My dog is dying...how do you know when it's "time"?

[DawnL]

My poor Edgar. His health is declining, and there's no way he's going to recover. I think I posted initially about his health on the Gen Parenting board....

Edgar's kidney's are failing. He's been to the vet twice, but I can see how much worse he is getting. He wasn't eating when I brought him in initially. They gave me some canned food that was better for him. He ate that at first. Now he won't even eat that. Every once in awhile, I will see him eat one bite of something. But it's been a few days since he's eaten anything, other than scraps he can find. I've been letting the baby's cheerios, etc, stay on the floor. Edgar still comes in and cleans them up. He just moves more slowly. On Saturday, we had pizza and I gave him the pizza crusts. He ate them. I was so happy, as I am willing to give him just about anything at this point.

He is sooo skinny. He's a pomeranian, and has always been solid. It's hard to tell underneath all the fur, but when pick him up, I can feel all his bones.

The vet said we could try giving him IV fluids, to flush out his system. But he doesn't really recommend it. He says that it's pretty expensive, and it's just putting off the inevitable. The vet says he will be there for us, if we decide to put Edgar down. (I really love this vet. When I knew it might be time, I took Edgar there, because if anyone has to put my furbaby down, I want it to be this guy)

Last night, Edgar threw up on our bed. (He sleeps on a blanket at the foot of our bed). In it were just a few cheerios from earlier in the day.

This morning, he threw up again, and there was nothing in it. We left for awhile, and when we came back, same thing.

So he's not eating, doesn't move fast, has a hard time getting up on the bed, or just moving in general. He sleeps all the time, is getting skinnier by the second. And although the kids all love him, the baby thinks it's hilarious to run Edgar over with the toy shopping cart. It might be okay if Edgar could get out of the way. But he doesn't move fast, and that stinker baby just laughs, backs up, and then has another go at the poor dog.

Basically, I am probably going to be taking my dog to the vet tomorrow to be put to sleep. This was my baby before I had babies. Just like my kids, if Edgar has a problem, he runs to me to help him out and love on him. To him, I am his mama. I don't know how I'm going to do this....

[DawnL]

Jim and I are doubting ourselves, as to if this is the right time or not. He threw up a few times this morning, and there was nothing in it, but he has been fine since. Of course, he hasn't touched his dog food. He will beg for people food, but I think that's because he knows it's yummy, and that's what he's done all his life.

Afterschool, I got him to eat 2 kernels of popcorn. It was the first thing I've seen him eat in a couple of days, but that's all he wanted. At dinner, he ate the crust of a pb&j, but he wouldn't eat another. Dh and I ate dinner pretty late, and we brought home McDonald's, just so we could share some french fries with him. He ate french fries, and I gave him a few chicken pieces, even though he isn't supposed to have any.

Jim keeps telling me to ask the Dr and make SURE that now is the right time. Neither one of us want to do this, and we don't want to just give up on poor Edgar. But we don't want him to suffer, either. How do you know it's the right time? This afternoon, after he'd thrown up a few times in the morning, I was sure it was time. Now, looking into his expressive eyes, I'm not sure. he hasn't thrown up in the afternoon or evening. Should I wait until he throws up more often? Should I wait until he stops begging for food? Should I wait until he doesn't want to get up anymore? (He is practically that way, now) I just don't know!

[BC-CrystalAZ]

I would wait until it is obvious that he is getting no joy out of life at all. If he is still responsive to your petting and your love, I'd wait.

I am really sorry about your dog. He sounds like a sweetheart and he does know you love him.

Crystal

[MarieL]

I'm sorry. It sounds a lot like our dog...our first dog, who also had kidney disease. The symptoms are almost identical. It got to the point where he would drink water and then just barf and barf....like he'd drink some water and barf 7-10 times. That's when I said enough. The poor dog had no quality of life left. I took him to the vet and stayed while they put him to sleep. I loved him so much...I didn't want him to be alone or scared at the end.

It's a tough decision. I'm sorry you are having to face it.

[roxy22]

Do you think he has any quality of life? Are you keeping him for you or because you think he will bounce back? I had to ask this of DH when he wouldn't let our dog go. It was getting harder everyday to watch her struggle and I had to be the one to tell DH it was time. I think we were hurting her more by keeping her alive. It was our selfishness of not wanting to let her go; but she was suffering. It is so hard but you have to do what's right for your dog. And that might mean letting him go.

[QuieroNinos]

Before you do this, have you tried putting him on a BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet?
It's basically feeding your dog human food, only the good kind (not cheerios or pizza crusts) - raw or cooked meat, some bones, veggies, etc. I belong to a forum dedicated to yorkies and you can find great recipes of things to feed your pet. Might be worth a try? A link for the recipes can be found HERE.
I'm sorry you have to go through this with Edgar. Hope you and he find peace soon.

[jenmom2myboys]

I'm so sorry, it is such a hard decision.

[jan21]

I am so very sorry. We had to put our dog down due to cancer 2 years ago. It was very hard - but in our case he couldn't get up by himself and the last couple of days he stopped eating. He was clearly in pain. The day we brought him to the vet he had even stopped drinking.

It is a very hard decision and whether you do it tomorrow or wait a few days there is no wrong decision. We talked to the vet the evening before when we made the appt and she really helped us feel like we were doing the right thing.

HUGS

Janice
Laura & Elizabeth 11/29/00

[kk&shay]

I'm so sorry. No advice. My dog has been acting very strange the past week or so too. He has a giant lump on the side of his body, having trouble getting up, not eating, very tired. I'm afraid to take him to the vet, because I fear his days are almost over too.

Many hugs to you.......

[robine]

My cat has been in renal failure for 5 years now..She will be 18 in about 3 weeks... she is skin and bones and throws up alot..She has been that way for 5 years.

She moves slowly but seems happy

we have done the IV challenge twice and she seemed better for it


WHEN it becomes inevitable, I will see that she is comfortable

What defines that time?? not sure

maybe when she can't walk well due to her inability to retain food, constant throwing up, not eating at all etc..not sure


I am sorry you are going through this