vdubb96
Posts: 2,210
Oct 31, 2014 8:07am
Our 12 year old lab continues to decline and I've been contemplating it for awhile now but I think it may be time. Every morning I have to clean up after her, no matter how many times she gets left out. It's almost like she's went back into puppy mode. Getting into trash, tearing stuff up, laying in her own piss. I haven't told our kids yet but I think I may make the phone call today. Anyone have experience taking their dog to the vet to have them put to sleep?
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Oct 31, 2014 8:11am
Not a dog but I've had to have a cat put down. Regardless of the pet, it's a horrible decision to have to make. It's the humane thing to do but it kills you inside.
wildcats20
Posts: 27,794
Oct 31, 2014 8:23am
Incredibly hard. But you are being a good and responsible pet owner.
Old Rider
Posts: 2,470
Oct 31, 2014 8:50am
Had to do it twice with my bird hunting dogs. Its tough, but its the right thing to do!vdubb96;1669203 wrote:Our 12 year old lab continues to decline and I've been contemplating it for awhile now but I think it may be time. Every morning I have to clean up after her, no matter how many times she gets left out. It's almost like she's went back into puppy mode. Getting into trash, tearing stuff up, laying in her own piss. I haven't told our kids yet but I think I may make the phone call today. Anyone have experience taking their dog to the vet to have them put to sleep?
sleeper
Posts: 27,879
Oct 31, 2014 9:06am
Probably the hardest thing to ever do.
vdubb96
Posts: 2,210
Oct 31, 2014 9:14am
I'm really having a hard time making the phone call right now. I really didn't think it would be this difficult.
Belly35
Posts: 9,716
Oct 31, 2014 9:22am
We’ve had 6 Golden Retrieve in our family over 43 years. In that time period I‘ve had to be the one to make the call three times to put down the family pet, two past away quickly in the night and two still living. It’s a difficult thing to do, but it is away the best for everyone in the end. I have a 12 year old Golden now that I fear I will have to make this call again soon. … Not easy but for the best
Make sure you make a plaster paw print or and ink paw print
Make sure you make a plaster paw print or and ink paw print
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Oct 31, 2014 9:23am
Had to do it with my wifes dog. I hated that dog, and it was still one of the hardest things I've ever done. My in-laws just put all 3 of their dogs down last week.
Dr Winston O'Boogie
Posts: 1,799
Oct 31, 2014 9:44am
I feel for you. It is a very difficult thing to do. Listen to that inner voice and it'll tell you when the time is right. Prolonging it thereafter is not in the best interest of your pet that's not what you ultimately want. The last pet dog I had to have put down was my little buddy and it took me a while to get over it. But with time, I am glad I didn't prolong it any longer than I did. He gave me a lot of gifts during his life. This was one thing I could do for him.
ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Oct 31, 2014 10:39am
What the fuck!? Why?GoChiefs;1669222 wrote:My in-laws just put all 3 of their dogs down last week.
ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Oct 31, 2014 10:41am
Ours got hit by a car last winter. Didn't necessarily make the decision to put him down, but pretty much had to make the decision to NOT go further with anything, as he was on his last breath. As soon as the vet intubated him, he was out in minutes. Pretty tough, and my kids and wife still remember the little sucker. Hell, I don't know if he was even 8 months old. We have a fenced in back yard... he was just too skinny, and wiggled his way through a crack. Damn dog.
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Oct 31, 2014 11:19am
1 was 15 and the other 2 were 14. They were all blind and going deaf. Hard for them to move around, and constantly pissing and shitting everywhere. It really was their time.ernest_t_bass;1669247 wrote:What the fuck!? Why?
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friendfromlowry
Posts: 6,239
Oct 31, 2014 12:17pm
Put ours down last year. Very hard. Still miss her. Don't think of it as mean or cruel. If the dog is suffering, it's your responsibility as an owner to do what's best.
vdubb96
Posts: 2,210
Oct 31, 2014 12:19pm
Thats my only issue, she doesn't necessarily seem unhappy or suffering. She has just became extremely incontenent and almost regressing back to a puppy stage.friendfromlowry;1669279 wrote:Put ours down last year. Very hard. Still miss her. Don't think of it as mean or cruel. If the dog is suffering, it's your responsibility as an owner to do what's best.
wildcats20
Posts: 27,794
Oct 31, 2014 12:40pm
Talk to your vet. That is the absolute first step.vdubb96;1669281 wrote:Thats my only issue, she doesn't necessarily seem unhappy or suffering. She has just became extremely incontenent and almost regressing back to a puppy stage.
HitsRus
Posts: 9,206
Oct 31, 2014 12:57pm
Yeah ... Might be something they can do about the incontinence. But if you have to put them down be with them to the end, don't just hand them off to the vet.
wildcats20
Posts: 27,794
Oct 31, 2014 1:08pm
Absolutely.HitsRus;1669306 wrote:Yeah ... Might be something they can do about the incontinence. But if you have to put them down be with them to the end, don't just hand them off to the vet.
O-Trap
Posts: 14,994
Oct 31, 2014 1:11pm
If you make the decision to do it, give her a "dream day." Let her sleep with you. Take her somewhere to let her run around or chase vermin, if that's something she'd enjoy. Feed her people food that you know she'll love, and let her eat as much as she wants. Give her a fun day to go out on, and make a few final memories for yourself. Take pictures.
It'll be such a hard thing to do, but while the memories will make you miss her, they'll also let you remember her on one of the greatest days she ever had.
But before you do, by all means, do talk to a vet. Had friends that almost put their dog down when he swallowed a bunch of carpet stitching and got sick, because they didn't know that it could be surgically removed from his digestive tract.
It'll be such a hard thing to do, but while the memories will make you miss her, they'll also let you remember her on one of the greatest days she ever had.
But before you do, by all means, do talk to a vet. Had friends that almost put their dog down when he swallowed a bunch of carpet stitching and got sick, because they didn't know that it could be surgically removed from his digestive tract.
Curly J
Posts: 7,282
Oct 31, 2014 1:36pm
My Mutt started have incontinence issues a few years back when she was 14. Her bladder would just leak out of nowhere. The Vet ended up putting her on a hormone pill and that took care of the issue.vdubb96;1669281 wrote:Thats my only issue, she doesn't necessarily seem unhappy or suffering. She has just became extremely incontenent and almost regressing back to a puppy stage.
fish82
Posts: 4,111
Oct 31, 2014 1:51pm
I've had to do it twice. Cried like a girl both times.
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friendfromlowry
Posts: 6,239
Oct 31, 2014 2:23pm
Could be something like a UTI amongst other suggestions on here. Glad you said that. IMO, sudden incontinence seems more like something's going wrong, not the dog is dying.vdubb96;1669281 wrote:Thats my only issue, she doesn't necessarily seem unhappy or suffering. She has just became extremely incontenent and almost regressing back to a puppy stage.
mcburg93
Posts: 3,167
Oct 31, 2014 2:25pm
Hate to hear this. Had to put our Irish setter down a while back and it was not an easy thing to do.vdubb96;1669203 wrote:Our 12 year old lab continues to decline and I've been contemplating it for awhile now but I think it may be time. Every morning I have to clean up after her, no matter how many times she gets left out. It's almost like she's went back into puppy mode. Getting into trash, tearing stuff up, laying in her own piss. I haven't told our kids yet but I think I may make the phone call today. Anyone have experience taking their dog to the vet to have them put to sleep?
Fab4Runner
Posts: 6,196
Oct 31, 2014 2:41pm
My thoughts are with you. 
I have no doubt that I will be inconsolable when the time comes with my dog. He is the little love of my life. I bawled like a baby a couple months ago when he had his first ever "medical scare". He ended up being fine 10 minutes later and I was still a wreck.
And I also agree re: talking to vet about the incontinence. One of our Labs was the same way and was put on medication to help.
I have no doubt that I will be inconsolable when the time comes with my dog. He is the little love of my life. I bawled like a baby a couple months ago when he had his first ever "medical scare". He ended up being fine 10 minutes later and I was still a wreck. And I also agree re: talking to vet about the incontinence. One of our Labs was the same way and was put on medication to help.
vdubb96
Posts: 2,210
Oct 31, 2014 4:39pm
She's had the bladder issue for quite awhile now, she's just losing so much weight. Her appetite hasn't changed but she almost is looking anorexic. Just talked to the kids about, so at least their prepared if we do have to do it.
Devils Advocate
Posts: 4,539
Oct 31, 2014 5:24pm
If she's drinking a lot of water, this is classic diabetes.