Need Advice from Older Dog Owners

In My Humble Opinion
21

Honestly, if he hurts so much that he won’t even get up to eat, I doubt the dog will care about being at the vet. Yes, it’ll hurt him to get him in the car. It hurts him now to go out to potty. The vet is a single trip, potty is several times a day. At the vet there is at least a chance that the pain can be managed to a point that he has good quality of life again, for a while.

Plus, sometimes you just have to do things that suck in order to get better. Sometimes you have to make those kinds of decisions for those under your care who can’t make those decisions themselves. (My cat was so terrified of getting an abdominal ultrasound that he wet himself. It broke my heart. I still did it anyway. Twice. Because he needed it.)

I agree that a housecall is the best option, but if that’s not available, saying “I can’t take him to the vet” really isn’t an option, in my opinion.

22

I have a 15-year-old Boston terrorist. (She’s not so much a holy terror any more :sad: )

•When she stopped being interested in her kibble, I realized, “Ah! Old dog’s teeth are rotting and her widdle mouf probably hurts. It must be time to switch her to canned food.” When I changed her over to very tempting-smelling soft food, her appetite seemed to have picked right back up.

•I’m pretty consistent about keeping my pets up to date on shots and anything that requires stitches, x-rays, or antibiotics, I get that treated right away. So my animals are all accustomed to going to the vet. I can’t imagine how you got 14 years with this dog and it’s still not used to going to the vet. But my dog started having arthritic pain several years ago. My vet at the time practiced acupuncture, which worked a charm. He has since retired, but there are many meds that can help ease the suffering… IF the dog still has an otherwise good quality of life (it’s eating, drinking, peeing and pooping and it doesn’t hurt to do any of those things). My Old Dog recently reinjured her degenerating cervical disk from trying to jump off the couch. Doc would not give her the usual steroids to reduce inflammation because of the heart meds she’s on for congestive heart failure. But we gave her some pain meds and treated a terrible ear infection and she’s perking back up again. As perky as a 15-year-old dog is.

•Because of the degenerating cervical disk, there were several steps I took years ago to help her out with mobility. There are such things as raised dog dishes, so the dog doesn’t have to bend its neck or stoop to eat or drink. That helps an achy old dog significantly. It might want to eat/drink if it didn’t hurt so much to try. I also got little doggy steps to put next to the couch so she wouldn’t jump up and down so much. I could never get her to use them, so I’m retraining her to sleep all day on her dog bed on the floor and I carry her up and down any steps she has to navigate (such as going outside to poo and pee). We’re talking about a little 20-pound dog, so scooping her up to get her where she needs to be is not a problem. But I do have to use the vet tech technique to carry her – each forearm under the belly/ribcage held level so I don’t bend her spine weirdly.

• After you’ve called the vet and discussed the problem and you still can’t get the dog in for treatment, then yes, it’s time. You’ll still probably have to take the dog in to get him whacked though. Mine won’t do housecalls for euthanasia in case something goes wrong with the execution and he has to break out some extra tools of the trade.

If the dog hasn’t been into the vet in years and you’d rather not spend the money trying to treat the pain, then please do the merciful thing and say goodbye. I cannot understand how any human with a heart could allow an animal to just live in terrible pain. “Well, should we whack him?” Gee, ya think maybe you could try asking the vet for a Tramadol you could go pick up and then give it to the dog so he’ll be out of pain long enough to get to the vet for an exam? No, let’s just have the dog whacked; there’s no sense in trying to see if there’s a treatable medical problem. Hell, you could give a dog an aspirin (just not an NSAID like acetominiphen or ibuprofin) just to ease the pain long enough to get him in the car. CALL THE DAMN VET and ASK THEM what you could do. Phone calls to the vet are still free, last time I checked.

Hey, I understand that some people think of their pets as more like livestock or even potential groceries, but I just have trouble being okay with a human’s choice to take responsibility for another living thing and then just let it live with pain or illness. If you can’t afford a vet, you can’t afford a pet.

23

Kaio, maybe we are misunderstanding each other. I’m saying that at this dog’s age and stated condition (not eating, functionally immobile) there is no reason to take him in for pain management. I’d call in a vet for euthanasia, or take him in to be put down if one is completely unavailable, but not bother with putting him the pain and stress of an office visit if it isn’t strictly needed.

I’ve seen too many elderly dogs kept alive by medication with very little to no quality of life. It’s not right, and they deserve better from us.

24

Acid Lamp, I am saying, why doesn’t the OP call the vet and have the actual animal doctor make that determination, rather than us?

I’d really hate to think this dog’s life, and quality of life, is in our hands. The OP’s questions should be asked of a veterinarian, not randoms on the internet.

25

Agreed. It may be treatable. It may not be. An actual doctor should look and make that determination. Either way, once the vet is there/they are at the vet’s, the vet can do whatever needs to be done.

26

Best post of the thread.
I’m surprised so many people are so quick to suggest euthanasia when nobody even knows what’s wrong with the dog.
Sometimes when an animal stops eating it’s because of a serious problem like advanced cancer and euthanasia is a very appropriate response. However, sometimes animals stop eating just because they’re uncomfortable and it’s something that can be easily treated to make them feel better. I think it’s kind of premature to suggest euthanasia for something that may be easily treated by hiding a pain pill in a piece of cheese.

27

When our dog, who had never lost his appetite in 15 years, stopped eating we knew it was time. He had multiple problems, but when he stopped wanting to move and eat ending it was the best thing to do. I got to sit with him and pat him and tell him what a good dog he was before.

My suggestion is to bring him to the vet but be prepared to not bring him home again.

28

I apologize for my ranty tone.

I’ve had a lot of experience with old dogs and so far, every time I think I’m about to turn the very last corner, I discover that there is a treatment and before I know it, she’s back to her old self. It’s very frustrating to read how easily people are willing to throw in the towel on a trusted, faithful friend. I’m glad I’m not friends with those people. They might abandon me next time I get a headache.

29

After the vet examination (which, I agree, will find advanced arthritis that may or may not respond well to pain medication), it’s probably time to read something like this - a list to help you decide if it’s time to euthanize your pet.

Our older cat has arthritis, too, and has all but stopped jumping, but she gets a dose of pain medication every couple of months, and glucosamine once a day (all on vet’s orders), and except for jumping, she seems to be doing just fine. I’m keeping an eye on her, too, to make sure she doesn’t lose too much quality of life and we just don’t notice.

30

A vet is qualified to make medical decisions and recommend treat options. They are not qualified to make quality of life decisions, nor balance such matters against the emotional, physical and financial concerns of the owner. We have a responsibility to our furry buddies to take the very best care of them, but that does not mean that we need go to heroic or expensive measures to extend the life of an already very elderly animal. We aren’t talking about an 8 year old dog with some arthritis, the animal in question is over 14. That is very old by any breed standard.

31

Okay, the reason I am advocating a trip to the vet so hard is because of the experience I had this past week.

Last weekend, I noticed around Friday afternoon that 15 Y.O. OldDog would barely lift her head off her bed when I came home from work. Tried to hand feed her a couple times; she wouldn’t have it. Picked her up to take her out; she just stood there, hanging her head and moaning.

Saturday morning, I rush her off to the vet. I am SURE that this is IT and I will be leaving with an empty dog collar in my hand.

Vet says, “Well heart and lungs sound fine.” He gives pain meds for her neck thing, but she does not really perk up much over the weekend. I finally manage to get her to eat (once I got the pain under control), but she’s still not eating much and has very little energy. I start to worry that I’ve taken her on her last beach trip.

Monday morning, I’m back at the vet. She’s leaking nasty goo from her left ear. I wonder if she’s had so many seizures that her little brain has melted and is finally leaking out. Doc assures me it’s just an ear infection. So after a couple days of drops in her ears and a couple more days of pain meds, she is trying to jump on and off the couch again. Her eyes are bright and clear again. She was barking at the gutter repair guy today when he came by to give me an estimate. Played with the kitty for a minute last night.

She’s still 15 and much slower/blinder/deafer than she used to be. But I trust my vet to tell me if she’s got something treatable going on or if all I’m doing is flogging a poor suffering dog who needs to be put out of her misery. Can you imagine if I’d decided not to bother with the vet because they’re not qualified to make quality of life decisions and just had her whacked?

For less than $100, and the minor hassle of ear drops, I got my dog back for a little while longer. I am not talking about an 8 year old dog with minor arthritis either. My old girl has a laundry list of problems. When she can’t eat/drink/poop/pee or play with kitty, then I’ll take her in and have her whacked. I expect that day to come in this calendar year. But it wasn’t last week and I thought it might be. That’s all I’m trying to say.

32

It’s premature to suggest euthanasia for something easily treated with pain pills, if the owner is willing to provide the treatment. The OP, however, doesn’t seem to be willing to do that. People who are willing to treat arthritis don’t, by and large, let an animal get into the shape described and just shrug their shoulders and say “Oh, I can’t take him to the vet.” And if you’re not going to treat that kind of pain, the only other ethical option is to put the animal down. Leaving it to suffer horribly until it dies on its own is simply NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION.

33

That’s the second time you’ve said this and I must disagree. A Jack Russell Terrier, for example, has an *average *life expectancy of 15 years. A 14 year old specimen would not by any means be “very old,” any more than a 65 year old human being (average life expectancy 67 years) is very old. My 13.5 year old bitch is doing quite well, aside from slowing down a mite and sleeping more. She is a far cry from decrepit.

34

Agree with your disagreement, Contrapuntal. Growing up one of my mom’s friends had a toy poodle who made it to about age 18, and was a healthy, feisty little ball of coal-black fluff right up till the end. Little dogs = long lifespans. (Potentially.)

I need to hear why, exactly, the OP “can’t” take the dog to the vet before I say anything else. Financial constraints? No car? <Seinfeld> Whaaat’s the deal? </Seinfeld>

35

I’d say you should try some sort of pain control, whether it’s glucosamine supplements or prescription meds. If they improve his quality of life, then your problem is solved, for the moment at least. if they don’t, then you know what you have to do.

we have a 14 year-old Border Collie/Lab mix that we’re going through a similar situation with at this very moment. We were giving him glucosamine treats and he was doing pretty well. we ran out of the treats about a week ago and hadn’t picked up any new ones, and coincidentally he seems to be suffering quite a bit this week. There may or may not be a causal relationship here; I’m heading to the store tonight after work, and we’ll see…

Jinx, I do know what you’re going through, and you have my sympathy. Do whatever you can do for your pup, but remember that sometimes the best thing to do for him might be the hardest thing to do for you…

36

I had a dog who was terrible at the vet’s. She didn’t snap or bite. Instead, she’d sink into a deep depression. She’d be perfectly fine at home, but get her to the vet and you’d think this was a dog in her final minutes. She wouldn’t eat, drink, or poop and was often nearly catatonic with fear and depression. That made diagnosing any problems very difficult. So I do understand “can’t go to the vet.”

I found a vet who made house calls. You may have to search around to find one. However, if you’re an established customer for a regular vet and this is an emergency (and it sounds like it is), you may be able to persuade them to make a house call.

For what it’s worth, six months before I had to put this particular dog down, she had symptoms very similar to your dog. The mobile vet hydrated her, prescribed some new pain meds, and gave me a package of highly palatable dog food. That worked quite well for the next six months. Then she went downhill again and it was time. But I am grateful for those six months. She was very happy again until the very end.

37

Little breeds often last longer, but going on average, 12-14 is a solid “end of the road” life expectancy for most dogs of any type.

38

Jesus,
Since your dog maybe in a great deal of distress why are you consulting strangers on the internet ? Please consult a veterinarian.

39

Acid Lamp, in one sentence you say “most dogs of any type” live 12-14 years, and then the very next thing you say is small dogs often live over 15-16 years. The average lifespan for a typical mid-size mutt is 12-14 years, that is certainly not “most dogs of any type.”

40

I was discussing this topic with my gf last night. She told me she had asked her veterinarian if she would do a house-call euthanasia if the need arose. The doctor told her that the drug used for euthanasia is a controlled substance regulated by the DEA. Her license was tied to her office address. Outside use, if it were discovered, could get her in trouble (fine, license loss). Very unlikely unless she were involved in a car accident en-route, or it was lost/stolen. Low risk, but still unacceptable.