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Fair warning: end of life dog questions forthcoming.
My dad has two golden retrievers, male and female. The female is around 10 years old and the male is 9 years old. I have known both dogs and been around them both almost daily for the past 8 years. The two dogs had a litter of puppies 7 years ago and my dog is one of the puppies.
The male is a special guy, he was a fat round puppy when they first got him. He has always been short and shaped like a whiskey barrel. He is ver much not overly bright, but good natured as the day is long. He is just one of those dogs that isn't real smart but is always happy and loveable, basically the fat, dumb guy you can't help but to love. He has been having problems for the past 6 months or so. Started with an abscess on his side. A vet lanced and drained a bunch of junk out of the abscess, gave him antibiotics, and he seemed to get better for a while. Lately it appears that the issue is back but when lanced this time it just gave a watery discharge, not quite the same. He has had antibiotics again and lately penicillin, but doesn't seem to be improving.
I finally convinced my dad to take him to the vet today and the news is not good. The vet thinks he has cancer, and apparently all the sitting around from being sick has made his hip displaysia very bad so his rear muscles have atrophied. Vet didn't run full battery of tests but he felt around and said the liver feels cancerous.
Vet said the option is to run the full round of tests, if it is cancer perform surgery and remove what they can, etc. Issue is his hips are still in bad shape and there is not much to be done to fix that. Other option is.... well you know.
How do you know what to do? I feel so bad even thinking about giving up on him, he seems so confused/sad and it doesn't seem right to just throw in the towel on him and give up. But at the same time it doesn't seem like quality of life is going to get much better even if they do everything they can. Here I am typing and getting dust in my eye and he isn't even my dog.
It is not my decision, and I am grateful for that. But as I said, my dog is this dog's daughter. While she is more blessed genetically, she is still a Golden and is 7 years old. Goldens are renowned for cancer and hip issues. I know the day is going to come for me someday and right now I can't even begin to imagine it. I am trying to prepare myself for what will inevitably happen in the next 3-5 years, but today hits close to home and really sucks.
We recently put down a very beloved dog we had for 13yrs. Grabbed him off the streets of Mexico when he was about 1.5yrs old after being shot, poisoned, kicked into the ocean to drown, had a wire stuck in his neck - and he survived it all. Never trained him and he was absolutely awesome.
For us it was a decision to ensure no harsh suffering. Once it was obvious he was going to really suffer then we made the decision.
I’m really sorry for your situation and I take comfort that we had our little bud as long as we did.
Last edited by:
JD21: Nov 29, 17 16:00
Very sorry about your/your dad's current situation with the dog. We lost two yellow labs in consecutive Julys -- 2015 and 2016. They were 15 and 16 when they went, so I know something about having to make the call with dogs you've known for a long time.
All I can say is that you can never really know for sure if you're acting too quickly, too late, or at just the right time. The best you can do is trust your gut and really pay attention to how they are doing. When it becomes clear that the quality of life is just not there, you'll know it's time. I think I waited too long to finally put down my dog in 2015. Reese had severe diabetes and was really not doing well, but I just couldn't bring myself to let go until I just had no choice. When he started having multiple accidents in the house per day and didn't even realize he was pissing himself, I knew it was only a matter of time.
I don't recommend waiting that long. Really pay attention to how the dog is getting around, whether he/she seems to be in pain, and what the overall quality of life is. It's hard to be objective, but try your best. Ultimately, you'll make the right decision, but you'll never feel good about it. It's just one of those things.
Best wishes in the coming weeks/months. I don't envy you or your dad the upcoming emotional roller coaster. God bless.
''The enemy isn't conservatism. The enemy isn't liberalism. The enemy is bulls**t.''
—Lars-Erik Nelson
The problem with this question is you really never know if it was too early, but you do know if it was too late. I have been late on several of my animals, just have to deal with that. But one that I held off on ended up having a miraculous recovery, and did pretty good for 6 months, so I have one success story in that dept.
I would just say that when you know they are in pain and cannot get around anymore much, pick a night to spend with the dog and just talk it out with them. In the old days it was a drive to the vet, but now you can actually have them come out, so that does'nt stress the dog out having to get in the car probably knowing at the very least they are going to the vet. My last dog loved the car, so I put her in the back and the vet was nice enough to come out and do it while she laid in the back seat. And since we bury most all our animals on the property, it was easy to just drive home and the gravesite was all ready for her.
In the end it all ends the same, it is just how you are going to remember those last days/hours. if you think those will be important to you then do what is most comfortable and least stressful on the dog. And like I said, unless you actually waited too long and had clear signs of that, you will never know if it was too early, if you know what I mean...
Sorry news, but all in the duties of having pets..