On the same topic (I hope, tell me if I should start a new thread if this deviates too much), has anyone ever told someone it’s time to put their dog down? I have a neighbor whose large dog is clearly incontinent and can barely walk. As in, the guy will lift the dog up after it collapses so it can walk down the lane, and act surprised if his dog pees by my doorstep. Though it stinks, I really don’t care about that, I just can’t bear looking at that dog’s face.
Even though the guy is an awful neighbor and just a jerk, the way he handles the dog, I feel like he’s prolonging its life out of love. Clearly I don’t know all the details, but I have a hard time believing the poor thing wouldn’t be better of being put to sleep.
This has been going on for about two years, that I know of. Anyone have any insight? I guess the guy just can’t stand to lose his pet, or has lived with it like that for so long he’s lost perspective? Some days I just want to send an anonymous letter.
If you don’t mind my asking, where is your area? I just talked to my vet and the cremation fee alone, over which she has no control, is $150 for a small dog. I live in a medium sized city in NC, so it’s not like these are big time fancy New York prices or such.
My vet said that some businesses cremate animals to make fertilizer and actually pay for the carcasses, so if a vet has a freezer large enough to hold enough animals to make it worth the trip, the cremation is free.
I still don’t see how someone would rather kill a dog than give it away. It seems qualitatively different from burning a piece of furniture.
So… has the dog been put down yet, or has it been allowed to continue suffering for two more days while we Dopers debated the merits of doggy euthanasia?
I would try to put less stock in your vet’s opinion of you. Whether or not s/he feels you are a heartless asshole who just wants to kill your dog to make your life more convenient, doesn’t really matter. You’ll never even have to see this person again after he kills your dog!
Your dog sounds like it’s not happy, plus it’s a ridiculous burden on you at this point, and it’s old. Put it down and stop worrying.
I have two dogs (14 and 11, so will be dealing with these issues any minute) and two cats who I care for very much and will be sad to part with, but I still don’t understand those wacky people who will go to any lengths to avoid euthanasia of their decrepit or ill pets. If an animal is in distress, physical or emotional, or confused and incontinent, I think it’s a kindness to end its life. You are your wife are all right in my book - hell, you’ve doing a lot better with this dog than many pet owners who profess to ‘love animals!’ (and yet will abandon a troublesome pet, sometimes cruelly, at the slightest provocation).
I think you should say something to him. My dad didn’t put our family dog down when it was time (he let it drag on for far too long), and I still feel badly about that (even though I was just a kid at the time and had no say in the matter). No quality of life is not good for an animal. Just don’t be surprised when it isn’t well-received, but you’ve done all you can then.
If you live in Florida, please email me. I sometimes work with a rescue agency and will take the dog and get help for it.
Honestly, this post has made me angrier than possibly any other post I’ve read on these boards. How can a human being have NO feelings for a pet he has had for many years? I will never understand this. Please do animals a favor and never get another pet.
He didn’t seek this dog out and adopt it himself - it was a package deal with his new wife. He did right by the dog, but he didn’t develop an intense bond with it (as I read it); I can understand that.
Wow, one of the highest moral grounds I can stand on is doing the right thing because I can evaluate it to be the right thing, while simultaneously having no emotional involvement/attachment.
We bought the dog the best food one could buy; one that was recommended due to pancreatitis; we provided regular groomings, a large home and yard and even let the dog put serious wear and tear on a house that we’d rather not sacrifice to an animal.
And now, I feel safe to say we are being objective in addressing the end to his suffering, rather than letting the dog hang around because we can’t deal with death.
Please don’t give the dog to a no-kill rescue. They are already full of smelly, arthritic, incontinent, barfing, blind, biting, senile senior dogs that should have been put down years ago, that no sane person will adopt, and who are often forced to live in far-from-ideal conditions due to the lack of foster families willing to deal with their ‘special needs’.
No matter what you’re going to do with your dog, some people will think you are wrong. But it seems like the majority of the people who posted in this thread support your decision to put your pathetic old dog to sleep and think you are a good, responsible pet owner.
Well, we had to put our dog down this AM. She’d just declined too far in the last few days. She was only 6 and a half, but her fibrosarcoma got the better of her. It was sad, but it was the right thing to do. Her appetite went south and she was losing her ability to go up and down even short steps.
We’ve got an old dog on his last leg. We are going on vacation soon. He absolutely loves traveling in the RV. He doesnt have much oomph left but I am hoping one last great trip for him is doing the right thing. And when we get back it will be time to call the vet
And we went through this last summer with our old cat.
I am the opposite of the OP. My dog is the best thing that has happened to me. I would sacrifice a lot for my dog. But when the dog is not enjoying life and every day is just further trauma with no remedy…It’s time.
I’m sorry to hear that. Fibrosarcomas are horrible. And in my book, if a dog doesn’t want to eat and can’t move without pain, there’s no quality of life left.
I’ve always thought it was meaner (more thoughtless, too) when people REFUSE to put their dogs down after a certain age or decline in health. I kinda feel the same way about people… Animals have a certain lifespan in nature that humans tend to expand to the point of it not being good for the animal. Dogs (and other animals) aren’t meant to live until the owner dies.
I just remembered a flip side of this personal experience. Had an elderly relative. She was sure she could go anytime. She kept wanting us to promise to have her cat and her dog put to sleep and be buried with her should she die. Not eventually mind you, right AFTER she passed. Some said hell no and some said yeah sure but were lieing about it. No, we aint killing perfectly health animals that we would be happy to take care of and give as much love and attention to them as you did.
