What are your thought's on euthanasia

I just had my chihuahua to the vet due to the fact that she just had'nt been herself lately. She is the small brown one in the pic.
I was told that in all likelyhood that she has liver cancer. They ran blood test's and some other test's that Im not sure of exactly what they were. The prognosis is not good according to my vet, but they could not really give me a time frame on how much longer she would live.
She will be 10 year's old May 4th. Much to young for a small dog to die of health problems in my opinion, but I have no say so, I leave that up to a higher authority.

My question is....What are your opinion's of euthanasia? Would you go ahead and have it done now, or would you wait until you believe she is in to much pain to have a good quality of life? She does not appear to be in agony, but you can see it in her eye's and the way she act's that she is just not feeling good. A once very active and cheerful dog is now not much more than a brown ball curled up in her bed wanting to sleep all the time.

I have nothing against euthanasia if it is for the best, but when?
[img]https://ball-pythons.net/albums/album19/Monty_and_Friends_082.jpg[img/]

Well, I messed up the pic, it didnt show up. But if you want to see her she is in my album on page three I believe.

Here's the pic for you:
https://ball-pythons.net/albums/albu...riends_082.jpg

Deciding whether and when to put a family pet down is a very difficult and personal decision. I have a friend who's a vet tech who waited too long, IMO, with a cat who'd been in kidney failure for 3 years and was in pain most of the time, but she did eventually make the decision. Personally, I think it's a matter of trying to balance quality of life for the animal with not prematurely ending its life and I wouldn't put it down if there were a good chance of recovery but if it has an incurable condition that causes significant pain I would try to put it down before the pain became a constant or nearly constant factor for the animal.

When it all comes down to it, though, it is you and your animal and your family that have to live with the decision that you make and no one else should make the decision for you. I am very sorry that you are in a position to feel this is a decision you need to consider.

Carl,

I am so sorry that your family has to deal with such a tough issue. I can only imagine the pain you are dealing with in making these decisions.

Personally, I would put my pet down if it was in constant pain, but that can be hard to tell sometimes. You are the best judge as to if your pup is happy. Keep in mind that your pup has had a great life with your family, and has no regrets about her life. Do what you think is right, when you think it is right, and no one can fault you. Certainly everyone here will support you in such a tough decision!

Your pup loves you unconditionally, and would thank you if she could for the great life you have given her.

Peace be with you, my brother....

Randy

Man, i don't even know what to say. Situations like this are impossible to avoid, yet so hard to overcome. I agree with Randy, if your dog is in constant pain then a humane euthenisation is best. My best wishes are with you and your doggy :(.

I feel for ya Carl. I know what you are going threw. My family and I once went through the exact same samething. It was one of the hardest and painfulest decisions that we have ever had to make. But in the end I believe that we did the right thing. I also would have to agree with Randy. If you can tell that she is in constant pain and there isn't any hope of her recoverying to lead a normal (or a close to normal life) then I would do it. Again man I feel for you and your family, and if there is anything that we can do for ya let us know. we are here for ya. I will keep y'all in my prayers.

When I was young we had a great collie. The best. Eventually he got old and sickly. The hardest decision about owning a pet is when to have them take the journey.
Two trains of thought on euthanasia. One: the good days are over, now the pain and suffering have moved in with bags in hand. Letting the animal drift away peacefully may be the last act of love and kindness you can bestowe on your friend. No pain, just a sleepy trip to the sweet bye and bye. All things considered, not a bad way to go. When I was a boy I had another dog get smeared all over the highway. That was not a good way to go.
Two: The "don't pull my plug, I'll die when my body gives up on it's own" mentality. Usually held in regard by people who are either doing just fine or actually are attached to machinery that keeps the juices flowing and the will to live at all costs (surprising how tenacious that will can be when the chips are down) keeps them from stepping out.
Once I used to bartend and this older guy who was a regular just up and sold or gave away all his stuff and moved to florida. Didn't say why other than he needed a change of pace. Well about two months later we all heard that he had arrived in florida only to park his car on the highway and call the police to report that someone had committed suidide in thier car. He then reportedly hung up his cell phone and ate the barrell of a 38.
Now that's pretty horrible, but considering he had found out he had an inoperable brain tumor, I almost have to give him credit for knowing when the game was up and having the insight to take care of it before it took care of him. Kind of giving the finger to fate.
Don't know if any of this drivel helps your dilema, in the end you're the one who'll have to give the word.
If my story has any meaning I guess it's that sometimes we have to do what's tough to put an end to suffering.
Did'nt George Carlin once say that when we buy a pet we are in fact purchasing a future tragedy?

Oh man, that's really too bad to hear, Carl. About the euthanasia, I would really say just use your own judgement for something like that.

I had a cocker spaniel from the moment I was born until I was 15. He grew up with me and all that. Well, for a couple weeks straight he completely ignored his food bowl. He would go over there for water, and that's it. The weird thing was, he would still ALWAYS get so excited when we would go outside to put more food in his bowl, almost like it was just a routine for him, but he didn't really know why he was getting excited over it. Sure enough, we took him to the vet and he had progressed stomach or colon cancer. I knew what had to be done, and my dad gave the vet the okay, because he knew he would just end up dying in our backyard from the cancer; and I didn't want him to suffer.

So, like I said, just use your judgement. To be perfectly honest, I see it all to often a dog that looks half dead (I'm not saying that's what your's looks like, I haven't even seen it), but the family is keeping it just because it's their "family dog". That's when it's sad to me. :(

Good luck on your decision, Carl. :(
Jennifer

Thank's everyone....It will be a hard decision especially due to the fact that she has been with me her entire life. I had to put her Mother down because of a sever head inury from a truck. That was not a hard decision because she was in sever pain and was deffinetly dyeing.
Thanks again...

Hi Carl,
I am so sorry to hear about your chi. I will say that I agree with the above statements. The only thing that I will add, is it may be an option for you to get a second opinion.
The last DVM I worked for was not a very good one. Not so much in my eyes (I can't judge a dvm as I am not one) but he even kept saying he thinks his "glory" days are over.
One thing I learned when I was a vet tech was always get a second opinion (at least with the larger issues as the one you are facing) a good DVM should always accually recommend that you do. Sometimes different doctors can have different outlooks, maybe on lifespan or treatments etc.
Just maybe something to think about.
I send my best wishes to you and your family, and I'm always around if you ever want to talk
Thanks
Rusty

i prefer to put a dog to sleep. it will end any pain or suffering and you have the chance to say bye over and over.

a little over a month ago my 5 year old bichon caught lyme disease which is passed through a tick bite. a pain in the ass disease but can be cured with anti biotics. one day he woke up and couldnt walk so we took him to the vet. they assured us everything would be fine.they kept him the night. then they gave him back the next day. when he got home he wouldnt eat had diareha and kept vomiting. we took him back. they kept him another night did a $200 thing kept him another night did another thing. kept him again. they said the last thing they had to do was a plasma transfusion. they had to keep him one more night and we could pick him up the next day. we called the "animal hospital" over and over the next day and no answer. at about 3 o clock my stepfather turns on his cell phone and there is a message saying my dog died over night.
in the end it cost us over $800 dollars for them to kill my dog over the week we left him there.

when you hear hospital you think at least one person will be there over noght to watch the dogs but not this place. needless to say we'll never take our other dogs there.

i never got to say bye to him because it was so unexpected. they lied to us and said everything would be fine just for a few dollars.

My beloved tuxedo cat, George, got liver cancer last year. He was the happiest cat ever but you could tell he wasn't himself and was in pain, he stopped using his hind legs and just stayed under my bed. He'd drag himself out and look all happy and cheerful when I came in the room. I had to feed him wet cat food with a spoon for about two weeks. We finally took him to the vet (my mother has this morbid fear of the vet) and we had to put him to sleep that day. It's a hard thing to go through :( I wasn't actually at the vet's office when he was put down, but apparently he was so sick that it would almost be cruel to bring him back home, even though he seemed so happy. I'm so sorry you have to go through this and I wish you and your family the best, it's always hard to lose a family member.

best of look for you and ur dog..i remeber when we had to put down out cat he was 23 years old and was deaf and blind and was in a lot of pain for arthris. it was tough i remeber my mom cryed for like a week.

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he stopped using his hind legs and just stayed under my bed.

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That is odd. I wonder if that is a symptom to liver disease. Dont really sound like it would, but my dog is having trouble with her hind legs. She is not dragging them, but you can tell that they are getting very week.
She has perked up a good amount since I took her to the vet, but she is still week and is not eating, I have been assist feeding her for 3 day's now. I am suppose to take her back Friday evening to be re-assessed. I am dreading that moment. I have not decided if I will take her back tomorrow, or give her until the first of the week before I take her. I dont want to put her under to soon if maybe, just maybe, she will start eating by herself and get better. Her eye's dont look as sad as they did a few day's ago, Im hoping that is a good sign, but I will just have to make that judgement call tomorrow, one that I prefer not to make.

i'm prayin' for her man... and you.

I appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers from you all. May sound mooshy, but it really means alot to me. Thanks again.

Wanted to let you all know that my little chihuahua is no longer with us. She was put to sleep at 11:15 to day. She had'nt improved much so i made the decision to go ahead and take her back to the vet to be re-assessed. I used a different vet this time and he took x-rays of her. She had a massive tumor on her liver and her liver was not even close to the spot that it was suppose to be in. So I made the decision to let her go. It is all over now except for the crying.
She will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

I want to thank all of you again for the kind words and prayers.

I'm very sorry to hear that. I'm glad she won't be suffering any more, but I know this is a difficult time for you and your family. I hope you can take some solace in knowing you did what was best for her.

sorry to hear about that man. i know exactly how you feel, same situation happened with me and a black lab i literally grew up with. i hear doggy heaven is a wonderful place. plenty of chew toys and milkbones. :) i'll keep you and your family in my prayers man.

Hi carl
I am so soerry to hear of you and your families loss. That is always extremely hard.
But just try and remember all the great times she had with your family (which by the sounds of it was everyday). I have your family in my thoughts.
My suincere sympathies

On a more medical side of it:
From the experiences I have had at the offices I have worked for, liver tumors in dogs and cats is very hard to deal with, 90% of the time the animal will show no symptoms untill the tumor has grown very large, treatment can be difficult in some cases, and from the xray prognosis it sounds as if you definatly made the best decision for the dogs wellbeing and happiness.
Rusty

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From the experiences I have had at the offices I have worked for, liver tumors in dogs and cats is very hard to deal with, 90% of the time the animal will show no symptoms untill the tumor has grown very large,

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That is exactly how it went. One day she was the same ole cinnamon, running around and chasing the other dogs, then the next day she wouldnt even get up to go to the bathroom..Just layed there and did it in her bed.
Other than the actuall passing of her, it was really hard to handle when the vet walked into the room with the syringe. It was as if she knew what was next, she just curled up in my arms and started crying. She passed in my arm's.
My daughter made it a little easier on my when I got home, she had written this on a piece of paper and had it waiting for me on the table when I got home. I dont know where she got it or if she wrote it, it dose'nt matter, but it sure made me feel better.

"Cinnamon has crossed the rainbow bridge where she will never be sick, never be hungry and will allways have a friend to play with."

Sorry to hear, I always say look into your heart and let it be your guide and you will make the right choice for your friend.
Both of you are in my prayers