Time to let go? (Euthanasia, are Terriers different?)

[MissiesMommy]

I've been struggling with my Yorkie's quality of life for some time now. She's 16 years old. Currently, she can't hold her bladder or bowels. Is mostly deaf and partly blind (still gets around in familiar places, but obviously can't see well). She's been dragging her hind feet for awhile now, wearing off her back nails completely. Her back legs are weak and atrophied, and she has some pain back there off and on.

Behaviorally, she putts around, and starts a fence fight with the neighbor's dog once a day. Otherwise she sleeps. Still eats and drinks normally, but occasionally seems to forget there's water in front of her (will bark, while in her crate with water, to go outside, and then drink greedily). She stays a little thin despite being free-fed, as well.

I've been taking the tests and trying to evaluate realistically what her quality of life is, but she still seems to have a little spunk (what with the fence-fighting), which makes it difficult to decide. Are Terriers different in this area? Do they have that fire up to the end, despite not being in good shape physically? She's always been stoic about pain, and it's hard to read it in her eyes (which was my reliable way to tell) because of the cataracts.

How did you make the decision? At what point did you know?

[Lovetodream88]

Sorry I can't help you but I just want to offer my prayers for this hard decision.

[SirTeddykins]

Hello,


So sorry you are having to go through this decision process.


Aging is a difficult thing to watch; we often have to witness the decline in physical and mental ability which has a huge emotional toll on us as well as the aging party.


However, from what you have described below, I cannot see that anything suggests that your girl is ready to go via euthanasia. If she is still eating and going potty and can walk for herself etc. then what you are witnessing is the aging process and not yet the dying process, in my opinion.


On the other hand, I understand that it is difficult to watch all the changes and the ability to control the time she goes may be easier on you than to wait for it and be unprepared...


The only thing I can say is that, once the decision is made, it cannot be reversed. So, just be sure that when you make the decision, it was for the right reason i.e. the dog because you will be left with guilt, otherwise..you know?


Hugs x

[LunarBerry]

I can only say with what experience I've had with my past yorkies. One died of old age, was blind the last couple of years of his life and was hand fed for the most part. The other had some complications that we thought had caught back up with her (she had some health issues when we first got her as a pup/young dog).
The last three dogs (including the past yorkies) that past away, we've actually never got around to "euthanize" when the time came, they've all past away in our homes when we least expected and suddenly. Up until near the end, they all seemed to have done fine for their situation and kept their spark right before the end. I'd say, go with what you feel is either right or instinct. In my opinion, unless they are suffering so bad that they should be put down very quickly, I'd let them live out the last of their life at home with family. I personally think they would prefer that, if possible.

[gracielove]

It is one of the hardest decisions to make. One of my little buddies lived to be 15 years old and was losing his love of life. I thought that because he was still alive and able to walk that he was OK but my family finally got through to me that he was not enjoying his life anymore and it was true. I think he stuck around for my sake but in reality was really suffering.

When dogs get older parts of the body start to shut down and they are no longer able to do the things they once enjoyed. They are dedicated to us above all else but I finally admitted it was really selfish for me to allow him to continue to go piece by piece. We had him put down peacefully and I now wish I had consented to it sooner. I wish I had put him and how HE felt first.

This is something that you have to confront for yourself and decide what is best for him. I hope you are able to come to the decision that is best for your friend.

[Parti Peanut]

I'm sorry you are having to go through this now. I know how difficult it is. Our last little girl was 15 when I had to make that difficult decision. In the end, I had to ask myself if I was keeping her for her sake or mine. When I think back now, I should have made the decision sooner for her sake. It's never easy but I think you will know in your heart when it's time.

[JadeD]

It is never an easy decision. We had a fox terrier when I was a kid who lived to be 19 years old. He had catarcts and could not see the last several years. He had gone blind a couple years before the end. He knew when you put him on grass to go potty though and he was always happy to curl up with my sister whenever she was near him.

His decision for our family to have him put down was when he could no longer even attempt to stand. The vet thought he had a stroke or something like that and so we knew the time had come. Even on days he was weak before that he could stand even if he needed a little assistance, but it got to the point where she couldn't even hold him up really.

It is tough and I am sorry you have to go through this. I had to make the decision last year on a very young dog who I thought would be with me so much longer but cancer is cruel and doesn't care that she was so young. If the dog is not suffering I would let them continue to age and just enjoy every day you have with them still. If they are suffering though I think it is better to let them go. Your dog does not sound like they are in extreme pain, but only you will be able to judge that.

[DBlain]

It's a hard decision that every pet owner dreads having to make, so my heart goes out to you. My husband was that way with his 18 year old cat, he kept just hoping it would happen naturally but it never did. The vet finally told him, she is elderly she will not get better or younger you must think about her quality life, and because she can not speak you can not be sure of her level of distress, you need to think more about her than your need to keep her alive for your sake. I agree with that thought, I also fee strongly that the most unselfish act we ever do for our pets is to let them go peacefully before they experience a lot of pain. I have seen friends and family wait way to long to make this decision and then like Murphy's law the pet takes a turn for the worse in the middle of the night or late on a Saturday afternoon, then your vet is closed and you either have to spend hours in agony waiting for the vet to open or go rushing out to find an ER vet. There are vets that come to the house also which is often easier on the pet. My prayers are with you during this difficult time.

[Vereen]

I sympathize with you- it is just heartbreaking at this stage and you want to do the right thing. Having dealt with this in the past, I can tell you that the best advice I got was to count the days in the week that were good and bad and when the bad outnumbered the good, time is closing in.

Our last dog, also a terrier-not a yorkie, would also have funny, feisty moments just about every day. She too, would do a daily fence check to make sure she was still queen. But it was slow and as time wore on, looked increasingly difficult. I prayed for a clear signal as I didn't have the heart or mind to make the hard decision. Like you, I did not want her to suffer.

I must say 'fortunately' we got our sign and knew it was time to have her put to sleep. I t was the saddest thing I've ever done but not as hard of a final decision because we knew it was the right decision. To this day, I hope we did not wait too long and don't think that we did, but was thankful it was clear in the end.

All the best thoughts and prayers to you during this difficult time.

[yavenay]

Yeah, that is a difficult choice. They are so good at hiding pain and from outward appearances, they seem like they are okay. I've had to put down my last two pets but it was very obivous they were in a great amount of pain.

They both were suffering from a terminal illness. In this case, the decision was very clear and while difficult, I knew it was time. To a degree, I believe your little one will let you know it is time. It seems she is telling you she's not ready as she appears to have some spunk and is eating normally.

[margaritaville]

Iam sorry you are facing this decision. Before the yorkies we had a Bichon who was although 17 1/2 and incontinent of urine, which was easily dealt with. Other than that he was fine. A little slower maybe until he began to have seizures and becoming confused then we knew it was time. It was one of the only things I hated about having a pet. Our whole family grieved his passing.

Since I was the one to take him to the vet for the final time I beat myself for a time wondering, did I do the right thing? But, I can always say, I didn't let him suffer.

[jp4m2]

I'm so sorry your in such a heart wrenching position as being the caretaker of a loved one. This decision is never easy and t's not always obvious one. Our pets will hide pain and push on even in the most difficult of circumstances. So this final decision will be difficult one, one your pet will not be able to show you but will depend on you and your wisdom. The decision you must make is not whether it's life will end , but how, and how much discomfort you are willing to allow it to endure. It takes courage to assume this last duty and it is our last responsibility for our pet, which has given us nothing but love and companionship.

I have found myself in this position and I can confirm it is painful for all involved. For me, from the moment I received his terminal diagnosis I felt I was in a "pre-loss bereavement". I realized intellectually and also emotionally that I was going to lose my pet. It hadn't happened yet, but I knew it wasn't far off... I felt it in my heart...yet I was in a bit of "pet loss limbo." I knew things were going to get worse and I had to get in a place of thinking what is best for my pet and not what was easier for me, this was no easy task. There was a part of me that hoped he'd pass peacefully in his sleep, so I wouldn't have to make that decision. But when he lost so much weight and lost interest in eating I just knew I had to do the hardest thing I'd ever have to do and stop rationalizing that things weren't that bad yet.
Even as we drove to the vets on that final trip, I kept trying to rationalize that maybe it's not quite time yet........

I have found that "no regrets", and "no guilt" is not an option in this situation. Very few can walk away from the vets office without nagging doubts, asking ourselves if maybe we should have waited a little longer. We all must make these decisions based on our own pets, not on what anyone else did or would do. We will travel this road mostly alone and it will take, courage, strength, and love to not prolong a pet's suffering simply to postpone our own, as hard as that is. I wish you wisdom and strength with the coming decisions you will have to make......

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by yavenay

Yeah, that is a difficult choice. They are so good at hiding pain and from outward appearances, they seem like they are okay. I've had to put down my last two pets but it was very obivous they were in a great amount of pain.

They both were suffering from a terminal illness. In this case, the decision was very clear and while difficult, I knew it was time. To a degree, I believe your little one will let you know it is time. It seems she is telling you she's not ready as she appears to have some spunk and is eating normally.

What you said about pain is true. Animals do not display pain as humans do, especially chronic pain. They adjust to it but that does not mean they are not suffering.
I recently saw a dog that had been rescued from a puppy mill. His leg was almost all the way chewed off but he still stood as though it was nothing. Very sad. He was in horrible pain but knew nothing else.
Anyway, our older pets also feel pain but have no outward way of expressing it.

[joyce evans]

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this!! Have you talked to your vet about this? It's a hard decision to make but too soon or overdue is what a lot of us struggle with. Last October I took one of my girls into my vet office on a Wednesday for evaluation as she had cancer. My vet told me that it was not time but soon! On Sunday I took her back in and it was time. The 4 extra days we were able to spend with her were priceless. She did not suffer and that was my main concern. If your pup is not suffering then I would say hold off a little and spend as much time with him/her as you can. Your vet should be of some help in the decision making.

[SirTeddykins]

Hi MissiesMommy,


Just checking on you to see if you're okay and let you know we're thinking of you and supporting you in whatever you decide to do x