Old dog dilemma

[Accy cyclist]

I've been up most of the night with my 16 year old Jack Russell. She's been deteriorating lately and last night she was sick, panting and could hardly stand up, she is becoming more incontinent and confused yet she still has a good appetite and physically she's in good shape for her age. She must have wandered around the table during the night a hundred times, she just kept going and going till i put her to bed and she flopped, yet this morning she was fine apart from showing signs of confusion. She wants to keep going out into the backyard/garden and when she does she's sniffing around the corners like she wants to find somewhere to settle. I've heard from others that when they've experienced this it's normally a sign that the dog wants to find somewhere to die.
In a way i wish she's have passed away last night when she was all comfortable in her warm bed. I dread the day that i have to take her to the vets so a peaceful end at home would be better for all concerned.
Have any of you experienced similar with a dog and what do you advise?

 

[green1]

If she is suffering/not herself then I would get her put down. We had a dog put down a couple of years ago and if we were honest he should have been put down 6 months before he was as he was suffering (he became allergic to grass and was constantly scratching).

 

[accountantpete]

Same but with a cat - I'd take her to the vets straight away but steel yourself for the worse.

 

[Keith Oates]

Its a tough decision, I took mine to the vet but it broke my heart doing it. Only you can decide but do what you feel is the best action to take and it will be the correct one.!!

 

[penguinking9]

Your vet should (for a fee I'd assume) be willing to make a house call.

At least that way she won't have the stress of a trip to the vets.

 

[Saluki]

Run her up to the vet and see what they say.
I have an elderly JR and she worries me constantly now although she is not exhibiting any symptoms like your girl.

Sometimes they just get a bit confused, like doggy dementia. With the being sick and panting, she might have eaten something that disagreed with her. You know what Jacks are like for eating rubbish that they find. Then just wandered around in a confused state. I have been told that dementia is not uncommon in elderly terriers. They still eat well and have a good quality of life. The incontinence can be helped with meds I believe, although it depends on the type of incontinence.

I am sure that your vet can advise you.

 

[Drago]

I'm not a dog fan, but I keep cats so I know what it's like to become attached to a pet.

It's a tricky one to call, especially with dogs being so ready to just accept stuff and carry on. If he were mine and I felt he was in any undue distress then I'd regretfully call it a day. If he's still got some quality of life and doesn't seem too perturbed by the confusion episodes I'd keep him going, and enjoy every minute I could with the old boy.

 

[Lee_M]

my dog is 14 now and its something I think about a lot.

In my view if the dog is happy then I'm going tpo let her live her life, but as soon as she starts to suffer then I'll stop it.

not looking forward to it, but she's given us 14 years of love and I'm not going to repay that by making her suffer

you have my sympathy whatever you decide to do

 

[Archie_tect]

It's an awful decision AC, one that makes you feel bad whichever way you go... our old cat sighed and relaxed when she had the injection but we still cried.

 

[Panter]

Only yourselves can really make the right decision, sounds like tough times ahead for you though.
My very best wishes for whatever you decide to do.

 

[GetAGrip]

Our terrier x was seventeen when we took the decision to have her put down.
All her life she had been a loyal babysitter and nurse to the kids. Funnily enough, my Mum, who didn't like dogs much, found some sort of comfort when Tammy stayed beside her bed for the last 48 hrs of her life, and then just removed herself from the room and back to her own bed downstairs at the time of Mums death.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, that she so loved being part of a family that when she became really frail to the point of struggling to walk for long, and on occasion wetting her bed, she seemed so unhappy. We knew the kindest thing to do was put her to sleep.
Your going to feel heartbroken at the end of your dogs life whatever happens!

 

[Oxo]

Like others have said it's a tough decision and when we had make a similar one it was hard, but in the end we were pleased to have stopped our dog suffering more than necessary.

 

[MarkF]

Sorry to hear this Accy, I arranged for the vet to come and have my Mother's 14 year old Saluki put down last month. My mother didn't notice the drastic deterioration, you don't when are with the dog daily, but I only saw it monthly and on my last visit, I said enough is enough and I made the phone call..

Your dog will not get younger or better, if her time is up then don't drag it out, it'll be more upsetting for both of you.

 

[Sandra6]

That's so sad to hear.
I think a trip to the vets is the way to go, and to atleast consider whether letting her go would be best all round.

 

[Globalti]

You have the power over that animal's life and you have to decide when you reach the point where keeping them alive is crueller than letting them go.