“Owner” vs. “Caregiver” – I like to think I am both. But if I had to choose just one, I’d go with “Owner” because I would not want anyone else to be able to take the ability to make decisions out of my hands.
I have to weigh in with everyone else and say, GET A NEW VET. Good people are out there. I have a vet who I respect and admire greatly, and who is helping me through a very difficult time because of his realistic outlook and empathetic demeanor.
Right now my beloved 11 1/2 year old Rottweiler is dying of cancer. I am one of those people who has never cared what it cost to fix a problem when he or my other dogs have had them. I read somewhere once that if the average dog lives to be 11 years old, the average amount spent on the dog during his lifetime (not counting purchase cost of the dog) is $14,000!! Well, I’ve often joked that Jesse is way over his limit. 
He’s had arthritis for several years now and Kryswyn’s right – the meds (Cosequin!) are expensive. Among other “procedures” he’s had done in his life, he had a cancerous toe removed a few years ago and just last year had a benign lump removed in a simple operation that turned into a nightmare recovery period (the incision wouldn’t stay closed). But I chose to have these operations done because I knew my dog had plenty of life left in him although by most standards he’s considered “old” for his breed. He rebounded to his normal self after all these scares and justified my decision to treat him.
However, just weeks ago, we learned he now has lymphoma. He had gone from a dog who lived for his mealtime and his walks to a dog who was having trouble getting up and who would barely eat a thing in a matter of weeks. My vet knew immediately when he felt his lymph nodes that he had lymphoma, and a blood test confirmed that it was in his blood also. He told me my options: get further testing and possible chemotherapy treatments done at Angell Memorial, or put him down. I could tell that his personal opinion was that this dog has been through enough in his life, and I was relieved that I was not to be criticized if I also didn’t want to put my dog through any more. I didn’t like the idea of the remainder of Jesse’s life to be spent driving back and forth to Boston (over an hour each way) for treatments which likely wouldn’t help him and which would be incredibly expensive to boot. Worst of all, HE WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND that I was trying to get him better. He’d be confused and sad, and I wouldn’t want to leave him there for the required overnight.
My father, who Jesse lived with for a couple of years and who still loves him like a child, was having trouble accepting that I didn’t want to subject the dog to any more. I appreciate that he wanted to exercise all options before we made any decisions. So we took Jesse for an ultrasound last week and it was confirmed that the cancer is in his liver and his spleen. My vet said that it is too extensive to even consider treatment, which made the decision for us. We will keep him comfortable until he is in any pain, and then I will have to do what I have dreaded for years – let him go.
The point of this long story is just this – I have a vet who could easily have said, “Go get chemotherapy.” He told me that, had I taken him to Angell Memorial, they most likely would say that they would treat him. But because he is compassionate and humane, he wanted to save ME and JESSE from a fruitless effort. He has told me that the dog is not in any pain right now – just very, very tired. He has also told me that Jesse has a very strong heart, and that he will not do me the favor of going quietly in his sleep. He told me that I am going to have to be the one to decide when to let him go. He then told me to call him at any time, day or night, when I know that time has come.
Thanks for letting me share my story – sorry I kind of got away from the topic. This thread really struck a chord right now and I can’t imagine my vet having said to me that he wouldn’t euthanize my dog because he’s still technically “treatable”.
