I needed to hear you say that to me. Thank you.
I feel like a monster making the decision too early, though. There are other things I could try, of course, but her pain is so real. It’s hard to watch.
Think of it this way, they will never ever know if their days were cut short. They do know that it hurts and no one is helping, if you go too far. Literally 24 hours earlier of would have been easier for Badger.
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I am so sorry and sad that you had to go through those last 24 hours. I really hope you have some peace now.
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@KBC,
I think you are being way too hard on yourself. It’s so easy to second guess yourself; because you don’t have a crystal ball and never get the timing exactly right.
You saw your beloved senior dog declining and you made the right decision.
I think the take away here is once you’ve made the decision, act on it immediately.
Hugs to you and @gertie06.
I am struggling myself with our beloved, VERY elderly dog, who has been in a long slow decline and also has dementia. But he still begs for treats and belly rubs and loves to go on his (slow) walks, so it’s not yet. But it’s soon.
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McGurk, that was how Toffee was too. BUT on THE day, she couldn’t stand up, so I knew it was time. Keep a close eye and it is better to go one day early than one day late. Hugs to you on this difficult decision.
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All our animals know is here and now.
Having had to let go of so many over the pas few years, the question I now ask myself is this: “Will they ever be better than they are at this moment?” If the answer is no, and the quality of life is already bad, the choice becomes easier.
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Unbelievably, Trooper seems to have had a stroke, and now is having trouble standing and walking. We actually made it to the vet today, and she had no good words. She said she could send me to a specialist and do an MRI, but I cannot afford that as it isn’t a cure. The prognosis isn’t good for my poor dog.
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I’m so sorry.
Hugs and jingles for Trooper and you.
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Can a dog come back from a stroke? He is walking a little better than he was. He is definitely walking better outside. He didn’t eat his dinner last night and I have to lead him to water. But he is showing signs of improvement! (hopeful)
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I have had to do this many times and each dog let me know when. You get the “I have given up” vibe. One time I called the vet and said I was bringing in my elderly GSP bitch and she walked over to her basket, lay down and died.
I don’t know. My Doofus had a stroke. He walked fine, but refused food and water (acted like he had no idea what they were), nor did he know or recognize me. I let him have the weekend to see if he improved, but he didn’t, so I let him go.
Maybe he could improve. But maybe not.
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From what I have been told by a friend whose dog had multiple strokes, her dog improved each time, but not all the way up to it’s previous level of ability.
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@Larksmom I can’t answer your question, never dealt with a stroke, just wanted to send hugs and jingles.
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thanks for that. The bad news is that he hasn’t eaten much and had very little to drink either, but he is clinging to me like a limpet. He is walking VERY carefully thru the house. I am encouraged by his struggle to get around. That sounds terrible but I think you know what I mean. Yesterday there was nothing like this. I will see how he does today and hopefully, put if off a day or two and maybe he will snap out of it. Not likely, but possible.
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[quote=“Larksmom, post:75, topic:770903, full:true”]. He is walking VERY carefully thru the house. I am encouraged by his struggle to get around. That sounds terrible but I think you know what I mean.
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I understand exactly what you mean, he is still trying to live! Just listen to what he’s telling you, love him enough to listen.
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He is ALMOST normal outside, and getting better inside, but he is still nervous on the floor. I have thrown down a cover for an easy chair for him to walk on and he likes that. Fingers crossed…
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My old dog had something like that happen to her. She came into the room uncoordinated, her one eye was drooping and she was kind of vacant looking but in a couple days she was fine. She lived for a couple years after that with no other issue.
Except like you say she had difficulty walking on our hard floor. Carpet was no issue but any slick surface and it was like she was afraid of falling. She was fine outside. She never got over that.
We called it “Sunny’s floor phobia” I don’t know if her eyesight was damaged and it just looked strange to her?
I had one have a doggie stroke (it is called something else…?) The vet told me if she did not regain use of her hind legs in two weeks she likely would not…I think shemust have heard as she mostly recovered in that time. I likely would have let her go, if she had not, as she had no mobility at all behind during that period.
