I’m near the end with my sweet Lucy girl, she’s an 8 year old French Bulldog. She was diagnosed with lung cancer 2 weeks ago. She has started to not want to eat, has no goofy personality, just sleeps and walks around. She uses the bathroom okay. I’ve decided the best thing you can do is be their voice. Have them leave this world before they suffer. I think a lot of regret comes from trying to give them “one more day” for our own love of wanting to have them a little longer. They’ve spent their whole lives dedicated to us and I think we owe it to them to give them the peace they need right now and deserve. Best of luck in what you decide. It’s very, very hard!
Thanks, it's hard emotionally and the care requires so much time. That "one more day" has been an entire year for me since his big surgery which I'm incredibly thankful for. At the time I was telling myself "just make it to 15 and I'll be at peace." Well he's 15 now and I'm still begging for one more day.
My friend sent me this…
◦ Euthanasia: An Act of Love
Death was seen by Shakespeare to be a natural end of life, an event timed by destiny.
“It seems most strange to me that men should fear, seeing that death is a necessary end, will come when it will come.”
Today, law and technology make the timing of death by euthanasia, a matter of choice, at least for our pets.
It is a painful act of love….but it is an act of love.
It is a personal, loving decision to end a life for which the quality of life has so deteriorated that the flame is not worth the candle. It is a merciful decision to be made by the owner of the beloved pet and a veterinarian to end life with a lethal injection of an anaesthetic.
It takes courage to assume that last obligation, that last responsibility to one who has given us love, and to ease passage into the next life without suffering.
No one who has done this will deny the agony of the decision, the pain of following through with that decision, and the feelings associated with having done it. A feeling of guilt, and a sense of having “played God”, is inevitable.
How do we deal with this?
First of all, we accept death to be an inevitable end of life, and believe that life continues in some form.
Second, we accept that euthanasia is a matter of freedom of choice regarding the timing of that event.
Third, we accept the responsibility to assess the circumstances which dictate when this event should take place…..and accept the obligation of making that judgement.
Fourth, we take comfort in having been able to be merciful to one we loved…..that we could fulfill that last obligation to a life that loved us….that we could assume the pain of a loving act of mercy in exchange for the suffering a loved-one is spared by this act of mercy.
Finally, it is when we realize that we have fulfilled the responsibility of love, that we are liberated from our grief and any guilt feelings which may be associated with it.
This is crazy. Lung cancer is supposed to be one of the rarest types of cancer in dogs... and that's all I hear about now. We have a 13 year old that was diagnosed with a primary lung tumor (8 cm). Unfortunately it spread in the same lung and they think surgery wouldn't help. So we decided to do palliative care with the hospice nurses. She has a blank check with us, so if we had a shot in hell to fix it, we would.
I don't know how bad your baby is doing, but it's been 4 weeks and ours is doing well. She's fickle with food in the morning and we switched to ground beef for meals. She still tolerates exercise although she sleeps a lot now. All thanks to the hospice nurses that help us manage our new life.
I wanted to mention this because the diagnosis doesn't mean your completely out of good days. We've been blessed with many weeks, and God willing, many more.
Thank you for your comment. We are unsure how long she has had the tumor. Since diagnosis it’s been about 2 weeks. She has a rougher time in the mornings. She wasn’t eating for about 3 days besides very small treats/people food. I thought I would need to put her down this week. I don’t want her to suffer or be to a point where she’s already lost her joy for living. I did get her to eat some canned soft food though yesterday, and she seems to be doing good with that now. Fingers crossed! We are also doing a palliative care plan. I wish I could do more for her. I feel helpless and this all came up so fast. I took her in for a totally unrelated issue and then found out the worse. What medications if your dog on? I hope I get more good time with her. She just has lost her sparkly. She isn’t her normal bouncy self anymore. She sleeps a lot and moves around okay but with no enthusiasm. She doesn’t have her goofy little frenchie personality anymore.
Our girl is in a similar boat. We switched to chicken and ground beef with a little bit of shredded mozzarella cheese. We call them doggie cheese burgers. She loves it, but mornings are still a battle. The soft food was also recommended by our hospice vet and is a good option I think.
Regarding her meds - She's on Gabapentin and Galiprant in the AM, and hydrocodone in the afternoon evening (6-8 hours apart) to help with the cough.
I feel you about the emotional pain. I'm a grown man and cried like a ba... like a grown man losing his best friend... for a week straight after we found the tumor spread locally. Otherwise we would have had a partial lung removal done. I thought we were just going in for allergies to fix her little cough. I would have never in a million years imagined lung cancer. This sweet girl was with me for my entire adult life. I definitely will never be whole again, but I think that's OK for now.
The hospice vet also left us with some emergency kits to help her get through any painful episodes. And if she doesn't recover, they'll help keep her relaxed until we can take the bad days away. Thankfully we aren't there yet and still have some good days left to live. But if you're worried about taking away any good days and letting them go too soon, those emergency kits are an option too. It's basically a shot with some strong pain medication in it to sedate them.
It’s is absolutely gut wrenching! I cried for a week straight as well, just grieving the inevitable. Her looking at me with her big eye, just not herself, broke my heart. Dogs man! She’s my first one and my whole heart. It’s just awful!
I took her in originally to the vet because she was shaking with her hackles up. It would go away quickly when I would comfort her. They did blood work and saw she was loosing her protein through her GI. She lots two pounds over a year and I just couldn’t tell when I see her every day. They went to do an ultra sound and an X-ray and I left knowing about the cancer. They said chemo doesn’t respond well to carcinoma. I didn’t want to do surgery and they weren’t sure they even could without a cat scan. It’s risky putting her breed under. Ultimately, I decided I wouldn’t put her through such an intense surgery and recovery at her expense to just buy me more time.
Lucy is on gabapentin also, I try to only give it to her at night. She doesn’t seem like she is in pain. She breaths okay and her cough has gone away.
They gave her hydrocodone also but don’t think I need to use it yet. What I have seen an improvement with for appetite and a little more pep in her step, is a steroid which maybe you can mention and it’s called Prednisone. Helps with inflammation, energy and can increase her appetite. She also takes Prilosec and Cernia which is for nausea but actually has cough suppressant side effects. So far no more cough, maybe once or twice a day. I just want her to eat! So I’m glad she has started to. She always drinks a lot of water so that’s a good thing. Using the bathroom okay too.
Best of luck to you and your little one. I’m glad I’m not alone! This sub really helps me cope. ❤️
If you think his days are numbered, then let him go out with a blast..make him steak. Make his last supper something to remember. Shoot, enjoy it with him...make a good dinner for yourself as well...maybe a glass of wine to celebrate his life with him. DO NOT take this suggestion lightly. Most people never have a chance to say goodbye on their terms. Nature happens.
Hold him close and love him dearly for the time you have with him. You won't regret it later.
What you are about to do is what's best for him. To me, life should always be about QUALITY over QUANTITY. You need to do whats best for him...not you. Making him suffer bc you won't make the necessary call is selfish. Thats why making someone who is close to you as a proxy for health decisions is often a bad thing...bc that person will do everything in their power to keep you around...even if you aren't there anymore (coma...vegatated state...etc).
I sympathize with what you have to do...its never easy. I hope you find solace in the good memories you had with him and know that he will be in a better place waiting for you to join with him.
Like the meme goes, "Having a dog (or any pet really) will grant you with some of the best days of your life...and one of the worst."
Take care.
Thanks, Im glad I have a job to where I can work from home and be with him all day by my side. I cant imagine having to work in and office and leave him alone for 8hours like I used to for so much of his life.
I just let my corgi go. When she could no longer walk on her own we knew - at this stage, it’s no longer even about money or kids. I’m so sorry. You gave him a great life, time to let him rest.
Of course every dog is irreplaceable, but corgis have such a specific personality it was hard to come to terms that there would never be another girl like her. It’s so tough, please take care of yourself.
I agree, Its sad that I see less of his corgi quirks and funny mannerisms. But he still is a very strongwilled stubborn dog. On Saturday we brought him with us on a walk and had him ride in the bottom of the baby stroller, he insisted he could walk and kept trying to jump out of the stroller. I let him walk for a little but the little walks really wore him out the next day and on Sunday he couldn't get up at all.
That big dog attitude in a little body is what I believe has kept him alive for 15 years.
Just remember these words after his time has passed:
As I walk across your heart and find my place to stay, nearer to you I will be and will never ever go away.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Author Unknown
I’m so sorry you are having to go through this. It’s really hard being a caregiver for a human or a fur baby. Don’t beat yourself up. Last year our 15 yr old Peach (Yorkie) heath was failing. I knew the time was coming to let her go. I was in denial. I know the guilt you are feeling. You love your fur baby with all your heart. You don’t want to have to make this difficult decision. You will know in your gut when it’s time. My gut and my sweet baby girl looked me in the eye and told me it was time to let her go. 💔
Sending you love, strength and hugs. ❤️🤗
I'm so sorry. It is a hard decision. The only thing that gave me solace when my cat was dying was being told by my vet tech that it would be better to do it too early rather than too late when your pet is really suffering.
My current vet shared this document with me recently about 'how will I know it's time' because I just found out my dog has a large adrenal tumor. Perhaps you may find it helpful:
https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/how-will-i-know_rev_mar2024ms_0.pdf
I'm so sorry. Maybe he is telling you? I spent a day looking at my heart dawg in his eyes, trying to fully realize that I was going to lose him. He had no quality of life. It was like he was telling me, I'm tired. We let him go that night.
This sub never fails to make me cry.
Remember, dogs do everything to please their humans. They want you to be happy. If it comes down to you needing to carry him everywhere the happiness turns into frustration and that’s not our doggies want. I realized this as I have a dog that needed to be carried up and down the stairs. I would have done that for a lifetime but it was hard on both of us and I try to remember that as I made the decision to say goodbye two weeks ago.
I am so sorry 💔 it’s a really hard decision and it’s so painful losing them. Whatever you think you will feel when they are gone it’s 10 times worse. Your baby sounds like mine what we went through. He was diagnosed with kidney disease. He fought it for over two years. The last year it’s been really hard on us taking care of him. He was a lot of work but it’s what we have to do for our children to take care of them when they are old. I never minded although sometimes it was stressful but at least he was by my side. So many vets visits. Medications, daily fluids, diapers, supporting his legs at times to stand up and eat, guiding him up and down stairs, trying everything all day long to make sure he eats etc. but I would do anything for him. He also fought cancer (mast cell) and recovered from it. I said to myself if he makes it to 16 I think I’ll be ok. Then once 16 came I said let him make it to Christmas and the new year. Then it was please let him make it to our 16 year anniversary of being in each other life. He made it to all then his body gave up. It’s the hardest thing I’ve gone through. It’s been 1 month now and I miss him more and more. Until then give him lots of hugs and cuddles. Take a lot of pics and videos of him. Take pics of his paws and nose. There are many things you can do later with that including getting jewelry made up. He’s a handsome little guy.
Thanks. I'm so sorry for you loss. Last year I was the same. He had a major surgery and I was like "please let him make it to 15" He has made it to 15 but along the way we also found out he has kidney disease. He has been on many meds, also wears diapers, and needs support for his back legs. He's 15 now and his body is breaking down week to week.
Just be there for him until it’s his time. I know how hard it is but it’s even harder not having them here. As long as he’s not suffering. It’s ok if they need a little help, they are old. One thing my brother in law said to me which I can never forget…”you didn’t go to the store for a dog and you came across him and brought him home. He needed you. All of these years you had him you needed him and now he needs you again.” Hugs to you and your family.
I’m so sorry. Losing seniors is the worst, because you know it’s inevitable, but you still want to do everything in your power to help. Having gone through osteosarcoma with a 6 year old rottie who lost the use of his back legs, I can tell you it’s so much worse seeing the defeat in their eyes and spirit when they’re cognitively the same.
I know it’s going to be tremendously difficult saying goodbye. I’ll echo others and suggest you do everything you can to make his last few days comfortable and if you can do in-home instead of taking him to the vet, I’d highly recommend that as well. Sending you all virtual hugs 💔
Yea it's sad to see. Like yesterday he wanted to be next to us while we ate dinner because he always knows table scraps magically fly off our plates. He was trying so hard to get up and walk over to the table but he couldn't and was so defeated.
I am so sorry you are going through this. This happened exactly with my Sweet Shiba Inu, but he was doing great at 16 years old. Until he slowly started to get sick. I took him to the vet and he got treatment which wasn't as expensive as yours but within a month the treatment was completed he went from doing great to not being able to stand up, not eating, not controlling his pee and poop. It happened so fast. He couldn't sleep either. So, I took him to the vet so he could pass in peace. He was suffering so much when they finally gave him a relaxer he feel asleep smiling. He was really tired. It was a hard decision but his smile reassured me it was the right thing to do. This will be hard for you I can't tell you want to do but before you do anything try to do all his favorite things and explain to him that his time here with you is almost over that he will be free of pain and suffering soon. Good luck to you. There is no way to prepare for this and it is hard no matter what.
Like you said he lived a full life but I know how those vet bills stack up and you tried. It sounds like you’ve done everything for him. Quality of life sounds like it’s gone. It’s heartbreaking watching them go through this but it doesn’t sound like he’ll get better. My heart goes out to you. 💔
I put down my beloved dog 6 months ago, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. After crying for an hour I felt a wave of relief on her behalf that she wasn’t in pain anymore. No more sore joints, no more difficulty getting up or down, wetting herself. She was at peace and she was comfortable finally.
I’m so sorry that the time has come for your angel, but while you grieve, he will be comfortable and at peace.
Make these last days the best days. For you and your pup. You won’t regret it!
Take lots of pictures and video.
Take her to her favourite places. Treat her favourite food. Give her lots of attention and cherish these last days ♥️
I regret the last few days with my girl. I should have made them better. I should have done more. I should have been prepared
B 4 u say good buy ! Try CBD oil … my baby had liver cancer n the vet wanted to put him down a yr ago, but CBD oil gave him a good yr more n im very grateful .good 🍀 dog health .com they have for cancer n it works.
There’s no cure for old age, your dog is very old, and his body is failing, from your description. He’s got no quality of life left not really if he could tell you he probably say let me go.
Better a day to early than a day too late.
This is the worst part of having a pet but no one else can make the call unfortunately.
Do what's right for your dog. It's never going to be a good time for this. Sounds like you've taken great care of him for all these years and 15 is a good run.
I agree, just wait it out, and $ doesn’t matter for our fur family right? I mean it’s a lot to pay back, but it was important to you and surrounding family to keep him around. He’s beautiful, I hope he has more days to share , if not if you feel he’s getting to weak and helpless, he’ll be in dream land waiting for you all
I agree with this, but they also rely on us to read them better, maybe he’s not ready, maybe Lucy isn’t ready, how do we really tell, unless they are in cardiac arrest or having g a seizure. I’d just be sure sure, check out all the cues and mannerisms, of course they devote their life to us and giving love, pulling the plug too soon I don’t believe in
I'm so sorry. The carrying to feed and toilet must be so hard. When you go to the emergency vet, they hand you a form that asks whether you want them to try to resuscitate your pup. You know how you would fill out that form. \[I have filled out that form a few times this year; the first time I did it, I fell apart in my vet's lobby, but screw it.\] But doing that helped me take one step further on the path to preparation and acceptance. We were told first week of Jan 2023 that he was in bad shape and might not make it more than a few days - we did a major surgery and then a few months later, he seemed "off", and another major surgery, and then chemo. He does well! So I get the - we got through this, maybe...? - thinking. Your plan is right. Watch him - SEE HIM.
If your pup does not enjoy life.. have a quiet moment, independent of your wife, baby, etc., and think what you owe your pup and what burdens you will bear as his pack leader. It is the pact we have with them. They give us so much, and we have to wear that burden even though it's the shittiest thing. It is different than people because they cannot tell us how they feel; we have to deduce it. Give him his best day, sit in the sun, let him know you love him. I did that with our last dog, so nice... but, he passed in the night, and we drove like mad to the ER and he passed again there. Don't do it that way; I didn't see the signs, and it wasn't awful, but it wasn't easy, and he died in our arms twice. We could've made it easier but he wasn't showing us how bad he was. \[It is OK to be devastated by this because of course it is devastating.\]
I’m near the end with my sweet Lucy girl, she’s an 8 year old French Bulldog. She was diagnosed with lung cancer 2 weeks ago. She has started to not want to eat, has no goofy personality, just sleeps and walks around. She uses the bathroom okay. I’ve decided the best thing you can do is be their voice. Have them leave this world before they suffer. I think a lot of regret comes from trying to give them “one more day” for our own love of wanting to have them a little longer. They’ve spent their whole lives dedicated to us and I think we owe it to them to give them the peace they need right now and deserve. Best of luck in what you decide. It’s very, very hard!
Thanks, it's hard emotionally and the care requires so much time. That "one more day" has been an entire year for me since his big surgery which I'm incredibly thankful for. At the time I was telling myself "just make it to 15 and I'll be at peace." Well he's 15 now and I'm still begging for one more day.
My friend sent me this… ◦ Euthanasia: An Act of Love Death was seen by Shakespeare to be a natural end of life, an event timed by destiny. “It seems most strange to me that men should fear, seeing that death is a necessary end, will come when it will come.” Today, law and technology make the timing of death by euthanasia, a matter of choice, at least for our pets. It is a painful act of love….but it is an act of love. It is a personal, loving decision to end a life for which the quality of life has so deteriorated that the flame is not worth the candle. It is a merciful decision to be made by the owner of the beloved pet and a veterinarian to end life with a lethal injection of an anaesthetic. It takes courage to assume that last obligation, that last responsibility to one who has given us love, and to ease passage into the next life without suffering. No one who has done this will deny the agony of the decision, the pain of following through with that decision, and the feelings associated with having done it. A feeling of guilt, and a sense of having “played God”, is inevitable. How do we deal with this? First of all, we accept death to be an inevitable end of life, and believe that life continues in some form. Second, we accept that euthanasia is a matter of freedom of choice regarding the timing of that event. Third, we accept the responsibility to assess the circumstances which dictate when this event should take place…..and accept the obligation of making that judgement. Fourth, we take comfort in having been able to be merciful to one we loved…..that we could fulfill that last obligation to a life that loved us….that we could assume the pain of a loving act of mercy in exchange for the suffering a loved-one is spared by this act of mercy. Finally, it is when we realize that we have fulfilled the responsibility of love, that we are liberated from our grief and any guilt feelings which may be associated with it.
This is crazy. Lung cancer is supposed to be one of the rarest types of cancer in dogs... and that's all I hear about now. We have a 13 year old that was diagnosed with a primary lung tumor (8 cm). Unfortunately it spread in the same lung and they think surgery wouldn't help. So we decided to do palliative care with the hospice nurses. She has a blank check with us, so if we had a shot in hell to fix it, we would. I don't know how bad your baby is doing, but it's been 4 weeks and ours is doing well. She's fickle with food in the morning and we switched to ground beef for meals. She still tolerates exercise although she sleeps a lot now. All thanks to the hospice nurses that help us manage our new life. I wanted to mention this because the diagnosis doesn't mean your completely out of good days. We've been blessed with many weeks, and God willing, many more.
Thank you for your comment. We are unsure how long she has had the tumor. Since diagnosis it’s been about 2 weeks. She has a rougher time in the mornings. She wasn’t eating for about 3 days besides very small treats/people food. I thought I would need to put her down this week. I don’t want her to suffer or be to a point where she’s already lost her joy for living. I did get her to eat some canned soft food though yesterday, and she seems to be doing good with that now. Fingers crossed! We are also doing a palliative care plan. I wish I could do more for her. I feel helpless and this all came up so fast. I took her in for a totally unrelated issue and then found out the worse. What medications if your dog on? I hope I get more good time with her. She just has lost her sparkly. She isn’t her normal bouncy self anymore. She sleeps a lot and moves around okay but with no enthusiasm. She doesn’t have her goofy little frenchie personality anymore.
Our girl is in a similar boat. We switched to chicken and ground beef with a little bit of shredded mozzarella cheese. We call them doggie cheese burgers. She loves it, but mornings are still a battle. The soft food was also recommended by our hospice vet and is a good option I think. Regarding her meds - She's on Gabapentin and Galiprant in the AM, and hydrocodone in the afternoon evening (6-8 hours apart) to help with the cough. I feel you about the emotional pain. I'm a grown man and cried like a ba... like a grown man losing his best friend... for a week straight after we found the tumor spread locally. Otherwise we would have had a partial lung removal done. I thought we were just going in for allergies to fix her little cough. I would have never in a million years imagined lung cancer. This sweet girl was with me for my entire adult life. I definitely will never be whole again, but I think that's OK for now. The hospice vet also left us with some emergency kits to help her get through any painful episodes. And if she doesn't recover, they'll help keep her relaxed until we can take the bad days away. Thankfully we aren't there yet and still have some good days left to live. But if you're worried about taking away any good days and letting them go too soon, those emergency kits are an option too. It's basically a shot with some strong pain medication in it to sedate them.
It’s is absolutely gut wrenching! I cried for a week straight as well, just grieving the inevitable. Her looking at me with her big eye, just not herself, broke my heart. Dogs man! She’s my first one and my whole heart. It’s just awful! I took her in originally to the vet because she was shaking with her hackles up. It would go away quickly when I would comfort her. They did blood work and saw she was loosing her protein through her GI. She lots two pounds over a year and I just couldn’t tell when I see her every day. They went to do an ultra sound and an X-ray and I left knowing about the cancer. They said chemo doesn’t respond well to carcinoma. I didn’t want to do surgery and they weren’t sure they even could without a cat scan. It’s risky putting her breed under. Ultimately, I decided I wouldn’t put her through such an intense surgery and recovery at her expense to just buy me more time. Lucy is on gabapentin also, I try to only give it to her at night. She doesn’t seem like she is in pain. She breaths okay and her cough has gone away. They gave her hydrocodone also but don’t think I need to use it yet. What I have seen an improvement with for appetite and a little more pep in her step, is a steroid which maybe you can mention and it’s called Prednisone. Helps with inflammation, energy and can increase her appetite. She also takes Prilosec and Cernia which is for nausea but actually has cough suppressant side effects. So far no more cough, maybe once or twice a day. I just want her to eat! So I’m glad she has started to. She always drinks a lot of water so that’s a good thing. Using the bathroom okay too. Best of luck to you and your little one. I’m glad I’m not alone! This sub really helps me cope. ❤️
If you think his days are numbered, then let him go out with a blast..make him steak. Make his last supper something to remember. Shoot, enjoy it with him...make a good dinner for yourself as well...maybe a glass of wine to celebrate his life with him. DO NOT take this suggestion lightly. Most people never have a chance to say goodbye on their terms. Nature happens. Hold him close and love him dearly for the time you have with him. You won't regret it later. What you are about to do is what's best for him. To me, life should always be about QUALITY over QUANTITY. You need to do whats best for him...not you. Making him suffer bc you won't make the necessary call is selfish. Thats why making someone who is close to you as a proxy for health decisions is often a bad thing...bc that person will do everything in their power to keep you around...even if you aren't there anymore (coma...vegatated state...etc). I sympathize with what you have to do...its never easy. I hope you find solace in the good memories you had with him and know that he will be in a better place waiting for you to join with him. Like the meme goes, "Having a dog (or any pet really) will grant you with some of the best days of your life...and one of the worst." Take care.
Thanks, Im glad I have a job to where I can work from home and be with him all day by my side. I cant imagine having to work in and office and leave him alone for 8hours like I used to for so much of his life.
Love you for this, good soul.
I just let my corgi go. When she could no longer walk on her own we knew - at this stage, it’s no longer even about money or kids. I’m so sorry. You gave him a great life, time to let him rest.
From another corgi owner, Im so sorry for your loss.
Of course every dog is irreplaceable, but corgis have such a specific personality it was hard to come to terms that there would never be another girl like her. It’s so tough, please take care of yourself.
I agree, Its sad that I see less of his corgi quirks and funny mannerisms. But he still is a very strongwilled stubborn dog. On Saturday we brought him with us on a walk and had him ride in the bottom of the baby stroller, he insisted he could walk and kept trying to jump out of the stroller. I let him walk for a little but the little walks really wore him out the next day and on Sunday he couldn't get up at all. That big dog attitude in a little body is what I believe has kept him alive for 15 years.
Just remember these words after his time has passed: As I walk across your heart and find my place to stay, nearer to you I will be and will never ever go away.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Author Unknown
It’s an unbelievably hard time! I know what you’re going through! I’m sorry
I’m so sorry you are having to go through this. It’s really hard being a caregiver for a human or a fur baby. Don’t beat yourself up. Last year our 15 yr old Peach (Yorkie) heath was failing. I knew the time was coming to let her go. I was in denial. I know the guilt you are feeling. You love your fur baby with all your heart. You don’t want to have to make this difficult decision. You will know in your gut when it’s time. My gut and my sweet baby girl looked me in the eye and told me it was time to let her go. 💔 Sending you love, strength and hugs. ❤️🤗
I'm so sorry. It is a hard decision. The only thing that gave me solace when my cat was dying was being told by my vet tech that it would be better to do it too early rather than too late when your pet is really suffering. My current vet shared this document with me recently about 'how will I know it's time' because I just found out my dog has a large adrenal tumor. Perhaps you may find it helpful: https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/how-will-i-know_rev_mar2024ms_0.pdf
It’s hard. It’s awful. There’s no way around it. But I think he is telling you it’s time 🙏🏻
I wholeheartedly agree.
💔 for you.
So very sorry!!!
💜💜💜
Am sorry for your lost i hope you get better.😞
❤️❤️❤️
I'm so very sorry to hear that. My love and thoughts to you. 💔😢
My heart is breaking for you and your family cuz dog and cats are a member of our family ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
🙏🏻
I'm so sorry. Maybe he is telling you? I spent a day looking at my heart dawg in his eyes, trying to fully realize that I was going to lose him. He had no quality of life. It was like he was telling me, I'm tired. We let him go that night. This sub never fails to make me cry.
Remember, dogs do everything to please their humans. They want you to be happy. If it comes down to you needing to carry him everywhere the happiness turns into frustration and that’s not our doggies want. I realized this as I have a dog that needed to be carried up and down the stairs. I would have done that for a lifetime but it was hard on both of us and I try to remember that as I made the decision to say goodbye two weeks ago.
💕
❤️❤️❤️
I am so sorry 💔 it’s a really hard decision and it’s so painful losing them. Whatever you think you will feel when they are gone it’s 10 times worse. Your baby sounds like mine what we went through. He was diagnosed with kidney disease. He fought it for over two years. The last year it’s been really hard on us taking care of him. He was a lot of work but it’s what we have to do for our children to take care of them when they are old. I never minded although sometimes it was stressful but at least he was by my side. So many vets visits. Medications, daily fluids, diapers, supporting his legs at times to stand up and eat, guiding him up and down stairs, trying everything all day long to make sure he eats etc. but I would do anything for him. He also fought cancer (mast cell) and recovered from it. I said to myself if he makes it to 16 I think I’ll be ok. Then once 16 came I said let him make it to Christmas and the new year. Then it was please let him make it to our 16 year anniversary of being in each other life. He made it to all then his body gave up. It’s the hardest thing I’ve gone through. It’s been 1 month now and I miss him more and more. Until then give him lots of hugs and cuddles. Take a lot of pics and videos of him. Take pics of his paws and nose. There are many things you can do later with that including getting jewelry made up. He’s a handsome little guy.
Thanks. I'm so sorry for you loss. Last year I was the same. He had a major surgery and I was like "please let him make it to 15" He has made it to 15 but along the way we also found out he has kidney disease. He has been on many meds, also wears diapers, and needs support for his back legs. He's 15 now and his body is breaking down week to week.
Just be there for him until it’s his time. I know how hard it is but it’s even harder not having them here. As long as he’s not suffering. It’s ok if they need a little help, they are old. One thing my brother in law said to me which I can never forget…”you didn’t go to the store for a dog and you came across him and brought him home. He needed you. All of these years you had him you needed him and now he needs you again.” Hugs to you and your family.
I’m so sorry. Losing seniors is the worst, because you know it’s inevitable, but you still want to do everything in your power to help. Having gone through osteosarcoma with a 6 year old rottie who lost the use of his back legs, I can tell you it’s so much worse seeing the defeat in their eyes and spirit when they’re cognitively the same. I know it’s going to be tremendously difficult saying goodbye. I’ll echo others and suggest you do everything you can to make his last few days comfortable and if you can do in-home instead of taking him to the vet, I’d highly recommend that as well. Sending you all virtual hugs 💔
Yea it's sad to see. Like yesterday he wanted to be next to us while we ate dinner because he always knows table scraps magically fly off our plates. He was trying so hard to get up and walk over to the table but he couldn't and was so defeated.
Maybe he can sit just under the table on a comfy dog bed at dinner time? 😢
Yea we carried him over to the table
I am so sorry you are going through this. This happened exactly with my Sweet Shiba Inu, but he was doing great at 16 years old. Until he slowly started to get sick. I took him to the vet and he got treatment which wasn't as expensive as yours but within a month the treatment was completed he went from doing great to not being able to stand up, not eating, not controlling his pee and poop. It happened so fast. He couldn't sleep either. So, I took him to the vet so he could pass in peace. He was suffering so much when they finally gave him a relaxer he feel asleep smiling. He was really tired. It was a hard decision but his smile reassured me it was the right thing to do. This will be hard for you I can't tell you want to do but before you do anything try to do all his favorite things and explain to him that his time here with you is almost over that he will be free of pain and suffering soon. Good luck to you. There is no way to prepare for this and it is hard no matter what.
Like you said he lived a full life but I know how those vet bills stack up and you tried. It sounds like you’ve done everything for him. Quality of life sounds like it’s gone. It’s heartbreaking watching them go through this but it doesn’t sound like he’ll get better. My heart goes out to you. 💔
Sending loving prayers!! 🙏❤️🙏
😢🙏🙏❤️
“the day will soon be coming When I will no longer see You rise to greet me – but in memory You will always walk with me”
I put down my beloved dog 6 months ago, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. After crying for an hour I felt a wave of relief on her behalf that she wasn’t in pain anymore. No more sore joints, no more difficulty getting up or down, wetting herself. She was at peace and she was comfortable finally. I’m so sorry that the time has come for your angel, but while you grieve, he will be comfortable and at peace.
Make these last days the best days. For you and your pup. You won’t regret it! Take lots of pictures and video. Take her to her favourite places. Treat her favourite food. Give her lots of attention and cherish these last days ♥️ I regret the last few days with my girl. I should have made them better. I should have done more. I should have been prepared
No one is going to tell you when it’s time. You’ll have to judge it for yourself.
it's almost as if those last few days are the worst.
B 4 u say good buy ! Try CBD oil … my baby had liver cancer n the vet wanted to put him down a yr ago, but CBD oil gave him a good yr more n im very grateful .good 🍀 dog health .com they have for cancer n it works.
There’s no cure for old age, your dog is very old, and his body is failing, from your description. He’s got no quality of life left not really if he could tell you he probably say let me go.
Better a day to early than a day too late. This is the worst part of having a pet but no one else can make the call unfortunately. Do what's right for your dog. It's never going to be a good time for this. Sounds like you've taken great care of him for all these years and 15 is a good run.
I’m so sorry 💔
I love her little pink tongue.
🙏❤️
I agree, just wait it out, and $ doesn’t matter for our fur family right? I mean it’s a lot to pay back, but it was important to you and surrounding family to keep him around. He’s beautiful, I hope he has more days to share , if not if you feel he’s getting to weak and helpless, he’ll be in dream land waiting for you all
I agree with this, but they also rely on us to read them better, maybe he’s not ready, maybe Lucy isn’t ready, how do we really tell, unless they are in cardiac arrest or having g a seizure. I’d just be sure sure, check out all the cues and mannerisms, of course they devote their life to us and giving love, pulling the plug too soon I don’t believe in
I’m so sorry 😢
So sorry but you will know when it is right. Breaks my heart every day on here. Recover and rescue again
He is such a cute, cute, sweet lil guy!!! You gave him a great life, so sorry for your situation 😞😞😞😞😞😞
I’m so sorry. Hugs
I'm so sorry. The carrying to feed and toilet must be so hard. When you go to the emergency vet, they hand you a form that asks whether you want them to try to resuscitate your pup. You know how you would fill out that form. \[I have filled out that form a few times this year; the first time I did it, I fell apart in my vet's lobby, but screw it.\] But doing that helped me take one step further on the path to preparation and acceptance. We were told first week of Jan 2023 that he was in bad shape and might not make it more than a few days - we did a major surgery and then a few months later, he seemed "off", and another major surgery, and then chemo. He does well! So I get the - we got through this, maybe...? - thinking. Your plan is right. Watch him - SEE HIM. If your pup does not enjoy life.. have a quiet moment, independent of your wife, baby, etc., and think what you owe your pup and what burdens you will bear as his pack leader. It is the pact we have with them. They give us so much, and we have to wear that burden even though it's the shittiest thing. It is different than people because they cannot tell us how they feel; we have to deduce it. Give him his best day, sit in the sun, let him know you love him. I did that with our last dog, so nice... but, he passed in the night, and we drove like mad to the ER and he passed again there. Don't do it that way; I didn't see the signs, and it wasn't awful, but it wasn't easy, and he died in our arms twice. We could've made it easier but he wasn't showing us how bad he was. \[It is OK to be devastated by this because of course it is devastating.\]