He's gone downhill again....

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GinaB

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Poor Windsor has gone very downhill in the past week since I saw him last Sunday. Lost a lot of weight and can't walk the length of himself. He keeps wetting himself without realising. He is still very happy in himself eating and dandering about (at a slow pace) and when I can in today as soon as he saw me he perked up and starting trotting about and wagging his tail. He munched up the treats I'd brought him.

Thing is, part of me thinks it may be kinder to have him PTS at the minute he doesn't have a great quality of life, but then again maybe it's just a wee phase? But he's not my dog to decide. Mark said today he couldn't have him PTS.

It's breaking my heart but I can't do anything.
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A horrible situation you find yourself in but doesn't Mark realise how cruel he is being to this dog? He is not doing it any favours, he is being a chicken and that is so sad for the poor dog. I wish I could give Mark a piece of my mind and a thrashing or make him have the same symptoms, he might not be so callous then! I'm really sorry for you but more so for the dog!
 
You have to understand he has had this dog for 12 years. It's not the easiest of decisions to make when it's been your best friend and working dog. They are inseperable.
 
Windsor, the 12 year old lab an old retired gundog with bad hips, arthiritis and also stone deaf? Mark will need to be brave and do what is right for the dog, all you can do is support him. The fact the Windsor is his best friend and working dog only means that Mark owes it to the dog to put welbeing over his own feelings. Sorry but if the dog has no quality of life and is in constant pain the kindest thing would be to PTS.
 
I know, there's nothing worse than having to make the decision; I've had to and many more on here have had to but if the dog is such a good mate to him then surely he wants the best for him? That would only be right.
Does he think by ignoring his symptoms , they will go away? Why oh why does he not take it to the vet who might, just might be able to either give the dog something to help or give Mark a good talking to and make him face facts? To let the poor dog just hang on because he can't face reality is nothing worse than cruelty which is probably the last thing he actually intends.
 
Do you not think I'm upset enough without people being so damn harsh about it?
Of course he's taken him to the vets! At no point in my post did I say that he's in pain.
 
Gina, don't think I was being harsh, just stating facts. It's not your dog, so its not your decision - All you can do is support Mark at this difficult time.

Your previous post regarding this dog have clearly stated that the dog was in pain, but fabulous if its pain is being controlled then that will at least buy Mark sometime to come to terms with his dogs illness. The fact that Windsor has lost a lot of weight in 1 week and now can't walk the length of himself & keeps wetting himself doesn't look promising. Maybe Mark needs to discuss this with a vet (I never suggested veterinary advise would not be sort).

At the end of the day pet owners owe it to their pets to put their comfort/welfare over their own feelings. I don't mean to sound heartless, or add to your grieve as know what a hard decision it is to make.
 
It wasn't what you said, more MF statement of 'giving him a good thrashing and a piece of her mind'. How am I finding that helpful?

Yes, he was in pain from the arthiritis in his hips, he has been on pain relief for this for a while. I think the vet wants to assess him over the next while as the last time it happened he really came back to his normal self again. I think they're hoping it'll happen again and that he'll be fine.
 
I know you're upset about peoples comments but from the outside looking in and without having all the facts it's hard to understand why someone would keep a dog lingering on when he has no quality of life and most dog lovers get a bit spiky when they think a dog is being kept going only for the owners benefit. I had my boy pts sleep last week when he was still wagging his tail and wanting to play which was the hardest and saddest thing I've ever had to do but I have no regrets as I wanted his last memories to be happy ones.
 
GinaB, I'm sorry if you didn't like the comment about giving Mark a thrashing but what do you expect us to do or say when it is obvious that the poor dog is suffering through no fault of his own but of his owner? I couldn't be two faced and go and give Mark a hug, he's not the one that needs it, the poor dog does!

If you didn't want reactions like mine, especially when the dog has been known to have been in pain/ill before then why post something like this on an animal lovers' forum? It would almost have been better to keep it to yourself as you don't seem to be able to do anything about the situation anyway although this isn't your fault in the slightest, you just happen to be involved? In my first answer I did say I felt sorry for you, it was a horrid situation to be in did I not?

I am the first to admit I have a poor way with words but I was trying to get the point across how serious this is for the dog and that Mark is being blind to his responsibilities as a pet owner.
It is the hardest thing in the world to have to do but it's time he put his dog's welfare before his own selfishness, I'm sorry that I don't know another pretty way to say this but I'll say no more on the subject now.
 
It was an update on the dog, not a chance for people to have a go at me. I know deep down that if he was mine and I'd spoken that I would more than likely make the decision to have the poor boy PTS, but I think they are hoping if they give him some time, he might begin to improve. If not, then the situation will be reviewed. Don't worry I won't bother updating again.
 
When you take on a puppy or a dog, you know that at some stage it is likely you are going to have to make the decision to have the dog pts. I am sorry to say that keeping a dog alive in that state is not kind, it is an act of selfishness. Yes, it is a phase he is going through - it is called old age and ill health, and it won't go away. Sorry to be blunt, but I would not let a dog of mine get into that state. Nobody on the planet was more attached to our Wurzel than my OH, he shed many tears as the vet euthanased her and as he buried her, and he still sees her in her bed out of the corner of his eye. Losing a dog is very sad, but keeping an ill one alive is tragic.
 
Gina,
You say his pain is being managed so he isn't in pain. He's eating and drinking and getting about, albeit slowly. So what's the rush to pts. Just because a dog isn't frisking about like a pup doesn't mean he doesn't have any quality of life. I have a Catahoula x Australian Shepherd X lab that is 14. Katy is a little stiff on cold mornings, has to be let out a little more often and is deaf but she eats with gusto, interacts with the other dogs and enjoys her naps in the sun. I try to manage things to make them easy for her, keep her nails trimmed to improve her traction, don't let the younger dogs pester her and she has several nice cushy dog beds around the house for when she wants a nap and can no longer get on the sofa or bed. So as long as his pain is being managed and he's eating and drinking, let him go on. You can manage his incontinence with doggie diapers. They do make them and its not that hard.
 
I think this dog has gone past the ' a little bit stiff in the morning' stage by the sounds of it as the poster says he can't walk the length of himself. And as for DOGGY DIAPERS! If incontinence was the only thing wrong then maybe, just maybe, this would be a solution but I think we look at our pets in a different way over here and prefer to let our dogs go with dignity intact.
 
My beloved GSD leaked urine for the last months of her life, with hindsight probably due to a tumour. Luckily it didn't bother her. I would never have considered diapers, we just took up the carpet and had a mop and bucket always handy!
 
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