[snoopy1fan1968]

I am struggling with "the decision". Sinbad turned 15 in December.We adopted the shepard/terrier mix when he was 12 weeks old. He is me and my husband's first dog together. He and my other dog Lucee ( 4yr) are our furry children. His health has diminished significantly over the last year. He still eats heartily but his hind legs are so weak , he can no longer stand for very long. He paces and wanders constantly due to dementia.And his hearing and eyesight have limited capacity. But there are times when he jaunts around the yard like a puppy. Don't know what to do....

[cigwyllt]

When we have had to make a decision like that (twice in the past 27 years) we made it when the dog no longer wanted to eat and could no longer make a decision to get out of bed for the toilet. Our two Jack Russells were very food centred and when their supper no longer attracted them they went down hill over the course of 24 hours and seemed to be in pain. With our golden retriever the end was slower and more peaceful. She just slept more and more between meals until the last night when she didn't eat and drifted off to sleep in her basket.

[CorkyMax]

How to Make the Tough Decision to Euthanize Your Pet
One of the toughest responsibilities of owning a pet is deciding if circumstances warrant euthanizing your pet. There are many factors to consider, but analyzing your pet’s quality of life will help you in making the decision.

So here is a step by step guide to assist you if you are considering the ultimate decision for your pet.

If you and your family have found yourselves in the difficult position of wondering whether or not to euthanize your pet, follow these steps:

Step 1: If you suspect that your animal’s life is nearing its end, make an appointment with your veterinarian to get a professional opinion on the prognosis of your pet. The veterinarian will be able to talk with you about pain management options and ways you can make your pet more comfortable, but ultimately the decision to euthanize will be in your hands.

Step 2: If your pet is ill, consider the factors that will contribute to his care and attention. Do you have the time, resources and finances to care for your ailing pet? If you’re unable to spend quality time with your pet through his illness, or if you are unable to afford the medications required to keep him comfortable, you will need to keep those considerations in mind.

Step 3: If your pet is in pain, you need to consider how comfortable you can make your pet during the time he or she has left. If the vet is unable to provide pain management, or if your pet is nonresponsive to the pain management, you may need to consider euthanasia sooner than later.

Step 4: If your dog is not in pain but you fear he is no longer getting enough enjoyment out of his life due to his age or other health factors, begin journaling his activities. Make a commitment to journal his activities for a week, making note of his appetite, sleeping habits and exercise or activity level.

Step 5: Before you analyze the journal, determine with other family members what criteria you need to see in order to determine if it’s time to euthanize. For instance, if your pet slept for 20 or more hours a day, would you consider that sufficient evidence that he is not experiencing a high quality of life? Or, if he is excited to greet you at the door but remains inactive throughout the rest of the day, is that enough activity to warrant that he is enjoying his life? Only you and your family members can create and answer questions such as these.

Step 6: Gather decision making family members to analyze the journal and come to a consensus as to whether or not it’s time to euthanize your pet. Allow the opportunity for all involved family members to share their thoughts and feelings, however try to keep emotions out of the final decision and instead focus on what is best for your beloved pet.

Step 7: If you make the decision to euthanize your pet, decide whether he or she will be cremated or buried. Begin collecting special memories of your pet, perhaps a paw print or a few final photos.

Above all else, spend as much time with your best friend as possible, making him as comfortable as possible until the time comes to mourn his life. Also, although you will be heartbroken, don’t forget to spend time celebrating the life of your beloved pet and the special memories you’ve shared together.

[Lara's mom]

My heart just breaks for you. I'd be willing to bet that almost everyone on this forum has had to make that decision at one time or another. It never gets any easier, no matter how many times you have had to do it.

You are the best person to judge what quality of life your dog has. I have always used my own "quality of life" protocol to decide when it is time to let one of my beloved kids go.

For me, I ask myself the following questions:

Is the dog still enjoying meals, treats and companionship.
Does the dog appear to be happy despite any disabilities.
Is the dog in pain that cannot be kept under control.
Is there any hope for recovery.

Based on the answers to those questions, I think long and hard and decide if it is time to let my fur child go to the Rainbow Bridge.

If you have a good vet that you trust, talk it over with him/her. In the end, nobody except you can make that decision. You have to do what is best for your dog, despite how much it is going to hurt you - which it will.

In all honesty, that is the best advice that I can give you. I too have a senior dog and so far, we've "dodged a lot of bullets." However, I know that it won't last. I can envision a time in the not too distant future when I'll be where you are now. Your luck will only holds out for so long and, we've been incredibly lucky with Bailey.

Look at the overall quality of your little one's life and make your decision based upon that.

[snoopy1fan1968]

Thanks, Lara's Mom... I have my own pet sitting service and have seen many of my clients keep their pets around way too long. I have always told myself that I would not do that and if his quality of life is not a happy one, my decision would be made. However, i am struggling because Sinbad still eats heartily and takes treats..although he does tend to nip at your fingers now that he has a depth perception issue. But he does not wag his tail anymore and his limping has gotten more prominent. I try to manage the pain with some meds and vitamins...But from my experience, dogs are very good at masking how much they hurt because they want to please you so much. Sinbad has been there for me thru so much..now i just want to be there for him and do what is right.

You are right. There is no easy answer. Sometimes I think it would be easier if he was sick. I have been searching in my heart for the right answer and i am sure it will come.

I hope you and your Bailey have many happy days to come.

[Lara's mom]

You will know when "the time comes" and make your decision accordingly. Please know that my heart is with you during this awful time. Bless both of you.

[gracieownsme]

In October of last year my son asked that same question about his Golden Retriever Kelly. "You will know when it's time," the vet told him. After a few weeks of off and on good and bad days he called me on the phone one night. "It's time..." he said. When I went to his house to be with him and take him and Kelly to the vet, we watched Kelly as she tried to go to the bathroom outside and kept falling. It was heartbreaking... but it was indeed time.
Lara's Mom: I hope you are still on here when the time comes for me to say goodbye to Gracie. You are such a comfort and so understanding. Hopefully I'll have many years yet with her... but just thinking of the time brings tears.
Snoopy1fan: My heart goes out to you....

[cherylmartin]

Sinbad will tell you when its time. He will look at you and tell you he has had enough and you, as his beloved Mom, will understand what he is saying. On Sept 9, 09, I had to make that decision for my beloved Jasmine and her eyes told me it was time. Jasmine suffered for 57 days after taking ProIn, which in turn created kidney failure.
Please read her story: Jasmine's Rainbow Residency at RainbowsBridge.com.

Jasmine told me she was sick and tired of being sick and tired so I had to let her go. The void is still ever present in my life but my love for her will never change.

Hugs,

Cheryl and Angel Jasmine
Jasmine was loved
Jasmine took Proin
Jasmine is gone

[gracieownsme]

Jasmine's story made me cry... and cry... and cry. And you are so right Cheryl.. the eyes tell you... those soulful, deep, loving eyes will tell you when it's time.

[cherylmartin]

Thank you for visiting Jasmine.
She has a story to spread.

[fastnlazy]

It's hard

[firetyrant]

I just gave my dog a big HUG after reading this story. I remember waking up at 8 o'clock in the morning with my gf telling me that her dog was at the emergency clinic. I was about an hour away but made it in 30 min to the clinic to be there for her. I really liked this dog cause she was alway's friendly to me, I was her human bed for the longest time meaning she loved to lay on me. She was an queensland heeler/cattle dog mix so she was a pretty heavy dog. I forget the reason why she ended up being there, but she was 14 yo and she was also getting ready to go. Her dad was outside trying to gather up the strength to make a decision, my gf was with me as I was next to "bell" while bell just breathed heavily with her head on m lap. I cried and I as 23 yo at the time and wasn't even my dog. He did decide to eventually let her go. Sorry this thread just reminded me of bell and had to share my story.

As far as your situation goes, I would look at it like this. If you were hooked up to life support and were in a similar situation what would you want people to do for you. That's how my gf's dad decided.

[mypetisloved]

What a sad, hard decision to make! I hope that you can be at peace as you decide when the time is right with Sinbad. You will know.

[Connor]

We decided to put our beloved Shadow down when we simply could not take take the stress anymore.

By stress I mean the stress of watching him deteriorate and knowing he would not improve, just get worse. He had a hard time seeing, walking, cleaning himself, was incontinent, and generally ached all over.

By stress I mean the frustration I felt when cleaning up after him when he had numerous accidents throughout the house. Seeing my expensive carpets soiled beyond repair. I found myself getting angry and feeling very guilty about that anger.

By stress I mean the guilt and pain we felt when we had to leave him locked in the laundry room because he could not be trusted to wander the house. The sadness we felt as we watched him age.

We got to the point where we felt the quality of our lives, his especially, was not a good one, We are believers in quality over quantity and his quality unbearable.

I do not envy anyone's journey down this path. We dearly miss our Shadow and think of him often, but we know our decision was best. Good luck.

[Todd]

when i had to put my two cats down many years ago, the decision was made when they started urinating on the floor and stopped eating. they were just urinating on the floor for about a 6 months or so, but we didn't want to put them down yet. then they wouldn't eat and we knew it was time. that's the most powerful sign that an animal is suffering in my opinion, and that's if they will not eat. so as long as your dog is still eating, i'd try to do as much as you can to control his other symptoms and make him as comfortable as possible, until he will no longer eat.

[Yogi]

I agree with Todd. I have gone through this far too many times to count but the one thing that always seemed to give it away was when they no longer wanted to eat. I felt it was there way of saying it is my time. With that I have to be reminded that I have a responsibility to them. They have relied on me til this point to care for them and in turn I am left to continue with that philosophy which means til the end. It is never an easy thing to do but many times the right thing to do is not meant to be easy. In the end we can only accept that we shared their lives and with that it made us feel more whole in doing so.