location. Initially, the vet said we could cut off her leg. Had this happened to either of my other dogs, I'd have agreed to it - and either of them would quickly be like the 3-legged dog that chases me down on rides happy as can be and totally not missing it - but Wookie is clumsy (seriously, how many dogs do you know who manage to step in doggie-poo then come to you for help getting it off? Or fall down stairs?), She's also *not* the most emotionally stable dog, this is one that I think, in pain, would probably bite (we have all been bitten by her before). The other thing I asked all 3 vets I took her to was, if we removed the leg, then would the tumor not redevelop somewhere else? Maybe someplace worse, as the underlying condition/problem was not addressed? They agreed it probably would. We have tried every diet change/supplement and then some in the past several months.

At any rate. It's possible we are wrong and that she could be a big happy tripod and we might have extended or saved her life in doing so, but we both discussed it and agreed we really don't think this particular dog would handle it. So we have just kept trying things even though every vet we know says there is nothing to stop these things, we've failed, now it seems the time is on us.