How Do You Know When It Is Time To Put Your Dog To Sleep?
I have a 17 year old Cocker mix. She was the first dog I owned as an adult. For the last 7 years or so she has had severe ear infections, which have caused her to be deaf. They have been so bad the vet actually recommended that we sew her ears shut. I decided against that. She is also totally blind in her right eye, and has partial sight in her left. Due to her bad eye sight & arthristis she has fallen down our stairs (12 steps) several times. Luckily, she has never hurt herself. I have to get up with her EVERY MORNING at 4am to let her out, otherwise she poops and pees all over my bedroom. After I let her out I then gate her in my kitchen until I get up at 7ish. EVERY morning when I come down to the kitchen there is poop all over the floor & usually has stepped in it. When I leave home I put her in a dog carrier. Several times a week when I return home she has pee’d/pooped in her carrier and I have to bathe her and the carrier. How do you know when it’s time to put your dog to sleep?
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This is one of the toughest questions and I usually say that when you have to ask, it’s pretty close.
I have been in your shoes with a very large dog, who was more than a pet, was my best friend. The time came when I realized that his quality of life was no longer existent. He ate, only out of instinct…the rest of his time he slept, wet the floor and eliminated where ever he lay.
I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but I can’t. You’ll just know…
I wish you the best of luck.
I have been there with a 15 year old Westie with cataracts, diabetes, and incontinence. It becomes a quality of life issue for them and you..
She is a senior and has many problems. I would only put her to sleep if she is suffering or becomes lethargic. Keep her in a safe area away from stairs. As far as the soiling goes, it comes with nature. Even people have loss of bowel and bladder movements as they age.
I’m so sorry to hear that………
But, everything comes to it’s day. (of death *sob*)
I really think you should put her to sleep. She sounds like she’s suffering severely, and it would be right to let her go.
I know it’s hard for you, but it’s what you have to do……
But- just follow your heart, and and nature will do the rest……
Hope this helps…..
Good luck……….
*sob* *sob*
I think you brought up a good point when you mentioned quality of life along with asking this very question. You have lived with your dog for 17 yrs the last seven years of which her health has deteriorated significantly. I would compare it to a human in a nursing home that can still move but can’t hear, cant hardly see at all out of one eye, can’t control bowels or bladder well and sits in diapers for hrs during the day. Those are only a few things similar to what is happening with your dog. I can say that for myself, if that was my quality of life, I’d be hoping to move on as quickly as possible.
Your dog has had many good years with you, but when you start to ask the question out loud, about when is it time to euthanize, then usually it means the pain is outweighing the quality of life.
I wish you the best and know this is a very painful time for you and for your dog.
I just had to decide this myself earlier this month and it is a hard decision. When your dog is not able to lead an acceptable life, it’s time to let them go. It doesn’t seem that your dog is able to really enjoy her life. The poor thing is deaf and incontinent. I know it is a hard decision, but if you consider her well-being, no matter how hard it is to decide to let your best friend go, I know that you will make the right decision.
i had a dog that was like a sister to me and she was very sick. i was about 4-5 years old at the time but i still remember her like it was yesterday. My parents had had her since she was born and decided that it would be best to put her down.
I now understand why they did it, i agree with it now, and it is a hard thing to do. If she’s not able to live in a way that she seems to enjoy, then i’d have to say it’s time for her to rest. Im sorry for this difficult time in your life.
I had the same thing about 7 years ago, my pom was fully deaf and blind in one eye and 95% blind in the other, she was still healthy but was also peeing/pooing all over. After thinking on it for days I did put her to sleep. It was the best I could do for her. She had a great life, and one friend I will treasure forever!! Would you honestly want to live in a dark, hole, not knowing whats going on around you? She could also hurt herself from falling. I hope I helped– Good Luck!!
you will and your dog will know when it is time it hard but she will be in a better place
I just recently had to have one of my dogs put to sleep and that was a most difficult decision. She didn’t have a good quality of life any longer and was suffering. I had put it off as long as I possibly could because I was being selfish and was not considering what she might have wanted or what was in the best interest for her. She also lived to eat and for treats. She slept all the time and only woke up to eat and get her treats or go potty. She no longer ran and barked with the other dogs or played. She had cataracts in both eyes and arthritis. She had severe allergies and actually rubbed the fur off her back and was rubbing her skin raw. Allergy shots and predizone no longer worked to control the problem. Everyone says that you will know when it is time, however that is not true. I did what was the best thing to ease her pain and suffering. Would you want to live like she is? Good luck with your decision. Only you can make the most difficult decision in this matter, no matter what anyone tells you.
Talk to your vet. Pooping all over may just play a part because of her age. When she starts suffering (noticibly painful all the time) and unable to barely move ect. If she’s not happy anymore (quality of life?), thats when to start thinking about it. Im sorry……its a hard thing to do.
As a person who performs euthanasia,believe me its not because we want to.Best advise,first, when you are with the dog all the time, sometimes you don’t realize how the condition has worsened.Ask a friend for an opinion.Second,pick three things your dog like to do the most.When he can’t do them, it’s time.Euthanasia is the most self-less decision you will ever make with your pet.
I’ve had to put 2 of my dogs down. One was 16 years old and the other 5 years old. The most human thing you can do is make the decision to let them go peacefully. You will know when the time is right. What is the quality of life for you cocker, most dogs will not use their carrier because that is their home, their domain where they feel safe. Both of my dogs got cancer and the oldest lived with it longer. He actually became blind, could not control his bladder or poop.
slept most of the time, got where he would not play. And the final phase he got where he could hardly walk. We talked to our vet and he said that he would let us know when it was time to let go. We were un able to make the decision on our own, he was our baby. My 5 year old female also got cancer but it had mastitis and she had to be put on lassic to get the fluid off of her lungs. By the way I found out I had cancer and then a month later I found out she had cancer. It was hard to let her go, but I knew that what I was going through I wouldn’t dare let her suffer. She got where she couldn’t breathe unless it was very cold in the house. Her last day she gasp for breath and her nose became clogged. I just couldn’t take it. It broke my heart, but I had to say goodbye.
I am so sorry for you. You will know when to let go. Go to the rainbow bridge site, this might help some.
It is never an easy decision to put a beloved pet to sleep. I have had to do it a couple of times and it broke my heart each time.
Is she enjoying her life still? Is there quality of life left for her?
It is definitely a very personal decision and no one can make it for you. As long as she is not suffering the time will be up to you. But know that you are not heartless and not a bad owner. You have loved and cared for her for years.
Follow your heart, and you will know when the time is right.
No one can tell you when it is time. But one day you will either see her suffering, or you will suddenly have peace that it is time. You’ll see her personality change. She’ll lose interest in living or she’ll be in constant pain or she’ll have episodes where she becomes fearful and may not even recognize you. I don’t think you will put her down for any of the problems you mentioned, although most people wouldn’t think that is wrong either. But I don’t think YOU would put her down for that because you have adjusted your lifestyle and your expectations to make allowances for her limitations already. I think you should just assume at this point that those are inconveniences, albeit major pains, that you are willing to live with and that when you decide to put her down it will be because she herself is ready to die. It won’t be much longer. Enjoy every day you can with her and be at peace. You WILL know when it is time.
This question brought tears to my eyes (i’m pregnant and very emotional). My parents had a dog about that age. She became deaf and then blind and then she became paralyized and that’s when they realized that she needed to be put to sleep. I hate to say this about any animal but she probably needs to be put to sleep. :’(
Update: I just had to put my dog to sleep today. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I had no choice. He started showing signs yesterday not eating but drinking but he would throw it up. i called the vet and at first i thought he was only not pooping so i only told them about that. They told me to give him mineral oil so we tried supposatories instead after we called the vet today of course. Then he started throwing up and we called the vet again he wanted to see him turns out he had bladder stones and there was no saving him his bladder was so far gone that it was black w/ no blood supply to it. Keep the dog if it doesn’t need to be put to sleep I’m sorry i ever said that about putting him to sleep.
its not easy for a dog owner to put someone they love some much. I think you should put her down & she will thank you for putting her down. She will be your little angel
If there is nothing seriously wrong with her dont worry about it consult your Vet about this and no matter what he-she says think about it but if she is suffering dont make her any longer you should not make her suffer just because you love her!!