My 120lbs male Black Labrador, "Joe" is almost 14yrs old, and on his last legs. He is almost deaf, his vision has badly deteriorated and has a tumor about the size of a lemon on the inside of his left back leg. The vet said it would be about $3,000 to remove the tumor 2 years ago, and not to do it on a dog of his advanced age............Heres the clincher: He has had a great life, he is as happy and active as ever, LOVES his food, still wants to defend his yard and play with kids and his sister (litter mate, who is still as sound as a 5 yr old dog) still wants to go hunting or out in the boat. Really outside of the problems I mentioned before, he is as strong as a horse......The wife and I just cant stand seeing him run into walls and not hear us calling him in. Its killing us, we just dont know when to say," its time". Its going to kill me when I load him into the truck, and he thinks hes just," going for a ride" that last time. Not to mention what it will do to my Wife and Daughter...or his sister.

Anybody have any thoughts about when to say, "its time"?

 

Does he still seem happy,and free from pain? If so,it sounds like he is not suffering,rather you and your family are,by watching his deterioration.....If you have a good vet,one who knows you and the dog well,and whose judgement you trust, i would ask him for an opinion........It is a tough decision,our pets become an important part of our families, i am sorry that you are going through this.......Bob

 

I know the feeling,I could never have any of mine put down as long as they were happy
My last one a pit mix I carried out side to do her stuff for more than a year because she couldn't make it in time on her own

 

As long as he's not in pain keep him around, Dave.

When it comes time, be there with him at the end.

 

I had posted this in another thread of basically the same subject, so since it's relevant, I figured I'd post it here too...

"All living things will let you know when it's time....people and animals alike. I've had a number of relatives that have passed, and a few of them welcomed it (for varying reasons), and animals do the same. My uncle had a yellow lab that acted like a pup even though he had severe arthritis. Every morning was a chore for him to get moving, but he would and would go through his day happy as a clam. Finally, one day it was over...he just didn't have the willpower enough to overcome his affliction, and my uncle had to do what was right. It really messed both of us up when that dog had to go, and I still have problems with it...and he wasn't even my dog! My uncle passed about a year and a half after that, and I haven't been able to completely deal with that one either.

My sister had her own fuzzball that she rescued from a shelter. Last Christmas, she brought the dog with the family, so I got to see it for the first time. This dog was blind, deaf, constantly cold, and had to be picked up and taken outside to relieve itself as it couldn't find the door. It threw up three times while he was there, and slept most of the time. I kept thinking, "Maybe my sister isn't reading the signs because she's too close to it". Then, one day, I was playing around with the kids and the other dog, and this goofball got all excited, and started running up and down the basement hallway at full speed (and that dog was pretty dang fast for a crippled geriatric pup!) I thought, "maybe there's a little bit of time left in this goofball yet". There was, but about a month or so later, he was gone. He went downhill, and my sister had to take him in to put him down. She told me that the dog finally let her know it was too much to deal with.

My advice? Let your dog tell you when it's time. When he's no longer happy about anything, and he's struggling with no relief in sight, you'll know what to do."
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If the dog seems happy, content and free from pain then I would probably wait. Because you want to be sure. There's no going back. You don't want to get a few weeks/months down the road and start second guessing yourself.

 

You will know.

I'm sorry to hear your best friend is on his last legs.
It's a terribly hard decision to make.
Do the merciful thing when you all know it is right.





I hope if and when I come to that some one will help me across the rainbow bridge.

 

Sorry to hear about Joe's declining condition. He will let you know when it's time...and...you will know!!! Be there with him...as he's been with there with you!!!

 

Hey Dave,Behemoth brought up an excellent point,and a friend of my Wife's had a similar experience. This Lady inherited a country property upon her Mother's passing away,and there was a very elderly,blind in one eye,cancer survivor Horse that her mother had rescued years earlier. This Horse wasnt a candidate for adoption,everyone agreed that it would either die from the stress of re-locating it,or that it would not adjust to new surroundings and need to put down,anyway. Two other Horses that had been kept on the property had been euthanized several years earlier,and had been buried up on a hill. This lady had the local Vet come out one day to assess the horse,and while the vet was there the horse walked up the hill right to the spot where its former stablemates had been buried,as if to say "im Ready",and the vet put the horse down. Apparently the horse had not walked to that hill for quite some time,so it was interpreted by those who witnessed this as the Horse was ready to leave..........

 

I agree......your friend will let you know when it is time. But as long as he is in no pain and can get around, let him live as long as he can. Comfort him as he comforts you. Make believe that every day is his last, and when that last day comes you will find solace in all the great memories you have, and will know your pal had a great life.

 

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies so far, all are appreciated. In fact, it is quite a outpouring of real help!..............Right now, Joe is snoring away after eating a half a turkey sandwich I brought home from work, and is QUITE content. I needed the influx of opinion to bolster my own: Hes still happy, let him be happy.....He will let us know. Just agonizing to see your 8wk old pup turn into a 14yr old dog thats not what he once was and wondering if he is still happy.... Not fishing for sympathy here but, my life sounds like a bad country music song. My dogs on his last legs, my 10yr career at the plant ends in 3wks when we shut the doors permanently (no new job in sight, my fault for staying in a doomed industry.) My wife hasnt left me, but I do feel like getting drunk!.....Never seems to rain but it pours!., I really appreciate all the honest opinions, and my wife agrees, we will stand by Joe until HE says its time.

 

Read the book "Rescuing Sprite" by Mark Levin. It is your story.

When the time comes, you'll know. At that time all you can really do is look your friend in the eyes and tell him how you feel. I had to do so with Ben. He was old when we got him and we were blessed with a terrific year of companionship. He went very quickly. Once, shortly before he left us, I let him out in the back yard. I couldn't find him for the longest time, but I finally did, he was crouched behind a bush at the back fence. When I saw him under there, I knew the time was near. It was several days later that I got up early in the morning to find out that Ben had lost control of his bodily functions- I normally would get upset at stepping in poo- but he had no choice. He had no control. I had to go to work but I made him as comfortable as possible, looked him in the eyes (those eyes told me he was in pain, but there was love there, too. I think I'll remember them until I die) and told him he was a "good dog." It was all I could think of at the moment, and I have no doubt he felt as much love for me as I did for him at that moment. I was unable to get out of work to help my wife take care of him. She had a neighbor help load him in the car to take him to the vet. She had a friend sit with her while the vet put him to sleep (3 years and I still get blurry vision when I type this story!!). He was gone in a few seconds, and pain free forever...

We have his picture in a frame with his dogtag and the poem Rainbow Bridge hanging in the hallway.

 

I know how you feel. I had a pup that used to lay on my chest when I was under my VW transporter working on it. He died of Parvo Then I had to put to sleep four out of litter of pups one time and then I had to put to sleep my favorite dog when he was 17. I have a great dog now that is 13 and getting slow and sleeps a lot. I imagine it may not be too much longer for her. She is the smartest and most trusting dog I ever owned.

 

I'm with the rest of these guys, don't put him to sleep until you know it is time.

I had a black lab that I got as a six week old. At five he got hit by a van and was never completely the same physically or emotionally but he still had a lot of life and fun in him and was a great companion. When he was eight we had our son and he was super with the baby and with our daughter three years later.

On my son's fourth birthday, after the party I let Buddy out in the yard with our other dog. After an hour or so I went to let them in and only Jake came back in. I found Buddy laying in the extreme back corner of our yard. I coaxed him into the house, led him to his bed in the basement and said goodbye. A couple hours later he was dead. I don't think he suffered. Vet said it could have been bloat or possibly a ruptured tumor. He was cremated and buried in my yard. I still miss him.

I hated that he died but it was his time and I'm really glad I didn't have to decide to put him down. I think you'll know when it is time though.

 

I have been staring at my screen for the last 15 mins. trying to come up with the right thing to say. About all I can do is echo the above posts. When the time comes you will know.

I had to have my rotty of 10 yrs put to sleep just over a year ago. I remember telling my wife as we left for the vet that she wasn't going to be coming home with us. The vet said her heart was going something like 180 bpm. He said she wasn't suffering any pain. Two days before she was right as rain. I could tell she wasn't happy or comfortable. I could see it in her eyes. I made the call. It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. Still have a thought about her most days. At least now I can most times remember with a smile and not a tear.

You will know.