When should we let go

billyhead

I am looking for advice on the following situation. The family Jack Russell is 17 years old since last March and has began to become wobbly on his rear feet or clumsy in his walking. He has what looks like a cataract in his eye and also has started to dribble saliva from his mouth. Now obviously he is old and these are the signs of aging. He still eats like a horse and drinks a lot of water but there is no way of knowing if he is in pain or not. Hes thin despite all the food he eats. If we bring him o a vet he will probably advise euthanasia but some people would advocate letting him die naturally when his time comes. As we have had him since he was a few weeks old it will be heart wrenching to lose him. He cant go for walks now due to him not having the physical strength like he used to. What would you do in this scenario. If hes in pain (which is hard to know as he doesn't yelp etc) we would then have him put down as we could not bare to see him live his remaining days like that. Any advice would be appreciated

scudzilla

It's the last kind thing you can do for him, not an easy decision though

Latatian

I would not advocate letting him die naturally- nature doesn't care how much the animal suffers, you do. I know it sounds appealing but it's not quite as simple as that. I mean, it can be, but my fear would be that I don't know if it's going to be easy or hard.

If he is not able to go for walks that could be due to pain? I would advise you to go to the vet and see. If they advise euthanasia it's still your decision- and they might advise painkillers or palliative care (symptom relief, keeping him happy and comfortable, rather than 'curing' the things that are wrong with him).

You can do some exercises for the hind end to help the dog keep its strength, since lots of dogs have to be put to sleep after they get weak in their back legs and become unable to stand. Short, frequent walks will help more than long ones, and swimming or walking in water will help more.
https://notesfromadogwalker.com/2015/11/24/how-to-talk-to-your-gynecologist-about-euthanasia/ This has an odd title and premise, sure, but it's a good discussion of having an older dog and how to know when the time comes.

scudzilla

If you want him to go really comfortably then ask the vet to come to your home and do it, sure they would, but as previous poster said, i wouldn't like mine to go naturally if suffering, could take an age

thegreatgonzo

billyhead wrote: »

I am looking for advice on the following situation. The family Jack Russell is 17 years old since last March and has began to become wobbly on his rear feet or clumsy in his walking. He has what looks like a cataract in his eye and also has started to dribble saliva from his mouth. Now obviously he is old and these are the signs of aging. He still eats like a horse and drinks a lot of water but there is no way of knowing if he is in pain or not. Hes thin despite all the food he eats. If we bring him o a vet he will probably advise euthanasia but some people would advocate letting him die naturally when his time comes. As we have had him since he was a few weeks old it will be heart wrenching to lose him. He cant go for walks now due to him not having the physical strength like he used to. What would you do in this scenario. If hes in pain (which is hard to know as he doesn't yelp etc) we would then have him put down as we could not bare to see him live his remaining days like that. Any advice would be appreciated

Sorry OP this is a horrible time for you.
I would advise you to bring him to the vet. A vet recommends euthanasia when an animal has reached a stage when nothing can be done to alleviate suffering. You need to be brave for your friend's sake and see if he can be made more comfortable. As others have pointed out a natural death is not necessarily a pleasant one. Best of luck.

sadie1502

But does it not depend on how alert he is. He is still eating does he recognise you can he trundle around the garden. Maybe he is just old and not in any pain. So hard been there before I don't envy you.

thegreatgonzo

sadie1502 wrote: »

Maybe he is just old and not in any pain. So hard been there before I don't envy you.

Maybe but no one here can know that. The OP has mentioned a few things and anyone of them would be reason enough to bring the dog for a health check.

sadie1502

Yes I agree definitely get a vets advise. Left that out as I was watching tv too. Of course get a vets expert advise. Goes without saying.

billyhead

Thanks folks. Its just the fear of taking him to the vet and losing him forever particularly for my eldery Mum whom has shared his company out of most of us from being their during the day with him (and the companionship he provides) and taking him for his daily walks etc. Its such a difficult decision:(

thegreatgonzo

billyhead wrote: »

Thanks folks. Its just the fear of taking him to the vet and losing him forever particularly for my eldery Mum whom has shared his company out of most of us from being their during the day with him (and the companionship he provides) and taking him for his daily walks etc. Its such a difficult decision:(

Even if it is what the vet advises and we don't know that is the case, often it is possible to make a pet comfortable for a few days to give the owners time to come to terms with it. At the moment you are in the dark and you don't know anything for certain. Let your vet help you.

aonb

OP, last year we had our 17 year old terrier, and 17 year old collie put to sleep. The vet came and did it for us.

If your dog is eating well and drinking I would suggest that he is not in pain, and has some time left. Is he alert, and tail up and eyes look good? Is he pottering about the place? He is 17 years old - obviously pretty old and aging - but if he is eating, drinking, looks alert and interested in whats going on around him, I would suggest that there is no need to panic. Our old boy was perfectly fine, as long as he was eating, drinking and alert we were so happy to have him. He had problems - some confusion now and then, a bit of incontinence now and then - but until the day that we knew he was in pain - couldnt get up/stopped eating/stopped drinking - that was the day we knew we had to have him put to sleep. We were so broken hearted knowing that we were going to loose him, that we left him for 2 days before the vet came... that was very wrong of us - we should have acted quicker. Our collie had been loosing condition for several months, but was still eating well, and pottering about the yard. He had some sort of stroke/seizure, lost the use of his legs, and we had him put to sleep that afternoon.

So I guess what Im saying to you is, the dog is 17 years old, he will loose condition of course at that age, but if he is alert, eating, happy in himself, then continue to keep a close eye on him - you'll know when the time comes. Of course you might bring him to the vet for a general checking, but no vet is going to tell you to put a loved elderly dog to sleep unless he sees that that dog is in pain/miserable. You love your dog, you will know when his quality of life has gone, then you will know what you have to do. A horrible decision to make but you wont want to see your lovely old dog suffer in any way.

billyhead

aonb wrote: »

OP, last year we had our 17 year old terrier, and 17 year old collie put to sleep. The vet came and did it for us.

If your dog is eating well and drinking I would suggest that he is not in pain, and has some time left. Is he alert, and tail up and eyes look good? Is he pottering about the place? He is 17 years old - obviously pretty old and aging - but if he is eating, drinking, looks alert and interested in whats going on around him, I would suggest that there is no need to panic. Our old boy was perfectly fine, as long as he was eating, drinking and alert we were so happy to have him. He had problems - some confusion now and then, a bit of incontinence now and then - but until the day that we knew he was in pain - couldnt get up/stopped eating/stopped drinking - that was the day we knew we had to have him put to sleep. We were so broken hearted knowing that we were going to loose him, that we left him for 2 days before the vet came... that was very wrong of us - we should have acted quicker. Our collie had been loosing condition for several months, but was still eating well, and pottering about the yard. He had some sort of stroke/seizure, lost the use of his legs, and we had him put to sleep that afternoon.

So I guess what Im saying to you is, the dog is 17 years old, he will loose condition of course at that age, but if he is alert, eating, happy in himself, then continue to keep a close eye on him - you'll know when the time comes. Of course you might bring him to the vet for a general checking, but no vet is going to tell you to put a loved elderly dog to sleep unless he sees that that dog is in pain/miserable. You love your dog, you will know when his quality of life has gone, then you will know what you have to do. A horrible decision to make but you wont want to see your lovely old dog suffer in any way.

Thanks a million for the lovely words. I will tell my mum to keep a close eye on him as she spends most time with the dog i.e during the day

volchitsa

aonb wrote: »

OP, last year we had our 17 year old terrier, and 17 year old collie put to sleep. The vet came and did it for us.

If your dog is eating well and drinking I would suggest that he is not in pain, and has some time left. Is he alert, and tail up and eyes look good? Is he pottering about the place? He is 17 years old - obviously pretty old and aging - but if he is eating, drinking, looks alert and interested in whats going on around him, I would suggest that there is no need to panic. Our old boy was perfectly fine, as long as he was eating, drinking and alert we were so happy to have him. He had problems - some confusion now and then, a bit of incontinence now and then - but until the day that we knew he was in pain - couldnt get up/stopped eating/stopped drinking - that was the day we knew we had to have him put to sleep. We were so broken hearted knowing that we were going to loose him, that we left him for 2 days before the vet came... that was very wrong of us - we should have acted quicker. Our collie had been loosing condition for several months, but was still eating well, and pottering about the yard. He had some sort of stroke/seizure, lost the use of his legs, and we had him put to sleep that afternoon.

So I guess what Im saying to you is, the dog is 17 years old, he will loose condition of course at that age, but if he is alert, eating, happy in himself, then continue to keep a close eye on him - you'll know when the time comes. Of course you might bring him to the vet for a general checking, but no vet is going to tell you to put a loved elderly dog to sleep unless he sees that that dog is in pain/miserable. You love your dog, you will know when his quality of life has gone, then you will know what you have to do. A horrible decision to make but you wont want to see your lovely old dog suffer in any way.

We had something a little similar with our cat who was 20, and suddenly got very thin, took her to the vet who said (dubiously) "well, maybe she could perk up still", gave her a couple of injections, and we were so hoping she would get better even though we knew to see her that she'd gone down so fast. - but in hindsight we should have had her put to sleep there and then, because the next day she couldn't stand was incontinent and in misery. Next day was a working day and we couldn't take her till evening, and my son was so upset at the state she was in, as was I TBH. I hated having done that to her when it could have been avoided if we'd been a little more realistic.

Just my own experience, fwiw. Sorry to hear you're going through it, but I think we can avoid animals suffering,in a way we often can't for humans, I think we should do that for them.

Latatian

It can (edit: help to) look at the tools for this (like the one I linked to above) to help you assess it. That's partly why people recommend the vet- an outside opinion in someone who's qualified to assess it.

I've had someone tell me to put my older dog 'out of her misery' for arthritis and being old and frail when the vet was delighted with her and she was sitting beside the car begging to be brought out for her daily swim- but talk about how their dog is 'just old' while talking about how it no longer wants to get out of bed, no longer wants to even go for walks, and even to my eyes I could see it obviously wasn't itself at all. The criteria for 'fine' was based on the emotional attachment to the dog. It can help to get someone who knows to have a more impartial look.

Inexile

Sorry to read of your situation.

This article may help... http://www.naturescornermagazine.com/help_companions.html

thegreatgonzo

Latatian wrote: »

It can look at the tools for this (like this) to help you assess it. That's partly why people recommend the vet- an outside opinion in someone who's qualified to assess it.

I've had someone tell me to put my older dog 'out of her misery' for arthritis and being old and frail when the vet was delighted with her and she was sitting beside the car begging to be brought out for her daily swim- but talk about how their dog is 'just old' while talking about how it no longer wants to get out of bed, no longer wants to even go for walks, and even to my eyes I could see it obviously wasn't itself at all. The criteria for 'fine' was based on the emotional attachment to the dog. It can help to get someone who knows to have a more impartial look.

I really really agree with this. So many things chalked up to ageing are things that can be managed really well and it would be great if every pet owner knew that

aonb

thegreatgonzo wrote: »

I really really agree with this. So many things chalked up to ageing are things that can be managed really well and it would be great if every pet owner knew that

yes, this is so true. Our old dogs were 'going downhill' for years. But that was just old age and the outward symptoms of old age. Like an elderly person getting a bit frail, loosing a bit of weight, getting a bit slower, not able to do what they used to do easily before. Because we are so responsible for our pets I suppose people are afraid about hte heartbreak and making the decision to put to sleep when the times comes.

An outsider who doesnt know ones pets, sees a decrepit, elderly, tatty animal, who might look like a bit of a wreck, but is pottering along quite happily, giving love, and loved in return.

Our old dogs were a bit smelly, costing a lot in vet bills, incontinent, bad days up/down, worrying about them, not wanting to leave them alone etc, but as long as they were happy, had decent quality of life, and eating/alert, in no pain, I wouldnt have missed a day of that extra time with them.

thegreatgonzo

aonb wrote: »

An outsider who doesnt know ones pets, sees a decrepit, elderly, tatty animal, who might look like a bit of a wreck, but is pottering along quite happily, giving love, and loved in return.

.

I have to say the clients that have geriatric animals are my favourites that come into the clinic. The care they give and the love they have for their old friends is so special and unselfish. They make me want to be a better nurse and do that extra bit for them.

billyhead

Just an update folks. My mum bought him to the vets earlier and unfortunately after a check up he had a tumour in his mouth:eek:. The vet said he could have been riddled with cancer and put him down. RIP Jake and thanks for the wonderful memories. You will sorely be missed but you are at least out of your discomfort.

jomalone14

billyhead wrote: »

Just an update folks. My mum bought him to the vets earlier and unfortunately after a check up he had a tumour in his mouth:eek:. The vet said he could have been riddled with cancer and put him down. RIP Jake and thanks for the wonderful memories. You will sorely be missed but you are at least out of your discomfort.

So sorry to hear that but you've done the kindest thing you could possibly have done for your 4 legged friend......remember the good times and run free Jake.