Question by Nicole: Input on putting my dog down?
Our family dog, Scooter, was struck with vestibular disease last year. He’s 14 years old and is on his last limb. He has a bad leg which makes his walking even more unstable. He somewhat drags it from time to time. He has accidents constantly and he can’t be left home alone for more than around three hours because of it. He still eats and has a love for food, but yet a majority of the time he just looks depressed. Maybe it’s because we can’t give him constant attention anymore since we don’t have time. His sister is extremely healthy compared to him and we expect her to last at least a couple more years. But the rest of the family is talking about putting him down. I can tell there’s still some happiness left in him…but..I’m just not sure about anything. With the accidents, falling down, bad leg (which he chews constantly making it bleed), arthritis, and everything else…maybe putting him down is the best thing to do. I’m 50/50 on it. I love him to death and I can’t imagine ending his life unnaturally…but then again, he’s taking a toll on our family and I have no idea how happy he is or how much pain he is in…
He doesn’t have a bladder infection. The accidents come with having vestibular disease.
I should have also mentioned Scooter is deaf. He can hear loud claps and snaps, but that’s about it.

Best answer:

Answer by Bryant Blackmon
Put a bandage around his leg so he will not chew at it. And if he still continues give him an anti flea coat of shampoo or something. Do not put your dog down.

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Question by eycepixi: My husband’s dog is suffering – how do I talk to him about putting her down?
My husband and I have been together for 4 years, and he has had the same wonderful black lab for almost 12. For the past couple of years she’s been going downhill, and it seems now that she’s nearing the end. She’s got arthritis in her hips and growths that the vet says aren’t cancerous, but that are obviously painful. She doesn’t move around unless it’s to eat, go out or run around in circles when her hip goes out. It’s awful and I can’t stand to see her this way, but this isn’t about me. It’s his dog and it’s his decision and I know that this is going to kill him. How do I have this conversation with him? I’ve tried a couple of times in the last year or so to bring it up and he insists he’ll do it when the time comes, but she’s suffering and he refuses to acknowledge it. What do I do?

Best answer:

Answer by cutie101
Tell your husband that everything dies at one point. Tell him that the dog lived a long and happy life as you see it. Tell him this nicely and also add that it may be time for the labs turn to go. Something on that line.

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Question by Spirit Of 76: Putting My dog To Sleep?
I’m not usre what to do. My dog has problems getting up and around as much as he used to. He’s 13. He’s always been fiesty but lately I can’t keep him happy or properly groomed. He is also very tempermental and not himself. He has bitten me twice in the last few months leaving a very deep bruise and it bled. I can’t take the uncertainty of his behavior. There is no specific problems other than age and arthritis. He has always been a bit aggressive but this can’t go on. The shleter in our town says due to said behavior he is not “adoptable”. Do I just turn him over and let them put him to sleep? Or can I go to vet? Will a vet have criteria that he will have to meet to be put to sleep. He’s become kinda weird and scary to be around.

Best answer:

Answer by Mandy J
you would have to speak to your vet

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Question by Lyn~: Putting my elderly dog down?
My dog is 17 years old and I’ve had him since he was a puppy. He has bad arthritis and has problems standing up. When he walks he wobbles back and forth. He is going deaf and can’t hear when you call him. Despite all of these things he still follows people around like he always has especially my mom. He still eats well but can’t control his bowels.
The dog is clearly in pain he yips and whines and falls over. He has to be carried everywhere. He was on arthritis meds but they didn’t help any.

Best answer:

Answer by CatWings: Fly free little kitty
It is really up to you. You have to think about his quality of life right now and 17 is pretty old for a dog and he maybe in more pain then you think. Some dogs will suffer in silence just so they can still be with their owner.
I am sorry for you and I know how you feel. I put my little dog of 13 years down last June.

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Question by stephanie: a question about putting a dog down…?
I’m curious to know what folks with experience with this issue think of our situation. ..

Our dog is over 16, which is pretty old for a 50+ pound dog. She’s lost all bowel control, and it’s been that way for ~6 or more months. Lot’s of trips to the vets, and it mainly comes down to arthritis and nerve problems in the her spine which cause her difficulty walking and doing anything but sleeping. She’s deaf and has all sorts of signs of dementia (the vet has told is this is certainly the case)…

… her quality of life is clearly low. She eats, but she’s a shell of a dog – not much gets her excited and when we go for walks she just wants to be home on her bed. But she is not in obvious pain. And sometimes she’ll still wag her tail and get excited about life.

The hard thing… the pooping is killing us. She poops in her bed and it gets all over her…so we have to clean and bathe her in the middle of the night. She poops pretty much every night …. these nighttime rituals are tough to handle on top of a 3 year old kid (and an infant on the way in 4 weeks).

But every time we think it’s ‘time’, we think to ourselves: if weren’t up at night cleaning up poop, would we still be thinking this? I guess we would: she has almost no quality of life. But again, she’s not really in pain, she just sleeps all the time. Do you really kill a dog just because her life has degraded to sleeping and pooping in her bed? She sure seems plenty satisfied doing both…

What do you all think?

Best answer:

Answer by matt h
You have to do what you feel is best for the dog

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Question by нєℓℓσ кιтту вαву: Putting my dog down tomorrow. How do I say goodbye?
I have had my Golden Retriever since I was 2, and now im 14, and he is still alive. He just turned 12, and about a month ago he got really sick. He has had arthritis for quite awhile, and it hasn’t been bad but recently he has not been able to get up of the floor without someone literally picking him up. He has lost alot of weight and he barely eats, if he does eat alot, he throws it back up. It has been so hard for our whole family to watch the dog suffer, and the only reason we have been keeping him alive is because we love him so much and dont know how to say goodbye, but recently, seeing how selfish we were being, we decided to put the dog down tomorrow. We have taken him to the vet and they have tested him for many things and they have all came back negative, but we think he has cancer. I’m so sad, and have been crying on and off all day. I dont know how to say goodbye to him. I always tell him how special he is to me, how much i love him, and how he has been the best dog to me, and how im sorry that we are putting him through this. I go downstairs and he sees me and he starts wagging his tail and it breaks my heart to think that will be the last time I will see him do that. I dont know if I can make it through this ]: What can I do to say goodbye to him? We are going to have the vet come to our house tomorrow, and put him down in the morning.

Best answer:

Answer by ItalianSoccerCRaZe
i almost cryed reading this. i think he if wags his tail at you he can make it through this. ask the vets to check him for cancer dont put him down yet. ur not selfish. if he’s happy to see you give him a second chance,

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Question by xxtropicalbarbiexx: putting my dog down???
i know iv asked questions about my dog before. but we have finally decided it may be the time to put my dog down. the only thing is i wish i was 100% sure that it is the best thing to do. He has arthritis in his left hind leg and it usually isnt bad with his medicine, however, recently we have noticed that it is spreading to his other leg, which means he falls over a lot more, has trouble keeping himself up going to the toilet etc. hes also got bad cataracts, but as hes 16 the vet wouldnt risk surgery becuz he prob wont wake up. I just dont want to say goodbye hes such a good dog and the best pet. but i know deep down he dosnt have as good a quality of life as he used to. do you think we are doing the right thing by putting him down? i just want the best for him….
for emmy, a pic of my dog from a few months ago when he was better, he isnt like thins anymore, but this is one if the best pics of him in my opinion

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?MemberId=229387963&PhotoAlbumId=6030992355&PhotoId=6031017934

Best answer:

Answer by Dog Expert 101
if he has lost all the dog in him i think it is time. i am so sorry.

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Question by Lilly S: HOW DO YOU HANDLE PUTTING A DOG DOWN AFTER YOU HAD HER SINCE YOU WERE 3? ?
HER NAME IS PANDA AND I NEED HELP SHE HAS ARTHRITIS AND A REALLY REALLY BAD INFECTION and she is my personal dog she really doesn’t love any body else she likes other people i cant stop crying she is suppose to sleep in my room when she gets home from the dog hospital she is right next to my bed i hope she doesn’t need to be put down i love her so much
she gets to come home in an hour
thank you all so much i made my parents put her bed right next to mine the first night she is home I’m sleeping right next to her she has been shaved and other stuff THANX LOTS
Lilly
she is a CHOW CHOW AND BORDER COLLIE MIX SHE IS SO CUTE
SHE DIED LAST NIGHT @ 3:33 A.M. ON HER OWN SHE LET OUT ONE LAST YELP AND WENT SHE WAS IN MY DADS ARMS :~(
I CRIED FOR HOURS

Best answer:

Answer by Pixie Pom
Sorry your pup is so sick right now. Keep your head up she might comming home any miniute. Don’t get to upset until you know for sure. If she does have to be put down then it is for the best. you don’t want her to suffer and hurt anymore. I am sure your parents will do whats best for Panda. Hope it all turns out alright.

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Question by Mum of 2 under 2: Am i making the right decision about putting my 12 year old dog down? ?
My doberman X heeler X kelpie X goodness knows what else lol is 12 next month. She has completely changed in her behaviour in the past 4 -6 months. She has become really aggresive toward out other dog and boisturos. She is on tablets for her arthritis and also for her incontinance however these dont seem to work very well as she leaks urine constantly and seems quite embaressed about this as she trys to lick it up before anyone notices. I am concerned as she went to have a go at our other dog however got my sons hand instead, she pulled away instantly knowing she had done wrong but this was never her nature. Having 2 children 2&4 i cant help but worry about her being around them as she just seems to have lost her gentleness. She spends most of the day in her bed and just doesnt seem to be happy anymore. This is one of the hardest decisions i have ever had to make and now the night before the appointment i am having second thoughts ??!?!
Sorry i should have mentioned that i have spoken to the vet and he seems to believe that she is suffering from doggy dementia, and was quite shocked at her age, being such a large dog and her breed. Please do not think i am taking this decision lightly and that i am looking to put her down because she sleeps allot and is moody as stated below. She is becoming a risk to not only my children but also to my other dog. I do take dog ownership very seriously and care for my pets very very well. She came from a shelter when she was 1 y/o after being bashed, and i helped to nurse her back to health so i do share a very special bond with her .

Best answer:

Answer by Mae P.
Do it.

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Question by HMTQ – Madge: How should I go about putting my dog on a diet?
Hello everyone. I’ll go ahead and dive right in.

Recently, we took my big nine year old chocolate lab to the vet. They said he was at least fifteen pounds over weight, which we didn’t know, and we should put him on a diet. They didn’t give us ideas on how to put him on a diet, and we can’t take him for walks because he has arthritis. We also have two other little dogs, (Shih tzu’s, one is two years old the other is four) so we’re not sure how to make sure all of them eat. We don’t have time to monitor every time they eat for obvious reasons, so suggestions would be appreciated greatly. Thanks in advance.
For extra information, we usually keep the food bowl out at all times so they can just eat when they want. Should we change this, too?

Best answer:

Answer by Rotten Rotts
Separate the dogs when eating so you know who is eating what. Do not free feed. Put out the correct amount of food twice a day give them time to eat and then take up. Do not give her any table scraps. Even a dog with arthritis should be able to get moderate amounts of exercise. You are going to have to find the time to moniter her if you wish for her to have a healthy life.

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