Dilemma

threebeards

Hi all,

I'm very much confused at the minute which may just be down to being selfish. I have a black labrador bitch who's just coming up to 8 years old and in the last 2 weeks or so, she's started to lose her balance badly. First of all it was the odd wobble but it's got so bad now that she can barely stand on all fours without falling. The vet thought initially it was a middle ear infection but yesterday her eyes went badly bloodshot so he thinks it could be something more serious like a brain haemorrage. She's still eating and drinking and the vet doesn't think she's in any obvious discomfort so I don't know what to do. It would devestate me if I had to have her put to sleep but at the same time, I can't bear to see her stumbling around the place. What should I do?

Thanks

RH

Lafortezza

Does your dog seem happy enough apart from the wobbly legs and eyes?
Is she just lieing about looking mopey or seem in pain at all?

If your vet doesn't seem to be able to do anything then I doubt the condition is going to improve. Maybe best to put the dog down before it starts to suffer.

My parents had a 15 yr old Jack Russell that was very wobbly on its legs and had breathing problems, but it was as happy as anything nearly all the time. She deteorated though and vet said she her lungs were about to collapse so it was best to put her down before that happened.

threebeards

She seems to be a bit withdrawn but doesn't seem to be in pain or discomfort. The loss of balance aside, she seems to be just as strong as she always was in that she's eating as much as she always did and all other bodily functions are fine.

Falkorre

If your vet hasnt allready done this, change ur vet!

Labs are prone to a genetic disorder called hip displaysia, it makes their entire back end wobble and eventually they lose back-end power completely. If this is the case, there are surgeries which *might* be an option.

To determine if this is the case, she will need a series of blood tests, and more importantly hip x-rays done.

The reason I said change ur vet if he hasnt done this, is because *anyone* who knows anything about dogs (on an academic level) would immediately check a labrador for hip problems if it seems to be losing balance, and if it wasnt the first thing he checked, id not let him near my doggies. Coz thats REAL basic stuff.

B

threebeards

Dawntreader, could that condition go so far as to make the dog lose ALL power in her legs? When I got up this morning I had to physically lift her down the garden to go to the loo because she couldn't stand up. She also appears this morning to have blindness in her left eye.

Falkorre

In late stages, yes it could, easilly.
Neurologically speaking, those other symptoms may be unrelated, and might just be associated with old age.

Bring her to a different vet, today! If she cant walk all of a sudden, thats an emergency case.

B

L5

Dont put down the dog!! Honestly. A couple of years ago, my jack russell bitch started to loose balance and fall around the place, but she seemed fine otherwise. If she's not in pain then dont put her down. She stumbled around for four years with no problem! And died from natural causes. it'd be cruel to put her down, she may still have a good few years ahead of her. The main thing is that shes not in pain and is eating. If she loses muscle condition then you may have to put her down. But dont do it unless theres obvious reasons to.:)

Calibos

Did he check for diabetes? Remy (RIP) started to drink an awful lot and would loose control of her legs which got worse over a day or 2 and then she couldn't get up all without significant effort. At first We thought it was her arthritus acting up. The water thing set off alarm bells with me though and the vet confirmed that it was probably diabetes. He eliminated a few other possible causes first and then we proceeded with trying to regulate her and suss out her insulin dosage. It took a few months to get her semi regulated but she was never the same and had to be forced to eat. Then she got her third tumour, her skin allergies were going mad again cause the diabetes prevented us from giving her enough anti inflammatories and she was sore all over from all 2 daily injections over 7 months. Eventually we had to make the hardest decision of all to let her go. She was 10. We were so sad at the thought that she hadn't had a full life despite all her problems but subsequently found out that the life expectance of a retriever/red setter cross was only about 10 or 11 anyway. We said we'd never get over her and get another dog but 8 months later we've got 2 westie pups! We'll never forget the 'Rems' though.

In saying all that Remy with her skin, arthritus, tumours, life on predneselone was an exceptional case. Your dog may not have diabetes and even if he does he may be regulated quite easily and live happily for a few more years. Is he drinking alot, does his breadth smell bad ie acidic(keytones) Is his wee very smelly??

threebeards

I didn't get the choice guys as to whether or not to have her put down. She died yesterday morning some time. She was curled up in her corner when my mum arrived home at lunch time. Mum thought she was asleep but unfortunately that wasn't the case. It was horrible going into the house last night knowing how quiet the place would be.

koneko

Sorry to hear it threebeards

Calibos

I'm so sorry to hear that mate:(

Sounds like your Vet was right after all though. It certainly wasn't hip dysplaysia or diabetes then. I'd imagine something like a brain haemorrage is hard enough to treat in humans, never mind a dog, so I don't think you or your vet could have done anything. I would imagine the end was probably quick and painless for her. TBH I think if she was going to go this was the best way for everyone involved. For her because she was at home, on her home turf surrounded by people and things and scents she knew and loved. For you because you didn't have to make what is the hardest decision of all. I hope I'm not denegrating human life etc by saying this but because we love our pets almost as much as any other family member the decision to euthanise them is almost as hard as someone having to decide to turn off a life support machine or a commander having to make the decision to send his soldiers to certain death etc.

To give another example, my gran died a few weeks before the rems of an out of the blue heart attack at the age of 84. It was a lot easier to accept because she had lived to a decent age, it was sudden and painless, she was at home in familiar surroundings rather than lingering in a hospital with an illness etc. It was much harder emotionally with the rems because we actually had to make the decision however right that decision was. She liked the vet and was wagging her tail when we brought her on her final journey to the vet.

So like I said, it was probably better for both yourself and for her that if she was going to go, that she went this way.

Again I'm sorry to hear of your loss treebeards.