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I read all your sad stories because I am soon going to be expected to make a decision on my little one. She is little, only 13 lbs now, and 11 yrs. Diarrhea brought me to the vet and a physical exam brought the bad news. A mass the size of a tennis ball in her abdomin that they are sure has also spread. Lymphoma. A cancer md gave me prednisone to put it in remission a little bit and make her life easier right now. It has turned her into wonder dog for the time being, eating all the time, playing, no sickness anymore, it's amazing stuff. Anyway, the time will come, they say in weeks, when it doesnt work anymore and she won't eat or drink. Life sucks sometimes and this is one of those times. She's the best thing ever happened to us and that little face is killing me to look at because I know and she doesnt. She just lives to go outside, eat, and sleep. Me, I feel like I'm not living anymore counting the days and yet she is better than ever. I saw the xray so I know it's there even tho she sure isnt acting like it. I am sorry I know, it is making my life just awful.
If anyone has had thelymphoma internal, please let me know what happens and how I will know. She isnt doing as much jumping as before like she knows somethings wrong at the back end. Other than that she's a crazy dog right now on these pills.
Tinkerbell took a bad turn Tues. She coughs all the time now and won't eat. She looked ok but was not moving, eating, drinking. I went to the vet for a checkup and found I wasnt taking her home. He said her cancer was progressing quickly, into her bladder, and her lungs sounded bad. I could not bare to watch her suffer another minute but have been so sad since. I got a lock of her hair and footprint in the mail yesterday. God, I just fell apart. The house is so quiet and me so lonely without her. Time will heal.
mimosa, so sad for you and so sorry for your loss and empty home. Please, when you feel like it again, post a picture of Tinkerbell in the Rainbow Bridge forum...time will heal, you are right, but sometimes it just seems like so long....
I had the same dilema and had to let my sweet little girl go Tues. I am weeping as I tell you this, but deep down I know it's better and she is doing better than she was here. My house is empty without her and this is so hard but to see her suffer would have killed me. She had lymphoma, of course she didnt know it, and was on prednisone to be normal and eat and morphine to stop the cough. Was living on pills. Didnt play anymore, or meet me at the door, or really eat without a pill. that's when it's time. I am suffering still, but know deep inmy heart that I did the right thing.
I just found this site and decided I needed to be here. We have 2 Akitas, the oldest one, Nikki will be 14 in a couple of months. Last summer, she started stumbling and falling, and x-rays determined the problem to be spondylosis. She has since been on Prednesone, which has helped a lot. The stumbling started again yesterday, as well as a problem with her back feet turning under, causing her to walk on the tops of her feet. I looked at her this morning with an honest eye, and the light seems to have gone from her. She looks more suffering than happy. I believe it is now time, but my biggest struggle is with my husband. He doesn't seem to see this, and I can't seem to find a way to get past it. When I tried to talk to him this morning, his words were that she might not make it through next winter. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to help him to understand that the time has come to make this decision. I love this old girl with all my heart, and as hard as this decision is, I would rather do it than watch her suffer in pain, knowing that it will get worse as time goes by. She has always given us total, unconditional love, and I just can't give her any less than that in return.
It's usually not really time until they stop eating or drinking.
I had a beloved pit for 12 years, which is a long lifespan for a pit. She had Cushings Disease and arthritis. We spent alot of money on treating her. She got to where she couldn't get up, we'd have to boost her rear up for her. One day she could not get up even with our help and she laid there looking at me; her eyes were dull and the life was gone from them. We knew then "it was time." Gawd, it was hard. Makes me cry typing this. How we loved her! I love animals and it never gets any easier when you have to make this decision and let them go. I like to think of her as now being young and strong, running through sunny, green pastures with all of my other pets who have passed, waiting for me to join them one day.
Dogs live for today, don't remember what they did yesterday and do not care about tomorrow. They do not handle pain as we do, you will probably not know they have it. They were brought up to know that showing pain meant preditors would eat them. Everyone told me I would know and I did. I was in denial for a long time but finally realized she was living on pills and they were also making her either comotose or sick. Saddest day of my life even tho I knew she had aggressive cancer and it would just be a matter of time. It's two weeks and it still seems like yesterday to me.
When I read all the stories of what you all struggled with I realized that many, like me, wanted just one more day or one more week. Yet, it has been a year that Boomer has rapidly deteriorated from the dog that hiked 15-20 miles in the Sierra Nevadas, camped with us, cruised in the back seat, jumped up and down with excitement for a walk or when we came home. The last few months his legs have gotten progressively weaker. We have to pick him up , his walks are now just part of a block. Earlier this week I had to carry him home. He has been incontinent for the past month. My wife cannot bear to watch him anymore, he is too dignified of a dog to struggle like this and wear diapers. Our friends have told Kay that most of them waited too long. Most of your stories are the same.
Today our vet is coming to our house to let him go. I cried all week knowing that we made this decision. What a great dog. 14 years old rottie/lab/Aus shepard mix. He is just tired and old, eyes and hearing are going too. I am so sad today and yet reading what you all have said I know that I am not alone in this ordeal. Our gal from the Marin Humane Society said years ago, "Boomer got lucky" as she alway got pictures from us on our adventures with Boomer.
The house will seem lonely and the spot next to my bed where he sleeps every night will be empty in spirit and sweetness. I shall miss him so much. It is 8am, the vet comes at noon. I have just a few more hours to love him. Just love him, my vet said a month ago when I asked if there was any other magic drug we could use.
Just love him.
Just love him, my vet said a month ago when I asked if there was any other magic drug we could use.
Just love him.
...and you did love him, and loved him well.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
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eyelee
Today is the day and my heart is breaking
