When do you know it’s time for your dog to go…

[Thewonandonly]

So my little taffy is turning 15 in may and is a lopso opso. This last year she has been having difficulties. She is blind as a bat and pretty damn deaf. She sleeps for 23 hours a day and her tail isn't up anymore, it pains me to say but she for sure seems less happy.

She can still go up stairs but that's about it. Have to lift her on to chairs and beds. She shakes and you can tell she is dizzy. Worst of it is she is now pissing and craping in the house. She has always been really potty trained so I think she is pretty out of it.

Just she's been my dog since I was 13 and it's a tough decision to make… When did you guys know it was time for your dog to go?

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

I'm sorry OP. That's a really difficult thing to deal with. The most I can say is that you should take her to the vet and get a professional opinion.

 

[CloseTalker]

I'd take her to the vet, but for me it would be when you said you think she's probably not happy being alive anymore. As dark as it sounds, I think being able to relieve pets of that pain is actually one of the nicest things we can do.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

My wife and I had to let our 15 year old cat go at the start of the year. The choice we made was to let him go before he was no longer comfortable.

That was the only thing that guided me. Not how long we could stretch his existence out, but how long he could enjoy life.

 

[beelulzebub]

It's worth getting a second opinion from a vet if it's something you can do reasonably soon, but one thing you DON'T want to do is wait too long to say goodbye. Pet owners usually know when it's time, and it sounds like you know.

I'm sorry, OP. :(

 

[skeezx]

my doge was 17 and I had him since 5th grade. I'd always assumed after the ~15 year range it was something i'd have to do, so i was mostly mentally prepared, dark as it sounds

vet told me he maybe had some time left but it was going to be super expensive, quality of life was going to be not so great. something that haunts me to this day but I didn't want to drag it on into a super depressing thing. i wish I could've had that other year or two with him, sometimes I think I made the right decision sometimes I don't, but I ultimately think I did

 

[Godfather]

It honestly sounds like it's time, OP. If they've lost all control of bodily functions and don't seem to be enjoying any part of their existence except possible being asleep... there's nothing you can realistically do.

I'm really sorry.

 

[Hello Snake]

When our dog was no longer able to get around by himself, and for example had to be carried outside to pee, that is when we made the decision. We decided that was no longer quality of life. We probably waited longer than we should have, but it's hard. I think you should base your decision on their quality of life.

 

[skullmuffins]

Poor girl :( It sounds like it's time. Look into an in-home option if you can afford the extra cost.

 

[Miamiwesker]

I kept my 16 year old dog probably around too much. For about the last year of her life her back legs stopped working, I did all I could, I would carry her back legs, got her a wheelchair thing but it was too cumbersome. Vet told me she is most likely in pain. She never cried, she was just tired, vet told me she was more than ready to go. Hardest decision of my life, the week of the appointment as horrific but afterwards I know I did the right thing and probably waited too long.

Check with a vet and think to yourself if your dog has much of any quality of life. I'm sorry OP, it's the worst.

 

[Thewonandonly]

Hey thanks for all the replies it really helps getting a different perspective. We're going to talk to a vet and see what they say. I do think it's time tho… going to give her a special day before hand so she leaves on a bright note but damn dogs and cats are hard. Just sucks to love something for 10+ years of your life and having to watch them go… The love they give you though for those 10+ years makes it worth it ten fold!

 

[Sheldon Kornpett]

It depends on what a vet says. One of our family's dogs is 16, will turn 17 this year if he makes it to Halloween. He has some vision and hearing issues, and arthritis in his back legs, and has trouble controlling his bowels. But he's generally pretty cheery and happy to go on a walk and run around the yard, and the vet says his blood work always looks fantastic and none of his issues cause him significant or debilitating pain. So my parents are keeping him around. But as soon as his quality of life becomes lesser, it'll be time. It's hard, but all you can do is give them a good life while they're around and then recognize when keeping them alive isn't worth their pain.

 

[Ashhong]

Dammit I thought this was just a question of how do you know your dog needs to be let out to pee. Now I'm tearing up into my rice thinking about the day I need to do this

 

[Piscus]

Once prolonged incontinence hits, it's usually a swift turn downhill from there. Especially once their poop becomes regularly diarrheal.

I'm really sorry, OP. Losing a pet is never easy.

 

[Oreoleo]

The soiling in the house is a sign of dementia, sorry to say.

I did everything in my power to prolong my dogs life those last couple weeks, so I'm not going to say "it's time" yet, but your immediate future is sure to be bleak.

The next phase is lowered appetite followed by organ failure. The moment mine stopped taking even a liquid diet I made the appointment the next day.

It was so hard. I'm sorry.

 

[Elfgore]

The moment you fully realize you're keeping the dog alive for you and not because it's the best choice for them. Vets will help you with this too, you can straight ask them if they recommend it.

It's never easy. I'm sorry, OP.