https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 02 May 2026 03:50:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1981197 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:43:24 +0000 Tanjowen 1981197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like @Mamaof2: advice to ask the vet to be honest. I have had to have 2 pets put down and each time the vets saw how hard of a decision it was and offered very compassionate advice on what they thought. It helps.</p> <p>As for our current pets, we have a $500 limit on tests and the agreement to end suffering if it is cancer or any other disease that will cause a lot of suffering and intervention. So if the ultrasound is within a price range you are comfortable with, I say go for it, but maybe set out parameters on how you will proceed based on what it finds. So sorry you are going through this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1981196 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:42:17 +0000 ladybee 1981196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JMOM: could you find a new vet that has those tests in house? Maybe get a second opinion? I'm so sorry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1981158 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:26:56 +0000 JMOM 1981158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mama Bird: Yes, no ultrasound. That is the next step the vet wants to take but they don't have one in their office so they would have to bring in a special ultrasound tech and machine - hence the high price. They have done 2 x-rays and it didn't show any stones. He thinks there is a small chance it might be bladder cancer, which won't show on an x-ray, but he thinks it is a long shot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980861 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 16:41:30 +0000 Mama Bird 1980861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry you're going through this, and it's so hard to make a decision in this situation...</p> <p>So as far as I understand, she hasn't had an ultrasound? I'm asking because my pup had similar problems with peeing. One day he couldn't pee at all, and an ultrasound showed bladder stones. The surgery was kind of expensive, but it was totally worth it. He recovered very quickly and the problem never came back. It could be something simple like that. He never had the gum swelling though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980849 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 16:27:05 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1980849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsMini: advanced directives for pets! Genius! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980571 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:45:19 +0000 MsMini 1980571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is so hard to know when to draw the line. We have an elderly Newfoundland dog and I know we have a plan in place for if he is to get sick/hurt, we decided to draw up some guidelines so we don't let our emotions get the best of us in an emergency. It is so much more difficult to make those decisions when you are looking at your sick pet. I hope you guys are able to find a decision you are at peace with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980545 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:31:13 +0000 autumnlove 1980545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am so sorry. My parents are going through the same thing with their dog. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980538 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:29:22 +0000 Mamaof2 1980538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JMOM: I would ask the vet "If this was YOUR dog what would you do"?</p> <p>Maybe it will ease your mind with a descision </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980522 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:23:23 +0000 JMOM 1980522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: No, he hasn't said anything about steroids. He wanted to see if the glucosame helped after taking it for a couple days. She hasn't peed in the garage for a couple days, so maybe it is helping, but the swollen gums are new. We were also discussing whether we wanted to move onto ultrasounds and more testing. </p> <p>@Mamaof2: @edelweiss: @Eko: @Mrs. Jacks: @youboots: @tlynne: Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. I just feel bad for her because we can't let her in the house and she loves people. We are also leaving for Christmas and I'm not sure if a kennel would take her like this. We just wish we had a diagnosis but the vet is stumped. We had to put our cat to sleep this summer and my husband says that if we euthanize the dog, I will have to handle it - he can't do it again (but we had a really bad experience with that one). I love the dog, but I have to handle all the walks and clean-ups and pills/shots and it's really causing me a lot of stress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980482 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:11:01 +0000 Synchronicity 1980482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am so sorry! I'm really dreading the day I have to make this decision. As much as it is an emotional thing, I think you really have to look at quality of life. If your dog is going to spend the rest of her life away from her family in the garage, and if you're often going to be frustrated or angry with her because of accidents and that sort of thing, it may be time to let her go. Again, I'm really sorry. It isn't ever easy, no matter what you decide. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980468 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:04:36 +0000 tlynne 1980468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've worked with animals for years (primarily as a vet assistant before DS came along)...and we have a ton of pets right now. BUT...I agree with TheReelDeal...going through the tests means deciding what you will do with the test results. Euthanasia is never an easy decision...and it's always a heart-wrenching...but sometimes it's the best decision. When I've had to assist our vet with euthanasia, I often see the animals getting pain relief and peace that they would have never had again in life. But often, with proper treatment of an illness, these animals surprise us and do quite well. I once had a cat with an extremely rare diagnosis of heart cancer who lived to be 23 (diagnosed at age 10). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980423 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:48:27 +0000 youboots 1980423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JMOM: I'm sorry this is so hard. My dog was a rescue so we are not sure exactly how old he is, but he is about 10. At 6 or so he started showing some problems with his liver in his blood work, we spent hundreds of dollars on testing but I ultimately drew the line when they started talking about the next step being a biopsy and an ultrasound. I come from a farming family, and the amount of care my dog gets is unheard of, farm dogs rarely even see a vet. </p> <p>I'm in the school of thought of just because you can does not mean you should. The amout of medical care available to pets is significant because people are willing to pay for extraordinary measures to extend the life of a pet. I can not tell you what to do. I might set a budget, say $300 or $700 or whatever and let the vet know to do their best and that's what they have to work with. Or I may just let my old sweet boy go. I can't tell you. I'm sorry this is such a difficult time and decision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980405 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:41:25 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1980405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on the treatment for the things you are diagnosing with the expensive tests.</p> <p>For my first Berner, we did an expensive biopsy to discover she had lymphoma. We got a prescription for palliative chemotherapy and she had an amazing life for a full 12 months more. In that case the chemo cost $30 every three months. Totally worth it!</p> <p>With Catch, he was so so sick. We spent thousands on all the testing, but despite the transfusions and all the therapy, he just couldn't recover. In his case the diagnosis was only a few hundred dollars, it was the treatment that cost the most. Poor guy suffered a lot at the end. But with his diagnosis, the small percentage that survive end up going on to have a normal healthy life. He was also only 7.5 years old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980399 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:38:58 +0000 dagret 1980399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My last dog was suspected to have Cushing's, but instead of running the test to definitively confirm, we started treatment (steroids), and decided to go from there. Is that an option that's been presented to you? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980364 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:18:37 +0000 Eko 1980364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @mamaof2. How much quality of life could it really provide her? </p> <p>When our dog got sick we had a frank conversation with our doctor about how much money we could really spend since he got sick 2 months before our wedding. he started peeing all over the house and started throwing up. They ran as much tests as they could and found he had diabetes. He had to be hospitalized for a couple days because his blood sugar was so bad. Then when we took him home we altered his diet and his got insulin injections twice a day. Even despite all of that a couple weeks later he stopped eating and drinking and couldn't stand up, that's when we decided to put him down.</p> <p>We didn't get the testing done to confirm, but we think he had some type of cancer because of how quickly he deteriorated even being on medication to help his blood sugar levels. </p> <p>It is a really tough call and sorry you have to do through with this :heart: But, I would really think about the quality of life and what kind of results would these tests bring. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980347 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:12:12 +0000 edelweiss 1980347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i am very sorry that you're going through this. it's a very personal decision. when my sister was going through something similar, what was really difficult was trusting herself and knowing that she was making decisions out of love, and not feeling guilt over "giving up" on her dog or anything like that. it is very tough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980335 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:07:08 +0000 Mamaof2 1980335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am so sorry you are going thru this :sad: </p> <p>I have thought about this a lot since my dog is almost 14 - </p> <p>If you do the tests and they find something fixable - how much time will it get her? 2 months? 6 months? 1 year?</p> <p>Will it drastically improve her quality of life? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980323 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:03:31 +0000 JMOM 1980323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TheReelDeal: We won't go to extreme measures. We've had family members who had dogs who were blind and needed diapers, we both agree that we won't do that to her. We also can't spend huge amounts of $$ on her. I joke that she costs more than my kids, but there is truth in that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980202 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 11:15:09 +0000 TheReelDeal 1980202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JMOM: If you put her through the test what would your next steps be? Two years ago we had to put our cat to sleep, she was about 14 years old and had a tumor. We knew that we would not do any type of surgery or chemo for the tumor, so while the decision was not "easy", knowing what out intervention limits were helped in the decision process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dog-end-of-life-decisions#post-1980184 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 11:06:45 +0000 JMOM 1980184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our dog is sick. She started peeing in the house a couple weeks ago. I put her on antibiotics, assuming it was a UTI. Then she started throwing up. We ended up having to put her in the garage because we couldn't leave her alone because of all the messes. Now her gums are swelling. I took her to the vet and they don't know what it is. They have run all the normal tests/blood work and have ruled out infection, diabetes, kidney problems and her white/red blood cells are ok. The vet had me start her on yogurt and pumpkin and glucosame because her tests say she has some inflammation and a lot of gas. She is probably 9-10 years old and has a lot of issues (she takes thyroid pills 2X/day, allergy shots every 10 days, etc.). She is a purebred and the vet says her breed typically doesn't live beyond 11-12. </p> <p>The next step would be very expensive tests. We are torn between wanting to fix what is wrong or thinking that it will just go downhill from here. We can't bring her in the house until we get the peeing thing figured out. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, but when I take her for long walks she spends all her time trying to pee and can't. We are trying to decide if we should put her to sleep or go ahead with the tests. What would you do? </p>