At what point do I put my dog down?

[vampiress88]

My dog is a lab cross
He is 13 years old.
He is currently having a few bad days in which he isn’t himself.
We think and the vets have they same thought that he has Alzheimer as he cannot understand how to get out of corners he has walked in or he stands on the step to come in and can’t work out that I need to open the door for him to do that and so he just stands there.
He has been checked and he has lost a lot of muscle on his back legs. This is the reason they say he keeps falling over or that his legs give way on him. They say he has an issue with his spine and back legs so he is on loxicom and also 3 gabapentin and 1 paracetamol a day. He loved to go on a walk but can only manage to go about 4 houses up now and then he doesn’t want to move for the next two days.
Unfortunately he is losing control of his bladder and bowel. He dribbles a bit of wee in his basket but the worst is that he is pooing now in the house. I wake up and there is poo in his basket, I’m not sure if it’s cos he can’t get up or because he doesn’t know and it just falls out. It’s now becoming every day on my kitchen floor or kitchen carpet and I have two kids 6&5 who I then have to tell them they can’t come in the kitchen as no matter how I clean the carpet I worry about not cleaning it enough. He also gets upset and mardy that he has poo in the house cos he knows he’s not supposed to and he has been so good and only ever poo in the house when he is ill even from being a pup but he has now done it more times in the past week than in the whole 13 years.

I am at the point where I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to remember him in pain always on tablets that make him sleepy and me worrying about poo in the house. But I also don’t want to let him go as he is family. He has been with me through so much and I’m struggling to make a decision.

The vet has said it’s basically up to us. The medication is making it so it’s not as painful but can’t stop the poo or the falling over. They have said it’s only a matter of time but we have to choice when.

What would you do?

I always assumed that he would just go in his sleep

[missy E]

I think you know yourself what your answer will have to be.
Thinking of you x

[Tink Tina]

Sorry to hear and don’t want to appear insensitive but it sounds about time to let him ago! But it sounds like you don’t have to make an immediate decision, take your time x

[maidmarian]

Originally Posted by vampiress88

My dog is a lab cross
He is 13 years old.
He is currently having a few bad days in which he isn’t himself.
We think and the vets have they same thought that he has Alzheimer as he cannot understand how to get out of corners he has walked in or he stands on the step to come in and can’t work out that I need to open the door for him to do that and so he just stands there.
He has been checked and he has lost a lot of muscle on his back legs. This is the reason they say he keeps falling over or that his legs give way on him. They say he has an issue with his spine and back legs so he is on loxicom and also 3 gabapentin and 1 paracetamol a day. He loved to go on a walk but can only manage to go about 4 houses up now and then he doesn’t want to move for the next two days.
Unfortunately he is losing control of his bladder and bowel. He dribbles a bit of wee in his basket but the worst is that he is pooing now in the house. I wake up and there is poo in his basket, I’m not sure if it’s cos he can’t get up or because he doesn’t know and it just falls out. It’s now becoming every day on my kitchen floor or kitchen carpet and I have two kids 6&5 who I then have to tell them they can’t come in the kitchen as no matter how I clean the carpet I worry about not cleaning it enough. He also gets upset and mardy that he has poo in the house cos he knows he’s not supposed to and he has been so good and only ever poo in the house when he is ill even from being a pup but he has now done it more times in the past week than in the whole 13 years.

I am at the point where I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to remember him in pain always on tablets that make him sleepy and me worrying about poo in the house. But I also don’t want to let him go as he is family. He has been with me through so much and I’m struggling to make a decision.

The vet has said it’s basically up to us. The medication is making it so it’s not as painful but can’t stop the poo or the falling over. They have said it’s only a matter of time but we have to choice when.

What would you do?

I always assumed that he would just go in his sleep

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I feel so sorry for you 😢 but unfortunately the time has come to sadly let him go, I know exactly how you are feeling but when they lose their abilities it is time to let go.
It's heartbreaking but you will do the right thing for your lovely dog, it's out of love for him that you'll know it's right. Xx

[Gull]

It’s so hard. You will know when is the right time xxx

[Anne K]

For us, it was when our darling boy, Oscar, lost his dignity 😪

[Loopylooloo]

Is he still tail waggy and looks happy? Or does he look tired and sad? I think you will know. It sounds like he has had a wonderful life, I am so sorry that you are going through this, its never easy because we love them so much. Thinking of you x

[Col&Ali]

Oh this is sad and brings back memories or our beautiful Cairn Poppy who we had to say goodbye to 3 years ago. I’m not sure if you know but a dog taking himself into a corner is a sign of the end.

Lots of love to you and your family when making this horrible decision 💜

[Hermione]

I am so very sorry but I think you know it's time.

[Jedi Princess]

I think deep down you know the answer. Thinking of you vampiress88 X

Originally Posted by Loopylooloo

Is he still tail waggy and looks happy? Or does he look tired and sad? I think you will know. It sounds like he has had a wonderful life, I am so sorry that you are going through this, its never easy because we love them so much. Thinking of you x

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It’s such a horrible decision to make. Our gorgeous Bindi still looked happy, and her tail never stopped wagging. Which made the decision all the more heartbreaking for us, although we knew it was the kindest thing for her.