I Need Professional Advice On How Do You Know When It's 'Time' To Euthanize Your Dog ?

Question

We have a 17yr. old Collie / Shepherd mix . She's had arthritic problems in her hips for about 3 years and now has even more problems . She's having great difficulty getting up from a laying position and many times we have to help her . The vet says she also has muscular trouble too , because sometimes her legs slide-out from under her when she's standing or walking , especially on smooth surfaces .
She seems happy though . She's alert and responsive , but it's killing us to watch her struggle to walk and even get up on her own .

What Can You Tell Me To Help ?

Answer 1

Follow your heart, my friend. It will not be easy!

Answer 2

I am going through this right now as my GSD has a disease that is paralyzing his legs plus he has some arthritis and mild hip displesia. He still seems happy most of the time he sleeps a lot more and he plays a lot less slower and for shorter periods of time. The good thing is that he is only in mild pain because of the paralyzing affects of the first disease. Still it kills me on the days that I have to lift his rear legs up from laying down. He can still walk and even play for a bit once he is up and moving but when we play he often looses control of his rear legs and it bothers me a lot but doesn't really seem to bother him.
I decided when he doesn't want to play at all anymore that would be the time, I am not a pro either just trying to figure out what is best and I just don't think lying around the house all day will make my dog happy.

Answer 3

Having to decide to euthanase a pet is the most horrible and painful decision you, as a pet owner, ever need to make. After it is done, you will no doubt wonder if it really was necessary right at that time, or if you might have done more to keep the animal alive longer. This is natural, and every pet owner goes through it, even when their pet is in such terrible health that it's undeniably the best thing to do.
You will know in your heart when the time has come - you know your dog, and you will see in her expression & demeanour when the joy of living has been replaced by relentless pain & misery.
In the meantime, I wonder if it's worth looking at making her movements around the house a little easier? Rubber matting on the floor will stop her from slipping as she tries to walk, and should make it much easier for her. Also, you might try to put her bed on a low platform, so that she can "slide" out, and into a standing position without having to push all of her weight up on painful joints. Keep her warm, and if you have steps to the outside areas, placing bricks or wood betweem each step to make them less high would be a help as well.
Having said all that, she's quite old, so you wouldn't expect to be able to extend her life for an enormous amount, but at least if you can do what you can to make things easier on her while she's still showing signs of being happy to be alive, it will make it much easier on you in the long run, when finally you do need to make that horrible decision, as you'll know that you did everything possible to give her some extra, quality time. Whatever happens, you have my sympathy for what must be a very hard time for you - I've been through it many times myself. In the end, you love your dog, and she trusts you as her guardian to do what's right for her, and I know that you will do that.

Answer 4

If you want professional advice, ask your vet. You'll only get the opinions of people who've been there.

In my opinion, it's not quite time yet if she's still happy, alert, and responsive. There is some wonderful arthritis medicine out there, and you can put carpet strips on the slippery surfaces for her to walk on. However, I only say that this is what I would do because I'm physically strong.

How strong you and your wife are is important. It is likely, given her age and health, that one day she'll fall down and won't be able to get up at all. Her legs, particularly her back ones, just won't work anymore no matter what medicine you give her. If this happens, she will need to be carried rather quickly to the vet so she can be put down (I say quickly because she will be scared and distressed, and most definately not happy anymore, and it's best for her to feel that for as short a time as possible). If this happens when you are not home, your wife will have to do this on her own.

Answer 5

Earnest--

Have you tried a daily does of aspirin? (Not Tylenol or Advil--5 gr aspirin) If that doesn't do the trick--ask your vet about rimadyl. If she is happy, alert and responsive do what you can to make her comfy. Swimming is great exercise for her and helps the joints too (if she likes water).

We have a 5 year old golden retriever (we 'acquired' last year) who was abused as a pup. His knee joints were damaged due to the abuse and for lack of veterinary care--they never healed properly--so he has great difficulty get getting up--sometimes he needs our help. We do the aspirin thing daily. He is VERY cautious on the kitchen floor--the only room not carpeted for the same reasons. If he lies down in the kitchen--I put an area rug next to him to help him get up without slipping.

Your dog will definitely let you know when its 'time'. Our previous male golden, Milo (my baby) acquired Cushings disease at age 13--he also got cancer. We kept him comfy and one day he just didn't 'look' the same. Hubby took him to the vet and we we're told it was a matter of time. He had been active and happy the day before. When I came home I could see he'd given up. I spent the next few hours giving him belly rubs and we called the vet. His eyes said it all. There is NO mistaking that look. Sounds like your gal still wants some time with you.

Give her a belly rub for me!

Answer 6

It depends on how you feel. If you're dog is in pain, she will let you know. It's a very tough decision but if you're willing to stick by her and do whatever she needs you to do for her, then make that commitment.

I had to make the decision to euthanize my dog. The vet thought she had colon cancer but the only way to find out for sure was if she did surgery which would cost $5000. Even then, she only gave us a 20% chance of being able to fix it with another surgery. She was in a lot of pain, and it was heartbreaking but I made the decision to have her put down.

Just try to think about what is best for your dog. Don't keep her around, in pain, just because you'll miss her too much. She has had a long life.

Answer 7

When I had my 20 year old cat beginning to really show signs of aging I brought her to the vet to have her put down. The vet asked to give her a good once over before doing that and found she had a bladder infection making her appear worse off them she was . The infection cleared and we did have to give IV liquids occasionally because at her age she had kidney failure. The vet told me, "You will know when it is time". I thought that is crazy, that's your "professional" opinion. Well, 5 years later on the morning before Thanksgiving, I undoubtedly knew it was time"
While talking to other people their vets had pretty much said the same thing.
As for the other stuff, there are inexpensive arthritis pills for dogs that are amazing with the getting up and down, our 14 year old Springer uses them during the winter months. Don't your legs come out from under you sometimes on slick surfaces too? If you are medicating and still no results, then the quality of you dogs life is deteriorating rapidly and you need to examine if you are doing good by her or only making it easier for yourself.
Good Luck!

Answer 8

Well I'm no professional nor would I ever pretend to be, but I have had to take this step with many animals over the years.

I always put the quality of life over the quantity. If they are in pain and really can do little more than lay around, have trouble eating/drinking etc then I go to my vet and talk with him. I also talk it over with my family. It's something you have to be as sure as humanly possible about of course before you take that step.

When we make the ultimate decission is when we look into their eyes and they seem to tell you in their own way it's time. (man I'm crying now) Their eyes seem to tell how they feel just the way the do with people. I hate to see "that look" but it sure proves to me the time is right.

I really feel for you as I truly know how you feel. I looked into the eyes of my 22 year old cat this morning and I know today is the day. I will make the appointment in just a few minutes when the vet opens at 9am. Lucky told me it's time. Your dog will do the same. :-(

PS: I thought I would edit my reply to let you know I helped Lucky to the Rainbow Bridge at 10:15 this morning. She is now with the Lord and all of my other passed babies.

Answer 9

As so many people here have said so well, you will know when it is time. That look on her face will say, "Daddy, I really don't want to go on."

I have a 16-ish year old chow mix. Don't kow his real age, but he was at least a year when I adopted him and I've had him for 15, so by my math...

Anyway, he's about 90% blind and deaf, and he slips on the kitchen linoleum a lot. He runs into things occasionally, and forgets why he's outside sometimes, so I have to take him for extra walkies on occasion. But he gets up every morning with a wagging tail and a bouncy gait...or at least as bouncy as a geriatric geezer dog can have, anyhow. He bounces down the steps and hippity-hops around on the end of the leash smelling the flowers and grass and favorite potty spots. He sort of does a comical shuffle dance at treat times, and still woofs and tried to do his old tricks if the light hits your hand just right so he can se the hand signals. In short, he's happy. Until he tells me it's time, or goes in his sleep, (and trust me, at his age he gets into such deep sleeps I thought he was gone on a few heart-stopping occasions) I'm going to thank the Lord for blessing me with Ol' Rusty-crusty dog.

Trust your heart and your dog to let you know it's time, and look for support when she has to go. Not everyone understands just how tough grieving for a pet is. There are support groups, just reach out to them. There is nothing wrong with your feelings about your girl or how you handle them. Whatever decision you make, it will be the right one because you made the choice out of love.

Answer 10

When the quality of her life is intolerable, put her down.

That said, you say that Precious is alert and responsive - even happy.

Now then, by "happy" I mean excited about life, wags her tail, anxious to go out and do "dog-things" - even if she struggles, eats regularly, has a good coat and eye shine, then she is happy.

If she struggles at everything, doesn't have much appetite, has trouble eliminating - seems like "she just doesn't want to go on..." then it's time to let her go.

But until then, keep her on carpet, feed her food that she can eat (maybe soften her kibble with warm water or broth), keep her warm, maybe raise her bed so it's easier for her to get up and down - be patient with accidents - and above all, LOVE her with all your heart for the time she has left. At 17, she is quite the antique.

Answer 11

I hate to advise you on this, it is your choice to make but from my past experience...I had a large breed dobermann who had hip and leg problems at age 10, her legs slid out from her and she broker her hip, thinking she was only 10 I had hip surgery done to repair the leg, it was very painful for her, she suffered so much , I had to carry her to pee outside, her wound would not heal, she cried , threw up and would not eat, ...I put her through the surgery only for her to die 7 days later, she lived in agony and all the while was responsive and wagging her tail etc...i realized in hinesight that the humaine course of action would have been having her euthanized. I kept her alive, had the surgery done and so forth because I didnt want to loser her, it was selfish and I will always regret it. Here forth I go forward believing that if the dohg does not have quality of life, can not run, play, walk, stand up, lay down etc....it is time to say good bye. 17 years is an unusually long time for a dog to live. Consult your vet, but do what is fair to the dog, not what is easier on your heart. Good Luck. Hugs!