To put my pooch "down" or not. :(

[alaskanseminole]

My Shih Tzu is 12 years & 8 months old and has Cushing's Disease since he was 7. He's on meds for that plus two for a subsequent bad heart. He's been overweight since being diagnosed (23lbs vs 15 for his breed). He's also on an eye drop regimen.

For the last 3 months his quality of life seems to have diminished; he doesn't appear to be in pain, but all he does is sleep. He doesn't even greet me (or guests) at the door and he now wakes up every morning between 5-5:30 am (instead of sleeping in). Since last Friday he's had bloody diarrhea and doesn't want to eat or take his meds (he LOVES to eat and his pills are a treat).

We took him to the vet and he said he's only going to get worse; kidney failure, diabetes, etc. due to the Cushing's. We have him scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday at 2pm, but it's certainly not an easy decision. I don't want to wait until it's 3am and he's in pain and we're rushing around trying to find an ER vet (been there with a previous pet). Am I doing the right thing by sending him off now before it gets worse? He struggles to walk, sometimes breathe and now doesn't even like to eat.

 

[hydro2.0]

First: I’m sorry dogs are great companions and it sucks to lose something you love.

Second: it’s the right decision

 

[lonestar50]

I know how hard this decision is but I think you're doing the right thing. There is no perfect time for this. Our vet told us most people say they wish they would've done it sooner, rather than seeing them in pain. After it was done I wrestled with feelings of guilt for a long time before finally realizing it was the right thing to do. As hard as it is, this is the final act of love you can do for your dog.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

I'm sorry OP. 😞

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

It sucks, sorry.

We had a 15 year old dog that we thought was doing ok despite all his maladies, yet when we look at old video clips and see him it’s clear he was ready. Don’t think he was in pain but he looks old and feeble. We feel bad about that.

Hang in there.

 

[OrlandNole]

Pick three of his favorite things. We he can no longer do two of the the three, it's time. For our dog, it was going on walks, laying on the back deck and OP's mom.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Sucks. Right decision for the dog.

Sorry to hear. It’s no fun.

I would give him a day and film it before you do.

Favorite treats, favorite park, favorite toys, picnic, whatever. A few final good memories on video will help.

Sorry man.

 

[TigerHawk33]

I know how hard this decision is but I think you're doing the right thing. There is no perfect time for this. Our vet told us most people say they wish they would've done it sooner, rather than seeing them in pain. After it was done I wrestled with feelings of guilt for a long time before finally realizing it was the right thing to do. As hard as it is, this is the final act of love you can do for your dog.

Dang, these are some of the hardest decisions we have to make as humans. Putting down a pet is gut wrenching, but I think you are doing the right thing. I will offer up that one thing that helped us immensely was having our pet cremated and sent back to us. Just getting their ashes back and putting them on a mantle with their picture really helps with grieving. We will spread the ashes in a flower bed and by a few trees we planted.

 

[QChawks]

it's time brother

 

[HawkMachine]

It's tough.

I had to put my cat down last month. He was with me for roughly 19 years.

He was the best.

 

[Urohawk]

If you're asking, you already know the answer. I'm sorry.

 

[HawkMachine]

Don’t think he was in pain but he looks old and feeble. We feel bad about that.

This was my cat.

Very old, skinny, stiff, back legs weren't very strong. Didn't seem to be in pain though.

He'd still be here but was pissing all over the place. Several nights I'd wake up in cat piss.

He just couldn't control his bladder or just didn't' even know he was doing it.

Wife said no more.

 

[Tenacious E]

Sucks. Right decision for the dog.

Sorry to hear. It’s no fun.

I would give him a day and film it before you do.

Favorite treats, favorite park, favorite toys, picnic, whatever. A few final good memories on video will help.

Sorry man.

Fookin' a this thread is causing my allergies to flare up...

 

[lonestar50]

This was my cat.

Very old, skinny, stiff, back legs weren't very strong. Didn't seem to be in pain though.

He'd still be here but was pissing all over the place. Several nights I'd wake up in cat piss.

He just couldn't control his bladder or just didn't' even know he was doing it.

Wife said no more.

I had a similar situation. Dog was having accidents every night. Deep down I knew it was time but there was still a part of me thinking am I just doing this because she has become an inconvenience? I needed our vet to tell me it was time

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Sucks. Right decision for the dog.

Sorry to hear. It’s no fun.

I would give him a day and film it before you do.

Favorite treats, favorite park, favorite toys, picnic, whatever. A few final good memories on video will help.

Sorry man.

This is solid advice.

 

[Tenacious E]

My Shih Tzu is 12 years & 8 months old and has Cushing's Disease since he was 7. He's on meds for that plus two for a subsequent bad heart. He's been overweight since being diagnosed (23lbs vs 15 for his breed). He's also on an eye drop regimen.

For the last 3 months his quality of life seems to have diminished; he doesn't appear to be in pain, but all he does is sleep. He doesn't even greet me (or guests) at the door and he now wakes up every morning between 5-5:30 am (instead of sleeping in). Since last Friday he's had bloody diarrhea and doesn't want to eat or take his meds (he LOVES to eat and his pills are a treat).

We took him to the vet and he said he's only going to get worse; kidney failure, diabetes, etc. due to the Cushing's. We have him scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday at 2pm, but it's certainly not an easy decision. I don't want to wait until it's 3am and he's in pain and we're rushing around trying to find an ER vet (been there with a previous pet). Am I doing the right thing by sending him off now before it gets worse? He struggles to walk, sometimes breathe and now doesn't even like to eat.

This gives me a sad. My elder doggie is 11. She's very healthy and seems like she will live forever. Don't like to think about what you are facing, but of course it will come.

 

[BelemNole]

We waited until ours was deaf, half blind and couldn't control her bladder anymore. Then she started having seizers and bleeding from her nose. One night she wobbled over to me and just stared at me. We took her in the next day.
We waited too long, but it was my wife's first and she was heart broken.

 

[Colonoscopy]

I think we project our feelings on to animals. It's hard to know how they process stuff like this.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Dang, these are some of the hardest decisions we have to make as humans. Putting down a pet is gut wrenching, but I think you are doing the right thing. I will offer up that one thing that helped us immensely was having our pet cremated and sent back to us. Just getting their ashes back and putting them on a mantle with their picture really helps with grieving. We will spread the ashes in a flower bed and by a few trees we planted.

Yes, we're going to put his ashes here with me in my office. While he was the family pet, he was really my boy and best pal. He'd jump over everyone else just to get to me first. LOL

Another thing that will help is we have our 11month old, mama's boy, Joey James:

 

[alaskanseminole]

We waited until ours was deaf, half blind and couldn't control her bladder anymore. Then she started having seizers and bleeding from her nose. One night she wobbled over to me and just stared at me. We took her in the next day.
We waited too long, but it was my wife's first and she was heart broken.

That's what I don't want to do. In 2010 we did that with my wife's dog of 14 years. She was declining each week and she'd schedule, then cancel, schedule, cancel....until her eye ruptured on the weekend and we had to take her to some stranger on the other side of town. It was a terrible experience.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I think we project our feelings on to animals. It's hard to know how they process stuff like this.

We probably do to some extent, but man they sure do love us unconditionally!

 

[alaskanseminole]

...oh and the other hard part will be telling our son Friday morning. It's going to devastate him. We're waiting because we don't want him to dwell on it.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Fookin' a this thread is causing my allergies to flare up...

I went up stairs to tell my wife about all ya'lls kind remarks and comments and I started crying just telling her.

 

[Tom Paris]

My Shih Tzu is 12 years & 8 months old and has Cushing's Disease since he was 7. He's on meds for that plus two for a subsequent bad heart. He's been overweight since being diagnosed (23lbs vs 15 for his breed). He's also on an eye drop regimen.

For the last 3 months his quality of life seems to have diminished; he doesn't appear to be in pain, but all he does is sleep. He doesn't even greet me (or guests) at the door and he now wakes up every morning between 5-5:30 am (instead of sleeping in). Since last Friday he's had bloody diarrhea and doesn't want to eat or take his meds (he LOVES to eat and his pills are a treat).

We took him to the vet and he said he's only going to get worse; kidney failure, diabetes, etc. due to the Cushing's. We have him scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday at 2pm, but it's certainly not an easy decision. I don't want to wait until it's 3am and he's in pain and we're rushing around trying to find an ER vet (been there with a previous pet). Am I doing the right thing by sending him off now before it gets worse? He struggles to walk, sometimes breathe and now doesn't even like to eat.

You’re doing the right thing.

 

[HawkMachine]

I will offer up that one thing that helped us immensely was having our pet cremated

I probably need to do this.

My cat is currently in the deep freeze as I wait to figure out what to do with him.

I don't want to bury him in the back yard because I can see us moving in the next decade or so. Don't want to leave him.

 

[darylhawk]

I'm not a crier and everytime I open these threads I say I won't, and then well up every damn time. Just know how great a life you gave him and how great your time with him was for your whole family. And definitely do the ashes/pictures thing as it will help keep him and the good times in your heart/soul.

RIP to my Leroy Brown.

 

[THE_DEVIL]

Sorry OP.

 

[Aardvark86]

My Shih Tzu is 12 years & 8 months old and has Cushing's Disease since he was 7. He's on meds for that plus two for a subsequent bad heart. He's been overweight since being diagnosed (23lbs vs 15 for his breed). He's also on an eye drop regimen.

For the last 3 months his quality of life seems to have diminished; he doesn't appear to be in pain, but all he does is sleep. He doesn't even greet me (or guests) at the door and he now wakes up every morning between 5-5:30 am (instead of sleeping in). Since last Friday he's had bloody diarrhea and doesn't want to eat or take his meds (he LOVES to eat and his pills are a treat).

We took him to the vet and he said he's only going to get worse; kidney failure, diabetes, etc. due to the Cushing's. We have him scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday at 2pm, but it's certainly not an easy decision. I don't want to wait until it's 3am and he's in pain and we're rushing around trying to find an ER vet (been there with a previous pet). Am I doing the right thing by sending him off now before it gets worse? He struggles to walk, sometimes breathe and now doesn't even like to eat.

Yep. Never fun, but when they stop eating it's time, plain and simple.

I've had to do it twice. The 'good news' if you can call it that is that you know what the end looks like when it's time. He looks just like a couple of neighborhood pals that my Golden Retriever loves.

Dogs really only give you one bad day: their last.

 

[Nole-4-Life]

Ours had Cushing's for like 5 years in addition to diabetes and a prolapsed esophagus. The medicine regimen was brutal. We put her down at 14. We spend like $800 in the last week on blood testing and she still went less than a week later. Should have just put her down then.

The problem with dogs is they don't live long enough.

 

[hawkmart]

Damn this was tough to read, seeing that pic, and my 2 yr old dog sleeping soundly under my chair, eyes got awfully leaky. Very sorry to hear.

 

[Scott559]

Went through this with both my dogs in the last 2 years, It’s damn hard but you know their quality of life and sure the heck don’t want them to suffer, They can’t tell you how much they hurt.
I miss my dogs everyday but I know what I did was the right decision, It still doesn’t make it any easier, I truly feel for you OP, Wishing you and your family the best.

 

[Fan In Black]

sorry man. It's a hard choice but do what's best for the pup. It sucks.

 

[cjnoles9399]

Sounds like it’s time. Like others we’ve waited too long with 2 dogs and a cat.

For the dogs it’s time when the incontinence and mobility reach the crossing point. No dog ever wants to end up in their own pee.

The last one we had to put down was a St Bernard after some sort of mild heart attack and hospitalization at 13 years old. I sometimes still have guilt that we let him live a few days too long. Just to try and give him those few last days with us, get lots of loving and treats. But it never really happened.

We got another Saint and agree that as soon as the mobility to go outside goes, then it’s time.

 

[DFSNOLE]

It's time. Make sure, even as hard as it might be, that you're in there with him. He showed you unconditional love. Make sure the last thing he sees is your love of him.

 

[Tenacious E]

It's time. Make sure, even as hard as it might be, that you're in there with him. He showed you unconditional love. Make sure the last thing he sees is your love of him.

 

[millah_22]

My Shih Tzu is 12 years & 8 months old and has Cushing's Disease since he was 7. He's on meds for that plus two for a subsequent bad heart. He's been overweight since being diagnosed (23lbs vs 15 for his breed). He's also on an eye drop regimen.

For the last 3 months his quality of life seems to have diminished; he doesn't appear to be in pain, but all he does is sleep. He doesn't even greet me (or guests) at the door and he now wakes up every morning between 5-5:30 am (instead of sleeping in). Since last Friday he's had bloody diarrhea and doesn't want to eat or take his meds (he LOVES to eat and his pills are a treat).

We took him to the vet and he said he's only going to get worse; kidney failure, diabetes, etc. due to the Cushing's. We have him scheduled to be laid to rest on Friday at 2pm, but it's certainly not an easy decision. I don't want to wait until it's 3am and he's in pain and we're rushing around trying to find an ER vet (been there with a previous pet). Am I doing the right thing by sending him off now before it gets worse? He struggles to walk, sometimes breathe and now doesn't even like to eat.

It's hard but you're doing the right thing.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I have a couple of times. Like a baby.

 

[alaskanseminole]

It's time. Make sure, even as hard as it might be, that you're in there with him. He showed you unconditional love. Make sure the last thing he sees is your love of him.

Ya, I'll be in there. My wife is going to have to console me for sure.

 

[lonestar50]

It's time. Make sure, even as hard as it might be, that you're in there with him. He showed you unconditional love. Make sure the last thing he sees is your love of him.

This. I was surprised to hear that people do just drop their pets at the vet and leave them because it would hurt too much to be in the room with them. That never even occurred to me. I had to make sure the last thing she ever saw was my face

 

[millah_22]

This. I was surprised to hear that people do just drop their pets at the vet and leave them because it would hurt too much to be in the room with them. That never even occurred to me. I had to make sure the last thing she ever saw was my face

Everybody deals with grief and trauma in different ways.