My beautiful Grey "Alto" has sarcoma-When to let go?

Question

Please help! I would like advice on when to put my wonderful greyhound to sleep. He was diagnosed with aggressive sarcoma christmas eve., the tumor has tripled its size in 7-days, larger than half a football size. All in a couple of weeks. Surgery and chemo is an alternative but recovery is not good for this condition. He weighed 82 lbs. last week and has lost appx. 7-9 lbs. He is frail, lethargic and has trouble getting up. He has a good appetite and has the most beautiful and soulful eyes you have ever seen. It is breaking my wife's and my heart to see a magnificent animal deteriorate so fast. He is 8 1/2 yrs. old and is my best friend and I don't want him to suffer but I cannot think of putting him down. What is a heartbroken person to do?

Answer 1

First let me say how sorry I am and especially at Christmas.
I know dogs are aprt of the family.
Here is a poem I believe says it all

PUT ME TO REST

Time to let me go my friend,
Because my life no-one can mend,
Its better to let me go this way,
Than watch me suffer night and day.

I'm happy to go, my time has come,
My quality of life is no longer fun,
Ive been so ill, so its not a bad thing,
To let me go forever resting.

Stay with me till I drift away,
Fast asleep forever I pray,
To relieve me from suffering and pain,
What more can I ask from my best friend.

Don't be sad, I'll be free from pain,
Never to be ill ever again,
I know you'll miss me being there,
But all the memories you have to share.

Thankyou for being my best friend,
And all my needs that you did tend,
Try not to be sad, try not to cry,
Now's the time to say GOODBYE PUT ME TO REST

Answer 2

So sorry to hear about your baby...
Sarcoma is so unfair for our babies, most of the time even with Chemo or surgery they only have maybe a yr or so of life anyway.. 8 is still pretty young for a greyhound.
I just went through losing my Boxer Brutus on Sept. 30th.
Although he did not have any cancers, he had something going on with his Liver. He was 97 lbs. when he started getting sick and not eating, it was only a week and he went to 73.1 when I got him to the vet. He had a couple days where I was hopeful because he ate a 1/2 Tuna sand., soft taco, and drank water or beef broth. After he had not eaten anything liquids or solids in two and a half days I got him to the vet right away. His gums were very yellow indicating Liver problems. They put him on I.V. and gave him pain meds, and two antibiotics(in case it was an infection in his liver). Nothing helped him. I brought him home from the vet at about 1:30 pm. and he was not even able to stand to use the bathroom. He stayed laying on a big blanket with me beside him trying to drink beef broth through a syringe, no luck...
At about 10:30 pm we thought to go get him a soft taco, maybe the smell would make him have the will, when we returned a half hour later he had died while I was gone.
I was prepared to just put him to sleep when arriving at the vet, my hubby said treat for possible infection. I knew how he had deteriorated just that week, and even though I was crushed I knew that I did not want him to suffer. He never made it past the night but given the same situation again I
would just put them to sleep if there was little hope. You have watched your baby grow, taught him right from wrong, played with him, protected him, given him the best of everything (i'm sure you did), and loved him more than life itself, now it would be your call to not have him suffer right before your eyes.. I have found with myself it is never easy for me to deal with my babies passing either if I put to sleep or try to wait it out hoping for them to get better, it is so painful when they go either now or then.. He will always be your best friend and cherish each day that you did have to spend with him..

I will keep you in my thoughts during this difficult time.

Answer 3

Oh, this is terrible and I feel so badly for all of you. When my 10 year old was having bad pain problems a couple of months ago, my first thought was cancer as well. Luckily for him, that wasn't it.

I can imagine what you're going through and only you can know when it's time to let him go. When his life is more of a burden than a joy, you have to put him first. Is he in a lot of pain? If not, you have more time, but if he is, I think you'll know what you need to do.

If you're fortunate enough to have a vet who will come to your house, it's easier on everyone. I've had to go through it and the only ones to suffer are the people, the dog peacefully goes to sleep and his pain is over.

I truly hope you have a bit more time with your boy and again, I'm very, very sorry.

Answer 4

I am very sorry to hear about Alto. We lost our 13 yr old on Sunday to osteosarcoma and I can appreciate what you are going through. We opted not to do surgery or chemo - we did do radiation for pain management and it gave our boy several pain free months. Know that there is no right or wrong answer - you will do what in your heart you know is best for Alto.

Answer 5

when the time is right you will know... if he is not in pain. let him be for now