What's the best way to help an elderly dog?

Q: I am a dog lover, but never owned one. Today I write about my son's elderly dog.

[Professor Chaos]

I'm sorry to say this, and it is going to be one of the hardest things you're going to have to do in your whole life, but when a dog can no longer go outside, do its buisness, and come back in without the benefit of aid it's time to put your friend down. The harnesses and other items ment to assist are fine to help your dog recoup from an injury, but think twice about using them as geriatric aids. Consider this. A geriatric dog may not be in pain, but if you are considering the need for a canine nursing home (which is cruel if you really consider it, nothing worse you can do to a dog at any age then tear it away from its friends) it means that the end of life is near. Do not wait for your dog to be in pain before you decide to send them on their way. Trust me, after the pain starts you'll STILL be reluctant to do what must be done.

We've been in your situation before.
Very sorry.

[WhiskeyNose]

Put a bullet in his head and yours.

[Proff Louie alternator]

You should make an appointment with a vet, or tie a bandanna across the dogs eyes and have a good freind pull that trigger.
Have a good stiff drink and go on with your life...

[Hardest part of ownership]

Friend of mine had an older dog with similar issues. Called all the "human" organizations and they all turned their backs on him. Vets would only perform tests and for a hefty price. Had this been a dog found along the side of the road people would have come running to help ease its misery. Hard as it was for him to do, in the end, the guy had no other option than to take the dog for one last walk into the woods. He said the dog appeared to know what was coming. Very sad.

Tried, true, inexpensive, old fashioned treatment for cats choking on fur balls: give the cat a small pat of butter. They seem to instinctively know it'll help them.

[Hardest part of ownership]

Sorry, a sprained arm led me to the following typo: human=humane

[Sound Reasoning]

There aren't nursing homes for dogs. There aren't even kennels since most of them don't want to deal with the extra attention an older dog needs.

There are diapers for dogs. I got mine from eBay. They are really a reusable/washable cloth and Velcro thing, into which one inserts a disposable human/adult incontinence pad. It worked quite well, and saved my carpets.

[SHIETY MORNING CALL]

WhiskeyNose wrote:

Put a bullet in his head and yours.

i feel the same way about you and your mom.

[Obama]

Yeah, put the old thing out of its misery.

[SHIETY MORNING CALL]

WhiskeyNose wrote:

<quoted text>
Ask your mom who yoour "daddi" is!!! He he he...Are you still "shietting" in your pants!?? I think doggie licks your carrott and he use to lick mommies.

now, now, rose blossom nose, we all know you got that nose from watching old yeller die when you were a kid.

[YoYo]

If the dog has no quality of life, it is time to put the dog down.

[Pachacutec]

Professor Chaos wrote:

I'm sorry to say this, and it is going to be one of the hardest things you're going to have to do in your whole life, but when a dog can no longer go outside, do its buisness, and come back in without the benefit of aid it's time to put your friend down. The harnesses and other items ment to assist are fine to help your dog recoup from an injury, but think twice about using them as geriatric aids. Consider this. A geriatric dog may not be in pain, but if you are considering the need for a canine nursing home (which is cruel if you really consider it, nothing worse you can do to a dog at any age then tear it away from its friends) it means that the end of life is near. Do not wait for your dog to be in pain before you decide to send them on their way. Trust me, after the pain starts you'll STILL be reluctant to do what must be done.
We've been in your situation before.
Very sorry.

You're right on all counts. I've been a pet owner all my life (and I'm over 55); having to "make the decision" is the worst part of pet ownership. Even if these people buy special harnesses, etc., to help the dog move around, the fact remains that arthritis is a painful disease and while the "gadgets" can make it a bit easier for the dog to get about, they don't get rid of the pain. Too, if the dog is incontinent, it could have a whole other set of physical problems. Lengthy medical tests and treatments for elderly animals can be very stressful, almost as bad as the ailment the owner and vet are trying to treat. I would say that the vet and the dogs' owner should sit down and have a talk about the dogs' prognosis; if there's little or nothing that can really be done to allieviate the dogs' problems, then the kindest thing to do would be to have it put down.

[SHIETY MORNING CALL]

WhiskeyNose wrote:

<quoted text>
In reality, the nose problem developed from your mama's sexual preferences of which
I obliged her; thus, shortly thereafter Shiety, this is how you came to be. Now say "thank-u daddi".

you may think sniffing someone's butt is how children are made, but you are mistaken; you've been watching too many dogs do that.

[Eeyore]

My doxy had kidney cancer, her first and only symptom was incontinence. She was prescribed meds to help with the incontinence and we put in a doggie door so she could go out whenever she needed. She lived another 18 months, chasing and bossing around our other dog. Once she was in pain and her didn't take joy in eating, we knew it was time to let her go.

My mom's dog was just diagnosed with Cushing's disease, once again the main symptom was increased thirst and incontinence, the only other symptom he has is hair loss (on his tail). There are meds to ease the symptoms, and the vet has told my mom that her dog can live years with the disease. He's as happy and active as he ever was (he's 12).

There are diapers for dogs, doggie doors are also an option. Ramps are also a great help.

[Pachacutec]

Eeyore wrote:

My doxy had kidney cancer, her first and only symptom was incontinence. She was prescribed meds to help with the incontinence and we put in a doggie door so she could go out whenever she needed. She lived another 18 months, chasing and bossing around our other dog. Once she was in pain and her didn't take joy in eating, we knew it was time to let her go.
My mom's dog was just diagnosed with Cushing's disease, once again the main symptom was increased thirst and incontinence, the only other symptom he has is hair loss (on his tail). There are meds to ease the symptoms, and the vet has told my mom that her dog can live years with the disease. He's as happy and active as he ever was (he's 12).
There are diapers for dogs, doggie doors are also an option. Ramps are also a great help.

It's good that your dog and your Moms' dog were able to get some help. That's why I said the owner of this dog should sit down with the vet and get a prognosis of what will happen. If the dog CAN be helped to a reasonable degree and still have a good quality of life, that's one thing. But I've known people who've let their poor pets drag on and on,using one apparently ineffective treatment after another, and it was heartbreaking to see the animals struggling to survive.

[Eeyore]

Pachacutec wrote:

<quoted text> It's good that your dog and your Moms' dog were able to get some help. That's why I said the owner of this dog should sit down with the vet and get a prognosis of what will happen. If the dog CAN be helped to a reasonable degree and still have a good quality of life, that's one thing. But I've known people who've let their poor pets drag on and on,using one apparently ineffective treatment after another, and it was heartbreaking to see the animals struggling to survive.

I don't disagree, but according to her letter trouble with stairs and incontinence and NO distress is not enough for me to be saying goodbye. I agree a talk with the vet is a good idea, but until I'd see the dog's quality of life wane, I'd wait. I pick a couple indicators that allow me to know if it's time for my pets, it's usually eating and excitement for us when we come home. Once there's no joy in those things, it is an indicator for me that it is time to say goodbye.

It is the hardest decision I've ever had to make (made it twice so far) and I always "knew".