end of life 16 yr old toy poodle how to know?

[sandiebird]

Shorty is 16 male toy poodle and has the beginnings of cushings. He cannot use the back legs and is unable to stand for too long. He can only walk a little and has a hard time peeing and pooing. Since the back legs do not bend and have weakened. He is a little paralyzed due to arthitis only on the back end and the petula (knee caps) keep popping out and are unable to be put back in due to severe arthitis. I am scared and want advise as to how and when to put him down? Some tell me to and others tell me not to. He also is panting constantly now. This has all happened in the last 2 months.
I am worried about the panting - does that mean he is in discomfort? Or maybe side effects from medicine for arthritis?
Does anyone have similar issues or knows about this happening? I am new here and new to the internet. Thank you so much. Sandie

[Bobbie]

First, I'd be asking my vet some of these questions. Does he/she think your dog is in discomfort? Does the vet expect your dog to improve with treatment? If the vet expects your dog will not improve then you have to decide if his quality of life now is good enough? If he is going to get worse, then probably it is time to let him go, or possibly your vet can tell you what to expect when it is time to let him go. Panting may be a symptom of Cushings so ask your vet if it will improve or get worse, and whether it is uncomfortable for Shorty.

Second, consider your dog's quality of life. What did Shorty enjoy doing when he was healthy and young? List the three things he enjoyed most. Can he still do any of them? Has he replaced them with other things? (For example, many old dogs substitute sleeping in a favorite chair or sofa for racing around the house and are still perfectly happy.) If the answer is no, he can't do the things he enjoys, and no, he has no substitutes and is not happy, then it is time. If he is happy or content most of the time, still loves being with you and greets you with a wag, and you are pretty sure he is not in discomfort or the symptoms can be treated, then it might not be time yet.

Saying goodbye to a dog is never easy, but it doesn't get easier because you waited longer to do it. If you decide it is time and it isn't an emergency, take a few days to enjoy him and love him and share time with him, and plan the end so that you know what you are going to do.

[sandiebird]

Thank you bobbie, I did see my vet and was told that due to little paralsys he is in little if no pain at all. Seeing him struggle to get around breaks my heart and I tried the sling thing to help but so far he is not into it yet? Any toy poodle owners that know about putting the dog down? Do I wait until he is in agony and cant move? Guess I just want other opinions to make me feel better which ever choice I make. Thanks

[Friend2Dogs]

I do not know if this will help you or not. I have only had to put one animal down ,a cat named Morgan. He was in agony ,I took to vet and was nothing he could do. He ate rat poisen a neighbor had left out. I had no choice but to put down as he was in horrible pain and could of been for days. It was hard ,very hard as I held him and told him I loved him as he died. I had a Basset Hound named Mason who had no use of his back legs and had cancer , he was operated on and given 6 months to live. He lived four and a half months. I had to express him and carry him around ,until I got him a dog cart. I treasure those four and a half months and am glad I did not put Mason down. He was happy and and gave us love until the day he passed. As long as my animals are not in horrible pain and eat and show feelings ,no way I could put down to make it better or easier for me. This is my feelings and hope it helps.

[Friend2Dogs]

I forgot to tell you Masons age, he was fifteen and a half when he died. The vet said I had done a great job as Bassets usually only live to be 11 or 12.

[Bobbie]

I used to wait, and ended up with one where we could not get a vet fast enough when he was in agony. I won't do that again. If your dog is terminal, and you don't feel he will improve or that his quality of life is good enough, then it could be time. Nobody can tell you it IS time but it sounds to me as if you believe it is. And if you do, don't wait for misery.. let him go while he still can say goodbye to YOU and do it with dignity.

You could try a cart but before doing that I'd decide if I think he can live comfortably with the panting. Does he seem uncomfortable? Does he look at you like he wants help? Those would be signs he was not enjoying how he feels. If he just pants but otherwise (besides the paralysis ) seems okay, its worth a try of a cart. Poodles can live to 18 or so, but I can't tell you anything about their quality of life near the end.

Try taking him outside for walks in a stroller and see if he seems to enjoy that. If you can engage him in life, and he is enjoying it, then waiting makes more sense than if he is lying miserably around the house all the time.

[puremutt]

you know your dog best.
is he looking sad, not eating, not playing? then it could be time.
but otherwise if he's alert and happy he can live with a disability, with help of products that are on this website.
My first and only dog had to be put down a little over a year ago. I was also asking everybody around " when is it time" everybody answered me YOU know best .

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Really the only issue I find uncomfortable is the panting and the rest, we can deal with a little here and a little there. A toy poodle is a lot easier to help manage issues than a larger dog.

I have had to face these very things twice in the last twelve months. And the decisions were based on quality of life. So when those two beloved pups went to the Bridge, I was emailed about a dog. Let me tell you about this guy. Hit by car, in head, found on side of road, taken to county shelter. Could not walk, stand, non-responsive. When they went to his cage to euth him, he wagged his tail. HE WAGGED HIS TAIL! The Camden County Animal Shelter, in NJ, decided to move heaven and earth to save a 14 year old neuro crippled with too many issues to list. All they asked for was hospice and a family to die with. He got here in SC in April. He made an amazing recovery in areas we didn't even know existed when he was pulled. I immediately took him to my doc to make sure I wasn't being cruel keeping him alive. She was amazed at his good condition (he made an AMAZING recovery in the weeks it took to get him here and get him into doc. His quality is good, his disabilities are not life-ending. He smiles, he wags his tail, he now walks, jumps, does stairs. He was a wild dog and not at all socialized to humans nor critters (sorry critters) but that too has changed. Oh, he is stone deaf which I discovered in a panic when I first got him. Flat on the floor non responsive to my return home, as the rest of my pack was barking and making a LOUD fuss. I touched him and he moved. I can't tell you ... His vision is about gone from the impact with the car, hemmorhages and scarring in eyeballs. He still screams a lot, but not in pain, I am assured. His refusal to eat, after six months, is the only life-threatening issue he presently faces. What a difference! He'll be with me a while if I can get him to eat at least anything once a day (preferably the 6 times I feed him, but hey, I'll take anything).

This decision we weigh with every aspect of the situation. Every single factor has to be examined. Quality of life is the most important, IMO.

Is your baby happy to see you? That's the biggest benchmark.

[sandiebird]

Thank you everyone for all your help in replying to my predicament. Shortie still eats and plays tug a war with me. He plays the buiscut game with me as well droping the buiscut close to me and when I try to grab it he grabs it first...... I realize that he is still living and when I did the pros and cons he still has more pros on his side. I talked to many people and vets and youe guys have been alot of help. Thank you so much. For now I am not going to do anything. He had a few bad days when it was raining for 48 hours none stop. He still licks my face non stop and as for wagging his tail well that is a little paralyzed and wags idiotically and crooked but still wags. He eats and barks and walks a tiny bit, drags his back legs too.
As you all have said I will know when the light in his eyes lessen a bit more - maybe selfish on my part but deep down in my heart I feel he has mor etime - maybe not too much more but still more. Thanks again everyone and talk soon again. Sandie and Shortie

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

You know his heart better than he does, actually. To make this decision is the hardest decision we are faced with. The price of Love. Your boy, as you observe, is still enjoying life. When the bad times outweigh the good, then we will face this again.
I must make a couple of recommendations, I have learned over the years with both two and four legged familiy. MAKE TH MOST OF TODAY! Today is all that matters. Do you know dogs live in the moment? They don't remember slights, they don't remember insults. All they know is THE MOMENT!
You have an opportunity to build the most wondrous mem'ries for him and for YOU. Make a den on the floor, in front of your television. Pillows, cushions and blankets. I can NOT explain it, but when I get down on the floor ALL FIVE of my dogs go NUTS. This is the silliest happiest time for all of them.
Make your bed on the LR floor. Pop your popcorn and fill a bowl of cheezies for your baby. Pop in a chick flick, do each others nails, whisper sweet silliness to each other and you, I PROMISE, will have the silliest, happiest time of your lives!

Make your memories . Create the joy. So often our loved ones die without our having this opportunity to ease them through transitioning from happy and healthy to happy and incapacitated. GRAB ahold of this beautiful opportunity to make the MOST of the rest of your time together. You wlll not only never regret it, it will sustain you when the time does come. you will remember. You will remember whispering, singing silly love songs, and watching chick flicks together. It will be your greatest comfort. I promise. You have this opportunity. Not all of us do as those are the ones who are so very heartbreaking to deal with, to survive, to surmount, to build on.

[puremutt]

OMG karen you are SO right!
I lived on my floor the last years of my dogs life, sit next to him while petting him, watch tv or read.
in my next life I want to be one of your dogs.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

puremutt, mama's cranky this morning. Everyone leaping about, jumping on me, trying to get Tillman's food he won't eat ... Pulling dishes off the counter before I can get them in the sink to wash them ... eating the couch,my brand new vacuum's broke

Even Ambrr's getting on my last nerve.... But yes, my pups still have the upper paw on me And as nutz as they make me, I adore them!

Tillman's wind down clock has begun, not because of his condition, he has actually improved. But after more than six months, he still won't eat. My heart is breaking too, and he is climbing up to kiss me, and it floors me. It's as if he knows, and is trying to tell me something.

[puremutt]

how is it possible? I figured by now he would eat.thinking if there would be something that would make him want to eat, like an herbal supplement,let me check on that for you.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Nope, my standby pot pies and kibble (a kibble or two to at LEAST try to ensure he is getting some canine nutrients ... I gave him an entire pot pie tonight because he ate half oen last night, nope. What he likes today, he doesn't like tomorrow. I have some stir fried I will try. It is PANCREATITUS city here, and if he gets that, that's the end of the road quickly. That's a painful and difficult condition. I wont let him suffer. But all I can feed him is stuff that is bad for him, which he wont eat either. 5 months ago he ate ramon noodles. 4.5 months ago, he stopped. That' sthe way it is here. Every night I try something different. I know allthat is bad for him, but as my doc said, pancreatitus vs.starvation. It's my call.
Nuts. His clock started. And I HATE it! He jumps in my lap now for cuddles when at first he would knock me silly trying to get way from me.
This is the journey we take. This is how it is. I love this guy. His physical condition ha simproved SO MUCH! Ithink the neuro Dx was simply because he is stone deaf and non-responsive and completely unsocialized. But a dog that won't eat is a dead dog. Still trying stuf he should NEVER be given. Because I won't be a party to starvation. He tonight is still climbing in my lap for cuddles. What does one do???? Be ding donged if I know!

[critters]

Frankly, I'd bet he's immune to pancreatitis by now. Charlie ate cat food almost exclusively, and he never got it.

For YOUR sake, I wish that boy would be more consistent.