What would you guys do if your dog is in pain?

455gto · Poncho Master!

What would you guys do if your dog is in pain?

67BBSD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

455gto wrote:

Our dog Presley is 10 and yelps when he gets up, can't walk down the one step to pee and does it on the deck, he's stomach is bloated, losing hair. The vet thought he had Cushin's disease, but after many tests ......those are incluside and now wants to do a $450 MRI which we agreed to have done. He is on painkillers and been at the vet for a couple of weeks. Has anyone faced this same dilemma?

My Dad had a 10 year old lab/sheppard that had a hard time walking-did x rays-seems there was a chip on the cartalage of a joint (good news that would heal) (bad news-x ray showed lung cancer) we put her down-it was a sad day for my 77 year old father that did this ten years ago to yet another lab/sheppard with cancer-today he has an 11 month old lab/sheppard-his new best friend

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

455gto wrote:

Our dog Presley is 10 and yelps when he gets up, can't walk down the one step to pee and does it on the deck, he's stomach is bloated, losing hair. The vet thought he had Cushin's disease, but after many tests ......those are incluside and now wants to do a $450 MRI which we agreed to have done. He is on painkillers and been at the vet for a couple of weeks. Has anyone faced this same dilemma?

We would do the same as you.. cry do as much as is necessary to find pain...

57poncho · Uber Guru

My brother and his wife spent a small fortune on their dog last spring for tests and operation 3 months later they still had to put him down. It's a hard call but if it was me I would save the money and put the dog out of it's pain. I know its hard they are a part of the family not just a dog. But when I see people dieing in a hospital bed I still feel the same way my opinion does not change

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

In the face of my wife and two daughters balling I consented to $3,300 cancer surgery on our 8 year old Airedale. Two weeks after surgey new lumps on her mammaries appeared. Vet gave her two to six months. My wife searched the internet like crazy and found that salmon oil and meloxicam can slow down the effects of cancer. My wife has payed for that dog and given that dog a bullet of salmon oil and 1.5 ml syringe of meloxicam every day since, Abby will be 10 in May.

PS. My first dog was a Beagle named Clem. Beagles are the best. God bless Presley.

PSS. Forgot the $595 for a cardio exam to make sure she could withstand the surgey.

-- Edited by 73SC on Sunday 20th of December 2009 10:33:50 PM

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I never had a dog until 10 years ago. I had always wanted one. We live on 35 acres so our dog is outside 24/7 and is free to roam, it's a great life for the dog.

Anyway, Phoenix (she had to have a Pontiac name!) was pregnant. We were excited to have pups. I had no idea what to expect. I noticed she was tired but could not lay down because she was so uncomfortable. This lasted for about 3 days. As soon as she lay down, she'd have to stand up because of the pain. She was literally falling asleep standing, then she'd fall over and wake up. Again, I had no idea this was not normal. The third day I came home from work and she was in her doghouse and looked like she was trying to give birth, so I finally thought she would have relief.

She died trying to give birth, before any pups were born. To this day, I still carry the guilt of not taking her to a vet but I just didn't know any better. We have had 5 more dogs after her but none of them have grabbed my heart like she did.

The point of all this? Spend what it takes (which I should have done) or have him put to sleep but to me it's not fair if he suffers. I may be a hunter but I can't stand to see an animal suffer.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Us cat owners are the same. We have two cats. We used to have a cat named Charley. He was a stray that wouldn't go away. He was an old fella with poor eyesight and a low IQ but had a big heart. As soon as you said his name he would start purring. Our black cat used to beat up on him a lot and he got so paranoid that one day he walked around a corner and with his poor eyesight thought Connie's purse was the black cat and hissed at it and ran. Anyway, he started loosing weight. Connie suspected diabetes and blood work proved this to be true. The vet suggested we put him down. Instead, we bought a glucose meter and insulin and Connie gave him shots twice a day for well over a year. He took a turn for the worse and started throwing up blood. We decided at that point to put him down. We both really miss him.

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jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Boy this is a tough call. I have to admit I've cried more over loss of different dogs than I have ever have at friend's or relatives funerals. I don't cry very easy. Having said that I would just do the exploratory and once the price gets to the cost of a new dog I would put him down and try get a new one the next day or even sooner. I've got probably one of my favorite dogs right now and she is 10 and I'm pretty sure that's what I would do, preferably have one lined up before I even put her down. I'm always the one that has to make the trip to the vet and set them on the counter, but the sooner the next one is there the easier I find it to fill the void.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I never thought I'd cry over a pet but when Phoenix died I cried my eyes out.

The worst part was having to tell our 3 year old and 5 year old, a couple of weeks before Christmas to boot.

sixtywagon · Uber Guru

As hard as it may be, I agree that, although your dog is part of your Family, I would put him to rest.
I had a dog through most of my teen years, and, when I went back to Ont after being in Alberta for a few years, He was at least 12 years old. He could barely see, his hearing was almost gone, and he was having a hard time walking. I told my Mom it wasn't fair to him, to keep him suffering, and the week after I came back to Alberta, she called to tell me they had put him down. We cried with each other on the phone, and I will always remember my friend and companion.
This is only my opinion, and I hope everything works out, no matter what you've decide to do.

-- Edited by sixtywagon on Monday 21st of December 2009 12:02:41 AM

455gto · Poncho Master!

Thanks for the replies even though it brought a tear to my eyes. I'll update you guys ......find out in a few days

timbuk · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

my heart is with you man if you wanna see a grown man break down just talk about their dogs-got 3 of them buried here at timbuk acres,ive lived here for 20 years.Part of the family....

da66 · Addicted!

Hey Kim I am so sorry to hear of the trouble that presley is having. I can relate to pretty much all the storys that are on here. I have been fortunate to have had 4 dogs in the 32 years that we have been here. I had to have my Sib husky put down last year The first time in 32 years that we have not had a pet. What ever your desecion is I am sure it will be the right choice. Remember they look to you for comfort Unfortunatly it might be time.

87 player bird · Poncho Master!

I had to do the exact thing. It's tough, but you now have to be a good friend to Pressley. My dog Caeser had a huge steak the night before, a brick of cheese for breakfast. I held him the entire time until he was gone. So sorry for you guys.

davelacourse · Poncho Master!

Our dog Max spent a wonderful 13 years with us. His last year was not so good. He became blind, had trouble with incontinence (I would ocme homve from owrk at noon to take him out midday which helped a lot), then he had a sort of a stroke (actually, canine vestibular syndrome) which he never recovered from, the last few months he could not get up, he no longer recognized or responded to us, he tried but sometimes failed to wait for us to pick him up and carry him out to urinate (I did not mind cleaning up after him, but you know how dogs hate to make a mess), we had to hold him upright so he could try to eat or drink, he started to get large growths on his body, he never complained but he clearly could no longer enjoy his life and was deteriorating. It broke out hearts, but we decided to have him put to sleep. He did not suffer during the procedure. We held him during the procedure, and for an hour afterwards. Max has been gone 8 years now. We still cry when we look at pictures of him, but we absolutely believe we did the right thing for him by gently letting him go on to his life in the hereafter.

You will always love your dog. Whatever you decide to do, I am sure you will do with love for him.

Dave

03cts sport · Uber Guru

87 player bird wrote:

I had to do the exact thing. It's tough, but you now have to be a good friend to Pressley. My dog Caeser had a huge steak the night before, a brick of cheese for breakfast. I held him the entire time until he was gone. So sorry for you guys.

My sister let "Floyd" sit in a chair at the dinner table, eating off a plate, the night before they put him down. She remembers him looking at them all as if to say "it's about time you let me sit and eat with you, what took you so long?"...
Tough decission. As suffering in pain isn't an option, nor is a crystal ball to determine what the best medical options are, all I can say is be mindful of the great life that you have provided the little fella and the great memories.

-- Edited by 03cts sport on Monday 21st of December 2009 10:20:05 AM

455gto · Poncho Master!

He's going to be put down tonight. I 'll miss his head out the passenger side window when I.m driving. Thanks to all that have lost a dog(cat) and the kind words. I've been a big ball of mush all day.
Kim

Lemans64 · Poncho Master!

Really sorry to hear of this Kim. Our thought are with U. Took us almost 5 years to replace our last Dog. Yes they are like family.

ak 67sd · Poncho Master!

my thoughts are with you, it is so hard... you are doing the right thing.

Andrew (and maggie, the cairn terrier)

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

455gto wrote:

He's going to be put down tonight. I 'll miss his head out the passenger side window when I.m driving. Thanks to all that have lost a dog(cat) and the kind words. I've been a big ball of mush all day.
Kim

I am so sorry....I look at my dog now, and can't imagine my life without him... I hope you replace him... Carl

sixtywagon · Uber Guru

My thoughts are with you Kim.

03cts sport · Uber Guru

I think you've done the right thing. As lucky as you feel you are to have had him, he was lucky to have had the years he had with your family.

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Well Kim I hope even the comments from this forum help you in the next little while. I also echo that I hope you are able to find another one soon and even have that cute little puppy stage to enjoy again. All the best.

timbuk · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

looks like most of us are pet lovers here and have been through it,Kim.Im sure all of usw are thinking about your family and your little buddy.We are hurtin with ya here at CP God bless you and your family from me and mine timbuk

Johann65 · Guru

What is important, whether it be your pet or self. It all boils down to quality of life! It is less painfull for a dog to be put to sleep than to struggle through each day in pain!

Let him go to doggie heaven in peace.

I have two Rottweillers, Two Miniature Pinchers and one "Grey Filistein" that we adopted and they are like children in the house!