Reina the Std Poodle , named by p.netters 11 years ago , is on her last legs. She barely eats and has a rough time standing and walking. She is far from the smart, very athletic dog she was for years. The vet says she has the start of renal and heart failure. She has suggested it might be time to help her along.
I have been here many times with dogs and cats, and it is never easy.
I’m at the point where I empathize with Reina from the perspective of losing physical abilities that were once strengths.
The title is an unfair question that we all have to answer on our own.
I know there is no joy left in Reina’s life; she never wags her tail or responds to petting.
I’m not looking for sympathy. She is the one who needs it.
Never easy… but not as hard as signing a DNR on your parents. You feel like you are playing God.
Jim I sympathize with your situation because I have a 17.5 year old Pomeranian that is almost totally blind, nearly totally deaf and can only eat soft foods due to many missing teeth. He still runs well for short distances and loves attention and seems to be in no real pain so we are just amazed at our little lion-heart we call Sunny. I guess I will know when its time but his will to live and his apparent lack of pain along with a reliable smile make our decision simple,… keep on livin!
A tough time for you. If and when a decision is made, will the vet come to your place so Reina will have the comfort of her home and companions? Standard poodles are such a great breed. Intelligent, agile, and great comedians. My own died some years ago. I still miss him.
I’m in the same kayak.
My lab is 16 years old and can rarely get up without my help and can barely walk when he does. He’s half blind and 3/4 incontinent. Its a heartbreaking and incredibly stressful time. I’ve made “the decision” a number of times only to unmake it at the last minute. I dont feel comfortable playing god. I just do the best I can to keep him comfortable. Putting down my last dog 15 years ago was devastating.
Personally I dont think its a vet’s place (or friends for that matter) to suggest when its time to “help them along” and I’m not shy about saying so. You’re right, its a decision we each have to make on our own. Its a vets place to provide help for keeping pets as healthy and comfortable as possible, and its a friend’s place to support you in whatever you choose to do.
Just listen to and look at the dog
She is communicating with you
Our eight kids grew up with Pepper.
When it was time to let her go, I couldn’t do it, Nanci had to.
That was the day that I realized women are stronger then men
I’ve never thought of myself as a religious person so I’ll just say that when our last dog reached that point I made a wish and my wish came true.
@kayamedic said:
Just listen to and look at the dog
She is communicating with you
^^^
We absolutely believe in this. We can learn much from our four legged friends. In many of the same ways you have learned the lessons of the water and the weather. These moments allow us to truly experience nature.
I thought by the heading you were talking about kayaks. Wouldn’t that be so much easier. I feel like a expert on the subject unfortunately. When
the time comes all my expertise goes out the window. From my first dog at 7 to now when I’m nearly 66 there have been many dogs and some cats. Through my life from the first dog I have never had just one four legged friend. The multiple friends bring huge joys to my life also great pains. I have to think they all had the best times possible with me.
The dog Jake in my avatar got cancer in his nose. He went from 100 lb. down to 60. As long as he was interested in eating and giving me a good look through his eyes he stayed. It was a long two years. One morning I looked into his eyes and I had to make the call and take him. I just knew it was time.
If I was an actor in Hollywood I could get an Oscar. I can cry at will if I think of my past friends. Even as I type this.
I had one dog from 8-28 and another from 28-48. Two dogs were with me 40 years of my life through many chrisises in my life.
I got a pup once it got sick after 3 days. Then I poured over ten thousand to the vet in a week and a half. Figured hey it’s worth ten tens or more of joy for us both. It didn’t work out that way unfortunately.
All the decisions I have made I ask myself am I being selfish for myself. Is my friend in pain. Does my friend have any joy left? I’ll have to make the decision for myself one day possibly. It’s nice to always have another pet or more to ease the pain and make you carry on. I have carried them, wheelbarrowed ones that lost strength in their back legs. I have cleaned up countless floor accidents with a smile.
I wish you the best in your decision the hardest I have made. Even more than my parents who made a choice to smoke unfortunately. You’ve given Reina the best life possible i am sure it the decision would not be so hard. I hold them in my arms and talk softly as they go to sleep. I walk out stunned eyes flooded then bust out crying at home and hug the remaining ones. When my parents died I didn’t drop a tear for over six months. I loved them dearly too.
God speed with your decision. Reina would like you to give another dog a great home ASAP. God bless Reina and all involved.
So the answer is, its time when you decide its time. > @Yooper16 said:
@kayamedic said:
Just listen to and look at the dog
She is communicating with you^^^
We absolutely believe in this. We can learn much from our four legged friends. In many of the same ways you have learned the lessons of the water and the weather. These moments allow us to truly experience nature.
This is a fairy tale. Dogs dont understand the future or the consequences of our actions, so the decision is wholly our own.
No not really… We have had three dogs… One lived to be 18 and was deaf blind and incontinent. A border collie is not supposed to stand facing a corner all day shaking. Clearly not happy…
The first died of cancer and a huge tumor inoperable on the neck that restricted breathing… Not a happy dog either
Our third had cancer but we hoped it was at bay… It was till she stopped eating and looked sad and not wanting to do anything but lie down… A tumor literally exploded in size on her body… That look… That last walk… It was hard. She was 15.
Its true you are never 100 percent certain you are doing the right thing… Dogs do live in the moment so the hard part is the last walk or the final vet visit… They don’t know what they are getting into.
@kayamedic said:
No not really… We have had three dogs… One lived to be 18 and was deaf blind and incontinent. A border collie is not supposed to stand facing a corner all day shaking. Clearly not happy…
The first died of cancer and a huge tumor inoperable on the neck that restricted breathing… Not a happy dog either
Our third had cancer but we hoped it was at bay… It was till she stopped eating and looked sad and not wanting to do anything but lie down… A tumor literally exploded in size on her body… That look… That last walk… It was hard. She was 15.Its true you are never 100 percent certain you are doing the right thing… Dogs do live in the moment so the hard part is the last walk or the final vet visit… They don’t know what they are getting into.
And that’s a good thing.
11 months ago i had to face this with Maggie. Not an easy thing to do, but she went easy rather than hard. I still think about her daily as we had a daily routine. I believe they teach us some valuable life lessons. Unfortunately when to let them go is one of those lessons. The price we pay for the love and joy. Well worth it in my opinion.
@castoff said:
11 months ago i had to face this with Maggie. Not an easy thing to do, but she went easy rather than hard. I still think about her daily as we had a daily routine. I believe they teach us some valuable life lessons. Unfortunately when to let them go is one of those lessons. The price we pay for the love and joy. Well worth it in my opinion.
I’m still waiting for you to get another puppy who needs a home.
Dogs will leave the “pack” and go off by themselves when the time is near.
@Overstreet said:
Dogs will leave the “pack” and go off by themselves when the time is near.
Perhaps feral dogs. Not always the case with family members.
@Overstreet said:
Dogs will leave the “pack” and go off by themselves when the time is near.
I think they do … at least their behavior is changed from being involved to wanting to be alone. Even in a house dog. My Lucy ( normally a pushy needy want a pat dog) became more aloof.
It is interesting that a family dog does indeed have a pack of sorts… A human is alpha hopefully. Sometimes discipline problems arise from the human allowing the dog to be alpha.
I’m sorry, String. Reina was a truly wonderful pooch when I had the privilege of meeting her. It’s a hard thing to go through.
Reina was an alpha Max pup. When we first got her, I’d lay on the floor to play. She’d hop on my back and bite my ears. When it stopped being funny, I got on all 4s, looked her in the eye, and growled.
She applied
her aggression to running, jumping and playing.