bluescortcossie

i have had my golden retriever for nearly 15 years now so he is an old man , the problem is he has been going off his back legs recently and this week he hasn't been able to get up , i have to lift him to his feet , he has also gone deaf but understands hand signals and has lost control of his bladder so i constantly have to clean him

the problem is that he doesn't seem to be in any pain , just frustrated that he is so weak , he still thinks he is a pup and tries to chase the rabbits in my fields ( doesn't get very far though )

i will be heartbroken when he does go as to me he is my son as i don't have much family and i have been very close to him , it would be a lot easier if he died naturally because i wouldn't have any control over it.

not sure what to do , any suggestions ?

turboloon

man i sympithse with you i just had to do the same with my basset hound 2 weeks ago exactlty the same as your own dog...the back end and incontinent...i was crying like a baby me and the wife got him as a pup when we first moved in together and all our kids grew up with him,but the thing is you don't want the dog to suffer cause it's just going to get worse....i still miss my dog r.i.p satch xx.

Redkop

Take him to the Vets immediately and get his advice. Dogs don't show they are in pain like humans do and for all you know, he might be suffering. You owe it to him.

You can't let him suffer because you want the easy way out, for him just to die in his sleep.

RC4

tough one mate
as said above though its better in the long run ,you dont want him sufferring in pain though eh mate................

Mark 3D

iTrader: (29)

Absolutely what he said!!

Redkop

She

Cossie Helen

iTrader: (1)

Got to agree with Lynne, He could be in pain and suffering and from my point of view the last thing i would want is my animal suffering.


Got to vets and see what he says.

We have a poorly cat at the moment, I have not given up on him yet but if it came to the point that theres nothing else can be done then i would go the way off putting him to sleep Then at least i know he aint suffering in any way.

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

I was gonna say....


But yeah, I agree

bluescortcossie

i always said from day 1 i would never see him suffer but now the time may have come i don't know what to do , like i said , he is still very playful , seems happy , not off his food , very aware of his surrounding etc etc

as for getting him down the vets , easier said than done , i am sure he has got great dane in him somewhere as he is huge , i am a big lad but still struggle to lift him

anyone know roughly how much they charge to come out ?

Redkop

Get someone to help you lift him! Don't you have a car?

Housecalls by vets are expensive.

A dog that has lost the use of it's back legs and bodily functions needs to see a vet immediately. If it was you that had, you'd seek a doctor immediately... wouldn't you?

bluescortcossie

there isnt anybody really who could help me lift him (i live in the middle of nowhere and the rest of the family are in spain for 2 weeks)

if the same happened to me i would see a doc but then the doc wouldnt want to finish me off !

Lou Lou.

Do you have no friends then!

The difference being would be that you can tell your doctor how much pain you are in

Redkop

Sorry mate but I think you are inventing lame excuses why you can't take him to the vet. So much for being a responsible dog owner, just glad not everyone is like you that owns a dog

bluescortcossie

i am in quite a bad way and my mates wouldn't understand just how attached i am to him and to be honest i don't think i would be able to stop myself breaking down , think i am going to have to get the vet to come out regardless of cost .

and as for calling me a irresponsible dog owner , i am not making excuses , i will do whats best for him i was just after advise

Mrs T

i think ur friends would understand i dont think they would look at you in a different way just cause you have a heart

phone the vet get them to come to you at least your dog will be at his home when he is put down not stressed out in the vets

Redkop

Don't you think all dog owners feel upset when they know they have to make a decision like that? Christ I've had to make that decision lots of times. As for saying your mates wouldn't understand, well if I were you, I'd find some new mates if they're that unfeeling. Have you actually asked any of them to help you?

Lou Lou.

Well if cost is irrelevant then please call your vets to see what they can sort out for you im sure something will be able to be arranged.

I realise this is devasting for you but if your dogs legs are that bad and he cant get around then im sure he will bit in alot of discomfort!

Hope you get a professionals opinion very soon

Cossie Helen

iTrader: (1)

https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=283612


We never got the decision, as quick as i posted on here i got the news we had lost him.


If you wanted to you could get him to the vets no problem at all, try a bit harder.....

bluescortcossie

i have asked them and they are willing to help me nut the problem is i need to sort it out myself , i don't want other people around me because i will try to bottle it up and make myself worse , I'm sure you understand you need to be alone in times like this

i also think being man handled into a car and the car journey will just make him worse as he has always been an active dog and always sat up and watched the road in a car , he cant do this now and i don't want to put him under any more stress

bluescortcossie

Cossie Helen

so sorry about you cat

i am just about to ring the vets now to come out to him , thats if i can stop sobbing long enough to make the call

dancotton2003

i think you should feel for him and do wat u would want sum 1 to do if u were in the same possition

Rhys

Gutted for you mate, Its a decision i hope i never have to make as i too would be in bits!

GEt the Vet out to look though. I know its not easy at all!

sabres74

I can sympathise with you completely, I have lost many dogs over the years and every one was like losing a member of the family. You naturally want to prolong the dogs life and don't want to lose him. Every single time that I have had to have a dog put to sleep I have always worried that I did not do enough to keep him alive. The feeling is completely natural if you love your dog. I can't lose a dog without being reduced to tears and I have had dogs for 30 odd years.

You must contact a vet immediately, when a dog loses control of its functions and rear rear legs it needs attention immediately. You must take the vets advice as he will have seen this happen many times. Any Vet worth his salt will pay a home visit in these circumstances, it is less stressful for the dog and yourself.

Please ring the vet now, your dog is obviously suffering and he deserves relief.

bluescortcossie

i have spoke to my vets and they are coming out at 12

i am in a right mess now cuz this could be the last 2 hours i have with him , like i said before he is more like a son to me than the family pet , it sounds stupid but i have helped him through a lot when he was younger and he helped me get through so many problems , its true when people say they have a sixth sence , he always knows when i am down

Cossie Helen

iTrader: (1)

I apreciate it is a very hard decision for you to make, as we were very near having to make that decision ourselfs as Smokey was not getting any better.


Stop sobbing and get on that phone

Redkop

Most owners feel like this with their pets, both Andy and I have been distraught when we've been faced with a decision like this to make. We were faced with having to make this decision 3 times in 4 weeks, it's heart breaking, but you have to put your pet first and think about it's suffering, not yours.

bluescortcossie

after thinking about it even though he doesnt seem to be in any pain now he is never going to get better as he is so old , if i am finding it this hard to deal with now i think i would literally fall to pieces if he got any worse and was in lots of pain , it wouldnt be fair on him , maybe it is time he went to a better place

Physio

Havent read all the replies but i know how you feel, I had to have my rottie put to sleep a while ago as he was getting old & had the same problems as your dog is having, I kept him on medication for as long as I could but in the end the vet said it was a case of having to be cruel to be kind.

I miss him big time

Redkop

You know deep down you are doing the right thing, it'll make it slightly easier for you knowing you are ending his suffering in a humane way.

It's just a shame that euthanasia isn't available for humans as it is for pets.

Carlsworth

definately
a pal of mine had to put his down about 1 month ago

Mark 3D

iTrader: (29)

lol!! Sorry!!

Mark 3D

iTrader: (29)

Good man!!

think of it this way, if you were in his position would you want to carry on like that or would you rather go with some dignity!!

I just hope when im an old man if i get some incurable painful disease that the law has been changed by then so as i can choose to be "put down" myself!!

you are doing the kindest thing possible for your old friend and if he could thank you he would!! whatever the outcome!!

Cossie Helen

iTrader: (1)

Thats so sad I never got to give Smokey a last cuddle which is hurting me like hell

bluescortcossie

well , the old buggar is now gone

Redkop

Really feel for you But he's gone to a happy place and not suffering anymore...

Redkop

Same thing I was faced with, my GSD had breathing difficulties and I had left her at the Vets, then I got a phonecall later saying there wasn't any point bringing her round from the anaesthetic as her heart was so grossly enlarged, it was restricting her airways. But I had given her a massive big cuddle when I dropped her off as we'd had our other GSD put down 4 weeks before with cancer and I was still feeling a bit apprehensive of the 'worst' happening.... Then we had to make the decision that day too, whether to call the Vet out to put our other dog down, she was a Border Terrier X and 19 years old, stone deaf, partly blind and no teeth and she relied totally on another dog being with her to be her eyes and hearing. We did what we thought was right and did have her put to sleep

SassyRS

I know how you are feeling, we had our dog put to sleep recently altho it was for different reasons it still hurts like mad!

RC4

just remember the good times mate,at least he aint suffering now
all the best pal

Cossie Helen

iTrader: (1)

So sorry, I know exactly how you are feeling


At least he is not suffering


Its a sad day today 3 pets in one day