There are different shades of “difficult.” But one of the darkest shades of difficult is anticipating the loss of a loved one. Our blog is dedicated to the empowerment of senior dog moms. But there’s one topic we’ve never discussed because it’s so difficult that it’s almost unspeakable: signs your dog is dying. Consider this a trigger warning because I know this post will not be appreciated by everyone. But for some, it will be invaluable . . . and if that’s you, please process these raw, honest words as a gift. I asked my friend and colleague, Dr. Amy Cottrille, to pen this piece. Dr. Cottrille is a house call veterinarian, dedicated to compassionate hospice care and home euthanasia for pets. Her words are wise. Although they may bring pain, ultimately, we publish this to help alleviate pain. ~ Dr. Julie Buzby, founder of ToeGrips® for senior dogs
Are you struggling to know when is the right time to say goodbye to your dog?
Your canine companion has been by your side through the joys and sorrows of life. He’s been steadfast in his loyalty and love, and the thought of letting your grey-muzzled companion go seems unbearable.
Dogs are amazing friends and companions who bring play, joy, and laughter into our homes. But the sad reality of sharing our lives with dogs is knowing our time with them will not last forever.
One day you will recognize your dog is sick and pivot from play and laughter to providing comfort, care, and possibly even euthanasia to end his suffering.
Your canine companion cannot communicate in words his distress, fear, or pain, so it is up to you to recognize the early signs of dying in your dog. Your early observations can reduce the amount of time your beloved dog is in discomfort, and allow you to comfort him with medication, treatments, and, ultimately, a dignified euthanasia.
How to recognize the signs your dog is dying
Many of the symptoms discussed below are present in non-fatal illnesses, too. These issues can be treated if caught early. If you observe these symptoms, make an appointment to see your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Here are symptoms commonly seen in ailing or terminal dogs.
Cardiac or respiratory symptoms
In addition to heart diseases in dogs such as congestive heart failure or dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (DCM or HCM), dogs may have these symptoms from cancers that commonly spread to the lungs. These cancers include lymphoma in dogs, melanoma, osteosarcoma, aggressive mast cell tumors or hemangiosarcoma in dogs, or any disease that decreases red-blood-cell production (the cells that carry oxygen in the blood), such as bone marrow cancers or kidney disease.
- Lethargy. With a heart or lung disease, your dog will be tired (i.e. a lethargic dog). He may be unable to walk upstairs, cross a room without stopping, be unwilling to get up without a lot of coaxing (if at all), and urinate or defecate in his bed.
- Increased respiratory rate. Instead of taking a breath about every four seconds while resting or sleeping (15-20 breaths per minute), your dog may take shallow breaths every second or two (40-80+ breaths per minute). As mentioned, there are a variety of reasons a dog is breathing fast.
- Change in sleeping position or location. A dog who used to enjoy sleeping on his side may now prefer to sleep on his chest to make breathing easier. Your dog may extend his neck while sleeping, or drape it off the bed. He may also leave his bed to rest on a hard surface such as a rug or the floor. While some dogs have always exhibited these behaviors, for your dog, it may be new.
- Very restless. A dog who sleeps lightly, gets up frequently to pace the room, or moves to a new sleep location during the night may be ailing. As our sweet pups age, senior dog anxiety at night can definitely increase.
- Pale mucous membranes. A dog with a low red blood cell count may have pale pink-to-white gums instead of the normal dark pink. Immune mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA in dogs), blood loss from splenic masses in dogs, and a variety of other conditions can lead to pale gums. (For more information on how to assess gum color, please read Dr. Buzby’s post, Keeping a “Pulse” On Your Dog’s Vital Signs.)
- Coughing. With many cancers or with heart failure, the lungs may begin to fill with fluid. This causes your dog to cough. The cough may be raspy or have a wet sound, as though he is trying to clear fluid with each cough.
- Panting. Your dog may pant to breathe in more oxygen or to cool his body down.
Gastrointestinal or abdominal symptoms
Organ failure, abdominal cancers, and diseases that affect the stomach or intestines, such as Addison’s disease in dogs or Cushing’s disease in dogs, may result in these tell-tale symptoms.
- Lack of appetite. When your food-loving dog stops eating or becomes super picky, he may be ill or terminal. Loss of appetite is a significant symptom not to be ignored.
- Dry heaving or vomiting. Vomiting blood is a bad sign, as is vomiting partially-digested food with a “coffee grounds” appearance.
- Nausea. While your dog may act interested in food, he turns away when you give it to him. This is a sure sign of nausea, as is an increase in drooling.
- Diarrhea. This is a common symptom of illness. Stool may be bloody or have a tar-like appearance. Tarry stool is usually an indication of bleeding higher in the GI tract, instead of in the colon.
- Constipation. Tumors that block the intestines or colon, or diseases that prevent the intestines from normal movement cause constipation. In some conditions, this becomes painful very quickly.
- Abdominal swelling. When your dog is standing or lying on his side, you may see swelling in his abdomen. This may make walking or lying down uncomfortable.
- Pain. Signs your dog is in pain are very common in end-stage abdominal disease when your dog moves or when you apply pressure to his stomach.
Mental or brain-related symptoms
This cluster of symptoms is caused by primary brain tumors, inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain, cancers that may spread to the brain or cause pressure on the brain (such as cancers of the jaw or skull), or seizures in dogs from different organ system diseases (such as liver disease in dogs).
- Extreme behavioral changes. Aggression, fear, confusion, or disorientation from your dog, who was fine yesterday, can signify a medical condition.
- Sudden loss of vision, hearing, or changes in coordination. Stumbling, circling, or falling are all signs that point to a mental or brain-related condition.
- Seizures. Seizures are frequent in ailing dogs. The first two seizures may be hours apart, with subsequent ones occurring closer together and lasting longer.
- Decrease in mental awareness. If your dog is experiencing seizures, he may go from being very distressed and agitated after the first seizure to not recognizing loved ones or realizing another person or animal is in the room after subsequent seizures.
Nonspecific signs that your dog may be dying
While some symptoms mentioned above are clear indicators of a specific disease, other symptoms are nonspecific but provide clear evidence your dog is not well.
- Hiding behavior. If you observe your dog crawling under bushes or decks outside or hiding under or behind furniture inside, take note. Your dog instinctively knows an ill animal in the wild is at risk of being hunted by a predator, so pay attention to hiding behavior.
- Avoidance behavior. If your otherwise friendly dog begins to avoid people, petting, and attention, it’s a clear sign something is wrong.
- Involuntary muscle twitching or spasms. Spasms or twitches are common and are possibly caused by electrolyte imbalances due to a lack of eating nutrients.
- Bleeding. Any bleeding, especially from the nose or anus, is of serious concern.
- Swelling of the throat or legs. You can test for swelling by applying pressure to your dog’s skin with your thumb. If the tissue is slow to recover, the area is swollen.
- Pain. If your dog is experiencing pain, he may hunch, pant, shake, cry, whine, whimper, or groan. He may also growl or bite when approached or squint his eyes.
- Body temperature changes. A dog with a fever may seek a cool floor surface to lie on. In some cases, changes in your dog’s body temperature may be detectable when petting his ears, legs, or feet.
- Excessively drinking water. Many dogs will drink water until just before death and some will even show increased thirst in dogs. Don’t assume your dog is well because he is still drinking. Evaluate other signs and behaviors for a more accurate assessment.
What to do if you notice signs your dog is dying
If you see any of these symptoms in your senior dog, make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. Jot down as much information as you can about your observations: the date, time, frequency, and circumstances. This will help your veterinarian provide the clearest answers and best treatment options for your dog.
If your family wishes for end-of-life care in the home, early recognition of a terminal illness will give you the best opportunity to make arrangements for a peaceful goodbye, where everyone in the family can be present if they wish.
We know how heartbreaking it is to watch your family member age and decline. We have been where you are, and know with a little awareness and a lot of love, you can be the best caretaker of your beloved dog no matter what challenge you’re facing.
Help for you and your dog during this difficult time
End-of-life care and recognizing the signs your dog is dying is a heartbreaking subject. If you’re anticipating the loss of your beloved dog, my heart goes out to you. By sharing the list of resources below, I hope to help you navigate this challenging time.
Additional reading
For more articles related to caring for your senior dog at the end of his or her life, please read:
- Saying Goodbye to Our Dog
- Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye.
- In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
- Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
- Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
- Grieving the Loss of a Dog After Euthanasia (& Finding Peace)
Quality of life scale and in-home euthanasia services
To find an in-home pet euthanasia service near you, please visit the Association of Pet Loss and Bereavement website. In addition to offering a U.S. directory of in-home euthanasia services, they also offer pet bereavement support.
Finally, Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and In-Home Euthanasia offers compassionate end-of-life care. I hold this organization in high regard for providing veterinary hospice care and in-home euthanasia services throughout the United States. Additionally, their pet quality of life scale can help you assess your dog’s condition. They have graciously permitted us to share the Lap of Love Pet Quality of Life Scale and Daily Diary (below) with our readers.
Are you struggling with end-of-life care for your dog?
Please comment below. Our community is here to offer you comfort and support during this difficult time.
Boo, my one & only love passed away at home this May 2024. Unfortunately it wasn’t a peaceful death, it was so devastating and traumatizing to watch her gasp for air & took her last breath. She was a sweet, gentle loving pit bull I adopted in 2013. I miss her so much, still grieving and crying every time I think of her. Somehow I can’t accept the fact that she is gone, the pain is too much to bear. I could tell we all feel the same pain when I read through everyone’s posts here. She was my first dog, I remember I was very sad when my family dogs passed away when I was a kid. Somehow I did not anticipate the level of pain is so much more intense when Boo is gone. She is my soul dog, my baby, my everything!
I wish I had known better and ended her suffering sooner. She had a vestibular episode early of May’24 and lost the ability to move + eat/drink on her own. Her head tilted to one side, her front leg being stiff and her right eye was wide open even when she was resting (which was back to normal later on). The vet told me she might not make it through the day when I brought her in, surprisingly she made it through and I kept holding on to the hope that she would get better. I tried to get her to drink from the bowl, I could tell she wanted to drink so badly but she couldn’t control her head movement, her head was moving side to side instead. I tried to hold my tears and be strong for her, I had to syringe fed her since hand-feeding was no longer working.
As a matter of fact, Boo’s rear legs collapsed about 10 months earlier, I had to assist her to get up to go outside to relieve. I learned to massage her anus to get her to poop & express her bladder 4-5 times a day as I didn’t want to put her on a diaper. She was a 3-legged dog and despite not being able to get up on her own, she managed to figure out a way to move around in circle by using her front leg to go to the location she wanted. She was so lively and happy so I did not consider euthanasia at all. However, I failed to see her health was declining although all the signs were there, I wish I had known better. Besides losing control of her hind legs, she lost interest in her food and I had to hand-feed her to encourage her to eat. She whined a couple times a day, I thought it would be normal for a senior dog to whine due to the discomfort they experience, Little did I know I could probably have done something to ease her discomfort. She regurgitated quite often, her digestive system started to slow, I could hear noises from her bloated tummy all the time. I got her Cimetidine from the vet to ease the gas trapped in her tummy.
Now thinking back, all the signs were right there, how could I did not see it coming? Her stool was good and solid even after vestibular episode, the vet said Boo could probably suffer from stroke maybe?! She was so dehydrated and I had to send her for fluid therapy. It was the only time since vestibular/stroke attack till the day she passed away that she was more like her normal self. When I picked her up from the clinic, I could tell from her eyes that she was happy to see me.
I remember the day before her passing, she had a mild diarrhea and I couldn’t express much urine from her bladder on the day she passed away. Her rear limbs were colder that day too but I didn’t know she was about to go till I noticed the change in her breathing. Poops were slowly coming out for hours with blood, I still don’t understand why till now – could you please tell me what are the possible reasons? Her eyes were jerking and breathing very slowly… Then she kept moving her front leg violently which I didn’t know why, was she gasping for air? I didn’t hold her in my arms, she was laying on the floor with pee pad as poops were still coming out from her anus. I kept telling her “it’s ok baby, I’m here with you” and tried to stop her front leg from moving. Toward the last moments, it seemed like she tried to use her mouth the breathe and it was loud, it was so hard and painful to watch. I heard her took her last gasp and it was so silent thereafter. I am not sure if she knew I was there with her all the time, I hope she wasn’t scared as I wish I could help her so much but I couldn’t. Her tongue turned purple and her pupil became thin like a line. It was so hard t watch but I knew I had to take care of her deceased body. I didn’t & counld’t cry much that time, I didn’t prepare in advance what I should do/prepare when she passed.
There was some blood coming out from her mouth besides bloody poop from anus, what could be possible reasons? Is this normal as I don’t see people discuss it often even though I tried to search on the internet. Sorry for my long comment, I feel like I need to express it somehow and if I had known better, I would have give Boo a peace death at home much earlier instead of letting her suffer through these 20 days.
Dear Forever Boo’s mom,
My heart aches for you as you grieve the loss of your beloved girl. I am sorry her passing was not peaceful and has left you with difficult memories. I am certain Boo knew how much you loved her and that your presence was a comfort. With all the bleeding during those final moments, it makes me suspicious about hemangiosarcoma or another disease that can lead to internal bleeding. Here are a couple articles with more information:
1. When To Euthanize A Dog With Hemangiosarcoma: A Vet’s Guidance
2. Signs A Dog is Dying of Cancer (Plus Advice for 8 Common Cancers)
I hope with time your heart can begin to heal, and you will take comfort knowing your girl lived a full and happy life. May her memory stay with you always and be a blessing to you. ♥
I feel you pain, my 14;yr old companion is breathing heavy the last couple nights. amoung othér things..I know the time isn’t far away. I don’t know how I’ll get through this. He’s the best friend I ever had.
Dear Marty,
Wishing you comfort and peace during this difficult season of life. Bless you and your sweet boy. ♥
I am really struggling with the decision to put my elderly dog down. He is a 12 year old boxer and for the last few months has had a decline in his overall health. He has had three random seizures that we know of, each about a month apart from the last. Over the last 3 months he has had a partial rectal prolapse that the vet seems to think may be neurological or related to some kind of cancer. The prolapse started out where it would resolve itself spontaneously but it no longer does and now bleeds pretty consistently. We have reached the point of putting diapers on him just to keep from leaving blood all over the furniture and floors. Unfortunately I’m not able to afford all the testing recommended to determine the cause of his condition nor would I be able to afford treatment or to risk putting him under for surgery/scans at his age. Now in the last week I have noticed excessive panting and shallow breathing when he is sleeping.
The thing I’m struggling the most with is that besides these issues, he is still mobile, still eating and drinking and wanting affection. I don’t want him to suffer but I don’t want to cut his life short either. I’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old. He was my first baby and I’m really struggling with what to do. I would appreciate any advice you can provide.
Dear Morgan,
I am sorry you are facing this difficult situation with your senior guy. I understand why you are conflicted and not sure how to proceed. Without examining your pup myself, it is hard to offer specific advice. I will say that I think it is better to let go one day too early than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. It may be that your boy has entered the window of time where saying goodbye is a loving option but not necessarily urgent. It is ok to let go before all joy is lost and the only thing that remains is pain. I will attach links to other articles with more information and advice from other readers. Praying for strength to face each new day and clarity in your decision making. Bless you and your sweet boy.
1. Using a Quality of Life Scale for Dogs
2. Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
3. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
4. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
Hi Dr. Buzby,
I am really wrestling with my decision to put my dog down. I debated it for days. Here’s my story.
Hi, I had a male senior dog (15 y/o male who was 18lbs) who was on a prescription diet (Purina UR) for urinary stones when he was about 8. At the age of 11 he was diagnosed with Cushing’s. We were devastated by the diagnosis but he responded fine with the treatment and really seemed like a mostly new dog. At his 6 month check up (in December 2023) he had lost about 2 lbs. His appetite hasn’t changed, but the vet said we need to monitor it. When I noticed about 2 months ago that he had lost a couple more lbs I notified the vet who suggested increasing the amount we feed him. We did such and at first, it was positive, but over time, I found he was able to eat less. Eventually, he started to lose interest in his food. However, he did show interest in our other dogs food. We started to transition him to this other food. His appointment with the vet was upcoming so we wanted him to have at least eaten. Before taking him to vet, we had noticed that he had thrown up under the bed. We had not witnessed it, but we were concerned. At the vet, he had blood test, urinalysis, etc. they determined that he had pancreatitis. We were given low fat food which he was reluctant to eat. We were also given Cerenia. He had a couple of times that he thrown up. I did mix some boiled chicken breast with it and he did eat it. Throughout the week, he seemed less interested in it and I noticed he had diarrhea. Talking to the vet, we offered him some chicken and rice which he enjoyed but towards the end of the week, he was less interested. By Sunday, I offered him a chicken breast and he ate it happily. The next morning, he had thrown it up. Concerned that he wasn’t eating, we took him back to the vet on Monday and they sent us home with an appetite supplement and a B12 shot. He seemed a little better, but still wasn’t very interested in food. The next day, he definitely showed little to no interest. He would turn his nose up to food something he had never done. Eventually, he went most of Tuesday without eating. On Wednesday, I thought he’d show more interest but he did not. We chose to shower him in love and prepare for the worst. He seemed weak and we took him in where they said he was dehydrated and looked like he had declined quite a bit in the last 48 hours. Fearing that he was in pain, we discussed putting him down. Our vet mentioned that we tried a few different options but nothing has worked. Ultimately, we determined he had finally succumbed to his ailments which were significant. He also had hypothyroidism and was taking medicine to lower protein in urine and galiprant for arthritis.
With all that said, my grief has me lost for words on whether we could have done anything else. I know he has really slowed down in the past year and was starting to show more difficulty moving along with these GI issues and other issues. He was my best friend and I am devastated. In my heart, I think I made the right decision to put him down before he declined worse.
Dear Ross,
I am sorry for the loss of your beloved pup. From what you describe, you definitely made the most loving choice in offering him peace and rest. I can only imagine how much you miss him but am certain your boy knew how much he was loved. Thank you for being willing to share your experience with us. It helps others to know they are not alone when facing a similar situation. I hope with time the grief will fade and your heart can begin to heal. May your sweet boy’s memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life. ♥
Dr. Buzby,
I did not mention it in my comment but your site and guidance has provided me with so much closure. Your article on Cushing’s made me realize it was definitely time. I’ll never forget the little guy. He rescued me. thank you for everything!
Hi Ross,
Thank you for the kind words. I am glad the information on our site was able to provide some comfort and peace about the tough decision you had to make. This is exactly why we keep the blog posts going! Wishing you brighter days ahead as you continue life’s journey.
Good Morning,
We jut lost our little YorkiPoo yesterday and after reading your article on a senior puppy which we call. Ours I am sure we had made the right decision. His name was Scooter and he was 10 1/2 years of age we did have. Another little guy whose name was Maxx and. He lived to be 16 yrs. And then we did get Scooter because of being lonely. Scooter was diagnosed with kidney disease last summer and his markers would read so far high that some of them went way off his machines. In a few weeks later some of his blood work came down to a tad normalcy, at least. We had taken him in in January because he got sick and they were so high once again and we were able to take him home doing IV therapy to clean all his toxins. We had gone back 2 weeks later and he was better again, then two weeks ago he had a infection in both of his eyes and so we had taken him in and then he had medicine for that but all of the sudden he started to go down hill this last week.my husband and I had to bring him in on Friday due to the fact he wasn’t eating he was listless and he was hiding in the dark rooms more than has been (he had been hiding in corners though since he was diagnosed and I would always bring him in the living room and he wasn’t playing too much and sleeping) anyway we took him in on Friday 4/12 and we found his markers were off the chart and to top everything else he developed Pancreatitis and he was a sick little boy. The Dr. gave him a couple of shots and he also gave us some low fat can food. The evening progressed and the shots seemed to help him a bit but around 1 AM he was crying in pain so I kept him comfortable with his pain medication but it only worked for about 2 hours and then 2 hours later he had trouble breathing which he didn’t the previous day so I was getting so worried so. Of course I had held him which before he didn’t want to be held and just watched him until the Vet’s office was open. My husband and I and our other little dog went to his office and we. Had gotten the bad news. That we could put. Him to sleep due to that he was a senior dog but that he did have Chronic Kidney Disease and his Pancreas was bad and it looked like he did throw a blood clot and that is why his breathing was bad my husband had to make. The decision to have be treated aggressively and he may not get better because of his kidney disease and his. Pancreas may or may not be healthy enough for home to produce insulin and what not. I don’t understand all how that works but I didn’t nor my husband didn’t want him to be in pain anymore. He was such a good little boy and. I couldn’t be selfish so we did make the decision to put him to sleep. I wanted the company Lap Of love to come to his home but their wasn’t a place like that around our area so we had to have our Vet put him out of pain, but I still have been thinking and my husband that Did We Do the right thing My heart says No but My Brain says maybe so. I am so confused and hurt right now. His brother who we always called them is depressed and also isn’t sleeping he came home and went through some of his normal hiding places to see if Scooter was laying down and he’s not around. I know everyone says he went to The Rainbow 🌈 Bridge but.
Thank You for Listening
Dear Elisha,
I am so sorry for your loss of Scooter. I can only imagine how difficult it was to make the choice to say goodbye but feel certain it was the most loving option for your boy. You were able to give him rest and ensure he didn’t have to suffer needlessly. I hope with time your grief will fade and you will have peace about how things progressed. May Scooter’s memory stay with you always and I wish you brighter days ahead. ♥
Thank you for this article – it helps as I try to make sense of the passing of my beloved girl. We lost our 13 year old Newfoundland, Freya on Christmas Eve morning. She was my first baby and remained the baby of the family even when we had our children. She was such a wonderful girl who loved her family so. We never spent more than a day apart in all of her 13 years, she went with us everywhere . In the last few months of her life she and I spent even more time time together going to acupuncture which helped us develop a system that helped her really trust me to get her up the steps of the deck to come inside, etc. Her absence leaves such a void in my life. We had had a number of discussions about whether it was time, but everytime we thought she was close Freya would rally and come back with a new energy She was having one of those rough days on Saturday (although it was worse), and this time I think we knew – her bark was raspier than ever, she was struggling to keep herself up, she had become incontinent and while she never was that into food, she refused everything we offered her. That night we made the decision that we would take her in the following day. Knowing that this would be our last night with her, the whole family spent the night downstairs with Freya. Through the night her breathing became more labored and began to change moving into what they refer to as the death rattle in hospice (or at least I imagine that is what it was – because they say that while it is painful for those present to hear, it is not for the individual dying – I hope that was true for her) . She couldn’t settle or rest her head for some time and drooled quite a bit – there was a piece of me that thought we needed to rush to the emergency vet right away so that she could have immediate relief, but I also knew how hard it would be (and stressful for her as well) for her if we had to get her up, load her in the car and bring her into the office. Instead, I lay beside her all night, petting her, thanking her for being our dog, telling her we loved her and that we would miss her terribly, but that it was okay to let go, that we would be okay even though we would be sad. Early in the morning her breathing seemed to calm and my husband came to hold her head in his lap and tell her he loved her. I think she waited for him because minutes later, Freya took her last breath. Freya was a dog who did things on her terms and in a way I think this was true about her death too – she passed in her home, on her bed, on her favorite blanket, surrounded by her family. We were blessed to spend 13 years with Freya and I know this is a long life for a Newfoundland, but there is still a part of me that wonders if there is anything I could have done for her, to help her rally once again, to give us more time together or give her more relief in her last hours. She was our baby and to think she suffered at all is so hard and I miss her so very, very much.
Dear Sarah,
I am sorry for your loss of Freya. It is normal to ponder all the “what ifs” while grieving the loss of a beloved pup. What a blessing your sweet girl was able to pass so smoothly with those who loved her most by her side. I hope with time your heart will heal and you will be comforted knowing Freya lived a life full of happiness and joy. May her memory be a blessing to you and your family. ♥
I am struggling. I don’t consider her a dog, she is my best, and only friend. I have been a very lonely person my whole life, and to lose her, is really doing my head in.
I understand, her time is close. She cannot walk up stairs anymore, and pants excessively, But then she looks into my eyes, and I simply breakup.
I understand, there is a greaving process, but everytime she looks at me, I burst into tears.
She has always been a house dog. What happens when there are storms, etc. How will she react. She cannot climb steps. She tried for a few days, but now is actually scared of the stairs.
I guess I will get through it – eventually, but it will be hard.
Dear Lance,
My heart aches for you as you face this difficult decision for your beloved pup. I know you would do anything to keep her with you forever, but sometimes saying goodbye is the most loving option. I cannot think of a bigger act of love than to allow your own heart to break so that your girl does not have to suffer and can find peace. I am certain you will find the strength to do what your girl needs when the time comes. Praying for comfort and healing for your heart. Bless you and hoping you can find joy in the memories of all the good times you shared. ♥
It’s so hard to loose our lovely fur friends I to lost my dear boy a beautiful white Labrador with kind eyes and a beautiful soul we did everything together he passed away at home in his bed with his family I miss him more than words can say I cry most days On and off I just wish they lived longer
Dear Jenny,
I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Lab. Wishing you healing for your heart and brighter days ahead. ♥
Dr. Buzby,
My Australian Shepherd is 15 years old and has been having difficulties for awhile now. He’s had an area under his tail on his butt area for a long time “maybe 10 years” that was filled with liquid. It looked like blood to me, but when it was drained, it was more liquid than blood. Later he developed another one underneath the tail. This one has become an issue and cannot be drained. It’s bleeding and the hole has gotten bigger. My vet believes it could be cancer and wanted to do surgery to remove it. I do not want to put Toby through that. Toby also has very bad joint problems in his back hind quarters and is having difficulty walking now. I have to help him get up and down but he does still get off of his bed on his own. He still insists on sleeping with me and I have to pick him up and put him on my bed. He has gone from 62 lbs. from about 6 months ago to 46 lbs. today. He has shallow breathing, he pants a lot and I can just see in his eyes how tired he is. He has loss of hearing and some of his sight. I want to thank you for this guide because it did give me a little sigh of relief to know if I’m doing the right thing by letting him go. I am struggling so much with this decision. I live by myself and he has been my emotional support dog since my divorce in 2010. I do not want to be without him. We have a date set for Friday 6/23 to put him to sleep. It is breaking my heart. I will probably have to keep going over this to give myself confirmation that I’m doing what’s right for him by letting him go. If you can give me any other advice, it would be appreciated.
Dear Belinda,
My heart goes out to you with your loss of Toby. I can only imagine how much you miss him. It is clear he was dearly loved, and I am certain he knew. You made a loving choice to allow your own heart to break so that your sweet boy could find peace. There is no greater act of selflessness I can think of. I hope Toby’s passing was smooth. May his memory stay with you always. Bless you. ♥
Tika Belle and I have been together for almost 14 years. I had her and she had me well before I ever became a mom (I never thought of me as her mom, I’ve always felt it’s a soul mate situation – I feel like we’ve been together for lifetime’s)
Anyways, I really want to say so much more because she’s the safest, best most Loving, truest, longest relationship I’ve been so Blessed to have experienced.
she’s lived through my entire adult life so far. She’s given me more than I could ever ever repay and now I’m pretty sure she’s dying.
I don’t have any money at all and no way to get any. I can’t give her what she deserves or needs and I’ve been denied pet insurance. There isn’t a vet that will see her without any money and I don’t know what to do.
I’m not sure if I could possibly get a response, but if by some miracle I can.
Please, how do I care for her and make this as gentle and peaceful of a transition as possible?
She deserves the world. I promise you, she deserves the world and then some.
Dear Ashley,
My heart aches for you and this difficult situation you are in with Tika Belle. From your comment I don’t have a clear understanding of what kind of help you are looking for. Does your girl need to get medical care or are you needing help with euthanasia? If a veterinary clinic is not an option, you may want to contact your local shelter or human society. Often times they have connections and resources for tough cases. I am praying you can find the best way to take care of your beloved pup. Bless you both. ♥
I lost my little girl yesterday. she started feeling bad and I took her to the vet. they gave her fluids, antibiotics for her possible intestinal infection, they told me to give her chicken livers to increase her iron as her little gums were pale. she was a Chihuahua only 6 months old. she started feeling badly not wanting to eat. she wouldn’t drink much. that’s when I took her. the vet treated what he thought the symptoms were. I took her home and gave her fluids through the dropper, her meds, and she gave it all back. I held her close and I begged her to stay. I had just lost my daughter in March and now I knew I was saying goodbye again. I kept doing what the vet said and at first light I rushed her back to that same vet holding her and crying I knew asking her to stay was just too much. my girl was just too sick. with what I’ll never know. she was tested for parvo and it was negative. she didn’t have worms, she was vomiting bile first,then she vomited a brownish jelly like substance. then she would dry heave. blood just ran from her little bottom. it looked like it had crumbs in it. this was all the morning she passed. whatever it was took her very quickly. She was a fighter though. she just kept breathing. but, I couldn’t ask her to stay anymore. she was in too much pain. I held her close and I told her how beautiful she was, how she was such a beautiful little girl,and how much joy she brought me in the little time we had together. I told her I would surely miss her early morning wake up licks on my face. I gave her one last kiss and told her to please watch over my daughter and not to worry because my daughter would be right there waiting for her. Then she was gone. You know I had to sign the paper for my daughter and now I had to sign the paper for my Dia. I am broken.
Dear Michelle,
My heart is broken for you with all the loss you have endured. I am not sure there is anything I can say to lessen your pain other than you are not alone. I am glad you were willing to share your story with us. Your sweet Dia was dearly loved, and I am certain she knew. May the memory of her and your daughter be with you forever. Praying for your comfort and peace. Bless you. ♥
I just lost my dog the day before yesterday. She was the best girl ever. I was going to go on a Thanksgiving trip with my family, but decided to stay home not for any real reason other than just wanting to have some peace and quiet.. I really think there are reasons for everything, because my sweet girl, Blondie, seemed fine until Saturday night when she lost strength in her back legs. She started to decline and I really didn’t know what was happening because she truly seemed good all day. I live in an area with only two vets and no emergency clinics so getting her somewhere was going to be at least two hours.
I laid with her on some comforters and hand fed her water, talked to her and loved on her. As I was beginning to process what was happening, I just didn’t want to believe it. I laid with my head on her all night, anytime I moved she would look at me to make sure I was there, I never left her once and by Sunday morning she was gone.
My whole point to sharing this is because while I am devastated, she wasn’t alone. She was such a sensitive girl, and I could see the look in her eyes when things started to go down, I knew she needed and wanted me there, I couldn’t be more grateful that I was with her..
The compassionate service you offer so people can be with their pets in their homes is a wonderful gift.. While my sweet girl passed away naturally, it does my heart good to see this and know that there are people like me out there.
Dear Pam,
My heart aches for you with your loss of Blondie. What a blessing her passing was peaceful, and you were able to be with her during her final moments. Thank you for sharing your story as it helps others to know they are not alone. ♥ May her memory live on and be a source of joy in your life. Wishing you all the best as you continue life’s journey.
Thank you for writing this beautiful guide and thanks also for the comments and reviews. Like many others, I have recently had a beloved dog put down for her sake, and while intellectually I know it was the kindest thing, part of me questions whether I should have done more.
She had a family history of CHF, so I had her checked six months ago and her heart was fine. I thought we were lucky. Two days ago she suddenly began panting heavily, coughing, and soon her belly was round and tight. I rushed her into the vet. They couldn’t hear her heart over her breathing. She had a normal temperature, but her blood oxygen was ten percent too low, and after they put her on oxygen, they came back to me.
They were talking about sending us to an emergency vet 70kms away for more sophisticated tests. I discussed it with my family but I already knew what I would do.
I have had two dogs with CHF before. Each time we had found a heart murmur first, with symptoms following more than two years later, and then were managed for two more years on medication. One of them had a heart valve fail, and the memory seemed eerily similar to what I was experiencing now.
This was my special dog, who had never left me to hunt rabbits in her entire life, who shadowed me everywhere she could and had been my closest companion through two devastating family members deaths. She was smart, sassy, weirdly neurotic and practically me in dog form. She disliked going on trips, was timid around other people, and would have been stressed to go through more diagnostics. She was thirteen.
I had her put down almost immediately, having had a brief cuddle before and staying with her throughout. It was fast and peaceful, and I concentrated on what a blessing it was that I could give her such a gentle end.
I’m back at home, with her son and granddaughter, and I’m wishing I could have had more time with her. Having found and read this helps validate my conviction that my choice was the best for her, I’ll be grieving her for a long time, but I’ll try not to think about ‘what if’ when I chose the decision that minimised her suffering.
Dear Adriana,
My heart goes out to you with the recent loss of your beloved pup. I agree it was a blessing to offer your sweet girl such a gentle and peaceful end after her lifetime of love and devotion. I have no doubt she knew how much you loved her and am certain your presence was a comfort in her final moments. Thank you for sharing your story with our readers. This will help others more than you realize when they are searching for a path forward in their difficult times. May your sweet girl’s memory live on and bring you joy all the days of your life. ♥
My Lily ( toy poodle) is 16 years old. My little buddy. 16 years lying in the crook ( back of my knees) . Done everything with me. She has cancer. I know her time is near. My heart is so beyond broken. Thank you for writing this article.
Dear Kathy,
I am so sorry Lily is not doing well and you are nearing the time to say goodbye. Wishing you comfort and strength to face the days ahead. Bless you both. ♥
Lost my beautiful girl last night. The pain is incredible. I rescued her 10 years ago. I knew she wasn’t going make it through the weekend. Hadn’t been eating and could barely walk. Yesterday I decided to take her for a drive. She loved car rides. I stopped and got her a cheeseburger and fries. She ate it all. We sat in the yard for a while and I told her what she meant to me. A few hours later she was gone. Sitting here like a big old baby crying my eyes out.
Dear Robin,
My heart aches for you with the loss of your beloved girl. What a blessing you were able to give her one last ride and make the most of the time you were gifted. I am glad her passing was peaceful and I am certain your presence was a comfort. Wishing you peace and healing for your heart. Bless you. ♥
I just wanted to write and thank you for this page. I had been wrestling for the last 36 hour’s with knowing it was my sweet baby girls time. I had cancelled it and then found this page. I knew it was the right thing but I was just struggling so much and felt like I was giving up on her when we didn’t really know what was wrong. I spent a huge amount investigating but we still couldn’t find answers, just more questions. I had her mum and I pulled her out when she gave birth. She had her first breath in my hands and her last in my arms a few hours ago. A truly heart felt thank you for helping me make the right choice for her ❤️
Dear Charlotte,
I am sorry for the loss of your sweet girl. I can only imagine how much you miss her but am so glad you were able to be with her until her final breath. It is clear that she was dearly loved, and I am certain your presence was a comfort. Thank you for the kind words. I am glad the article was helpful and gave you peace of mind. May the memories of the times you shared with your pup be a blessing in your life. Wishing you all the best.
My 13 year old Lab has been coughing and gagging for weeks now. I paid for our vet to come to our home as my sweet girl gets very stressed out and is difficult to get to the vet. He gave her an antibiotic and a steroid and eventually the cough subsided but only for a couple of days, then it returned. We took her in to the vet despite the difficulty so xrays could be done and they were fairly inconclusive. It did show her right side of her heart was enlarged. and her lungs seemed to be full of scar tissue. We tried her on heart meds and she did not improve. Coughing because worse. Trying her again on the steroid (and keeping her on a heart med) and gabapentin but I am sure she probably has LP as her symptoms match. She has harsh breathing anytime she moves around and after she eats and drinks and nights are stressful. With her heart and age l don’t think she is a great candidate for tie back surgery. The vet seemed doubtful and with the expense we just don’t know if it is an option. I am just not sure how long to wait and see if things improve before talking about euthanasia. I don’t want her to suffer but don’t want to cut her life short if she is not ready. I hate this and wish I had some guidance. She is getting around alright but making the harsh seal like stressed breathing a lot. At least half of the day. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Keri,
I am sorry you are in such a difficult situation with your senior Lab. From what you describe I am also extremely suspicious about LP. I understand your girl has some heart enlargement and changes to her lungs on x-ray, but I am not sure this makes her a bad candidate for tie back surgery. Your best bet is to schedule a consultation with the surgeon who would perform the surgery and get their expert opinion. If your dog’s breathing troubles are related to laryngeal paralysis, then there is no amount of time or medications that will give the improvement you are looking for. You may be at the point where your options are to try a risky surgery or start thinking about her quality of life and offering her peace from her struggles. I will attach links to other articles with more information. I wish I had better advice or could tell you what is best. I am hopeful you will find the answers you need to make this difficult decisions. Praying for your pup and wishing you strength and comfort.
1. Canine Laryngeal Paralysis: A Veterinarian Answers Your Questions
2. Laryngeal Paralysis in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
3. Tie Back Surgery for Dogs with Laryngeal Paralysis
4. Using a Quality of Life Scale for Dogs
One of our labs was 12 when we tied LP surgery for him. He did not survive the anesthesia but he was pretty much choking so there was no other option except euthanasia. We tried the surgery as a last hope but it did not work.
Hi T.K.,
I am sorry your senior dog suffered respiratory obstruction and did not survive surgery. Laryngeal Paralysis can be such a devastating disease. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Wishing you happier days ahead. Bless you.
I’m so sorry for you Keri , I just stumbled across your post my chocolate lab has had these symptoms for the last two weeks it’s been hurrendous time , night times are awful too if he gets a couple of hours it’s good , especially going from sleeping loads and loads the poor boy if he moves he coughs and hacks but nothing comes up we don’t want him poked about and prodded I no it’s his time coming he’s 12 he’s had a fantastic loving life and given us so many fantastic memories we will treasure forever , hope you are all well
Dear Donna,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult situation with your senior Lab. Praying for your strength and peace for your heart. ♥
I had to say goodbye to my childhood dog. My Bella she was a miniature schnoodle and my best friend. She was 15 and was fine a week ago then all she wanted to do was lay down could barely move and was breathing so slowly and shallow. Seemed she was in pain somewhere. It was my decision to bring her to the vet thinking they would help her, maybe she broke a bone or I can’t help but wonder if the chicken bone she ate a week before punctured something because seemed like her belly hurt but we got her to the vet and they really persuaded us into putting her to sleep although I really didn’t want to. Her BUN and CREA levels were high also but I just wish we did an X-ray before letting them put her to sleep. I feel sooo much regret I can’t bare it. What if it was something we could have fixed or something that would have just passed on it’s own It was only about a week ago she was fine. I should have given her more time. Just wish we did more to see what was wrong and maybe she would still be here.
Dear Courtney,
I am so sorry for your loss of Bella. I can only imagine the emotions you must be feeling right now, and it is normal to ponder all the “what ifs”. With the symptoms you described, and the abnormalities found on her lab work, I do think it was best to let go and give Bella peace and rest from her suffering. If you had done some more testing and investigation, I am almost certain you would have found cancer or some type of end stage organ failure. Your vet may have been able to start treatment and buy your girl some time, but ultimately, I think you would have been facing this same decision within a few days. You made a selfless decision to allow your own heart to break in order to spare Bella from unnecessary suffering. It is clear she was greatly loved, and I have no doubt she knew. I hope with time your heart will heal and you can allow yourself some grace. May Bella’s memory be a blessing.
Thank you for this article. I always find such comfort reading your articles since they’re dedicated to care of the senior dog. I am struggling to come into terms with having to put my baby girl to sleep. She’s going on 14 and has a few health issues, mainly mast cell tumors, kidney disease and anemia. She also has what I think is undiagnosed mammary gland tumors as you can see them getting bigger and harder but due to her condition she is not fit for surgery so we did not have them biopsied. Her mast cell tumors are inconveniently located around the anal area, apparently she would lose her continence if opted for another surgery. They have swelled up tremendously in the past month and are now ulcerated and necrotic. Despite these, she still eats well and mobilizes well. I find it so hard to make this decision for her. I don’t feel like I’m being selfish for wanting to keep her around, it’s just that she loves her food and I want her to still be able to enjoy this. The reason why I’m considering PTS is because we have to clean the wounds twice a day and it causes her pain cause she whimpers and I know defecating is hard on her cause she only does small amounts at a time and occasionally hides when she has to. Every QoL scale I do comes up as questionable and every time I fill them in, I can still say she eats, drinks and mobilizes okay, it’s really the tumors that are causing problems. I also live in a hot area and flies are very attracted to the wound and I have a constant fear of them invading the necrotic wound. This is truly so hard and if you have any further advice, I would really appreciate it.
Dear Sandra,
My heart goes out to you with this difficult situation you are in with your senior girl. I know how hard it can be to determine when is best to say goodbye. There are many factors that go into evaluating a dog’s quality of life. While eating and drinking are one of them, these are not #1 on my list. Some dogs will eat despite extreme suffering and pain. I tend to look more at their daily hardships. Are they in pain every day for at least some time? Are they resting comfortably at night? Are they free from anxiety or depression? Do they still enjoy things that used to be favorite activities such as playing, snuggling with their owners, sitting in the sun, barking at passing critters out the window, etc.? I am not trying to say your girl has a poor quality of life, but I just want you to make sure you aren’t solely focusing on her willingness to eat to define this. When it comes to euthanasia, I always think it is better to let go one day too early rather than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. Here is a link to another article with more information and great advice: Using a Quality of Life Scale for Dogs
I understand your concern about the flies and your dog’s open wounds. It might be a good idea to cover her rear end with a dog diaper or diaper cover to prevent the flies from gaining access to the affected area. I hope you can find the answers you need to make a decision with which you can be at peace. Wishing you and your sweet girl the best.
I have a schnauzer going to be 14 December 3, weight loss 3lds in in 3 months. blood work normal tic test negative. muscle loss in head and body, eyes Droop. Vet diagnosed MM disease. Put on prednisone high dose Monty is 16.08 lbs. jaw won’t open fully has a tuff time eating. appears to be tired much more than usual. seems at times out of sorts. He is eating and drinking better. what my further time line for Monty
Hi Evonne,
I’m so sorry to hear about Monty’s weight loss and MM diagnosis. Some dogs with MM do recover jaw function and are able to come off of steroids while others may suffer relapses and/or need to remain on steroids for life, so the prognosis can vary. Since I haven’t examined Monty, I can’t give you more specifics about his outlook, but it is possible that your vet may be able to give you a better idea of what to expect.
Fingers crossed that he continues to eat and drink better and feels more like himself soon. ❤️
my son and I are faced with the possibility our dog has nasal cancer but we’re not positive! his condition isn’t getting better as of yet! our Bucks been our emotional pet his whole life( 9 yrs) seems if it was an infection or virus he’d be showing signs of improvement by now…I need to make the decision and soon! I’m just trying to find out what are the chances he does just have an infection or something other then nasal cancer? choking or gagging bleeding nose,all his vitals are good but a couple that are too high by a little.what would cause my goodboy to bleed from his nose alot and gasp for air periodically? please help me understand what needs to be done,thankyou in advance for the advise !
Dear Chelsea,
I am sorry your dog is experiencing these worrisome symptoms. If you want to try and find the cause it sounds like it will take some more in-depth investigation. Has your vet talked about taking x-rays? You may also want to think about a consultation with a specialist. At least then you would have some answers and would be aware of the treatment options and prognosis. Here are links to other articles with more information:
1. Dog Nose Bleed: 13 Causes (And How To Stop the Bleeding)
2. Nasal Tumors in Dogs: A Dog Parent’s Guide
Hoping you can find the best way to proceed. Wishing you clarity and praying for a positive outcome.
Hi, I’m struggling with making decision for my dog. I have an 17 and half years old English Cockaspaniel, his name is pax. He has hip dislocation and arthritis but no other medical issues. He is taking Gabapentin and Carprofen for his pain and Trazodone for anxiety.
All of my family thinks we should let him go but me. He has very good appetite and urinate/bowel movement is fine either.
Yes, he is struggling to get up but still can get up. He is limping but can walk around room, panting a lot tho. No interaction with anyone or anything.. These days he became more incontinent like pee or poop while he is sleeping. Sleeping on the floor which is kinda new habit because he likes cushioning. Drinking a lot but he doesn’t have DM. We got blood work at my vet, WBC is high, mild anemia, liver enzymes and BUN/Cr also high.
Sometimes I feel like I’m the one who is holding him but on the other hand I feel like he might wants to live more. I don’t know what to do to be honest. If I put him down, I feel like I kill him. But if I keep him alive, I’m afraid I’m holding his back.
Any advice for me, please?
Even though Pax eats so well, I can see his ribs now but my vet said it’s usual for elderly dog. And sometimes he sleeps most of the days then somedays aren’t.
Hi Jee,
I am sorry your senior boy’s health is declining and he has so many issues. From what you are describing, it does sound like Pax may be nearing the end of his life. I know you don’t want to make a decision about saying goodbye before it is time but letting go may be the most loving option at this point. I am not sure what quality of life Pax has left with daily pain, anxiety, incontinence, increased amounts of sleeping, no interaction with his loved ones, and drinking large amounts of water. Choosing euthanasia is an unselfish and loving decision to give your sweet boy peace and rest. I always think it is better to say goodbye one day too early rather than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. Here is a link to another article with great information and additional links to other articles at the bottom of the page: Using a Quality of Life Scale for Dogs
I hope you can find the advice you need to make the best choice for you and Pax. It is obvious how much you love him, and I have no doubt he knows. Bless you both.
does anybody know what causes brown circles around his eyes it just started he falls alot had lyume diease,he started getting achatated walking back and forth he was almost 15.he would try climbing steps and fall completely backwards.if I would touch him most of the time he would try to bite he had arthritis bad.i had him on p.meds.then the direarria started bad,real bad.act like he didn’t know who we were.but the circles just started around his eyes and mouth his liver enzymes were up.so we made the decision to put him asleep he almost bit the vet.anybody know,sorry to hear about your dog.
Dear Roger,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your senior dog. From what you describe, letting go was the most loving thing you could do for your pup. Without examining him myself, it is hard to know what could have caused the circles around your dog’s eyes. I hope his passing was smooth and peaceful. May the memories of the good times be a comfort to your heart.
I just had to put my 4 1/2 month old puppy to sleep. It was the hardest thing I ever did. She was incontinent of urine, drank a TON of water, and voided the same amount. She started hiding, and I knew. Her BUN/Creatinine was exceptionally high, phosphorus and potassium off. as well, her ribs were quite pronounced and muscle mass was wasting.
She had stage 4 kidney failure. There is a distinctive smell to the breath & it seems to permeate from their body as well
I’m so sorry Pax isn’t doing well. I’ll say a prayer for him ❤️.
We chose home euthanasia, and as hard as it was for us, we knew it was the right thing for her.
Dear Lisa,
I am sorry for the loss of your young puppy. I am glad you were able to say goodbye in your own home where your sweet girl was most comfortable. Thank you for being willing to share your story and come along side others who are in a similar situation. Bless you. ♥
I lost my very best friend about a month ago now. It was so sudden and so unnecessary and so hard to even imagine. Everyone loved my Rocky. Literally everyone that met him. Except one man. This neighbor was an older man. And he had yelled threats to any and all animals of the neighborhood. Even including some children. So everyone just tried to avoid him. But what he did next is so unimaginable and the reason I’m sharing is that I know when that time comes it hurts so bad. But I didn’t get to have those last moments. One day my Rocky was running around playing as usual. And he happened to run into the man’s sight as he stood there with a large gun. I wasn’t home at the time. He shot my baby. But didn’t kill him. so he tied him to his truck wjere he then drove down the road. Cutting the rope about a mile and a half later. we I got home all of us were looking everywhere for Rocky. Family, friends, neighbors. but not that neighbor. he waited for. day and a half before hw told my husband what he had done. I’m still in shock. and u will probably take this post down bc nobody wants to hear things like this. nobody wants me to talk about it
but I don’t know what to do. the law Gave him a slap on the wrist. my point is even though it’s hard
just be thankful that u can share all the moments
Even that last one. thank u for reading this and I understand if u take it down. my prayers will be with all of you
Dear Angie,
My heart is broken for you and the tragic loss of your sweet boy Rocky. You are right that your story is difficult to read and stirs up very strong emotions. That doesn’t mean it is any less deserving of being shared with others. This broken world can be so very cruel. I just hope with time the pain will fade and Rocky’s legacy will be one of love and joy. May his memory be a blessing to you all the days of your life. Prayers for peace for you and your family. ♥
I’m so sorry to hear about Rocky and what that man did. I have been told that like humans their adrenaline kicks up and doesn’t allow the pain to surface. I hope it is true and rocky felt little if no pain. No best friend she die like he did and no human should have to fear such a thing. There are terrible people out there. my son was killed and the man who did it first shot him in the back. I can’t imagine what my son was thinking . I pray his andrenaline kicked up and the pain was minimal. what I also know is that when someone or a dog dies like the way Rocky and my son died gets us closer to stopping what happened again, to anyone or any doggie again. people.hear the stories and thats what makes them get involved to make new law and educate others. RIP Rocky
Dear Shiloh,
My heart aches for you with the loss of your son. I cannot fathom the emotions and grief you must feel every day. Thank you for being willing to reach out and offer comfort and support to others. You are a blessing. ♥
Thank you for this post. My most amazing companion and friend, Holly, was diagnosed with bone cancer and as she is almost 12 yrs old we opted for palliative care over the last few months. It has now come to the point where I need to make this heart wrenching decision and I have really struggled to accept that this is the only way I can help her now. I know it’s the right thing to do but my heart doesn’t want my brain to understand that. Your post and links to the other posts have really helped me and I have come to terms with the fact that I need to do this for Holly, as a final gift. Thank you for helping make this decision that tiny bit easier.
Dear Robyn,
I am sorry Holly is nearing the end of her days. It sounds like you have found the answers you need and now it’s just your heart that needs some comfort. Praying for your strength as you make these difficult decisions. Bless you and your sweet girl. ♥
We just lost our dog two days ago. He had stopped eating his favorite kibbles so we took him to the vet who found a mass in his abdomen. His condition deteriorated fast, from still wanting to eat some wet food to none at all, then vomiting clear liquids in the span of minutes. The vet advised us to have him hospitalized so that they could give him some IV and monitored his condition. It was my birthday then. We had to spend it without him. The night without him, we were restless and anxious. We decided to take him home and take him to another vet who specialized in tumor and cancer, see if there was any chance for him to live out a couple months more. While we were waiting, he started vomiting brown liquid. The vet then confirmed that there was nothing left to do, and we prepared ourselves for goodbyes. We took him home and stayed with him the whole night, while he kept vomiting darker, and darker brown liquid. We took him first thing in the morning to be humanely euthanized.
I still wondered if we jumped the gun to soon. Was he actually not in that much pain and could’ve lived longer? The vets in my country were not strong advocates of early euthanasia and seemed reluctant to do the procedure despite saying there was no saving my dog. It kept me up at night and left me wondering every day since.
Dear Anastasia,
My heart aches for you as you grieve the recent loss of your beloved dog. It sounds like he was in very critical condition, and you made the most loving choice to give him relief and peace. I think you made the right decision at the right time. Try not to carry around the unnecessary burden of guilt over the “what ifs”. You did right by your sweet boy, and I have no doubt he knew how much he was loved. May his memory be a blessing that will stay with you all the days of your life. ♥
My 11 year lab recently passed away unexpectedly and I’ve struggled to get over the ending. She was taken in back for about an hour and when the vet finally brought me in , she looked so much worse. She was having trouble breathing and even started moaning for the first time ever. They took her to another room and did an X-ray on her and determined she had cancer all over. When they called me back in to share the bad news, the dr said he thought she died on the X-ray table and there is nothing they can do for her. He said she wasn’t in pain but was panicking. I have had a hard time understanding why they kept her in another room knowing there was nothing they could do because she ended up dying back there without me before I got all the info needed to determine I needed to put her down. I can’t stop envisioning her dying in such distress not being able to breathe and panicking back there with strangers. Is there nothing that can be given to them to make them more comfortable while dying? I can’t help but think there is some kind of medicine to help with such distress…
Dear Tony,
I am so sorry for the recent passing of your beloved dog. I can see why these tragic events would leave you with more questions than answers. Since I was not present when everything happened, I can’t say for sure why certain decisions were made. But I can give you some insight as to what I would expect happened due to my personal experience with similar situations. It sounds like your senior girl’s health was declining rapidly. The veterinary staff was desperately trying to get some answers to intervene as quickly as possible. Sedation can be given to make taking x-rays easier and less stressful, but since your pup’s condition was grave and unstable, there was a great risk that the sedation itself could have ended your dog’s life. Sometimes just before a dog passes, they have a moment of panic like behavior. If this was the case with your girl, then there was probably no warning it was coming and there was no time to have you brought to her side. It is very unfortunate and hurts my heart to know what you have had to endure. I hope with time your heart will heal and be comforted in knowing you did everything you could to do what was best for your girl. May her memory be a blessing.
Today is our one week anniversary without our Zoey. October 25th would’ve been her 15th birthday and we were blessed to have her in our home since she was 11 weeks. It was heart wrenching to watch her take her final breaths but I try to find comfort in the fact that she passed, at home and that I was next to her so hopefully she knew she was not alone. Zoey was diagnosed (5 months ago) with an enlarged heart and on heart medication, twice daily the seizures increased within the last week messing up to her passing. Our Zoey-girl was such a sweet, beautiful Yorkie-Poo and great companion to my beautiful daughters who were 3 (now 18) and 8 (now 23) years old and literally grew up with Zoey. 15 beautiful years of life. You are extremely missed, my Zoey-girl. I love you. We love you. Thank you for choosing us. ♥️🐾♥️
Typo: last week leading up to her passing
Dear QLovett,
My heart goes out to you as you live through all the emotions that come with saying goodbye to your beloved pup. I am sorry you are without Zoey, but what a blessing to have spent 15 wonderful years together making memories. I have no doubt it was a comfort to have you by her side until her last breath. My thoughts are with you and your family. Thank you for being willing to share your story with our readers. ♥
Our 9 yr old lab/blue tick mix acted fine yesterday, she coughed 2x but that was it. This morning she was still in bed when I left and when I got home in the afternoon my husband said something is wrong with our girl. And I wondered because she didn’t come to geet me like she usually does. He said she is lethargic and kinda breathing heavy, so i immediately call the vet, short staffed and booked solid can bring her in in the morning and they will monitor her and do an exam later in the day. I said okay and hung up., within 5 mins I am calling back breathing is much worse and I’m scared she will not make it till morning, they said try an emergency vet down in the city 50 mins away. So I call no answer, so I start calling all the vets in my town finally found one that said bring her in. She sat up(she was on the couch by me) and tried to step off the couch and collapsed. My husband ran in scooped her up and off we went. She died on my lap before we even reached the vets office. I just don’t know what we missed. She was eating fine yesterday, bowel movements normal, I just can’t figure it out.😭😭
Dear Liberty,
I am so sorry for your recent tragic loss of your senior girl. I can only imagine your grief and the burden you are carrying thinking about all the “what ifs”. Since I didn’t examine your pup, I can’t be sure, but I am highly suspicious she may have had a splenic mass that ruptured. This is more common than you would think and many times there is little to no warning before a fatal bleeding episode occurs. There was probably nothing you missed. Even if your dog had been evaluated by your vet the day before, it is likely no abnormalities would have been noted. Here is a link to an article with more information: Splenic Masses in Dogs: Types, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis
Please give yourself grace and take comfort knowing you did everything you could. I have no doubt your sweet girl knew how much she was loved. I am glad you were with her until her last breath. I hope with time your heart will heal and her memory will be a blessing. ♥
We lost our Boxer Monday and it was a lot like this. I came back that morning from dropping the kids off and found her very weak and breathing very heavy. I called my husband and he said to keep an eye on her. Within 10-15 mins she had gotten so much worse. I called the vet and they recommended taking her to the vet hospital. I could not lift her on my own, so my husband was going to drive to get us. He stopped to get my daughter from school and she passed away in my arms as they pulled into the home. She passed a black bloody stool right before she passed.
Dear Hannah,
I am so sorry for your recent loss of your Boxer girl. Your story does sound very similar to Liberty’s and suspect the same splenic bleeding issue may have played a role in the loss of your pup. I know you are grieving but try not to dwell on the “what ifs”. You did everything you could and definitely did not fail your sweet girl. What a blessing you were at home and able to be with her during her final moments. It must have been a comfort for her to have someone who loved her so much be there with her as she was passing. I hope her memory will be a blessing to you and your family as you continue life’s journey. Praying for peace and comfort for your heart.
I am dreading a day that soon is coming, my best friend is 9 now and has gotten sick. I have had Koda to the vet several times now. This started Aug 25th at about 10:00am. Koda began to vomit and over the course of the day up until 6pm, he ratchet vomited. First it was his food from the previous night , then all yellow mucus , then just foam. I couldn’t even call the vet and thank God my son was in from school. We brought Koda in immediately. The Dr took blood, X-rays, gave him IV fluids temp was 104. Dr couldn’t see any abnormalities in his blood work or anything on the X-rays. Dr have him a shot of meds to help with the vomiting. Also prescriptions for antibiotics
Koda did ok for the next 24 hrs and I thought well it was a virus of some sort. But in the 2 weeks he has vomited several times. I unfortunately am on a fixed income and the first vet bill was 700. Koda acts like nothing is wrong until he drinks to much water and then vomits. I fear he has cancer that has gone undetected as of yet. I simply cannot afford to continue to pay for treatments that are not telling us the full story. I am calling the Dr tomorrow and see what our options are. Thank you all for sharing your own personal experiences and it does help to express it it writing. Please say a prayer for my Koda bear.
Dear Robert,
I am so sorry Koda is struggling and his health is declining so rapidly. It is very hard to keep going when you have tried everything in your power to help your sweet boy, but the answers are still so far away. Unfortunately, even with unlimited resources, sometimes we just can make a definitive diagnosis. I am glad you planned to discuss your concerns with your vet. What did you find out? I hope you were able to find a treatment option to give your senior guy some relief. Praying he is stable and resting comfortably at home. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Thank you for your helpful article. We lost our beloved Chica a week ago today. She was 12 years old and an absolute handful up to the day she passed. She appeared in our yard in Mexico very emaciated, and with a large abscess on her flank at about 10 weeks old.. We nursed her back to health and through a heartworm treatment a few months later. She grew into a high energy and quite demanding companion who we loved more than I can say. Then one morning she woke me up pacing the house and I saw she had vomited partially digested food. She hadn’t eaten in 15 hours. She was panting and her breathing seemed laboured. She was drinking water and urinating a normal colour. but refused a treat – highly unusual. We took her to the vet who did a mini ultrasound and took her temperature which was 40 degrees C. Nothing on the ultrasound. The vet suspected an infection but suggested blood tests and a chest x-ray. We decided to go with an anti nausea injection and antibiotics and to monitor her at home over the next few hours. She vomited bile when she got home but then seemed mildly improved. Not long after there was blood in her urine and she was clearly failing. The vet was closed. She laid her head down and seemed to be sleeping when she stopped breathing. We are completely gutted. She never got old. You would have thought her a much younger dog by her behaviour. Sadly, as bad as we wanted to know what happened we were not up for an autopsy as the cost was several hundred dollars and wouldn’t change the fact she was gone. Any idea what my have happened? It seemed so catastrophic by how quickly it all happened. Thank you again for your article and kindness.
Dear Kim,
I am so sorry for your loss of Chica. It is clear she was dearly loved and a very big part of your life. I can only imagine how much you miss her and wish you could get answers for all of the “what ifs” you are pondering. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to guess as to what the cause of her rapid decline might have been. There are just too many possibilities. I know you wish you could have done something to give her more time, but what a blessing her passing was peaceful, and you were able to be by her side. I hope as time passes the grief will fade. May her memory be with you always and continue to bring you joy.
This article and Quality of Life scale is very helpful. Ending their life is by far the most difficult thing about adding a pet to your family.
I’ve known for months that our 13 year old American Bulldog is declining in health and mobility. He has been utilizing interventions a little more heavily to make him more comfortable lately as well. I feel guilty that his needs have become a bit much for me this week. I know it’s time to make that call before he deteriorates worse as the cold seasons approach. I hate to live life without him but know he deserves the best ending to a wonderful life.
Euthanizing is nothing new, I worked in the veterinarian field for many years and have had many great pets and livestock euthanized over my life. However nothing can prepare you for the moment that you must continue life without your most special friend.
Dear Melissa,
Thank you for the kind words about the article. I am sorry your senior guy’s health is declining and his last days are approaching. You are right that no matter how many times you have said goodbye to beloved pets, that first moment of loss always catches you off guard in an unexpected way. My heart goes out to you as you make these difficult choices. Bless you both and give your sweet boy a hug for me.
Your comment hit home for me. I lost my baby bear last Saturday. Cancer made a swift, aggressive return. A home euthanasia in my arms, very peaceful. You said it best, “Nothing can prepare you for the moment you must continue life without your most special friend.” Thank you for sharing. You touched my heart.
My 11 year old lab is dying he’s vomiting blood and the thought of not having him fills me with dread !!!
Dear Julie,
Please call your vet as soon as possible and let them know what is happening with your Lab. This definitely sounds like an emergency situation. Even if he is at the end of his life, there could be ways to prevent suffering and offer your sweet boy a peaceful passing. I hope you have found a way to get him stabilized. Hoping all is well.
My name is Julie also, we had to put our 11 year old lab to sleep last week due to health issues. It was so difficult but I know it was the right choice due to the decline. Her last day she could no longer use her back legs to stand. I laid in the back of my truck with her until they called us in for her appointment. She watched traffic pass when I know she would have rather been running around in the grass as she was several months earlier.. Its so heartbreaking to see them go but it was a peaceful process, I have been reading informational articles to help me be at peace. Coming across the first comment and seeing it’s another Julie with her lab has me back in tears. Thank you for the information. I also found comfort coming across a saying that a month too early is better than a day too late.
Dear Julie,
My heart goes out to you with your recent loss of your senior pup. I am glad her last moments were peaceful and she was surrounded with love. I love a comment left by another reader that said- we allow our own hearts to break to give them the peace and rest they deserve after giving us a lifetime of love and devotion. You definitely did right by your sweet girl, and I have no doubt she knew how much you loved her. I hope with time your heart will heal. May her memory be a blessing. ♥
My precious pookie one day she started throwing up black and I knew it was a sign that she won’t be with me long all I’m doing now is keeping her comfortable and spending as much time with as possible but I know I will have to say good bye but it’s so hard to do
Dear Tammy,
I am sorry your little pup is nearing the end of her life. Enjoy every moment you are given. I hope her passing will be smooth and peaceful. Bless you both.
Our soon to be 15 years of age,sweet abd beautiful Chihuahua died a few hours ago. His fight with lymphoma, was lost at 7:30 pm tonight. As our vet was closed we drove into town to see the emergency care Vet. He told us that the swollen nodes we had seen and felt since the of July,are also in his spleen and numerous OTHER internal places. We KNEW Buddy would not be coming home tonight alive. But knowing and KNOWING, are two completely different things. Buddy’s hair was as white and soft as a rabbits. We also have Dolly,his sister and littermate, Rosie a small white Terrier, whose left front leg never grew along with the rest of her body. She will be 10 or 11 in December. Not sure as we took her in from the streets. Along with Sissy a “deer chihuahua who will also be 15 this fll. And Odie–our jack russell chihuahua mix. HE is just 5, The 2 females are looking all round our home for Buddy. Everone of these 5 furbabies were rehomed to us OR ones found in the streets. We are both retired,so having these loving creatures have been a wonderful blessing. Number 6—the only dog we purchased died October of 2021. THIS pain off Buddy’s death will never be forgot. I LOVE him,bot “loved”. Our love did not end with his death. Just his suffering ended. To all who are also dealing with the death of a much adored fur baby—-we DO understand your grief and hope better days come soon for ALL,
Dear Koni,
I am sorry for your recent loss of Buddy. You are right, death does not end the love we have for our beloved pups. Thank you for being willing to share your story with our readers. I hope your words will be a comfort for others that are in a similar situation. I hope Dolly, Rosie, Sissy, and Odie will adjust quickly. May Buddy’s memory be a blessing that will stay with you as you continue life’s journey.
We lost our beloved dog, Lexy, early hours of Sunday morning. She was onky 8 years old. My heart is so broken, I feel so guilty and I wish i could’ve done more.
She was a boerboel/pitbull mix. Her health has been declining for a while. We took her to the State Vet and they gave her some antibiotics but she didnt improve. She started eating less but was drinking water excessively. She had open sores on her paws that just did not heal no matter what I tried. I bought ointments but it didnt seem to help. Her eyes were starting to look strange, her third eyelid was protruding covering almost half of her eye. She slept alot. She had pressure sores that once burst ooen and bled all over the garage. When she gets up she got up very slowly. She was losing weight but her belly looked like it was swelling. Her nose was dry and she breathed heavily and snored excessively when she was asleep.
The evening before we out her to sleep she was like a zombie. Very disoriented. She seemed like she couldn’t tell where i was if I called her. Eventually she went to bed and so did I. In the middle of the night, morning hours my husband told me that Lexy isnt okay… Thay she is forcing herself into a small confined space under a wooden table where some tools were. I checked on her and tried to call her she didnt respond. Then i saw shr vomitted undigested food of the previous night. I tried calling her the whole time but she didnt respond… I got so scared and I told my husband it looks like shes in pain coz her legs were shaking. I called the emergency SPCA number and they told me they dont have a vet they can only put the dog to sleep so that she doesnt suffer. Thats what I did… I have some regret because i ask myself if i did the right thing. Im so broken… Our home is a painful reminder that our furbaby is no more.
I wish i could hold her one more time and tell her that Im sorry and that i love her with all my heart.
Dear Zubeida,
I am sorry for your tragic loss of Lexy. I understand why you are questioning your choices and thinking about the “what ifs”. It definitely sounds like Lexy was struggling and declining rapidly. I think you made the right decision to give your girl peace and rest and end her suffering. I have no doubt she knew how much she was loved. I hope with time your heart will heal and the memories of the good times will bring comfort. Bless you. ♥
Reading this to try to find some sort of comfort , it’s been 5 days since my 11 year old Chihuahua schnauzer mix died at home. 2 days before I had taken him to the vet cause he seemed off and wasn’t eating. The vet diagnosis was that he had parasites in his poop and had a high fever. After 3 shots , antibiotics and for the fever he seemed better. That day I had to go out of town for 2 days and my roommate took care of him. She said he seemed fine Saturday night after I left, and Sunday. Monday morning she saw him before going to work and said he had diarrhea, i came home Monday and found him under my bed dead. There was diarrhea around as well. I feel so guilty leaving Saturday cause I thought he was better. Now that’s something i can’t ever forgive myself over. Is there anything you can tell on why he may have passed? Was it his age? The fever? The diarrhea? Parasites? I just want to know, i was in so shock I took his body to the funeral home for cremation so did not get an autopsy. Help please any insight would truly be appreciated
Dear Olivia,
I am sorry for the loss of your little pup. I know it must have been especially hard being away when he passed and finding him that way. I wish I could give you some insight as to what may have happened, but unfortunately there are just too many variables to make a guess. Even if you had had a necropsy performed, they may not have been able to find a definite cause. Please know you did what you could and followed the recommendation from your vet. I don’t think either of you had any idea that this was a possibility. I hope with time your heart will heal and you can focus on all the good memories you shared over the last 11 years. Praying for comfort and peace for your heart.
We are struggling. We have an almost 16 y.o. Dachshund. LOTS of history with this sweet old gal. She was my Mom’s until about 8 years ago when my Mom was declining and is now living in a Nursing Home. Hardest part is my Dad bought her for my Mom 15 years ago and my dad died suddenly a month later from a heart attack. So to say we have an extreme love and attachment to this dog is an understatement. She is NOT a typical yippy, snippy Dachshund. She never really barked and loved to be loved (case in point: when our neighbor’s daughters were little they used to put her in a stroller and pusher her around- she loved it, tail wagging the whole time). However now we are at a crossroads and reading your article gives me peace. She gets confused easily and stuck under furniture, drinks excessively, minimal appetite, sleeps 23 out of 24 hours of the day, falls every few steps, and has increased respiratory rate. I have an appointment with our vet tomorrow. My Husband and sons think she can “overcome” this and I am pulling the trigger too soon (as a side note we nursed her back from Lyme Disease 4 years ago). I feel it is her time. I know my family is struggling; we put our beloved yellow lab down 4 years ago and it is still raw in our memories. I just needed to write this to get it off my chest. I feel like I am alone in doing what may be the the most humane choice. Thank for listening!
Dear Nancy,
I can only imagine how difficult this decision must be for your family. You Dachshund girl sounds like a once in a lifetime pup. I do think you made the right decision to give this sweet pup peace and rest after a lifetime of devotion to your family and neighbors too! I hope everything at the vet visit went smoothly. Praying with time your husband and sons will see that you made the most loving decision. May her memory be a blessing. ♥
Hi Nancy,
I completely feel that you’re going through & understand having a history tied to a pet, makes everything so much harder. I’m sitting on the couch right now in AUST & I have not left my house in two weeks unless I bring my beloved Jack Russell with me. I’ve purchased him a doggy pram. I haven’t gone to work in 2 weeks & thankfully friends / family have paid my rent. My dog is 16 & had been with me since 2006, a year after my divorce. He’s all I know & the only one whose shown me unconditional love.& loyalty as I have done for him. Todays the first day he skipped breakfast, I tried doing everything. He was even refusing dinner however he saw the distress & sadness in my eyes as I cried begging him to just eat a bit. He then went back for a second bowl. Watching him now, his breathing is getting faster, he’s sighing a fair bit & has changed positions multi times in an hour. He’s been diagnosed with cushions disease and has a mast cell Tumour on his leg. I’m waiting for the blood results to return to ensure the tumour hadn’t spread. I can’t leave my dogs side & im more interested in ensuring he’s eating that I can’t tolerate looking at food.
I don’t life with my Masci. I don’t know what life I’ll have without him. The fear is overwhelming. I have NEVER loved the way I’ve loved my boy. I’ve never needed to love anyone else as he’s given me absolutely all I could have wanted from life. . .
Dear Olivia,
It is obvious from your words just how much you love your Jack Russell boy. What a blessing to have shared such a close bond for so many years. I am afraid it does sound like his health is declining and he is struggling. I know you don’t want to be without him, and I can only imagine how emotional it will be when the day comes that you have to say goodbye. I feel like I would be doing you a disservice if I was not honest and only told you what I think you want to hear. I am worried about you. As much as you love your dog, he can’t be the only thing worth living for. You have to think about your quality of life as well as his, and you have to take care of yourself. There is no way your sweet boy would want you suffering, not eating, hurting your finances, and losing sleep to prolong his life. I always think it is better to say goodbye one day too early rather than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. After a lifetime of love and devotion, letting go may be the most unselfish and loving choice to give him peace and rest. Please reach out to someone that can be an emotional support for you as you navigate this difficult path. There is no shame in needing help. I hope you can find the strength and clarity to make the best decision for you and your little pup. I am praying for peace and comfort for your heart. Bless you both. ♥
Our dog is a 13 yo lab/pit mix and an amputee (only one back leg). About a month ago she became partly paralyzed from the hind down due to a tumor in her spine that’s compressing her spinal cord. This caused her to lose her ability to walk without assistance and the loss of control of her bowels. As of yesterday, she has last control of her bladder and is rapidly breathing with a wheezing sound. She can’t get comfortably to sleep and seems to be constantly restless. I am afraid she is in pain, although she is on pain medication from her neurologist. We don’t want her to be in any pain or have to suffer. .
Hi Cait,
I am so sorry your senior girl’s health is declining so rapidly. It does sound like she is uncomfortable despite her medications. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions, but it does sound like saying goodbye may be the most loving option at this point. I will attach links to other articles with additional information and helpful comments from other readers. I hope you are able to find a solution that is best for you and your girl. Bless you both.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
My Sophie died at 6AM this morning, 6/16/22. She was a Boston Terrier and would have been 15 years old on 8/15/22. I adopted her when she was 4 years and we have been best buds. I am extremely emotional and reading the other posts makes me even more so. She went blind 2 years ago and deaf a year later. Her poor little body became riddled with UTI’s and ear infections. At least she is out of pain. I am just very sad right now. Thank you for your blog. Even though it made me more emotional, it did help somwhat.
Dear Carol,
I am sorry you are living through the grief of losing your sweet Sophie. Please know you are not alone and there are many others here in a similar situation My heart goes out to you as you find your way forward. May the memories of all the good times be a comfort to your soul. Bless you. ♥
My min pin started drinkn lots weeing everywere pot belly took her vet they said looks like cushions desease if they treat her she cud drop dead so i said no dont want treatmaent so over the weeks she seemed to be getting worst took her bk vet done blood test said its not cushions it worst its liver desease sorry we carnt do nothing for her then she started geting secondary brain desease she looked terribl cudnd jump up any more they only thing was she was still eating well she had couple fit s too ghey were scary so i got her put dow that was on boxin day an ive cryed every day since have i done the right thing
Dear Maureen,
I am so sorry for the loss of your min pin. From what you describe, your dog was struggling with severe symptoms and her quality of life was poor. If your vet didn’t think there was a way to treat your pup and recommended euthanasia, then I am sure you made the right choice. Sometimes saying goodbye is the most loving option and the only way to give a beloved dog peace and rest. I hope with time your heart will be comforted knowing you did everything you could for your sweet girl. I am certain she knew how much you loved her. May her memory live on and be a blessing in your life.
I just wanted to say what a huge help this website and all of the comments I’ve read this past week have been. I learned so many things about illnesses, drug side effects, and possible diagnoses and outcomes with symptoms my dog was showing. Sir Ivan’s time came this week after I saw he had lost even more weight for his tiny miniature poodle body, but it was incredibly confusing until he wasn’t eating and also wasn’t drinking, because his personality still seemed to be all there. THANK YOU for this blog and all the comments throughout, as it was a huge comfort in knowing that I wasn’t alone in my confusion and heartbreak. I took him to the vet to be euthanized this morning, and even afterwards I’ve been asking myself questions and wondering if I did what I could or if what I said at the vet was right, but again, this blog and the comments are helping me let it go, and understand that the vet has done this many times before, and people say all kinds of things in grief, etc. I’ve already gathered up all his things to donate to a local shelter and dog trainer who were so kind to him, and I have lots of silly pictures to remember him by. Thank you!!
Dear Rachel,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to Sir Ivan earlier this week. I am glad the comments from other readers brought you some comfort and let you know you are most definitely not alone. I hope with time your heart will heal. Praying his memory will be a blessing as you move forward on the journey of life.
Hello, My name is Elizabeth and my best friend is a blue nose pitbull his name is Blue and he is 7 going on 8 in Aug. I don’t know what to do anymore you see Blue started acting differently in March. My family and I went away for 4 days without blue. My oldest daughter and her boyfriend stayed home with blue. When we got back home right away I notice no bark from blue or him at the door waiting on us with a gift in his mouth for us. I walk in and my baby girl (also Blue’s Best Friend) calls his name and blue never comes. he finally gets up and we notice blue walking with his neck tilted to one side. and as we approach Blue and pet him he closes his eyes as if he is scared of us. a month passes by and blue no longer walks with his neck to the side. but Lil by lil blue changes drastically. Blue loves going on walks and loves to cuddle with his family. but blue lost interest in his walks. one day I took him to a salon to get his nails trimmed. That day was the last day my Blue boy went for a walk or did anything a dog does. The night we got his nails done I started to take Blue for his walk we only made it to the corner. it’s as if someone flipped a light switch on him. Blue got scared of my neighbor’s dogs, Blue was not having it he wanted to go back home, so we did. the moment we walked into the house blue laid under our kitchen table and slept all night under it. Around the end of April Blue Had his first accident in our home. Blue is potty trained and never had issues with him. for the next few days Blue was no longer Blue, he stopped eating and drinking and kept having accidents in our house. Blue was also aggressive with me blue did try to get up but would walk drunk and would fall down a few seconds later. Blue also started to bleed from his mouth and didn’t know why. Blue was throwing up and constipated. so on May 2nd at 6 am my daughter woke up because she heard a loud noise, it was Blue he had fallen in our back yard under our trampoline and looked like he hurt his front paw badly. I said let’s go baby girl wake up dad and tell him we taking blue to the vet with or without him. by the time my husband and kids got ready I somehow managed to get blue on his bed and pull him to my front yard and get him in our car. we get to the vet and they never listened to a word I said. I explained what was going on with Blue and also let them know about his fall they insisted on trying to get him up to walk in. Blue was upset if it wasn’t for him being sick and weak he would have taken a big bite out of the vet nurse’s arm. Well at this emergency pet hospital we experienced the worst care ever. All they wanted was money and because they saw us driving a Mercedes-Benz they saw money. We kept getting told that Blue was in pain and they would give him medication for the pain, but they never did. they also said he was dehydrated and they will give him liquids under his skin but never did. After they claimed to examine Blue they come up with a $4,000 Bill. I asked for blood work first to see if we could see anything in his blood. They keep blue for 8hrs and did nothing for him. I get a call saying blue blood work shows he is a healthy dog. I don’t understand how?! well if you really want to find out we recommend you do the plan we put together for him. who has $4,000 laying around, especially nowadays. plus I just lost my father and mother which cost us $35,000. I said no thank you ill risk it and care for my Blue myself. and they still find a way to charge me $875.00 for 8pills “Benadryl”. it is now June 5th one month later and Blue is still not walking.
Blue only gets up and gets up only a lil few steps to poop. but he falls. Blue eats laying down to one side his left side. I had asked the vet to check Blue’s mouth to see why he is bleeding vet said nothing wrong he is fine. That was bullshit! a few days ago Blue kept crying louder than usual and had a lot more blood on his pad than usual. The next morning my daughter finds a big tooth that had fallen out of Blue’s mouth. My poor Blue boy is trying so hard to get up but can’t. Blue is eating and drinking a lot more now, but still doesn’t get up. He only cries if no one pays attention to him. So my Daughters and I take turns watching him. Blue is a therapy dog for my 10yr old daughter that has separation anxiety. I don’t want to let go of blue but I know if Blue cant Walk at all or enjoy life it’s time to let go. But how do I tell my 10yr old without breaking her lil heart? Some days Blue has tears in his eyes they look like bloody tears because they are red. some days Blue is smiling at me and gives me his paw, and a kiss if I ask. Please someone help me and my family out. This is so hard for me right now Like I said I just lost my Father in a bad car accident one day before my birthday in September and in October 3 days before my son’s 21st birthday I lost my Beautiful Mami to COVID-19. My oldest sister pulled the plug on my Mami before I could hug her one last time and say goodbye.
Dear Elizabeth,
I am so sorry for all the heartache and sorrow you have had in your life this past year. I know how badly you want to find help for Blue and relieve his suffering. Since I haven’t examined him myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. I am concerned about a neurological issue. If it all possible (I know finances can prevent our best intentions) I highly recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinary neurologist. I am worried about the possibility of a brain tumor or other cancerous process. Also, as difficult as it is to bring up this subject, euthanasia may be the most loving option for Blue at this point. I am not sure what quality of life he has left since he cannot walk, has decreased appetite, is crying out, and is bleeding. As much as it will break your heart to be without him, saying goodbye will allow him to be pain free and find comfort and rest. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information and helpful comments from other readers. My heart goes out to you during this most difficult time. I pray you find the answers you need to make the best decision for Blue and for your family. Bless you. ♥
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Grieving the Loss of a Dog After Euthanasia (& Finding Peace)
3. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
My sweet girl, Miss Riley, is in the area of 17 – 19 years old. I was told she was about 2 when I got her. She is a Bishop/Poodle mix. We have been the best of friends all these years through many trials & have grown old together.
She suddenly started having “accidents” in the house a few weeks ago. She started having to go before she could tell us and has been peeing in the bed. Five days ago she quit eating at all. She still drinks water but food doesn’t interest her. She is deaf, has been for at least a year. She has recently started to be blind. Currently, she is in her bed beside me and is happily watching tv with me.
Some of my family want me to have her put to sleep at the vet, I want her with me so she can go peacefully with me by her side. Am I wrong to feel this way? I love her so very much!
Hi Sara,
I am sorry your sweet girl is starting to decline in health. What a blessing to have shared so many years together making memories. It sounds like your little pup may be dealing with the end stages of canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia). There are some medications that can help with the severity of symptoms so it may be a good idea to talk to your vet about options. I understand you want your girl to be with you till the last moment and that is what I prefer for my own dogs as well. I recommend you contact a vet in your area that specializes in hospice/palliative care and in home euthanasia. They can help guide you through these last days and make sure your girl is happy and comfortable. Then, when the time is right, they can let you say goodbye in your own home where you are both most content and at peace. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information. Give your girl a hug for me and cherish every moment you have.
1. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
2. Dementia in Dogs: When to Euthanize Your Beloved Senior Dog
3. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
4. In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
Spending my dog Lucky’s last night with him. Comforting and reassuring him during his last stage.
My Tenterfield Terrier is to be euthenaised in the morning.
Love him dearly. It will be a long lonely winter without him.
Dear David,
My heart goes out to you while you spend this last day with your beloved pup. I pray his transition is smooth and peaceful. May his memory be a blessing.
I’m at a lose…very sad and totally numb as what to do.. I feel if I end her life I’m killing her.. if she died I will find every excuse why I let her suffer. Anabelle see my tears and usually will lick my face…now all she does is look at me and lay her head down. Anabelle has been in my life since she was just 4 weeks old and now is 9-10 yrs old and if Pug/Shtzu mix. She has been a huge blessing to me and my conditions. I have trained her and she is now not only my baby, best friend, and the love of my life but also has become my service dog. People say she’s fine but she not. I know my dog and she knows me. Anabelle found love and compassion with in a little dog where we used to live. Me and her dad became a couple and the 4 if us became a family. Later we broke up and I continued carrying for Bella when her dad went through his 6 amputation and she then became a part of (Boo) Anabelle and mines life till sadly she was taken away and used as a pawn to us. Ever since Bella left it seems that (Boo) has been going downhill. It started with depression and on top of the depression she gave up eating and being who she was as if she’s in Great depression she don’t barely eat barely drinks and barely uses the bathroom. All she wants to do is sleep. And when I say sleep I mean she barely gets her head up to look at anybody she sleeps that much. I don’t know if animals can have depression I believe they can I believe her depression is taking her away from me and I don’t know what to do. Annabelle has been a perfect dog in every way. She’s never been sick or anything has only been to the vet twice in her life other than to get shots so she’s been remarkably healthy and I appreciate that so much. I don’t know if I’m right or not but it seems that her breathing has gone very shallow and she just don’t move. I was able to take her to see Bella and I don’t know if that was a mistake she was so happy to see her and Bella was happy to see her just to bring her home and her to do this again now it’s been months and it just seems like she’s deteriorating on me and very fast. This last time she was at the vet I was concerned I’ve heard not eating and the way she was acting the vet put her on pain medicine because she’s old and she was having trouble getting up on my bed and I got her some steps and she does use them like she’s always had them. Right now I’m crying just writing this and she sleeps, normally she wouldn’t she would come and nudge me with her nose or lick my face. I know everything has to die for something to be born but I’m just part I feel selfish because of all the toys she’s brought me in my life and I’ve struggled so hard with mental illness and disabilities and she’s been there and accepted me for me and never judged me never cared what I wore how much I weighed what I ate or if I even brush my hair she’s still loves me. I keep saying I’m going to invent the fountain of youth for animals so we never have to go through this pain and they’ll always be with us again I sound very selfish but she is my wife my joy my everything. She helped fill the void I had when I lost my 2-year-old husky out of the blue for no reason at all again another very healthy animal. I had a bad feeling about her it had made an appointment to have her euthanized and the day we were supposed to go in she went out to go potty came in bounced all over everything and often anything just crashed out on my lap and died and I’ve been a heavy heart ever since in that memory I can’t get rid of. I had animal after animal it just never clicked with anything good Friday anything to accept my love and then I got Boo and she became my everything so quick. I see it’s just like yesterday I got her and here I am about sitting by her side wondering if this is it and honestly I don’t know what to do financially I can’t take her in and she’s not sick she’s about once a day now canned food because I believe her mouth is hurting her but all day today she’s only drink one time and that can’t be normal if I new take it or to the vet and spending hundreds of dollars would make her better than I would but I don’t believe that’s my answer part of me wants to believe it’s severe depression that’s taking my dog away from me. I have a lot of things I need to be doing and getting taken care of but she’s got my time consumed for instance I have a warrant I need to be taken care of and I’m afraid to leave her. I’m an alcoholic and I believe she’s heading by sobriety because I think she’s going to die without me it is why I think that because if my kids are my parents keep her she will sit out the door or on the couch looking out the window and will not move until I come back like I’ve abandoned her and she knows my family obviously it’s been years that I’ve had her in my life and not only my life but my entire families. She goes to family functions and weddings baby showers anything that she could go to she goes shopping with me everything and I just don’t know what to do anymore but keep her comfortable and love her unconditionally and thank her because of her she made me who I am even though I broken hearted I couldn’t ask for anything more. Is there something that I’m missing or reading it to or that I’m not doing right. I’m just at a loss I wish I new more than I do but for the most part I pretty much treat her as I do/did one of my children even when they were sick. I’m grateful for every minute I’ve had with her I know there’s many parents out there that never get this long and to all I’m very sorry for your loss I know it’s not easy just seeing what I’m going through now, as it’s been the hardest thing so far I believe in my life and I lost a lot but she is right down to the end of anything I have left from the past when she’s gone I can officially say I have lost everything that’s how bad things have been for me and it’s only been me and her and by the grace of God this little girl has gotten me through unbelievable things nobody would ever believe and in the end she still love me for me no matter what and I will always love her even in death. I tell people and it’s no joke I am not going to be right when she dies I’m going to be pretty messed up. I’ve had dreams of her death and things I’ve done like carry around her ashes everywhere it’s just weird to have dream’s like that. I don’t know I don’t have the answers I won’t Ever know. Should I start thinking about letting her go and euthanize her or just let her enjoy the rest of the life that she may have cuz it’s one of those cases your damned if you do or damned if you don’t. It’s just terribly hard to know, I want to believe that I have more time with her but I’m told to be grateful for what I had and I very much do 🥺😥 Thanks for reading
Devastated Mom
Dear Tonya,
I am sorry that Anabelle’s health seems to be deteriorating so quickly. From what you describe, it does sound like she may be nearing the end of her life. I understand wanting to hang on to her as long as you can. But I also know that allowing our heart to break to give a beloved dog the peace and rest they have earned after a lifetime of faithfulness is sometimes the most loving option. Saying goodbye is the most important and unselfish decision we can make. I will attach some links to other articles that may offer additional information and great comments from other readers. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and Anabelle. Please make sure to take care of yourself and keep up with the important things in your life. It is never a bad idea to seek professional help when going through tough and emotional issues. I pray you find the strength to keep moving forward down this difficult road. May your heart be comforted knowing you did everything you could to give your sweet girl the best life possible. I have no doubt she knows how much she is loved. ♥
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
4. Grieving the Loss of a Dog After Euthanasia (& Finding Peace)
This is a good article. I wish I found it a month ago. But also, there is no blueprint for how the end looks. Just be prepared, and be there for your little one!!
We lost our 15yo Chihuahua Tiny on April 30th. This was exactly three weeks to the day we found out she had congestive heart failure. She was due for her yearly checkup, but we decided to take her in a few weeks sooner than normal. An otherwise healthy, normal acting happy little dog had a few episodes of fainting recently. Tiny didn’t lose consciousness, but it is almost like she got light headed and needed to take a break. Her breathing was starting to become slightly labored as she seemed to pant more than normal. She seemed to be eating well up until the day before her vet visit.
Everything started to happened really fast after her diagnosis. Tiny seemed to lose her appetite over night, which made giving her any medication tricky. But we stuck to the plan, give her the medications and then do a two week follow up.
During the two weeks, she finally started eating small amounts after four or five days, prior to that it was maybe a bite or two a day. She seemed to have energy, she wanted to go out and walk the property, use the bathroom and/or sit in the sun. Tiny drank plenty of water, her breathing seemed better and she seemed to be a little more perky toward the end of this two weeks. Plus, we noticed no more fainting episodes. However, eating was still a huge concern, and there was some days were you could just tell she wasn’t feeling good. We noticed a lose tooth in the front that appeared to be causing some discomfort, so we pointed it out to the vet during the visit and he noticed a few more suspect teeth that could also be causing problems.
The vet prescribed an dental antibiotic and scheduled a dental procedure one week later. Everything seemed unchanged leading up to that procedure. Still eating very small amounts, still drinking water, still going outside regularly, her stool was solid. But the day before the procedure, she had a fainting episode after coming in from a bathroom trip. We alerted the Vet the next morning when was was dropping her off. The vet called about 30 minutes later and said they was not going to do the procedure due to her liver and kidney enzymes being elevated. He did mention that the X-ray of her heart looked a lot better this time. So they wanted to put her on two new meds to help with her kidney and liver and reevaluate in two weeks.
So we went and picked her up. We could tell the trip wore her out. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath, didn’t feel much like walking. She did eat a few bites before taking a long nap on the couch. We watched her all evening. This seemed different than the past three weeks. She was unsteady on her feet, almost appeared to weak to stand. She didn’t want to eat or drink, it was getting close to midnight, and we made the decision that this should not go on much longer and we would take her to the vet first thing the following morning.
We spent two hours with her laying in bed petting on her, We fell asleep around 2am and I was awoke by my wife at 4am letting me know that Tiny passed away in her sleep.
Dear Ryan,
I am sorry for your loss of Tiny. I understand the heartache that comes with saying goodbye even if you know it gave her peace and rest. I am glad she passed peacefully in her sleep surrounded by the ones who loved her most. I hope with time your heart will heal and that her memory will be a blessing to you and your wife. Thank you for sharing your story with our readers. ♥
My 12 year old Lab mix has been having issues with arthritis in his hips for several years now. He has gotten to the point that he is snappy with the 2 little dogs if they get too close to him. He will sometimes drag himself across the floor because he has a hard time getting up. Sometime she will whine and shake when trying to get up off the floor. He still eats and drinks normally and he will go outside but he doesn’t really play anymore. I have been giving him medication such as glucosamine for joints and it helped just a little for a while but it doesn’t seem to be helping any more. His worst days are when it rains or if it gets really cold. I don’t know if it is time to let him go or not because every now and then I will see him try to run after a squirrel when he first goes out the back door to potty but then he comes back in after and lays down and will not get up unless it is absolutely necessary.. I don’t want him to suffer but I don’t want to give up on him too soon either.
Hi Misty,
You are right to be concerned about your senior boy. It sounds like he is really struggling and painful. I highly recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your concerns. There are many different types of anti-inflammatories and pain medications that can be used to treat arthritis pain. You might be pleasantly surprised at what a difference the right combination of medications can make in his quality of life. I also think your dog could benefit from treatment by a rehabilitation veterinarian. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your sweet boy. Praying he finds comfort and relief and has many more happy days ahead.
My baby boy’s nose is dry and he won’t eat. He’s feverish and showing signs of hip pain. He’s recently gotten slower at walking,getting up and sitting down. He won’t run now. He doesn’t pant when he lays down but it’s like his breathing slows down. He is a light sleeper as well. He doesn’t want to cuddle as much as he used to now. All this changed over the course of 2 weeks. What do I need to do? Is it time to say goodbye or can medication be the fix he needs? I feel like it’s either close to time or it is time to do the one thing I’ve been dreading but it seems more clear as each day goes by that he’s in more and more pain. I hate this so much. I hate that he’s in so much pain and there’s not much I can do about it. He’s my gentle giant. I don’t want him to suffer anymore but I don’t want to watch him go. What do I do?
Hi KayLee,
You are right to be concerned about your sweet boy and his rapidly declining health. It does sound like he is suffering and painful. I highly recommend you find a vet that practices hospice and palliative care in your area. They can evaluate your pup and let you know if they can make him comfortable for a period of time or if it is time to say goodbye. I understand your hesitation to let go. Saying goodbye is heartbreaking, but it can be the most loving and unselfish decision in some circumstances. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your boy. I will attach some links to other articles that may offer additional information and great advice from other readers. Bless you both.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
3. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
My sweet boxer, Rainey is struggling with Degenerative Myelopathy. My family has been Beyond fortunate to have been so loved for the last 10 almost 11 years. She is emotionally still a puppy with a body that isn’t cooperating. I’ve had a lot of AMAZING dogs in my life but her extremely verbal, quirky goofball personality is one of the most entertaining, life of the party personalities I’ve experienced. Her loyalty and love has protected and sheltered our hearts. My stomach is in knots and my heart feels like it hurts watching my sweet “baby girl” struggle to stand up anymore, still with her favorite toy in her mouth wanting to get up to play. We avoid stairs or I walk in front of her to make sure she doesn’t do a front hand stand down the entire flight of stairs (she’s actually pretty amazing at it) until her butt catches up and she literally takes “flight”, and I’ve purchased more floor runners than I’ve ever had in my life to help with traction for her paws- the booties don’t work and she gives me the look when I put them on her, right before they mysteriously come off. She’s able to get around wry slowly still but it’s to the point where when I let her out to go potty her butt hits the ground because she can’t hold herself up anymore. Her hind legs get tangled and she falls a lot. Watching her try and lay down or get up is just painful, I usually end up picking her up and placing her hind legs where they need to be for stability. She’s been panting a lot lately even when it’s cold. Some days she’s ravenous to eat, other days she’s not interested at all. As I sit here writing this novel in tears I just don’t want her to be in pain and I don’t know when I will be emotionally ready to make that call on lovingly helping her not be in pain anymore……I’m at a lose for trying to navigate this. Not having her following me everywhere, hearing her hind paws drag as she walks is something I am having a very hard time comprehending. She is my partner in crime, my partner in unconditional love and my hearts crutch. I know it’s coming sooner than later but I want to make sure I give her as many leg and back massages that help her as long as I can…….. ugh ?
Dear Melissa,
It is obvious by your words just how much you love Rainey and that she is a once in a lifetime dog. I am sorry she is struggling and that she has been given such a difficult and progressive diagnosis. Trying to decide the right time to say goodbye is almost impossible. Although it will leave you heartbroken, it is the most loving and unselfish choice you can make. I always think it is better to let go one day too early rather than one day too late and have them suffer needlessly. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional advice and have some great comments from other readers. I hope you can find the strength to give your sweet girl the peace and rest she deserves. Praying her last days are filled with love and joy and you have wonderful memories to cherish for a lifetime.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
My boy also has DM and I am a soon to be 3rd year vet student. Our wonderful neurologists stressed to me that the disease is NOT painful. He too is getting to the point of tripping over his own legs and sliding on the floor areas not covered by runners/area rugs. I need to find the paw stickers recently recommended by his physical therapy team that have worked better than boots for some of their clients’ dogs. I have the Help-Me-Up Harness and the therapy center has already offered the loan of a cart for him for when he loses all function of his back legs. It is an individual decision, but know that she is not in pain and there are other tools out there to help. There are also a few DM groups on Facebook you can join for other tips and advice on how to handle different facets of this horrible disease. Because, like you said, they still act like their old selves, it is very hard to consider euthanasia when, despite everything, they are still so happy. I wish you peace and love in whichever path you choose. It’s a horrible disease. Godspeed, Rainey!
We lost our beloved Jingles Marie today (April 9 2022 at 4:45 pm ), a 13.5 yr. rescue daschund/lab. We got her when she was four when her owner passed away. Our vet said that our dog Max and Jingles were 99% sure from the same litter. They looked like siblings, and they brought so many smiles to people’s faces. They were a darling pair. Jingles had her yearly exam in Mid March 2022 with no issues communicated by our vet. In late March, Jingles became picky with food, she started leaving kibbles and eating the chicken toppings and slowly not touching the food. She continued to eat treats but slowly declined the treats. One day she started vomiting–something she never did. So after 9 days of not eating, we took her to the vet who ran all the tests. X rays revealed a growth near her liver. He put her on anti-inflammation and anti-vomiting meds that she refused. She continued not to eat. From April 5 (her vet visit) to April 9, she deteriorated rapidly. While she had ‘normal’ moments of alertness (that confused me)–she could get off and on couches and go to the bathroom, but she became confused, stood by the water bowel, and drank lots of water. Our vet told us that if she is not doing 2/3 favorite things maybe it is time to go. She wasn’t eating, she could not get a comfortable position, she was not sleeping in her favorite bed, or playing w/her brother. I talked to several neighbor dog owners who had recently had lost dogs, and who made the difficult decisions of end of life. On her last day, my husband took her out at 7 am to sit on the lawn. Perhaps the cool April ground felt good. She walked around the block w/us and her brother, she sat on the lawn for hours in the sun, and she barked at a dog walking by. Yet, her back legs were shaking badly, I could hear a faint wimper and she panted throughout the day. In spite of the oral meds he gave us, she was increasing in pain. I called the vet to schedule an time after discussing with my husband. It was the hardest call I ever had to make. He agreed, based on symptoms, that she is probably ready to go. I was not ready to let her go, but we told her we loved her all day long, we talked to her all throughout the day, petting her, holding her. This came on so fast, and felt like someone had punched us in the stomach. My stomach actually hurt the entire week. Since she stopped eating, I also lost my appetite and have I sobbed everyday. I took pictures of her all day yesterday but I can’t look at them. I write this on the first morning in nine years today that she is not here. Deep silence. Absence. I am grateful for her brother same age who is still with us who will remind me of her. These are my first dogs and I can say the pain I (and my husband) have felt is deeper than anything I have ever experienced. I so loved being her dog mom. She was my world. We were so blessed to have the gift of Jingles in our lives. Her last gift to us was going to her favorite bed while the vet was here. The vet and I were discussing her being on the couch to be medicated. I turned around and found in her in bed in the living room. It’s like she heard us and said–no this is where I want to be. Her final gift to us was leaving in her bed, on her terms, covered with her favorite blanket and us as we comforted her in her final minutes. Max lay beside the bed, quiet the whole time. We struggled with doing this and finding the right day and time. But there is not right day and time. However, after talking to neighbors, and readings some stories, we decided best to let her go after a better day. My husband and I are absolutely and utterly heartbroken.
Dear Sheri,
I can feel the emotion in your words. I understand the heartbreak you describe. Choosing to let go and allow Jingles to find peace and rest is the most unselfish and loving thing you could have done for a dog that spent her life loving you and your husband. I am glad you still have Max and that he will be a source of comfort during the difficult days. I pray with time your heart will heal and that Jingles’ memory will be a blessing.
Hello Dr. Buzby, I don’t know if you’ll ever get a chance to answer. I am struggling with the decision of whether or not it is time to put down my dog. She is a 16-year-old Bichon Maltese mix. We discovered she has thyroid cancer in January. She took some cortisone which made things a bit better. However, she stopped walking on Wednesday. The vet said it might either be that cancer has spread out throughout her body or she had an arthritis attack. He said that if she doesn’t get better and be able to walk on her own by this Wednesday, she might never get better and it would be humane to put her down her because things might get worse. So I’ve been reading a lot on this issue (your articles have been really helpful, thank you) and the signs are there: has become a picky eater (whereas she used to literally eat anything), has been drinking excessively, constipated, and sleeping a lot. On the first day, she was uncontrollably peeing, however, she is now peeing only twice per day (but in large volumes), When she isn’t sleeping, she whines like she wants something. One thing that is making me question putting her down is that she is still mentally aware. She barks when wants to sit next to me on the couch and when I leave the room.
Any sort of advice would be much appreciated!
Dear Maria,
I am sorry your senior girl is struggling and declining so rapidly. It does sound like she is nearing the end of her days and might not have the best quality of life. I always think it is better to let go one day too early rather than one day too late and have them suffer unintentionally. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information. Saying goodbye is the most difficult decision we have to make for our beloved dogs, but it is the most loving and unselfish thing we can offer them after giving us a lifetime of devotion. We allow our own hearts to break to give them peace and rest. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Wishing you comfort for the days ahead.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
Hi Dr. Julie and thank you for this article. My 16-year-old Chihuahua, Wilson, has been in treatment for CHF for a few years now. Recently she had fluid in her abdomen and her doctor added a couple more medicines, which made that go away.. But for the past few days, she won’t take her meds because she doesn’t want any of the treats I hide them in. She picks at her supper a little but she’s not eating much.
She doesn’t seem to be in pain or distress right now and we have visits with her favorite people scheduled for this weekend just in case. She’s sleeping a lot and seems mostly comfortable.
I know the medicine may prolong her life, but don’t want her last chapter to be full of twice-daily struggles with me trying to shove medicine into her mouth. I feel like she’s done with medicine and maybe almost with food. Thank you again for the information you shared in this piece. It’s giving me a lot to think about as I figure out how to tackle our next bit of time together.
Dear Laura,
I know the heartache of the difficult decision you have in front of you. Trying to decide when to say goodbye is never easy but may be the most important decision we ever make for our beloved dogs. I do think it is better to let go one day too early rather than one day too late. I am sorry you are seeing your senior girl decline in her health. I hope you can make the choice that brings you both peace and comfort. I will attach some links to other articles that may offer helpful information. My thoughts are with you and your sweet girl, and I pray these last days are filled with love.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. Dementia in Dogs: When to Euthanize Your Beloved Senior Dog
4. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
This article has been enlightening for me. While I am a Hospice and Palliative RN, I haven’t wanted to see what is in front of me with my 13 y/o Cocker Spaniel. My husband and I recently moved to a very remote area of Montana. Since coming here last October, my sweet baby cocker has lost at least 20 pounds. Her eating and drinking hasn’t changed but I know she has arthritis and can tell when it’s bothering her. Last night she started dry heaving and gagging (no vomit) and all day she today, she has continued with tachypnea and tachycardia. She appears to have confusion, won’t eat or drink, and is lethargic. The closest vet is over 6 hours away and travel isn’t an option at the moment. My husband and I have been providing love and comforting support….I don’t know what else to do. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Hi Kimberly,
I am sorry your Spaniel girl is struggling and seems to be nearing the end of her life. Unfortunately, other than trying to make sure she is warm and comfortable, I am not sure there is much you can do from home. Hoping you can get her to the vet soon or find a vet that can make a house call. I wish you peace during this difficult time. ♥
My beloved 15 yo bichon had arthritis and although he was perky in the mornings he would seem slow and frail by bedtime. He had a cataract in one eye and he has stopped using stairs, so we assisted him by carrying him up/down and lifting him up and down off of furniture. He had recently taken a round of antibiotics for an unknown infection. His liver values were being monitored regularly. I told our vet how he had been drinking an excessive amount of water but they attributed that to medications. I knew he was slowing down but hadn’t given any thought to how his decline would go.
One day last month he tried to jump onto the sofa and yelped in pain, holding up his back leg. The vet said it was a soft tissue injury and to rest it. This was difficult as he would whine when we crated him, and he tried to follow me absolutely everywhere in the house, hopping on three legs. We have hardwood floors and he would slip. Over these past weeks although the hurt leg got better, the other legs became weaker and he was quite wobbly. His tail was down most of the time, and we kept thinking it was just due to the temporary injury.
Last Tuesday night, while he was sitting with me before bedtime, he had a weird seizure episode, arching his neck and involuntarily robotically moving his stiffened arm, while panting. I hugged him until it was over and he seemed scared and worn out. I was so alarmed, and called the vet the next morning.
Before the vet returned my call later that day, Beemer had a second episode. I told her about the seizures, the loss of balance, his tail mostly down, how he had sneezed twice recently and had blood spatter from his nose . I asked if it was time. She talked about how his liver values had been improving and how different meds can help. She told me that since he still eats and drinks, that’s their greatest happiness, and asked to see him the next day.
By that appt (Thursday) Beemer had suffered more seizures, stumbling in circles, he had somehow lost the mobility in the front legs and we were holding him up so he could potty. He had become like a limp rag doll. But he still recognized us and tried to eat and drink, although we had to hold him up.
I went to that appt with the dreaded feeling that I needed to do the last kind thing. But she examined him and said he had a painful disc in his back, and the seizures could be just vestibular disease episodes. She suggested we try a liquid steroid for just 24 hrs. She said she had seen dogs make amazing recoveries, and if it didn’t work then at least we’d know we tried everything. So we agreed. She also sent us home with a sling to help hold him up.
That night after the first steroid dose, Beemer stood on his own in the yard. He was quite weak but we were amazed and optimistic. But that was a fluke. He couldn’t bear his weight for long and kept collapsing. It was gut-wrenching for us and after a hard restless night for him, the next morning (Friday) we tearfully decided he was suffering needlessly and we couldn’t do that to him anymore.
I drove to the vet and asked if anyone could please come to our home and help him go peacefully. They said it would have to be that evening so I made that plan.
The minute I left the vets office I got a call from my daughter who was hysterical. Beemer had been sleeping when all of the sudden he jerked his head up, looked at her, and then went into a violent seizure, shaking, losing bladder control, and scream barking. It was a crisis. The peaceful home send-off I was anticipating turned into a nightmare as we rushed our darling dog to the place he hated most while he shriek-barked non-stop. There was nothing I could do to comfort him. The barking was ear-splitting and terrifying. I was devastated that he was suffering this way.
My gentle, cheerful, beautiful baby ended his life on the vet table, tongue hanging out and sedated. It was traumatizing for all of us, and we are so filled with guilt that I may never forgive myself.
I replay the events of those four days over in my mind and I’m consumed with guilt, frustration and anger. He was our first and only dog and we read a lot of articles but kept clinging to the fact that he was still eating. I wish I had read the article and used the worksheet from lap of love that you recommend. That article states if you want to wait until the last possible minute, you’re going to face an emergency and your pet will suffer. If only I had read that! Or had a vet who didn’t believe in waiting too long. The saying “a day too early is better than a minute too late” is so true. My daughter is scarred by what she saw her beloved angel endure. I am devastated and confused and full of guilt that I failed my little sweetheart who looked to me to help him through.
Dear J,
My heart goes out to you with the recent loss of Beemer. I can tell from your words how much you loved and cared for him. I am sorry his condition declined so quickly and left you with difficult choices. It sounds like you did everything you could and (you and your vet) made the best decisions possible with the information you had at the time. No veterinarian would intentionally make a beloved dog suffer needlessly through treatments if they didn’t have hope that a quality of life could be preserved. Try not to carry around the burden of guilt over how things ended. I have no doubt your sweet boy knew how much he was loved. I hope with time your heart will heal. May his memory be a blessing and offer you comfort for the days ahead.
You didn’t fail him. I struggled and still do sometimes remembering what I went through with my baby and all.of the coulda, shoulda, wouldas tha5 kept me from honoring his life in a way that my children would have wanted. I know that I did everything that I could and I am looking forward to seeing him again when I visit that Rainbow Bridge.
I am.sure that you gave him a wonderful life like no other family could and he would not want you to remember him with sadness. Regardless of how hard it is now, it does get better eventually, day by day. God Bless
Walked this same heart shattering path Nov 14 to Dec 3. The reply was really helpful dealing with the agony of what if, why didn’t I know, how could I have saved him…
Thank you…bless you, how I needed this tonight…
Dear Gerae,
My heart goes out to you as you grieve for your beloved pup. Praying for your comfort and peace. ♥
Thank you so much. ? ? I read this like you were a friend sitting here saying it to me in person, and it’s just what I needed to hear. Blessings to you.
Dear Courtnie,
I am glad the article was helpful and offered some comfort during a difficult time. My heart goes out to you. ♥
Help! My almost 15 year old Toy Yorkie has been a family member for 9 of his 15 years. Our baby had been abused and neglected and was suffering from pancreatitis when rescued. He fully recovered. He has had many teeth removed due to the previous owners lack of having his teeth cleaned.
He is now developing health problems and nobody seems concerned but me. He has been to the vet twice in the last three weeks. He has arthritis in his back, and a collapsing trachea. The Vet also says he has an infected tooth that cannot be pulled because of his age and size (3 lbs). His eye has been infected on and off and he is draining mucus constantly from his nose that is pale yellow. The Vet says the eye and nose are associated with the infected tooth along with it going into the sinus. When asked, the Vet indicates that he is not suffering. . Ki has had two shots, and eye drops. It is now getting worse once again. He is coughing, sneezing, and honking moderately through the day and night. He spine now arches up a bit from arthritis and he no longer wants to walk like he used too. He sleeps 22 out of 24 hours a day. His appetite goes up and down.
I love him so much that I believe he is suffering and we should let him go. My husband said to listen to the Vet who claims he is not suffering, Can that be true? I think he has to be in pain.
Thanking you in advance for your opinion or suggestion!
Hi Liz,
I am sorry your senior guy is having so much trouble. It does worry me that he has a tooth abscess that has started draining into his sinuses. While there are issues that could make anesthesia and surgery a bad idea for senior dog’s, age alone does not necessarily make this impossible. You may want to schedule a consult with a veterinary dentistry specialist for a second opinion. Also, since I haven’t examined your little guy myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations about his quality of life. It might be a good idea to find a veterinarian that practices hospice and palliative care in your area and have them assess your dog. They can usually make house calls and should be able to tell you if your dog is truly suffering and offer options to help relieve pain and give him comfort. I will attach some links to other articles that have additional information. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decisions for you and your sweet boy. I wish you both the best.
1. Is My Dog Too Old for Surgery?
2. Is My Dog Too Old For Anesthesia?
3. How to Recognize a Dog Tooth Abscess and What to Do About It
4. Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
5. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
I have been very fortunate in that I have had Labrador Retrievers live to very old. My last one was just shy of her 18 birthday and her demise was quick in that one day she was fine and within two days she started having bloody diarrhea and became very weak. My girl now is going to be 17 in April and the last couple months she has had bouts of diarrhea and a UTI. During her last bout with diarrhea I was given antibiotics and probiotics. Ever since she has been on the probiotics she has not had diarrhea but during one of her diarrhea bouts she got a UTI which was also treated with antibiotics. Before this she had never urinated in the house but after her treatment for UTI I was given a urinary incontinence medication (proin) and now I am noticing she is urinating in her sleep more frequently and sometimes has a tinge of blood. For a while now she has had some issues with fecal incontinence as it seems she wants to go out but doesn’t have enough notice. She eats fine, drinks fine, walks up and down steps and will actually walk around the house for hours but I have noticed that while she seems content she does not wag her tail much any more and barely plays with her toys. Even though she is eating fine her bones are much more pronounced. She doesn’t whine or cry but does lay down slowly. I am very torn in what to do.
Hi Bev,
I understand how difficult it is to make decisions about your senior girl’s quality of life. When the answer isn’t straight forward and clear is leaves us with an uneasy feeling and doubt. Since I haven’t personally examined your dog, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. Her episodes of urinary and fecal incontinence could be related to dementia/cognitive dysfunction that is common in senior dogs. I will attach some links to other articles that may offer additional information. In my experience, it is always better to say goodbye one day early rather than one day too late. I hope you can find the answers you need to help you make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. I pray you find clarity for this tough situation and comfort for your heart.
1. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
2. Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
3. Dementia in Dogs: When to Euthanize Your Beloved Senior Dog
4. How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages
5. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
Our dog Pepper got obsessed with human food since staying with my parents on occasion, to the point where she would not eat unless I added some human food. It could be the smallest amount, like a couple of rice grains, so I had been humouring her. At almost 15 she could still run up and down stairs, was keen to go for walks and was vet checked in September with no issues found. When my daughter came to stay she thought we should stop Pepper having these additions, it was getting worse to the point where she would start whining for me to prepare my food, ignoring her meal. I was careful to not give any foods toxic to dogs. So one evening I refused to give her any extras. Not only did she not eat, she whined, barked and made a big fuss for maybe 15 minutes straight. Then she ate. The very next day she had a couple of small regurgitations in the morning, then just became weak and lethargic. She didn’t want food or water, although she licked a little from my hand. Took her to the vet next day who said it could have been she ate something unsuitable. (We had walked on the beach and around the meadows the 2 preceding days) Pepper had no fever, could still get outside for a wee (just about), so vet said to see what happens, gave an anti vomiting injection followed up by the same medication. She said we could have done blood tests but I decided against it as I thought it would be stressful, and knew that we wouldn’t want Pepper to have any surgery or lifeline medication with a long decline. Continued the same next day, tiny amounts of water syringed in (some with sugar) hourly. Lying about but seeming comfortable, heartrate normal. On day 4 she turned her head away from the syringe, and in the early afternoon vomited a puddle of water. She could not stand without my support, and her heartrate had gone to 180. She became restless, but couldn’t get anywhere. It was too much to see her like that and I arranged the soonest vet appointment, my friend collected us. Just before leaving for the vet, Pepper passed a very large puddle of mostly blood from the back. I was in tears. Vet took one look (journey was 10 minutes, bleeding continued and Pepper was barely responding) and said she thought it was best to euthanise. I took her advice. It was all so traumatic. This was 17th January. Obviously I feel shattered, we had Pepper all her life and she was my companion through the lockdowns, with me living alone. She was walked virtually every day (she didn’t like bad weather any more than I did). Sorry this is so long, I hope though that you could answer this burning question for me. Is it possible that Pepper was so upset at being denied what she wanted, that something ruptured inside her and then caused her death? The question comes back time and again, I don’t feel I can ask our vet as they are always so busy and would probably day we should have had an autopsy done. Horrible thought ?. Pepper is buried in our garden wrapped in her blanket, we have very happy memories of her. If you are able to answer that question I would be very grateful, you seem to care very much. Thank you in advance. Sally
Dear Sally,
I am so sorry for the tragic loss of your beloved Pepper. It is clear to anyone who reads your words just how much you loved her. Since I didn’t examine Pepper myself, it is hard to make conclusions about what happened. But I can say with absolute certainty that your withholding human food in no way caused Pepper’s struggles. There are any number of things that could have been the cause such as a foreign body, cancer, pancreatitis, clotting issue, etc. I know your heart is hurting without your sweet girl by your side, but please don’t carry the burden of guilt around with you any longer. I hope with time your heart will heal and find comfort. May her memory continue to be a blessing. ♥
We recently lost my husband and Mom and I have gone blind. My 16 year old Yorkie, my support animal, has now been laying down for a week. I mean not moving at all and a few days ago he threw up blood and now it’s like his bowels are emptying everything from his body. It’s a mix of feces and blood. Lots of blood. If I try to give him any food or water it’s like it goes straight through him so now I’m not sure whether to give him water at all. We are snowed in and I am trying to find out if there is anything I can do for him at home to help ease his suffering. It is breaking my heart to lose the only connection I have left in this world but I do not want him to be in pain. He should not have to suffer. Due to me being homebound and the roads being bad I just don’t know what to do. Please help.
Dear Ashley,
My heart aches for you and the pain you are living through. I am sorry your sweet boy is struggling, and you are stuck in the house. I am not aware of anything over the counter that could be used to help him at this point. It does sound like euthanasia would be the best thing to help relieve his pain and suffering. There should be a veterinarian in your area that does in-home euthanasia and can make house calls. I hope you can find the help you need to allow your little guy to find peace and rest. I am praying you can find comfort during this extremely tough season of life. ♥
I wish I had found your sight sooner; I will share it with others. My 13 yr old, 11 pound papipoo (papillon/poodle mix) was DX with congestive heart failure seven months ago. He had a cough, heart murmur and fluid in his lungs. He was being treated with Lasix & Enalapril which made him very comfortable. Treatment was all about ensuring his quality of life, comfort, and happiness everyday! Although resting quite a bit & moving slower, he was still excited to welcome every family member, snuggle, roll his favorite ball, play games, and share blueberries & carrots as an afternoon treat.
On 1/12/22, we went to the groomer for a quick nail & pad trim (to help with sliding on the hard wood floors) He seemed wiped out when we returned home and wasn’t interested in eating his chicken breast, so I caved and gave him one small piece of beef jerky to get his meds in him – he was delighted (Jerky was a rare treat when all else failed to get his meds in him). As usual, he laid, watched & listened to me narrate like a tv chef as I prepared dinner, but he seemed more distant and didn’t move much. That evening he was lying in my bed, and I noticed he had urinated while dozing which had only occurred twice before in the last few months. I picked him up and his body felt very weak and listless, and I heard a quiet crack near his back/legs/hips (#1). After changing the blankets, I laid him back in the bed with me. He started to fall asleep as his visibly rapid heart beat slowed. I had an overwhelming feeling that this might be the night he had chosen to seek eternal peace in heaven; we knew it was inevitable with his age and CHF. I had each of my adult children separately and casually come say hello and give him a few pets. My dog & I laid in my bed as he fell in and out of sleep. He was peaceful, his breathing had slowed but had become noisier with a light snotty /liquid sound, but It was much too early for another dose of his medicine. He suddenly tried to get up to reposition himself but he couldn’t. He used his front paws to try to pull himself to a new spot on the bed and was wiggling a bit to try to move. I thought he might need to urinate, so I picked him up. His rear legs just hung from his body. I tried to support his abdomen to go potty but his back legs were useless and his front legs seemed stiff and wouldn’t hold him up. He seemed panicked, like he was trying to get comfortable or breath or change position – I’m not sure! He wiggled and let out a groan as I held him. As I hurried to get dressed to rush to an ER vet. He laid flat on his stomach trying to pull himself into a different position with his paws and groaned again. We rushed to the closest 24hr ER Vet we could find at 1AM. During the 10 min ride, as I held him, he wiggled/struggled & groaned twice more to move, and I changed his position for him. When we arrived, as I rearranged and gathered him in the blanket I heard a small unexplained pop (#2). I didn’t stop to look at him; I just wanted to get him inside so they could help his discomfort. The ER vet asked about his history which I provided but would not let me go with him during the exam no matter how much I pleaded. She eventually advised that his heart murmur was quite loud and she could hear fluid in his lungs. She said they had him in an oxygen tent to help a little with his breathing, but as I had been told CHF is not curable, he’s 13 years old, and the inability to use his legs normally may have been due to a lack of oxygen rich blood reaching his extremities which happens as the body is shutting down and is prioritizes sending oxygenated blood to vital organs first. I made the heartbreaking decision to have him euthanized immediately as my happy, sweet little guy deserved calm and comfort. I miss my shadow and best buddy, and my heart is crushed.
The questions HAUNTING me are:
A. Why couldn’t he use his legs and can medicated CHF deteriorate this quickly?
B. What could the crack sound (#1) and the pop sound (#2) as mentioned above have been?
I appreciate you caring and any ideas you may have. Thank you!
Dear TLA,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your little buddy. Making the decision to let go is never easy but can be especially difficult when it feels rushed. It sounds like you made the right decision to give your sweet boy peace and rest from his suffering. I am not sure what the popping sounds were that you heard. It could have been just normal joint popping that comes with arthritis, and it may have been easier for the joints to pop since he was rather weak at the time. And yes, CHF patients can go downhill quickly once the heart decompensates and ultimately fails. Like you mentioned, if the heart is failing the body will shunt the oxygen away from the limbs and toward the vital organs. This may explain why he lost function of his rear limbs, or he may have had an embolism (blood clot) that affected his spinal cord causing a paralysis. No matter what the cause, I feel like you did everything you could for your senior guy, and I have no doubt he knew how much he was loved. I hope his memory will be a blessing to you and your family.
Thank you, Dr. for the kind words & confirming the CHF heart can deteriorate quickly. Over the weekend, I read many of the articles on your site. They helped me see that his final hour was not what I had wished for him, but my sweet boy’s quality of life was good until the day we had to say farewell for now. At the 24hr Emergency Vet Clinic, I was allowed to be with him while he was euthanized. The “what to expect” process info on your website assured me that the steps & care we received that night were geared to provide him comfort during his final minutes. Thank You!
My 13 yo dog seemed to be declining over the last couple weeks. I thought he may be nearing the end but our vet is so far away and he hates car rides I didn’t wanna subject him to that, at least not til he got closer to the end; I was going to have the vet come to the house. But I thought I’d let him spend his last days at home unless it seemed he was suffering. He started needing help getting on the bed. But every day he was still wagging his tail, eating, drinking (a lot it seemed at the end) and peeing and pooping outside. He was sleeping A LOT through. He lost his owner/dad in August (my brother) and he was still looking for him whenever he went outside he would look down the ramp. Well even tho I knew he was getting old and nearing the end I didn’t know how soon it would be. Last Wednesday, he didn’t eat any dog food and not much the day before. He did eat some meatballs as treats and was drinking water. He came to me which is what he did to go out. I let him out and thought that I would go to bed now so he wouldn’t have to get up from his dog bed just to go upstairs. I watched him outside, he peed and sniffed the air, no energy to patrol but he seemed to want to spend more time out there so I let him. So I let him in and he walked toward his dog bed as I walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I heard the worst sound of my life. It sounded like brakes squealing, very loud and high pitched, but somehow I knew it was him. I ran to the living room and he was half on and half on his bed on his side with neck extended just screaming. I put him on the bed and pet him while he took his finals breaths. What would cause a scream like that? It will haunt me forever. He was a good boy and I hope he wasn’t suffering more than he let on.
Dear Jen,
My heart goes out to you with the tragic loss of your senior guy. I am so sorry that his last moments left you with such a bad memory. Despite our best efforts, some dogs pass away suddenly and don’t leave any time for a possible intervention. Also, I know the screaming was alarming and sounded horrible, but it is very common for a pet to have a last agonal howl just before they pass, and it does not come from a place of pain. One of the reasons I like to sedate my patients prior to euthanasia is to prevent exactly this from happening. I am glad you were able to be with your sweet boy until his last breath. I have no doubt he knew how much he was loved. I hope his memory will be a blessing to you and pray you will be able to let unpleasant memories fade with time. ♥
I have a 13, nearly 14 year old staffie called Sasha. She is suffering with serious arthritis and can not jump onto furniture or go up and down the stairs anymore.. she struggles using her back legs and can not get up without aid on slippy surfaces. She is drinking excessively and her appetite had decreased slightly. She constantly goes for wee but can’t not squat at all and it is going on her fur (I wash her every day) she excessively pants (especially at night) she doesn’t get up to greet us anymore as it takes her so long. She stomach seems rounder and sometimes a bit hard but she has lost weight around her back legs and I can feel her spine a lot more. She does go on occasional walks but can only manage down the road and back, with a 5 minute break in between. She is on medication but we are wondering if it is time to make the decision about the quality of her life.
Hi Karen,
I am sorry your senior girl is struggling and seems to be so uncomfortable. It does sound like her days are coming to an end soon. I understand what a difficult decision it is to say goodbye. I recommend you look for a veterinarian in your area that specializes in hospice care and in home euthanasia. They may be able to make her more comfortable during these last days and offer advice on when to let go. I will attach some links to other articles that may help in the decision-making process. I hope you and your sweet girl can find peace. ♥
1. Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
2. In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
3. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
Thank you for this article. I am so lost and destroyed as I try to make sense of losing my beloved English Setter, Izzy, back in October.
In December 2020 Izzy had a cough and radiographs showed she had a tumour on her lung. We decided to go with non invasive treatment and saw a holistic vet, made all her food and treats, had her on supplements (tumeric, milk thistle, omega oils) as well as vet prescribed meds for her cough and to help slow the growth of the tumour (cerenia and meloxicam) as well as supplements from a company called pet well being including a mushroom cancer program.
For almost a year she did amazing, we had her in for xrays and bloodwork every three months and she was doing excellent. Then, in September her cough seemed to get worse so I brought her back to the vet on September 21. Her tumour had only grown mildly, her bloodwork was good, but there was something new on the xray. We paid 500 dollars to have it sent to a radiologist for interpretation and they said while it wasn’t the normal presentation it could be hemangiocarcinoma, or less likely, bronchial pneumonia.
Our vet told us about the hemangiocarcinoma but said she didn’t feel it was that as her bloodwork didn’t indicate it. She never told us about the bronchial pneumonia possibility and that the radiologist recommended we aggressively treat for possibly pneumonia elements.
On October 4 she was dehydrated and had stopped eating so we brought her back to the clinic for a full day of fluid therapy. She left the clinic that day like a puppy. But the next day she started to decline again. And by the following Monday (one week later) she was panting and having trouble breathing – she looked like the dog you have in your blog.
So we brought her back to the clinic again – hoping to stabilise her until we could find out what was going on. Our vet refused my pleas and told us euthanasia was the only option. We were pushed into putting her to sleep and to say I am devastated would be an understatement.
Up to this point I didn’t know anything about the observation from the radiologist there was a possibility of some pneumonia. It wasn’t until this christmas I went back through her medical records to try and put thing straight in my head as to what happened, that I realized she may have had some kind of pneumonia.
That morning we brought her in she may have been able to be treated – to get more time – but they never told us that. The cancer was actually stable and I don’t know what killed her in the end.
I am beyond devastated and to be honest – I’m not sure I can cope with this pain – knowing I probably could have done more for her – but I didn’t. I went with the professional advice I was given – advice I now think was wrong.
How do I ever find any peace with this? I’m sorry for such a long comment. But I am really suffering – if you can help me at all it would mean alot.
Dear Lorna,
I am sorry for your loss of Izzy. I know how heartbreaking it can be to say goodbye to a beloved dog and member of the family. It is obvious from your comments that you did everything you could for Izzy, and I have no doubt she knew how much she was loved. Please don’t carry around the burden of guilt over all the “what ifs”. There is no veterinarian who would recommend euthanasia if there were a viable alternative that didn’t look bleak and come with a full measure of pain and suffering. Your decisions (plural–you and the vet) were made from a place of love and compassion, and you gave Izzy peace and rest. I hope her memory will be a blessing and that in time your heart will heal.
Hello, thank you for this page. My red nosed pitbull Sheba was 14 when passed in August 7 2019, we went out we were gone 25 minutes, we came back home and she was standing there not moving, she would drink water and then throw it back up, she would get excited when my mom in law came to visit. But that it was like she saw nothing I laid on the floor with her til her last heartbeat and her last breath, I’m still in pain from from losing her, I don’t understand what happened in 25 minutes
Hi Paula,
I am sorry you lost Sheba in such a sudden and tragic way. I understand how upsetting it must have been to see such a dramatic change with no answers as to why. I hope that as time passes your heart will heal. May her memory be a blessing to you and your family.
As I write this I have just 5 hours left with Harvey, my beautiful boy, a funny, bouncy 14 year old Cairn terrier. He has severe dementia and has been deteriorating over (what we now realise) a three year period. At first it was subtle, running off in the wrong direction, not responding to calls (but ALWAYS food! ?), staring at walls, finding the simplest everyday things as giant obstacles to overcome, getting stuck in the most bizarre spaces, and the endless pacing. The pacing got to a stage where he just couldn’t stop and his anxiety was clear to see, panting and his little heart racing. Just this week his demise is rapid and he now needs constant care and help to feed and drink. After reading your wonderful blog I feel so much calmer about the decision to help him sleep. I loathed having the power to decide whether he lived or died… however, now I see it as the last gift of absolute love we can give him. Me and both my sons are in complete agreement and will all be with him this afternoon as he takes flight. My love goes out to all of you who have to make this decision, our little furry friends will always live in our hearts ♥️
Dear Melanie,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your sweet boy. I know it was difficult to watch him struggle and live through the dementia and anxiety. It sounds like you and your sons made the most loving decision you could. I hope the transition yesterday was smooth and peaceful. Thank you for sharing Harvey’s story with us. May his memory continue to be a blessing to you and your family.
We are dealing with the same today with our beloved Yorkie, Hannah, who is 18 1/2. We have two hours left to be with her and it’s heartbreaking. ??
Dear Barb,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your sweet Yorkie girl yesterday. I hope Hannah’s passing was peaceful. I pray your heart will heal with time and that her memory will be a blessing. ♥
Hi,
thank you for this post. I have an 18 year old poodle named Coco. She has become blind and deaf. She is rather lumpy and used to cough all the time but not anymore. I will also let her out to go potty, and then she comes back inside and pees in the house. She can still walk everywhere and climb upstairs. But considering that she makes a lot of accidents, my parents don’t want her to leave her kennel anymore. I’m not really sure if she is in pain, she never whines. She also hasn’t been to the vet, so i’m not too sure what’s wrong with her. My parents want to put her down because of her quality of life. But I just can’t seem to let her go. From what i’ve described, do you think it’s time? Would it be better for her? I don’t feel at peace with the decision…
Thank you
Hi Sarah,
I understand you are concerned about Coco and her quality of life. I am glad you reached out to me! Since I haven’t examined Coco myself, it is hard to say for sure if she is suffering or not. My best advice is to have her checked out by your veterinarian to rule out possible disease processes. She may be experiencing symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction and could greatly benefit from a supplement or medication. I will attach a link to another article with more information. Also, if the inappropriate urination is the main struggle, you might look into getting Coco a diaper like the ones used for dogs when they are in a heat cycle. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for. Best wishes to you and Coco!
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
Dear Julie,
My beloved dog Poppy passed away on the 16th April.
She had anemia and bronchial pneumonia
She was on antibiotics and after speaking to the vet was put back on codeine phosphate to help with the cough which had worsened.
She had been coughing at night and gagging and it seemed to make her breathe quicker but then it regulated.
she finally went to sleep and woke up coughing.
I took her to the animal hospital and they said her breathing was a bit more laboured. They decided to hospitalise her.
She was calm in my arms and not using her mouth to breathe.
They did an xray which confirmed her lungs had worsened and thought it would be kinder to let her go.
we went back and she was breathing fast with her mouth wide open .
The vet has reassured me that we did everything right but I still feel I should have taken her in the night and blame myself.
I miss her so much.
please can you help me?
Dear Nicky,
My heart aches for you with your loss of Poppy. I can only imagine how much you miss her, and it is clear she was dearly loved. Please don’t blame yourself for how thing progressed. You didn’t do anything wrong. I consider it a blessing Poppy was able to spend her last night at home with you where she was most comfortable. I hope with time you can allow yourself some grace and your heart will heal. May the memories of all the good times you shared with your sweet girl bring you peace. ♥
Thank you for this, our 13 year old love exhibited most of these. And, in fact, did the little rally when our son came home from out of state for his pup. It made our decision even more excruciating but we knew it was a gift. We were all present and received the most loving and compassionate care as we loved our boy out. My heart for those now experiencing this. “You know you’re in heaven when you hear all the dogs barking..♥️“
Dear Claudia,
I am glad you and your son were able to see your senior guy happy one last time. It sounds like his transition was smooth and that he was loved every second up until the very end. I hope his memory will continue to be a blessing to you and your family.
My sweet boxer Zoey has advanced breast cancer. It came up fast and grew quickly. The tumor has ulcerated and we’ve kept it clean and bandaged as best as possible. We spent what we had on the vet consultation and she told us that even if we had the thousands it would take for surgery, chemo and radiation, that it would likely come right back and that it has no metastasized to another breast. She has rapidly went downhill this week. She’s a Big girl. LOVED to eat, now she won’t even hand feed fresh cooked chicken. She’s drinking non stop and urinating inside which she’s never done even as a puppy. She’s been vomiting since yesterday. She always slept with us, now she’s hiding on the floor beside the bed She’s panting and shaking. My husband lost his job last month and we’ve been unable to find a vet who will take payments to help euthanize her or a low cost clinic. I’m heart broken and guilt ridden. I don’t want her to suffer but my hands are tied. ? Are there any online vets that can prescribe home euthanasia medications? I’m desperate for help. I have advanced multiple sclerosis and she has been my support dog for 9yrs.
Dear Rachel,
My heart breaks for you and Zoey. I understand how devastating it must be to want to help your sweet girl but feel like your hands are tied. Unfortunately, the solutions that are commonly used for euthanasia are controlled substances and need to be administered into a vein by a veterinarian. Have you called your local humane society or dog shelter? Sometimes they will euthanize at low cost or even for free. There may also be a boxer rescue group in your area that might help financially. I am sorry you are at the point of saying goodbye to your beloved girl. I hope her transition will be peaceful and that her memory will be a blessing.
Hi Dr. Buzby. Ah this is a difficult thing. My dog Winnie is 16 years old. She is the hardiest little mix you ever saw, she can still run. She eats like a horse. I make her home made food now for past 6 months after finding her liver count was high and it made her have even more energy. She has dementia pretty bad. She loves to wake up at night and I’ve found some herbal things to help with this but the pacing is pretty constant. I’m giving her what feels like 70% of my energy per day. She will pee outside but I have to be on it all the time, if I leave for half hr she will poop, I think because she is upset if I’m not with her. If not for working for home i would have had to put her to sleep over a year ago. The thing is her gums are healthy, she has so much energy, sleeps in day a lot which every hr or so I make her get up and walk or put her outside to get sun. She’s a goofball, she can be circling for an hr then I pick her up she lays on her back looking at me with big lovey eyes and literally smiles because I’m her person she counts on me for everything. I love her so much it’s sick. Sometimes her night episodes can be just awful lasting all night and leaving me sleepless. She is def and I’d say 60% blind. People can’t believe how old she is they are like wow so healthy looking and gets around so good… all the while I’m thinking dammit I know! Idk what to do, I’m so exhausted half the time and I can’t go anywhere. I left her with a sitter for one night… because was scared for more than one night and the sitter said she needs constant care and attention and kept her up all night so unfortunately she couldn’t take her again. Idk what to do. I’ve made three appointments to put her to sleep but I cancel every time.
Thanks
Hi Lisa,
Winnie sounds like such an amazing girl and it’s easy to see by your words that she has your whole heart. I understand how difficult it can be to weigh the bad verses the good when trying to make a decision about saying goodbye. When we talk about euthanasia, most conversations revolve around our beloved dog, but we can’t forget the human side of things. You are important and you have to make sure your best interests are considered as well. If you are not getting any sleep, stressed, worried, confined to your house, and exhausted, it may be time to say goodbye. Your sweet girl would not want you to live this way. You are giving up your quality of life to prolong hers. Since I have not personally examined your dog, I can’t say for sure if it is time to let go, but I do want you add your health to the equation. I hope you can come to a decision that will give you both peace and rest. Best wishes. ♥
My 15 yo Chihuahua had Kidney Failure for a few years. I had her put to sleep after she refused to eat anything, “passed out” while standing in the yard to pee(Syncopic Episode?), and was confused and walking in circles in the house. I picked her up when she tipped over in the yard during her possible Syncope Episode.She seemed to be asleep then urinated on me, and “woke up” as much as a dog that sleeps all the time could. She was sleeping a lot with her head on my chest most of the day(seemed like her head was too heavy for her to hold up) before the Euthanasia and the day of(The day after the Syncope Episode) (part of why I felt it was her time to go). She crossed the Rainbow Bridge 21May21. She would have been 16 14Sep21. When I took her to the vet for Euthanasia she was asleep all the way there, in the room as we waited for the Vet, then seemed to turn into a new dog after the Vet and tech brought her in the room with her Catheter. She was placed on the exam table where she stood and started wagging her tail and I lost it, telling my mom”She’s wagging her tail”.She wasn’t doing that at home, just sleeping. I can’t find any information regarding this. I know she wasn’t “cured”. I knew I couldn’t take her home for her to starve and struggle. I’m just looking for an explanation of why it seemed like she had a sudden burst of energy and happiness in a place she hated. She hated going to the Vet but that day she didn’t realize where she was. I apologize for the length post. The wagging of the tail just sent me over the edge and I think about it all the time, but can’t find a reason for it. Thank you for any response you may have.
Hi Kelly,
I am so sorry you had to say goodbye to your senior girl in May. It sounds like it was the right time, and you made the difficult but loving decision to give her rest and peace. Sometimes when dogs come into the clinic it triggers a bit of an adrenaline surge. I have seen dogs that should be obviously painful seem completely normal and dogs that were semi-comatose become more alert due to this same phenomenon. Please don’t see this last burst of energy as a sign you were making a mistake. Instead, I think of it as a wonderful gift that you were able to see her happy in her last moments. I’m sure you will remember that wagging tail forever. May her memory be a blessing.
Just put my Shitzu-Pomerainian mix, “Boru” down.
He died peacefully in my arms.
The vet was very respectful, had us in a private room with a fireplace, a dog bed and liver treats.
My little guy was happy at the end.
Your symptoms checklist was very helpful in making the final decision.
Thanks
Andrew..
Dear Andrew,
I am glad that your final moments with Boru were peaceful and calm. May his memory be a blessing.
My beloved Shitzu-Pomeranian Boru, is 16 yrs o;ld and is panting all the time, unable to climb stairs, blind, and appears disorientated. Lately, we have seen him drink water excessively.
I have had him since he was able to sit in my hand.
Having pre-paid his funeral arrangements I am taking him to the vet soon..
Very tough.
His adopted brother Harley, our Shitzu-Lhasa Apso, will be lost without him,
Dear Andrew,
My heart goes out to you as you say goodbye to your faithful friend. Boru will be missed by you and Harley. I hope you can look back on all the great memories you have made and find some peace and comfort during the sad days. May his memory be a blessing.
I have a 15 year old poodle mix. She is in stage 4 of CHF. I have all of the medicines. Nighttime is my problem and I have read that nighttime is often a problem for CHF dogs. Is there any position, vest or anything that will make her more comfortable?
Hi Leah,
I am so sorry that your girl is dealing with such a difficult diagnosis. I am glad to hear that you and your vet have been able to find the right medications to help keep her stable. Unfortunately, this disease is complicated and there are certain factors we just don’t have much control over. If you haven’t, I recommend you have an honest conversation with your vet about your concerns. They may have a suggestion to help make nighttime rest better or want to add on an additional medication. Your dog is lucky that she has you and that you are so dedicated to her quality of life. I hope you are able to continue to make memories and enjoy these senior years together.
My beautiful rottie, Ronin passed the rainbow bridge two days ago. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in July and they told us to put him down before his leg snaps and has unbearable pain. They also told us it almost always metastasizes.
Apart from that discomfort he was a happy dog, eating, playing,so full of life. Couldn’t do it . So I started him on a protocol to help detach the c from blood source, gave us 3 months but in a matter of two days, he just deteriorated. He never cried ,he never showed any unhappiness apart from licking his limp leg. I know he wasn’t 100% happy but couldn’t let him go. I now hate that for two whole days he did not eat or hardly move ,gave him yogurt and meds with a syringe. I hope he didn’t hate me for that. Second night I knew but still tried pushing my thoughts away. Till I woke up to him having defecated as he lay there, there was blood. I knew. So I stayed with him hopelessly asking for his forgiveness. Sorry I had failed him.He had 2seizures half hour apart ,where I heard him crying ,like whimpering and it totally killed me. I tried speaking calmly to him and thankfully they were only seconds long. He regulated his breathing little ,and then I noticed his eyes were not focusing, my baby was saying goodbye, he twiched ,put his head higher up and took 3deep breaths and that was it. I want to believe he went peacefully and I hope he knew he was not alone. I couldn’t stop caressing him. I didn’t want to. I so hope it wasnt me that made him this sick the last 2days . I’m so grateful he did not leave when in panic ,but in a more peaceful vibration. He was the best dog a human could ask for. Sometimes seemed even human. Love you Ronin, and I’m so sorry!
I tried !
Dear Dina,
I can feel the emotions in your words as I read your comment. I am sorry that Ronin’s last days were so difficult and heartbreaking for you. I am sure you made the best decisions you could and they all came from a place of love. Please don’t carry the burden of thinking Ronin might have been upset with you. I truly believe our dogs can feel our love and concern even until the very end. I am glad you were able to be with him through it all. I hope that his memory will continue to be a blessing.
Just from my own experience, I think it is probably common for owners to feel some guilt when their pet passes away. I know I always thought “what could I have done?” or ” did I do something to cause it?”
You have to tell yourself that you gave your pet the best home you could with lots of love, which is more than a lot of animals get.
If Ronin could talk I’m sure he would thank you for giving him such a happy home. I’m sorry for your loss. Don’t blame yourself for anything.
My sister just sent me this article. I have a 17 year old yellow lab . She has been the most lively senior dog people cold not believe she was that old. My son brought her home at six weeks. This October she suddenly went bad. She lost all of her muscle tone , and the tumor on her throat has gotten larger. She still eats she still wags her tail she still goes to the bathroom outside. My son has to carry her though. As much as I love her and I hate to lose her, I feel the time has come to let her go. My son refuses. Does any one have any advice on how to convince him to let her go? I
Dear Frankie,
This is a very difficult situation for anyone with a senior pup. I know she is a big part of your family, especially after 17 years of love! The hardest part about making a decision to let a dog go is how much we will miss them once they are gone. I do believe that while this decision is hard, it is also the most important act of love we can show our dogs. It sounds like your girl may be painful and weak. I am also concerned about the tumor you mentioned on her throat. I encourage you to reach out to your vet or a vet that specializes in hospice care. They could examine your girl and let you know if they think euthanasia is recommended and also give her some medications to make her more comfortable. I am attaching a link to another article that may be helpful: Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye – Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips for Dogs When the day comes that you do say goodbye to your sweet girl , I hope that her memory will continue to be a blessing for you and your family.
Hello, I literally just this morning had to euthanize my beloved Golden, Retriever, Annee, at the age of 13+. As difficult as it was I have come to terms that it was in her best interest. We are having her cremated and will choose the best spot to spread her ashes. Perhaps your son will consider doing the same and realize that hanging on for personal reasons isn’t typically in our pets best interest. ?
We are also in the very same process today. We made the decision to call the vet this morning and we are taking her in tomorrow afternoon. I am concerned, now that I’ve read this article, that perhaps she’s been in more pain than she’s let on. But she’s also been a stoic kind of gal. She’s most recently fully lost her sight. It takes 2 of us to get her outside. She’s hand fed. Her resp rate is all over the place right now. My poor girl. She knows. Her body is failing her. I only hope she’s happy up there wherever she lands.
Dear Kat,
I hope the last days with your girl were peaceful. I have no doubt she knows how much you loved her. May her memory be a blessing to you and your family.
My 12 year old Chihuahua had diabetes and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She was diagnosed after having a very bad night of coughing, panting and rapid breathing. After getting her oxygen and medications she was doing bad a week later. We again had xrays and blood work done and our vet adjusted her meds. We took her home and she continued to have rapid breathing and could not sleep well. She started off taking her medications well and then didn’t want them. She started to loose interest in everything and we carried her everywhere as she was also blind from diabetes and just exhausted. Although she was still somewhat functioning we decided to have her put to sleep. This decision haunts me still as I have had her since she was 3 months and I didn’t want to let her go. I wanted to change my mind and take her out of the vets office on the day of her euthanasia. But I felt like I was now forcing her to live eventhough she was just sick and tired. I also knew she would keep declining and eventually pass. I’m writing this because I know how hard it is to let go. I just wanted to see her in peace. I had a brother who choose to die with dignity as he was painfully dying from cancer and all he wanted was to not be in pain anymore. So I made the decision to let my pet go before she continued to suffer or even have one more episode because I wanted peace for her as well. I know my pet no longer feels anything. What makes this hard is that the ones left behind feel everything.
Dear Melissa,
I am so sorry you had to say goodbye to your sweet girl. You are absolutely right that when we lose a loved one, it’s the ones left behind that have to adjust to our new reality and find a way forward. It sounds like you did everything you could and worked with your vet to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. Making the decision to let go is the hardest, but is also the greatest act of love we can chose for our dogs. You could tell she was suffering and were able to take her pain away and let her be at peace. Please do not carry the unnecessary burden of this decision with you. She knew how much you loved her and that is evident in the words of your comment. I hope that as you move forward you will carry the good memories with you and that you may find peace in them as well.
My bestest friend of 15 yrs is exhibiting signs of rapid decline. She is pacing and having occasional incontinence issues. She is also very bitey. She absolutely hates going to the vet and I just can’t imagine her last minutes on earth being panicked and scared…due to her lifelong panic of the vet. I’m trying to allow her to pass peacefully at home. She is eating and drinking normally. I can just sense her confusion. She doesn’t seem to be suffering…just confused and wobbly. I’m not exactly sure my point to this….I’m kinda totally freaking out. I don’t want her to be scared. Do dogs get afraid as they are dying like people do?? And how can I keep her feeling as unafraid as possible during her death??
Dear Sarah,
It sounds like your sweet girl may be painful or having some cognitive issues. Unfortunately, since I have not examined her myself, it’s hard to say if there is anything that could be done to help her. I understand your hesitancy to take her to a veterinary office as this causes stress for many pets. I would recommend you reach out to a vet that specializes in hospice care in your area. Many hospice vets make house calls for exactly that reason, to make things as comfortable for their patients as possible. A hospice vet can help you navigate these difficult last days and give guidance on if and when to make a decision about saying goodbye. I am certain that our dogs can feel our love and compassion until the very end. I hope that you can treasure the memories of your girl’s senior years. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.
I had a 10 year old pug. He passed away two days ago. For the past four months, he was suffering from cardiac issues and arrhythmia. He was under medication. Two days back, suddenly it got really worse. He was having persistent dry cough and breathing difficulty all throughout the day. We tried calling the vet but could not reach. We tried everything we could. He was struggling and he was lying on his belly. He was struggling for breath. At the moment, I just froze. He gave a last gasp and left his life. Now, I feel so guilty that I did not pick him up while he was struggling for his breath. I could not bare it.
Dear RS,
So sorry to hear of your loss. You are not alone. It is very difficult to think straight when you are losing your best friend. So much is going through your mind. Even though you were not holding him, he knows you were there with him, and that you were thinking about him. I will include a link to a blog that I hope will help you find peace. Hopefully, with time, these end of life regrets will fade and his lifelong memories with you will be a blessing that you can remember and treasure. So sorry again for your loss. ❤
This is a very hard process to think about and know if you are doing the right thing. We have a 12 year old Boxer with a tumor constricting her bladder. Mentally, she is there. She eats, drinks, but mostly sleeps. Unfortunately, she cant control bowl movements thus we have blankets and covers on her bed. We deal with it….However, it is getting much harder to manage and she feels bad when she does this. The tumor has also caused the loss of back left leg movement which she drags her leg around or fumbles over her legs. Not all the time but a majority of the time. I don’t see any pain but wonder about quality of life. She is aware, she loves her treats, loves seeing us come home. We just don’t know what is best
Sorry for your loss. ? my dog is in a stupor and suddenly can’t move for 4 days. Just lays and stares. She is 16 yr old black lab. Day 4 of no food and water, just a dropper of water and soup. Keeping her comfortable.
Dear Indy Jo,
I am very sorry for the difficult situation you are in with your dog. She sounds like she may be critical and in need of medical intervention. I strongly recommend you reach out to your vet for advice and help. Maybe a vet that specializes in hospice and in home euthanasia would be a good option. I hope you find the answers you are looking for to make the best decision for your girl. It is hard to see them suffer when we love them so much. May you find relief and peace in the days to come.
Hello. One of my childhood dogs (2 chihuahuas, nearing 16) passed away September 19th leaving his sister from the same litter. She is definitely in better health, but I fear she’s starting to decline and she keeps looking for her brother, Dakota. I had her up on the couch with me just watching her struggle breathing sometimes stopping entirely for a few seconds before waking up startled and smacking her lips. Needless to say I’m worried she’s getting close to the end. I want to schedule a home visit vet, but my mom refuses. I really just want to get her some puppy aspirin cos she definitely has arthritis, but my mom thinks that a vet would just try to talk us into euthanasia even though it’s not something we are looking to pursue. I just wanna make sure any extra time we have left with her she’s as comfortable as possible.
Dear Elias,
So sorry to hear of your loss of Dakota. It is always difficult to lose a beloved furry family member. I’m sure that his sister feels that loss profoundly as well.
I would agree that some of the things you are seeing with his sister are concerning. Like you mentioned, scheduling an appointment with a vet could be very helpful for her. I can’t speak for every vet, but I believe that the vast majority of them would listen carefully to your concerns and then have an honest discussion with you about how best to help her. I don’t think that most vets would automatically try to talk you into euthanasia if that isn’t something you are ready to consider. There are vets who specialize in hospice care for dogs (read more in this article: Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days). Hospice veterinarians have a special focus on ensuring that your dog has the best possible quality of life at the end of his or her life. It sounds like that might fit what you are looking for.
I also wanted to mention that over-the-counter pain relievers meant for humans can be very dangerous for dogs so I would not recommend giving her aspirin. However, there are a wide variety of pain relievers that your vet could prescribe for her to safely keep her more comfortable. This is something that a hospice vet or a regular vet could do for her once they examine her (and maybe run some diagnostics if needed). I hope you are able to find some ways to keep her as comfortable as possible.❤
Hi my little baby just passed away two days ago , it was so fast, on Sunday she was okay, Monday morning I woke up hearing like a thumb in the floor, I woke up to just found my 15 1/2 years old yorkie laying on the floor with her paws wide open laying flat on the floor, she looked scared, grasping for air and breathing fast. Monday afternoon I noticed that thing again, she was sleeping than waking up starting to walk, doing two steps and then she froze and her legs were collapsing on the floor , I grabbed her and sit her on her bed but realized that she could not hold her head, she dropped her head like wiggle on her left side and she stood like that for a couple of minutes breathing fast and hardens and after that she was just getting up and walking. I got so scared that Tuesday morning took her to the doctor. She was so excited to be there like all the times she was going to the doctor unlike other dogs she was and looked so happy, she was not looking at all as a sick dog, I explained the doctor what happened and he suggested x-rays and blood work, from the x-rays the heart looked a little enlarged and the trachea was really collapsed. But there at the doctor’s office she seemed so well. We left home with doxycycline and vetmedin, at home was okay but each time after she was getting up after sitting or sleeping, she was collapsing and her breathing changed to be kind of fad and hard. Wednesday the doctor called with the blood results and he said that the liver is slightly enlarged as well this might be because she was not breathing very well because of her trachea, and what he suggested was to try put her on cerenia and temaril p hopefully will help her with the trachea but it might have a bad reaction to the heart. I had no option I just wanted her to be better and now I feel so guilty because I think that if I might not give her the steroid she might still be with me , I don’t know. So Wednesday afternoon after talking to the doctor my husband went and got the meds so I gave her cerenia at 8:30pm without any food , after that at 10:00 pm I gave her Temaril p , she was okay only that she was breathing kind of fast and hard, at 12:00am I gave her food and the other two meds: doxycycline and the vetmedin. I didn’t sleep that night, I was checking her each moment, around 3:30 she was in her bed and I heard some strange sounds she made, I went to check on her again and she did the same sound and she was laying in her belly breathing really hard and fast , but she was laying strange in her bed , with the head towards the back of the bed and with her back in the entrance of her bed. I picked her up and I could feel her heart in my hand pumping so fast , she was breathing really fast with her tongue out and she was really wobbly her head was hanging if I would not support it. I lay her down on her flat bed and she was breathing so fast and could not move her eyes were so scared and they were moving left to right very very fast and breathing really hard and fast, she pooped a little in all that situation. I went grabbed the poop to throw it twice while I was talking to her trying to calm her down but in the fraction of a second I was just talking to her and when I looked at her she was not breathing anymore she just stopped. I completely freaked out, my baby was gone and I still don’t figure it out. I feel so guilty, now I think that she suffered so much and it was my fault in giving her the steroid, I am thinking that that might have made her heart stopped. I am so so broken, I feel so so sad , my heart is completely broken I just find myself guilty in all this 🙁
Hi Marce,
So sorry for the loss of your sweet pup. It sounds like she was very sick despite how she was acting at the vet. I think it is highly unlikely that the steroid is what killed her, so please don’t blame yourself. From your description, she was having some pretty scary collapsing episodes before she ever started taking any of the medications so it is quite possible that she succumbed to the effects of a particularly bad episode. I hope that in time you are able to move beyond the guilt you feel. This wasn’t your fault. You and your vet did what you could to try to help her feel better and figure out what was going on with her. So sorry again for your loss. ❤
My Buddy passed an hour ago. He just turned 8 on July 13. He was an 85 lb Pointer mix. I am hoping for an answer why, maybe, because I can’t afford a necropsy. He was healthy and active until August 29. After feeding him breakfast & taking him for a walk, he laid down for a nap. 30 mins later he woke up whimpering, then threw up and had diarrhea. He felt very hot and his nose was hot & dry. His eyes started to develop mucus & his nose was running with a clear liquid. He was breathing very heavily. He did not eat anything after that and barely drank water. He would only get up to go outside to pee. I took him to the vet 3 days later, they did an x-ray & blood test. The vet did not have answers, only said his lungs looked OK and there was a spot near his liver that may or may not be serious. They gave him fluids and sent us home with antibiotics. He tried to eat some plain rice mixed with canned food a few times, but would vomit each time. After that he refused food. He was able to keep water down about half the time. In the mornings he would walk a bit and seemed to be getting better other than not eating, but since he was a bit overweight I was not too concerned since he was still urinating a couple times a day and drinking water. But on the 9th day of being sick, his belly became swollen and his gums were very white and jaundiced, he couldn’t stand up anymore and within hours he began breathing very heavily. I held him in my arms and his eyes started going back & forth rapidly, he seized a few times and died. Was this cancer? A virus? Could it have been an intestinal obstruction that the vet missed on the x-ray? Kidney failure? The vet had mentioned pancreatitis but he only ate kibble his whole life, never table scraps. I am just so confused because he literally went from the healthiest dog to a fatal illness (that he succumbed to in 9 days) within a half hour with no warning signs. Please if anyone has experienced something similar or has an answer as to what would explain this, please let me know. I’m so lost and confused, and I feel so guilty wondering if this is something that money could’ve fixed if I had had it. Thank you, sorry for the long post. I’m so very sorry to anyone that is experiencing the loss of their pet, this pain feels like it will last a lifetime.
Hi Lindsay,
I am so sorry about the loss of Buddy. It is so heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet, especially when they decline so rapidly. Unfortunately, I can’t really say from your description what it was that caused him to get sick so rapidly and ultimately succumb to his disease. Unfortunately, a necropsy is probably the only way to get some specific answers. Regardless of why he ultimately died, I have no doubt that he knew that you loved him and were trying to do the best you could for him. I hope that in time the guilt and pain lessens a little and you are able to find some measure of comfort in all the wonderful memories you made together. So sorry again for your loss. ❤
Thank you for the kind reply, it is very much appreciated. My condolences about Luke, he looks like such a sweet handsome boy.
Thanks ❤ He was a great dog!
I lost my terrier on September 8th, the same day. Unfortunately I had to put her down due to a mass which she couldn’t have surgery on because her heart issues. They said they could but it was a high chance she wouldn’t make it, we didn’t want to put her through that. They said she has maybe a few weeks to a month. She did good for 2 months, intell her mass grew so big. It was opening up her nipple. It got infected and she was not doing good. I didn’t want her getting worse and being in any more pain, so we took her to the vet… was not the hard part, I knew she needed to not be in pain and it was her time but the hardest part was knowing she died in your arms and all the memories. She won’t follow me to the bathroom anymore, she was a sweet loving girl. I miss so much. I miss her being her. Can’t wait to see her again
Hi Rayna,
So sorry for your loss. I’m glad you were able to have two more good months with her (although I know that is never enough). It is definitely hard to be reminded of your pup as you go about your day and notice her absences in things like not following you to the bathroom. Sending hugs during this difficult time. ❤
im so sorry.. i just lost my black lab on October 7th and it sounds somewhat similar to your situation. it happened so fast.. i am in shock and also feeling terrible wishing there was something else i could have done.. i tried everything. i think sometimes it is just their time.. no matter what we do.. and im trying to accept that. sending you all the love and hugs ?
Dear Andi,
Thank you for your sweet and wise reply to Lindsay. So sorry to hear about the loss of your sweet black lab. I hope that in time the grief and pain of this loss fade a bit and that you can take comfort in remembering the good times you had together.❤
On Thursday August 26th around 2:00AM I woke up to a strange noise. I look over at my 14.5 year old, 6lb long haired chihuahua and she is at a 45 degree angle on her back against her bed and night stand and
Flailing her arms and her legs. I jump out of bed to help her. I stood her up and she started to walk sideways and then in circles, very confused. Then put her back to bed. I know morning, I woke up with her and noticed the right side of her body was a bit weak. She was leaning to the left when she walked. Her right side seemed off. Her right ear stuck straight up and her right eye went off to the side, like it was stuck in the position. Her head also stayed tilted to the left. She had trouble walking and would collapse. She drank and ate out of my hand that morning. I called the vet and he suspected a stroke. I dropped her off and they kept an eye on her all day. When I picked her up he said her overall health looked to be ok and all her blood work came back normal except for a bit anemic. She was very lethargic when I picked her up and wouldn’t drink so he showed me how to give her fluid IV. He said he suspected The stipulate disease from a stroke or worst-case scenario a brain tumor. I slept with her on the floor that night. Her body was almost limp and breathing normal when we went to sleep. I had to change out the potty pads and she Peed when she slept this night. She was completely out of it and didn’t move at all. She had a strange twitch in the middle of the night and passed a little stool. Early Friday morning I noticed her breathing was quite fast (like panting but with her mouth closed and you can hear some type of congestion) and her body was completely limp. I had to call the vet and as I did that her front legs
All of a sudden went stiff she lost color and her tongue and gums. The vet said that is a bad neurological sign. Within minutes her breathing patterns changed, slowed down drastically. I rushed out the door to emergency vet to stabilize her so I can get her an MRI. Within 20 minutes she took her last breath‘s in my arms. She took a few big deep breath‘s in many seconds apart.
I am devastated, heartbroken and feel guilty.
She was my life and my baby. Being five months pregnant and losing her is unbearable.
She did have a heart murmur and she did have heart disease stage four. But Doctor said her heart looked to be OK during this troubling time . I noticed the last two months signs of losing more sight losing more hearing, looking a little confused and lost, not remembering peoples she’s known her whole life and just a bit disconnected. She was peeing in the house more and stopped coming to me as much and being cuddly and letting me kiss her as she would yelp when I try to kiss up near her face or neck. I had her cremated but now I’m driving myself crazy wondering if it was a tumor or a stroke or some thing else.
Hi Rebecca,
I’m so very sorry for the loss of your dear chihuahua. It is always so difficult to lose a beloved member of the family. It sounds like you and your vet did everything possible for her. Unfortunately sometimes despite all the diagnostics and monitoring, something catastrophic happen that couldn’t have been foreseen or detected ahead of time. It sounds like that was probably the case with your girl. It is hard not knowing what it was that ultimately lead to her death, but I hope you can take comfort in knowing that there probably wasn’t anything you or anyone else could have done to change the outcome. She was surrounded by love in her last days and moments and had 14.5 wonderful years (although I know there is never enough time with our beloved pets). Sending love during this difficult time. ❤
i lost my chi last week and she done the same thing.she had a stroke and her little body shut down. she had severe kidney failure due to stroke..i still have not got over that and my other chi doesnt have long either, i lost the mom who was 18 in jan…baby oct 1 she was 14 and a half and now daddy who is 15 and a half . he will not drink any water and i am feeding him out of my hand..its never easy even tho you are expecting it! these babies were my world!
Dear Sheree,
I am so sorry to hear you are going through all of this at once. It can be so difficult to lose multiple beloved dogs in a short period of time and to know that the daddy chi may not be far behind. It is concerning that he isn’t drinking or eating well, so I would definitely recommend talking with your veterinarian. He or she can help assess your chi’s quality of life and give you some additional ideas on how to keep him happy and comfortable for as long as possible.
You are in our thoughts during this difficult time.
I am sitting next to my girl, who is in the last hour of her beautiful 13 years. My heart has never felt pain like this.
Hi Erin,
My heart goes out to you. Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is so painful. I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope that in time you are able to find some joy and comfort in all the memories you made together. ❤
I adopted my pitbull Diesel 7-23-21. He’s been healthy up until recently. I noticed a change in him. Lost intrest in playing. Started sleeping more. His appetite was good. Then he wouldn’t eat one day. Then he would the next day. He vomited one morning on our walk. Yellow liquid. Happened here and there. Had a bout of diarrhea one time. I noticed he started staying in my bedroom sleeping. Then all of a sudden he would come out in livingroom and get in my recliner with me. He would lay next to me for about a half hour then go back to bedroom. Then all of a sudden he started drinking water excessively. Having to constantly go out to urinate. When he did it had a strong order as did his breath. Sometimes his breath smelled really bad. He started to have accidents in the house urinating because I didn’t wake up to take him out. He started to act like he was depressed. Used to get excited when friends came over. He hardly paid attention to us. When before he had to be right with us. I noticed he looked like he was losing weight. It happened so fast. He wasn’t looking right to me so I called veterinarian explained everything. I couldn’t afford the office visit. She asked me to bring in a urine sample. I did. Came back that he was urinating just water. He was losing protein. Levels were very low. No diabetes. He started getting worse with drinking and urinating. More accidents. Wanting to constantly go out to pee. I called the veterinarian and brought him in this past Monday. They did a health assessment and took blood sample. Came back normal they said. Said maybe an infection. They didn’t want to put him on any medication .until they did all kinds of tests. They had no idea they said what was wrong with him. I couldn’t come up with down payment for the tests so said they would come up with plan B. Which was to give him an antibiotic. Start there they said. He didn’t eat for 3 days. I cooked some venison burger and mixed with his food. He started eating again with some kind of meat mixed in with his food. The night before I picked up his medicine. He was acting weird. His eyes seemed different. He would keep changing position on bed. He would keep opening his eyes to make sure I was still next to him. He had diarrhea really bad. 2 accidents in livingroom. He looked awful. I got his medicine today. When I was taking him out he was excessively eating snow. When I would bring him back in the house. He seemed confused. Would stand and just stare ahead. Acted like he didn’t know where he was. He snapped out of it quickly. We came to my friend’s house to visit. When I took him out and came back in with him. When we got to the top of the stairs which he took alot slower than usual. We got in here apartment and he started shaking. He kept looking at me helpless. I comforted him. So I started his medicine this morning. I am afraid it’s not an infection and something is terribly wrong. They still can’t tell me what is wrong with him. Want to do more tests. I wish I knew what is wrong. In the meantime what is going to happen to him waiting for them to diagnosis him. They dont even have any idea. They said his bloodwork came back normal. I dont want to loose him. When I adopted him we saved each other. I’m loving and spoiling him. Waiting for diagnosis.
Dear Carol,
I am sorry you are in such a difficult situation with Diesel. I can only imagine how worried you must be watching his health decline so rapidly. I completely understand that finances play a big role in how much we can do for our beloved dogs. Unfortunately, without being able to perform the necessary testing, your vet is left with making an educated guess at what could be happening and offering treatments that are within your budget to see if they can make a difference. Without examining your guy, myself, I can’t make specific recommendations or conclusions on what his prognosis will be. There are just too many possibilities. How is Diesel today? Have you been able to get any new information or answers about his symptoms? Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Your article is very insightful. Our dog just scared our 5yo half to death, and worried myself quite a bit. It’s 3am and we found her sleeping in the tub. She had to wear diapers at night. Her eyes are very cloudy (assuming great vision loss), she doesn’t seem to understand what you’re saying (assuming hearing loss), drinks 2 bowls of water a day when she use to drink 1 over 2 days, has so so many lumps all over her body.
Sure still wags her tail at us and still runs around in the house like a puppy (even though it’s much much shorter like a moment).
How do you know when it’s time? She hates getting nails cut so I’ve been slacking on that, and she hates going to the vet so I haven’t taken her. Worried the stress is too much. She seems blind, deaf, incontinent, drinking excess water, sleeping in the tub when she use to sleep with us every single night, she gets up and paces the hall a lot last couple weeks at night also. We’re going to miss her so terribly but the last thing I want is to cruelly extend her life.
Hi Autumn,
This is always such a difficult decision to have to make. I’m sorry you are in that position of needing to decide when it is time to let your sweet pup go. Since she doesn’t like going to the vet, a good option might be having her evaluated by a vet who does house calls for hospice care and euthanasia. That way your dog doesn’t have to get into the car and go to the vet but you are able to have the benefit of discussing her situation with a veterinarian who can evaluate her in person. The vet should be able to help you guys look at her quality of life and guide you through knowing when it is time to consider euthanasia. You can read more about hospice care in this article ( Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days) and in-home euthanasia here (In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs). The organization Lap of Love () is a great resource for finding in-home euthanasia/hospice vets. If this doesn’t seem like the right choice for your family or there isn’t anyone in your area who provides these services then based on what you have said about your pup, I think it would be a good idea to make an appointment with her vet to discuss quality of life and how to make that decision. So sorry that you are facing this hard time. ❤
I have 13 year old spring spaniel she is showing signs of some medical problems!! I have had her to the veterinarian clinic !! She has raspy cough like something caught in throat? Also panting very heavily most of the time also loose small amount bowl when just lying down is not aware of it!! Could you tell me if this system of her dying!! Thanks
Hi Gloria,
Sorry to hear that your springer spaniel is coughing, panting heavily and experiencing some fecal incontinence. Those symptoms are definitely concerning. There are a variety of conditions that could be causing the heaving panting and coughing, some of which are explained in my article Why Is My Dog Breathing Fast? 10 Conditions That May be the Culprit. Without being able to examine her I can’t tell you if it is a sign that she is dying or a sign of a treatable medical problem. I would definitely recommend making a vet appointment for her soon so that the vet can help get to the bottom of these symptoms and advise you about what is going on with her.
My 15 year old Husky/Malamute is nearing the end of life. She still drink water several times a day and eats a small amount of food each day, but she can’t or won’t get up to go potty anymore. I was able to help her up and help her outside yesterday morning, but she wouldn’t get up at all today. She hasn’t pooped since night before last and hasn’t peed since yesterday morning. She is weak. She doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable or in pain, she just sleeps all the time. I would prefer to let her die at home with me rather than having to get her euthanized. I just worry that I should be doing more, trying harder to get her up. I welcome any helpful advice.
Hi Tonya,
So sorry to hear about your Husky/Malamute’s decline. Watching our beloved pets near the end of their life can be so difficult. If your desire is to have her die at home, I would strongly urge you to consult with a veterinarian who specializes in hospice care or with your current veterinarian to find out what sorts of medications or special care they may recommend to help her last days be as peaceful and pain-free as possible. You can read more about hospice care for dogs in this fantastic article guest written by my friend Dr. Woodruff who is a hospice and in-home euthanasia veterinarian: Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days. I hope this helps make your last days together a bit better, and I am so sorry for the impending loss of your sweet dog. ❤
Hi. Our 12 year old Lhasa apso has had what we thought was kennel cough but after a month of lingering we notice its gotten worse, more raspy and he braces himself while his stomach moves and then he gags up something from his throat. He sleeps all day, otherwise appetite fine, no bowel problems, he is stomach breathing though. Problem is I cannot afford to take him for xrays. Covid lockdowns and trying to get caught up after business collapsed has me hanging on by my teeth. What can I do if I cannot afford testing and euthanasia? This baby is precious to me. He is such a good boy and deserves better. Any suggestions? I am heartbroken
Hi Jakki,
Sorry to hear that your sweet Lhasa apso is coughing and having difficulty breathing. This has definitely been a very difficult year for so many people, and I understand your financial concerns. I would suggest contacting low cost clinics in your area or talking to your local humane society. They may be able to help or direct you to somewhere that can. I hope you are able to find some help for your sweet pup! ❤
I’m struggling right now, less so after reading every word here. My almost 23 year old Chihuahua with heart murmur, blind and deaf is unbearably panting and in past days, struggling to be comfortable, head elongated anytime she lays down! She still eats like a champ but drink water incessantly. She has been incapable of holding tribe for about six months. I go through a package of pads pee per week.. tomorrow, I’ll let her vet make this decision. Bless you for such great information here
Sherry
Hi Sherry,
So sorry to hear about your Chihuahua’s recent struggles. It is so hard to watch our pets age and know that the time to say goodbye is rapidly approaching. I hope that everything went smoothly with the vet visit yesterday and that you were able to find some measure of peace with whatever the outcome ended up being. Sending hugs as you go through this difficult time. ❤
We just put my 2.5 year old frenchie down yesterday. Back in February/March he had a sieazure from there we found out he had a auto immune disease. He was on three medications every day. One was three times a day the other two were twice a day. He had chemo every three weeks. From there he started to get liver failure. Yesterday he told us he couldn’t hang out anymore. He laid in one spot all day urinating and throwing up. We new we had to take him in. The vet said his veins stopped producing blood. It was so hard because he was so young and emotional animal.
Hi Kaitlen,
I’m so sorry for your loss. I sounds like you did everything you could for your little guy and lovingly listened when he said he was tired of fighting. It is always so hard to lose a beloved dog, especially one who was so young. Sending hugs as you grieve this loss. ❤
I have a 13year old boxer who is slowly declining. He won’t eat or drink and seems very confused. He’s lost weight. I don’t wanna seem him suffer but I would rather him pass away at home. I’m not sure if financially I can put him to sleep at the vets office. What are some of things I can do at home to help him..
Hi Lupe,
So sorry to hear that your Boxer’s health is declining rapidly and he is no longer eating and drinking. As much as we wish that our dogs would die at home peacefully, it can be a long, drawn out process sometimes and may involve some level of suffering. If finances are the biggest barrier to you deciding to pursue euthanasia, then I would suggest calling some low-cost clinics or animal shelters with associated clinics in your area to see if they can help you and your boy. I am so sorry you are facing this difficult situation and I hope you are able to find someone who can help. ❤
Paws is a Husky/Lab and he’s 15.3. Over the last several months, he’s declined drastically.. Would you believe it’s actually easier for me to list the symptoms he doesn’t have, versus the symptoms he does have. 🙁
Paws has all of the cardiac/respiratory symptoms.
He has all the gastro symptoms except he still has an appetite, no vomiting/constipation (he has uncontrollable diarrhea, sometime explosive ?) and abdominal swelling.
The only brain related symptom he doesn’t have is he’s never had a seizure.
And the other signs, no hiding, bleeding, or swelling.
Within the past couple days it’s become extremely worse, especially the confusion, explosive diarrhea, pain and imbalance.
Paws is my boyfriend’s dog, he had him since he was 8wks. I’m home every day with him though. Paws follows me around like I’m gods gift to him, he adores me ? I hate watching him decline, especially so quickly. I’m 95% positive my boyfriend is going to have him pass naturally, which breaks my heart, as I watch daily what’s happening. My bf won’t do otherwise because I know he doesn’t want to lose him, but I don’t think he realizes how hard it’s going to be to continue to watch him suffer. ?
How do I have this conversation with him? And frankly, at what point in time? Do I wait for a certain symptoms/signs to have this serious talk? I wouldn’t feel so strongly about this if I wasn’t his 24/7 caregiver (I work from home, so I’m always with him).
Any words of advice will be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Erin,
So sorry to hear about Paws’ drastic decline over the past few months. It is always so difficult to watch a beloved pet worsen and to know that the time to say goodbye is approaching. I agree with you that it would be good for you guys to have an honest conversation about how Paws is doing and what you both hope his last days with you would look like. I would suggest seeing if there are any hospice/palliative care veterinarians in your area who could meet with you and your boyfriend to discuss what is going on with Paws and what sorts of things can be done to help make his last days as good as possible (however he passes). You can find a list of these veterinarians at . Alternatively, I would suggest making an appointment with your regular veterinarian to have the same discussion. A hospice vet or your vet is well equipped to assess and discuss quality of life and comfort measures, so they can be a valuable asset in these conversations where the two dog parents may have differing views on the situation. So sorry again for this difficult road you guys are facing with Paws. ❤
My Jack Russell Terrier mix is 13. She had a cancerous lump removed in jan……now in the last 2 weeks she is slowed down considerably, all she wants to do is sleep. She has not desire to play, and when she is awake she just lays in her bed looking around. She is snoring a lot more now when she is asleep and in the last week has started coughing, not all the time, but at least once a day. She also has not eaten her meal in the last 2 days, she will eat her treats when she comes in from outside, but not her meal. I just had to help her up the stairs from coming inside…..I feel like she is deteriorating quickly. I made an appointment with her Vet for Thursday…..I just don’t want her to suffer.
Hi Debra,
What a difficult time. I’m so sorry to hear that your sweet pup is declining. I hope you are able to treasure these last days together (however many that may be) and be comforted by all the memories you shared. ❤
I am so sorry to hear about your pooch, I hope she isn’t in any pain. I too have a Jack Russell mix in the same situation. Her 19th birthday is in July! She is fighting, eating fussily until 2 days ago and now it’s hard to get her to eat.. I have had times like this before though and she’s recovered. She had a stroke a couple of years ago.. It could be an infection, I will hold out hope for your little one. Good luck x
My 14 year old chiweenie was recently diagnosed with a heart murmur. She was put on a medication to help. This past month she has gone down rapidly. About a week ago she started coughing and then suddenly collapsed in my arms. A few days passed and now she is breathing extremely rapidly and shallow. She stopped eating two days ago and I have offered everything she would normally enjoy. She no longer wants cuddles or loves from me. She seems to be afraid to fall asleep. I held her for hours last night and as she starts to slowing lower her head to fall asleep, her heart extremely slows down almost as if it is going to stop, then she jolts her head back up and the shallow rapid breathes start back up. She has a severe cough and struggles breathing during those coughs. I believe she is in the final stages of heart failure. She’s been hiding in my closet which is unusual. I believe she wants to pass but my house is a very busy home with two children under the age of 5, there indoor cats and a very old black lab.
Hi Jessica,
I am so sorry to hear that your chiweenie is declining rapidly. Everything you are describing is very concerning for significant heart failure, as you suspected. I would strongly recommend bringing her to your vet or contacting an in-home pet hospice veterinarian promptly so she can be evaluated and you can have a discussion about her quality of life. Severe coughing fits and being unable to rest due to difficulty breathing can be very distressing to her (not to mention heartbreaking for you to watch).
As much as we wish that our beloved pets would pass away naturally and peacefully at home, it usually doesn’t work out that way unfortunately. Often, dog parents end up making the difficult decision to end their pup’s suffering through humane euthanasia. From what you describe, I am concerned that your sweet pup is suffering. I know how hard it is to watch a dog decline and to bear the weight of trying to decide what is best for them. I hope you are able to find comfort and peace in these final days. Please reach out to your veterinarian today with an update and lean into their wisdom.❤
My 17 year old mix breed died at home. I knew she was ready to go and we got to love her to the end. Our Goldie was with us when she died and I was amazed at the way he grieved. He would not come in the house for three days and barely are or drank for those days. After that he was totally fine and lived another seven years. Is this common in animals?
Hi Rita,
This is an interesting question. Personal experience and some research studies would indicate that dogs do mourn the loss of a loved on (human or another pet). About 1/3 of dogs in one study ate less while morning. Others changed their sleeping habits, became more clingy, or slept in different areas of the house. Based on this, Goldie was in good company in the way he mourned the loss of your mixed breed. Dogs are amazing, loving, and complex creatures. ❤
My sweet boy has some of the symptoms. One thing we are experiencing is sudden separation anxiety and when I’m home he wants my undecided attention giving him a lot of love. It’s like he is afraid to go to sleep, Is this a symptom?
Hi Kathy,
I’m so sorry to hear that your sweet dog has some of these symptoms, leaving you wondering if you will need to face losing him soon. Behavior changes, including increased attention seeking or sudden anxiety can occur for a variety of reasons so without knowing more about what is going on with your dog and being able to examine him, I can’t tell you what the significance of those signs is. I would recommend that you make an appointment with your veterinarian so he or she can examine your dog and have a good discussion with you about his quality of life, sudden behavior changes, and any other concerning symptoms. You may also find this blog helpful since you mentioned he seems afraid to go to to sleep (Senior Dog Anxiety at Night? 6 Solutions for Better Sleep). Wishing you all the best as you navigate this difficult road. ❤
Hi Julie, I have a 13 and a half year old German Pointer. He is having a difficult time breathing. He still wants to run but throws up after a couple minutes. He wakes up in the middle of the night huffing and puffing and chokes sometimes. Is it time to put him down or is there anything I can do?
Thank you
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear your dog isn’t doing well and you are faced with potentially needing to make this difficult decision. The signs that you mentioned are very concerning, but without being able to examine your dog, I can’t tell you why he is having trouble breathing, throwing up after running, and choking sometimes. I strongly urge you to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as you can. This way they can examine your dog and advise you on potential treatments and/or discuss his quality of life to help you know when it is time to say goodbye. You may also find these blogs helpful with making the decision: How Will You Know When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Dog? 5 Caring, Heartfelt Messages and Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye. I hope you can find peace and direction as you walk this difficult path with your sweet dog. ❤
My sweet angel Bella was diagnosed with melanoma in December. She turns 11 years old on January 21, but I’m not sure if she’s going to make it. I’m struggling with the decision. I’m noticing changes in her and I don’t know if she’s suffering. Her eating and drinking habits haven’t changed, and when I am eating anything she still sits and watches me. But she doesn’t seem to want to cuddle as much. When we go outside, she walks to the back of the yard and walks back and forth. On a few occasions, she looks to be disoriented and won’t look at me when I say her name. She still plays though. She brings me a toy and fetches (usually walks). I’ve also noticed that her breath has gotten really really bad. Her breathing has gotten harder, and is a little noisy. I love her more than anything in this world, and I just don’t want her to be suffering. Please give me your advice. I’m planning to call her local vet tomorrow and take her in for a check, and also get her doctors thoughts. Losing her is going to be devastating, but I don’t want to keep her around just for my benefit. If it’s time to let her go, I want to let her go.
Hi Peggy, I’m so sorry to hear about Bella’s diagnosis. I know how hard it is to watch a loved one decline. I’m including here the story of wrestling with a similar situation with my own dog, Luke: https://toegrips.com/saying-goodbye-dog/
As for your situation with Bella, I think the absolute best thing you can do is work closely with your local vet. Many of the things you are describing could be attributed to manageable issues associated with aging. So I think it’s really important to know how her diagnosis is impacting her quality of life. I’m not sure what kind or stage of melanoma she has, but I’ll throw this out there too… for a potential discussion with your veterinarian. I have had one patient do extremely well with the melanoma vaccine: http://www.petcancervaccine.com/vaccine
Most of all, I want to provide hope for you! Our pets are not immortal; eventually we will all have to face the very sad goodbyes, but nothing in your comment makes me thing that moment is now. As I said…I think the recheck exam (plus frank discussion of options with your veterinarian) is the way to go! Hugs! ♥️
I have a pit/lab mix..have had him 12yrs. Only within the last month he has developed a large lump/bump on his back right hip plus his leg swoll up..he can only walk on 3 legs..he has difficulty even getting up…he just moans an moans all day an night..only good thing is he eats an drinks like normal…due to covid I lost my job an I Really dont have the money to take him to a Vet..Its either a Vet or Homelessness…Im so depressed cause this my Best friend..cant afford a. vet or have him euthanized…but its killing me slowly to have or see him in pain..I have not slept peacefully in over a month.. I dont know what to do..Somebody Please Help Me!
Hello Renita, My heart hurts for all that you are going through right now with your job and your sweet dog. You really do need to seek out veterinary care and I’m hoping there may be a low cost clinic in your area or an animal shelter that also provides low-cost veterinary care. There’s only so much I can help you with in this venue, but I will say that if your dog has a very swollen leg associated with a bump and is not using the leg, that would constitute an urgent need in my book. It sounds like your dog is in a lot of pain. Please try calling around to your local shelters and/or animal control to explain your situation and see if they have the ability to help you. My prayer is that you and your dog will both find peace. ♥️
my dog has been unwell for 3 days, the vet gave her shots. she stopped eating all together so the vet force fed her. now she is resting, but taking breaths too fast. I feel I might lose her. It’s breaking my heart. I do not know what to do.
Hi Giselle,
I’m so sorry to hear your dog is not doing well. It is so difficult to watch the ones we love start to decline and to wonder if the end is near. I would recommend bringing her back to the veterinarian so they can take a look at her again and discuss where to go from here. Sending love during this difficult time. ❤
I just lost my dog she was 15 years old and had a heart murmur and was my best friend. She passed away here by my side I held her paws and kept telling her everything was going to be ok that she could rest now and that I loved her. I felt her ready and she stretched and got tensed and then let go she went to doggie heaven and im just so lost idk what to do without her.
Oh Mayra, I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved dog. I’m glad you were able to be there with her and hold her paw as she passed away, and I’m sure she knew how much she was loved. Sending you hugs as you grieve. ?
What breed of dog was she, I had a dachshund with a heart murmur… which I’m thinking was the cause of his death at the age of 15+ yrs. he wasn’t able to breath and seemed to reach his head up before passing out, from what I can describe as syncopal (fainting) episode?
Our 20 year old beagle-lab is in end stage. He has been extremely healthy his entire life. Of course with age has come cataracts and now spine deterioration. I am thankful that due to covid we are with him all day. I struggle choosing natural or assisted death. He seems to still enjoy short walks, rub downs and chicken breast. My son can still get him excited with rough house play. But there are times when he is so lethargic he sleeps almost the entire day. Of course he needs assistance up and down stairs. I don’t know what to do.
Hi Natasha,
I’m sorry to hear you are having to think about the end of your beagle’s life. It sounds like he had 20 wonderful years with you, and I am glad that being able to be home with him all day has been a good thing to come of COVID. The decision of when/if to consider euthanasia is one that everyone struggles with as it is a very heart wrenching decision. If you haven’t already, I would recommend filing out the quality of life scale that was included in this blog and using that to help guide your decision. I would also recommend a consultation with your veterinarian to discuss your dog’s quality of life and to see if there are any additional interventions they can might suggest to keep him happy and comfortable longer. I hope you are able to find peace and comfort in whatever decision you make. ❤
The pain of losing our beloved pet friends is very difficult. I recently had to euthanize my two 14 year old Aussies within 3 months of each other. The first time was made even more difficult because of the inept and callous way the vet mishandled the entire episode. Even though we had the first morning appointment, the vet was late getting to work and my poor Mathilde and Our family waited for 45 minutes before the vet rushed in and only administered the medicine that stops the heart. We are in an economically depressed rural area and veterinary care is subpar at best. There is no at home euthanasia available and my request to have the procedure done in my vehicle was also denied. The practice has no protocol in place, so I demanded the following for the next time: Direct entrance to a room rather than going through the crowded patient lobby, that a sedative be administered immediately to relieve nervousness and stress, and that our family could exit through a private area. Being able to provide some dignity to the occasion was comforting. My advice is to ask your vet exactly how the procedure is done and if you want something different, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Lastly, it is very likely that we will outlive our pets. I find comfort in thinking this is because there is another one out there just waiting for someone to love them too.
Hi Kimberley,
I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your Aussies so close together. I am proud of you for advocating for how you wanted the euthanasia to go for your second dog and agree wholeheartedly that it is so important to talk to your veterinarian about how the procedure will go and let them know of any requests you might have. What a sweet sentiment to remember that there is another dog out there waiting for someone to love them. Thank you for sharing those wise words with us.❤
Thank you for this information. My 12 year old dog has been in a slow decline the last 6 months. He had a seizure and suddenly significantly worse. The veterinarian confirmed he has metastatic cancer. It’s been so difficult knowing what to do. Because he has good days and bad. In the past my animals have been very obvious when it was their time to go. But because of the back and forth I just haven’t been able to help him end his journey. This information has been very helpful to decide he still has some quality of life. Mainly needing pain management at this time. When his behavior changes it will be a much more clear sign that he is ready to go. We don’t spend enough time talking about death, yet it happens to us all. I greatly appreciate the guidance you are providing. Thank you.
Hi Lindsay,
I am glad that the article helped you know what to do for your dog, and I am so sorry to hear about his metastatic cancer diagnosis. Thinking about you as you treasure your days with your sweet dog and make that heart-wrenching decision of when it is time to say goodbye. ❤
After reading all your posts, I want to commend you all for being so strong for your digs. I was not that strong and I let my dog suffer because I was to weak to put her down. I know she was in pain, so instead of putting her down I gave her baby Motrin. It helped her a lot, but after I read it can be fatal. So now I have so much guilt thinking I may have killed her. She was 17 years old. I miss her so much.
Hi Evelyn,
My heart breaks for you with the loss of your dog and the guilt you are carrying. I hope that in time you are able to lay down your guilt and find joy in remembering the wonderful 17 years you spent together. ?
My 11 year old black Labrador has been diagnosed with lymphoma and only has a few weeks left. The vet has prescribed steroids to help with her breathing. These have increased her appetite,even though she is losing weight. I would like to give her whatever she wants to eat but I don’t want to cause her any discomfort by overfeeding her. I’m wondering how much I can feed her without causing her pain or discomfort.
Hi Angela,
I am sorry you are facing such a devastating diagnosis in your sweet girl. I am glad the steroids seem to be helping and have improved her quality of life for a while. I would be careful to feed her a “normal” amount and not increase her daily intake of food. Just because her brain is telling her she is starving doesn’t mean she needs the extra calories. I know you want to spoil her a bit and that’s ok, but I just worry about causing additional issues like pancreatitis, bloat, or GI upset. If I have a patient that is scheduled for euthanasia, I think it’s great to give them anything they want that last day. But not knowing how long your girl has left, I’d hate to cause additional complications or suffering just because of what she is eating. As always, talk to your vet about your concerns and see what they recommend. They can probably give you better guidelines for your dog’s specific case. I hope these last weeks are full of love and comfort for you both. Enjoy every memory. ♥
I lost my precios Sadie August 11 2020. She was a15yr4mo dachshund. She had many issues which we tried to control with meds.
After reading your above article I realize I did not know the signs or just couldn’t accept that my dog was going to leave me. She always seemed to just be ok.. The night she died I noticed an increase in respirations but she seem to rest OK. I had given her meds for congestion in throat and pain medication. I held her for awhile but she seemed more comfortable lying on her blanket. I put her on the blanket and she slept . I fell asleep woke up 15min later picked her up and she took her last breath. I am devastated and cry and cry She was my baby and I am lost. Thank you for listening and I hope more people read your article.
Dear Debbie, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss of Sadie. It sounds like she had a truly wonderful life with you. I know how hard it is to lose a precious family member; I also know Sadie would not want you to continue being lost. ♥️ I want to recommend another resource for you: https://toegrips.com/grieving-the-loss-of-dog-after-euthanasia/ Praying comfort and peace for your heart. ♥️
Thank you for your kind words
I am so sorry for your loss. I recently lost 2 since july 26,2020 one from a snake bite, another one over 16 and I have 1 in my home as I text this that has been slowly declining in these last 2 weeks. Refuses to eat, still sips water, weak and can’t see, hear or smell. Have to take him in and out, and support him while he does his business. He will be 16 in october and I have had him since he was approximately 7 weeks old. They are a part of our family and we love our pets. Sending prayers to you in the loss of your precious furbaby.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I too lost 17 year old dachshund in July 2019. I new she was not feeling well and after reading this info, she had many of the signs. She was eating fine until the day she passed. She was not interested in food that day. She was acting different her last night, not comfortable and pacing. Then she started to vomit and I went to lay on the floor with her and he’d her. Nothing more traumatizing then watching her gasp for air and die. It was upsetting to my other two seniors. The 3 of them have always been together. I lost one of my others one month later and have only one of the three left. She was the baby and is 15. She is not doing well.
Have had 4 dogs that have since passed on. One kidney failure (Chinese crested 12yrs) one cancer/tumors (English springer (12yrs), old age (Chinese crested 19yrs) and one unknown (chihuahua 11yrs), All of them have amazingly visited me in my dreams but one. My last one Jonah the chi. He and Charlie (the 19 yr) died within 3 months of each other and he was taken from us with little warning. He was ‘off’, not himself at times. Took him to the vet to see if he was suffering from lymes and three days later he was having such massive seizures in a few hours we decided to end his pain. The unknowing of what happened to him and my guilt of working so much still consumes me today. He has never visited me in my dreams and probably because of the guilt I still feel today. People just don’t understand how these furry kids are just that. Our kids. Just wanted to share.
Thanks for sharing your story, Amy. You are clearly a very dedicated and conscientious dog mom and I know in EVERY case, you absolutely did the best you could. Please take comfort in that. ♥️
The one thing that I have learned in all the years of rescuing my beloved companions is that I’ve never once regretted letting them go possibly a day or two, or even a week, too early, but the one I let suffer 24 hours too long, because I had lost another suddenly 5 weeks earlier and was in too much grief to lose another so soon, still haunts me. He was my rock and he deserved me to be stronger for him.
Don’t ever doubt your decision. They deserve our strength for them, not selfishness (however unintended) for ourselves.
Thank you, Francesca. Beautifully said. I’m sorry for your pain and loss. ♥️
Thank you for writing this comment
Recently had to have my most beautiful beloved 14 year old PTS and am suffering overwhelming guilt that it was too early and I feel like I have betrayed him and his trust
I just want him back and it’s killing me that I have let him down and I keep thinking would he of picked up if I gave him more time
I am heartbroken
So sorry for your loss Kay. I agree wholeheartedly with Francesca’s wise words and hope that in time you will be able to release yourself from the guilt you feel and find comfort in remembering all the good times you shared together.❤
Thank you for sharing this. I needed to read this ?
Your post was very comforting…… my beautiful cavvie passed on 4th May at almost 15 years old…. I decided to let her go peacefully with her vet at our home with her family. The guilt was overwhelming….. I feel better as time passes and your post helped ease my heart too ♥️?♥️
Hello,
I’m so sorry for the loss of your cavvie. It is always so difficult to lose a beloved pet. I’m glad you were able to have a beautiful goodbye at home and that this article brought you some peace. As the days go by, I hope that the guilt and sorrow continue to lift. ❤
March 13th 2020 was the hardest day of my life, when I had to say goodbye to my sweet 13 year old lab Bella I rescued her when she was 8 weeks old. Bella had cancer and watching her declined killed me but I know I had to let her go. Lap of love came to the house and as hard as it was I know it was time to say goodbye ? I think of her everyday and wonder when I will stop crying ??
I’m so very sorry for your loss, Pam. May God bless and comfort your grieving heart. ♥️
My boy died over a year ago and I am still in grief. He had DM, cancer, kidney failure etc. We recognize the signs and know euthanasia is our gift to them so they don’t suffer, but our pain continues. When does it stop? Never.
I’m so terribly sorry for your loss, Catherine. They surely leave such a big hole in our hearts and homes when we have to say goodbye. ?
My fellow has dementia. There are clear moments when he takesca downturn. This week was one of them. Grooming in this sudden heat would help but they are booked for weeks.
Hi Sherri, Awww, dementia is so hard (in people and dogs!) I’m sorry it was a rought week. Is there any way you would be willing to attempt the grooming yourself? A pair of clippers and YouTube?
😉
Thanks for sharing?? It’s been 3weeks when my 14 year old dog passed away. Decided to put her to sleep because i cannot see her suffer anymore. I had her since she was a Puppy. My Vet is very compassionate, it lessen my pain a bit. But, ‘Til this time i am asking myself if i made the right decision ? i still see her smiling face on all corners of my house & daily memories on Facebook. It’s really difficult.
Hello Thit, I’m so very sorry for your loss. I can guarantee just from reading your comment that you made the right decision. I know you did what was best for your pup despite the pain that it caused you to let her go. Bless you.
We just lost our beloved therapy dog that we have had for 13 years due to CHF. She brought us joy every single day of her life, and as a thapy dog at our hospital brought joy to staff and patients. Thr decision to “let her go” was the most difficult we have had to make, but also the most compassionate. Fortunately she was not in pain, but did have some distress.
We miss her incredibly and her litter mate is lost without her.
We take comfort knowing she is not in pain,and praying that she had a wonderful life after being rescued.
As has been said, “on,y the dog is a pure work of God.”
Dear Sandy, What a sweet tribute to your therapy dog. I’m so terribly sorry for your loss, and I know how much it hurts. The video of the dog with labored breathing in this blog post is my own dog, Luke. He had cancer in his chest, but he was only 7. The decision to say goodbye was the right one for Luke but so painful for my family. I know your dog had a wonderful life with you and it sounds like she touched many lives in her therapy work. May God bless and comfort you during this sad time.