[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?