Dog guys

[torch]

My lab is 15 and had a seizure the other day. She is not hurting but I think she is blind and deaf now. She stands in corners facing the wall and steps in her food and water bowls. I am at a loss on what to do. I don't want her to suffer but she is like one of my children. Is it time to put her down or will her sight and hearing return

[gadwall2]

Tough call for you torch. I have a GSP that is another child to me, but if he was in that state, I'd put him down. There is no quality of life in this situation for such an honorable hunting partner. Hate it for ya man. I'd give it a week before I would make a move...may somehow snap out of it.

[torch]

Right now I am keeping an eye on her but terrible watching her walk in to walls and fall out the back door when she goes out. I have been preparing for this day for a couple of years but man it sucks!

[Dux Be Us]

Consult your vet...soon

[Side Kick]

You must think of her quality of life. Talk to your vet. I'm sure she has been a good one, they all are and are all irreplaceable. Sorry.

[MudHog]

Talk to your vet for sure.

Now, I have a cousin who had a Cocker Spaniel. He was deaf and blind and was perfectly fine once he adjusted. The vet will tell you not to move her food and water bowl. It will be rough at first, but she will adjust and learn everything over.


And to me, the only bad "quality" of life is if they are in pain and something that isn't fixable or cureable. Blind and deaf isn't bad enough quality to where I would put my dog down.

[The Waterfowler]

It's tough, but you are being unfair to a companion that has given you such joy and now is giving you such pain. Your dog is past the stage of living a quality life and is suffering. A vet once told me that a dog doesn't make plans for the future, just lives in the present.

[mfalkner]

I think you know the answer but that sure doesn't make this any easier to deal with.

[jacksbuddy]

Talk with your vet. That will answer your questions. Prayers for you and your family.

[ragon]

prayers sent, tough call to make! talk to your vet and do what your heart tells you!

[eyeinthesky]

my wife and i had a maltese a few years ago that was our "first" child that seemed to be doing fine then one day we came home for lunch and noticed that she seemed lost and walked into a wall and some other crazy stuff. When we got home that night she was really acting strange and ran into several other things so i took her to the emergency animal clinic and found out that she had been bitten by a tick and had lime disease and that her sight was only bout 15 percent. So she did adjust to her surroundings and learned to use her nose more and was in no pain but her quality of life was poor. Basically all she did was sleep and eat sometimes. Then she got to where she couldn't hold it till we let her out. And the whole time the vet kept telling us she is in no pain and she didnt appear to be but that the lime disease had taken its toll and that she was probably not going to get any better. She was 12 and it was hard to put her down but it was easier also not to have to come home everyday and see her just lay there and try to get up and move and struggle. My wife kept thinking we were bad people for having her put down but i kept telling her that she has gone to a better place without any diseases and such. I like you had been preparing myself for bout a year before we did it and it made it a little easier on me but it is still loosing a family member. I know just how you feel and you like me will take a lifetime of memories of having the dog in your life. I would talk to your vet for sure and listen to their advise then try to be realistic and come to a decision. Its hard all of us that have had dogs have and will go through this we will keep yall in our prayers.
Webb

[brandonvet]

When my clients ask me this question (Doc, is it time to put her down?), unless there is a clear situation of neglect or obvious undue suffering to the animal, I always tell them that they (the owner) are the only person that can really answer that question. Just like most everyone else has said, it boils down to a quality of life issue. Everyone else here doesn't live with your dog and therefore doesn't really know her daily routine and what "makes her day". I would encourage you to reflect on how much quality of life she has now and what you're comfortable with. If she still has something to wag her tail about every day and you think that the joy she has with that overcomes her problems that she struggles with, then there is nothing wrong with keeping her around. If you feel that there is very little joy left in her life, nothing really left for her to be happy about, or if maybe you feel that she is suffering and is living a miserable existence, then I think the answer is clear and humane euthanasia is the right thing to do; otherwise it would be selfish to keep her around. These are difficult questions to answer and it is not always very clear to see, because our bond with the animal sometimes clouds our judgement. My point is ...that you and only you can really make that decision, based on your best judgement for what is fair to the animal. Unfortunately, this is a situation that I have seen firsthand more times than I care to remember and it never gets easier. However, I believe that the good Lord put us here to care and oversee all the animals of the earth, and part of that duty requires that we sometimes make tough decisions. In my opinion, it is a blessing to have that duty and I would much rather know that I was able to ease an animal's suffering by humanely euthanizing him or her, rather than have to see the animal suffer and struggle through an agonizing death.
Hope that helps.

[torch]

When my clients ask me this question (Doc, is it time to put her down?), unless there is a clear situation of neglect or obvious undue suffering to the animal, I always tell them that they (the owner) are the only person that can really answer that question. Just like most everyone else has said, it boils down to a quality of life issue. Everyone else here doesn't live with your dog and therefore doesn't really know her daily routine and what "makes her day". I would encourage you to reflect on how much quality of life she has now and what you're comfortable with. If she still has something to wag her tail about every day and you think that the joy she has with that overcomes her problems that she struggles with, then there is nothing wrong with keeping her around. If you feel that there is very little joy left in her life, nothing really left for her to be happy about, or if maybe you feel that she is suffering and is living a miserable existence, then I think the answer is clear and humane euthanasia is the right thing to do; otherwise it would be selfish to keep her around. These are difficult questions to answer and it is not always very clear to see, because our bond with the animal sometimes clouds our judgement. My point is ...that you and only you can really make that decision, based on your best judgement for what is fair to the animal. Unfortunately, this is a situation that I have seen firsthand more times than I care to remember and it never gets easier. However, I believe that the good Lord put us here to care and oversee all the animals of the earth, and part of that duty requires that we sometimes make tough decisions. In my opinion, it is a blessing to have that duty and I would much rather know that I was able to ease an animal's suffering by humanely euthanizing him or her, rather than have to see the animal suffer and struggle through an agonizing death.
Hope that helps.

Thanks, I was able to do something for her that I can't do for myself. Its tough and I have 12 years of duck hunting memories. Hardest thing I have done in years

[jebster]

Torch, I share your pain. I had to put my lab down at 13. He was a dream dog in trials and in the field....an awesome hunting dog, but most important, my very best friend. To have a dog to live until 15 is a blessing from above.

These kind of decisions are gut wrenching. It got to the point where I had no choice as I could not bear to see more suffering. Go with your heart, you can do no wrong whatever your decision.

[Dux Be Us]

Sorry brotha...SUX