My hubby's old lab!!!?

Question

Oh when it rains it pours!!! Sister, daughter in-law and now my hubby's old black lab. We've had him for 17 years!! Got him at 6 weeks old. Today he fell 3 times--I pick him up and get him on his feet again--he toddles about and falls. Hubby will come home and Bear will lie by his side. I can't stand to have an animal "put down", but I know 90% of the time the old guy is miserable--but then he gets a spark and is happy. I guess I know what needs to be done but----how do I let hubby know it's time to let his buddy of 17 years go!!?? The old guy is like a kid to us!!!!

Just told hubby about the day's events---he said "oh he'll be fine--he's just tired" and the dog is gazing at him with absolute adoration!!

I totally agree Artist!!! That's why this is so difficult!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I hope no one decides to "put me down" when I am 90 and begin to stumble and have arthritic pain.

Answer 2

Our black lab greyhound mix began acting the same way. It turns out he had a stroke or a series of strokes. I would recommend taking the dog to the vet and having a professional help you both begin the grieving process.

He got really ill shortly after a house fire that killed our other dog. I think he had given up and missed his friend. Dogs become such a part of our lives, but we must be fair to them and not let them suffer in pain.

Good luck to you and your husband. It is really an emotional thing to deal with but it will get better I promise.

Answer 3

Poor old dog! I've been through the deaths of two beloved family dogs. The first one, we let him go naturally. He was 15 years old, senile, had a bad knee, and walked with his head ****** to the side due to a stroke. He woke up one day and he couldn't get up. He was just weak. He waited for me to come home, got up and wanted to go outside, and walked out the front walk, layed down and passed away, all very peacefully and on his own terms when he was ready. It was good for me to see him go on his own. It allowed me to accept that it was time for him to go and allow him to go peacefuly. The second dog, we adopted when she was 11. She had a really hard life in a neglectful home, and when she came to live with us she was in dog heaven. We loved her, and we were sad to learn one year later that she had cancer. We put her through chemo and tried hard to extend her life but after a few months she was really suffering, and we had to think hard about putting her to sleep. One night, in the middle of the night, she woke us up and she was panting in severe pain, her belly was swollen up. We decided it was time to let her go so we took her to the animal ER and had her put to sleep. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but looking back, it was the right thing to do. She was going to die soon, and it was going to be long and painful, and we could not let her go through any more suffering.

Looking back at both situations, I hope that one day when my current dogs reach the end of their lives, that they are able to go as peacefully and naturally as my first dog did. However, I would bring them to be put down peacefully if necessary like I did with my second dog. There are no right or wrong answers. I think you just need to trust your heart.

Answer 4

You have to do what is best and fairest to the dog...since he's is obviously suffering and you don't want that, putting him down is doing him the last favor you can ever do for him...you have to put what is best for him first.

Answer 5

Just have your hubby observe the dog or just tell him its time the dog is sufering. This is hard

Answer 6

It will be the hardest thing you will ever do, but he has been loyal to you for 17 years and you have to be loyal to him now. You already know what you have to do.