when to PTS?

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alison247

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Our Yorkie is 16.4 years.
She has cataracts on both eyes but is not totally blind.
Loss of hearing but hears loud bangs, hand clapping etc.
still enjoys a weekly 20 minute walk but on the lead as can't see or hear where we are walking.
Is always very hungry but is very skinny. spine protuding, doesn't find it comfortable to be picked up or sit on our laps anymore.
Has been wetting in the house for last six months and has now started to soil in the house although not in her bed.
Vet has said once she is lying in her own body fluids is the time :(
Today she was left for 6 hours which is highly unusual normally the longest she is left is 3/4 hours.
There was four poos some of which had bright red blood at the end of the passing.
Not long after she fell on her back and convulsed, hitting her head on the door frame.
I wanted to call out the vet but my family insisted on seeing how she is in the morning :(
Then she was fed cheese,ham and raw egg to prove she was happy and hungry.
My family do not want to accept that she is probably suffering and it is cruel for her to carry on.
Apparently I am the one who is cruel to want her PTS.
I have always been of the opinion that once a dog becomes incontinent which in her case was six months ago it was time to say good bye.
All my family keep saying to me is that it has to be a family decision and they think she is ok to carry on. If she was human we wouldn't have the option to pts and I am heartless:(
 
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I don't think you're being the cruel one here and I agree she should probably have been given sleep some time ago.
Maybe write down everything that has happened or show them what you have written in this thread, tell them to forget that it is 'their dog' and imagine what they would think if it was someone else's dog. Sometimes it's hard to be objective.
 
The time was probably a few weeks ago. Send the poor wee girl off to heaven, and when you've done it, then advise your family as to what you've done. In short, remove the committee aspect of the decision.

Alec.
 
You are not being the cruel one, you seem to be the only one who has the little dogs best interests at heart. I hope you can persuade your family that the kindest thing to do is to put her to sleep now.
 
I agree with all of the others but put the boot on the other foot and ask what your dog must be feeling to be incontinent now when she was always so clean; she knows it's wrong but she can't help herself which is enough to make anyone feel miserable if she's always waiting to be told off for something she can't help; how would your family feel if it was them that was happening to?
 
Very sorry to hear about your old girl and I totally agree that now is the time for her. I know this sounds awful but if she were mine I would have her put down and tell them she died in her sleep. If you don't want to do this then its time to get tough with your family, tell them the vet says she has no quality of life left and they are being unkind to her. Good luck, I think you will have to be prepared to be "the bad guy" at home for a while.
 
How very sad :( I too would have her put down and either be brutally honest with them, or tell them she just died. I couldn't bear to see her suffer any longer xx
 
i agree with the others....i think she should already have been pts..... :(


to me shes suffering and if it were mine id be taking her today to be pts. sorry.
 
Poor alison247. Caught between two stools. On the one side, her family, and on the other, the unanimous response of everyone on here that the tipping point was some while ago, and that continuing with keeping the poor little thing alive, is both neglectful and cruel. Were the case not receiving veterinary "support" (:rolleyes3:), then it would be prosecutable. Distasteful though that may sound, it's fact.

When I was a boy, some 50+ years ago, keeping such a dog alive, and in a suffering state, with no hope of recovery, would have been unthinkable. No Vet then would have countenanced such a thing, but then in those days Vets didn't have the number of insurance claims to wring out.

Alison, for your vet to give you such advice is clearly very wrong. This ISN'T an attack on you, as I understand your dilemma, BUT you do have a duty of care, and it's currently one which is being neglected, by the sounds of things.

Alec.
 
Please take your dog to the vets and have her put to sleep...your family obviously dont want to go through the emotions of losing a loved one...i had my 15 and half yr old girl PTS yesterday, not at all easy but it is quality of life, not length..She was barely eating, skin and bone (wasted v quickly in last 2 weeks) and didnt want to go for walks anymore. it is kinder, follow your head and heart, you are doing the right thing, you dont want to feel guilty for her suffering longer than necessary.
 
I feel for you as i to have an elderly dog and will have to make the same decision as you at some point
Flash leaks sometimes when he is sleeping [i just wash his bedding]
Flash eats well also and is alittle deaf, when it suits him.
his eyesight is not as good as it used to be
2 years ago he had a sort of stroke he has recovered from this well and has a quality of life,he poddles around the garden with his friend who will be 15 in may and will still play ball.
Quality of life is key, if i thought for a minute that either of them had no quality of life i would show them the final act of kindness by putting them down
Hard for me to do but i would know that i was doing it for the right reason
 
Thank you all.
I can not PTS and say she died in her sleep as my Husband and I both work from home.
She seems fine today, no accidents and went outside a few times however she has not eaten today but drank lots!
Vet is coming to do my horses injections on Friday and to see our Yorkie.
I hope she reaffirms my thoughts to my husband.
I will not be present as not to influence and will await her verdict outside.
My husband is not speaking to me :(
 
I do feel for you Alison, I fell out with a friend a few years ago who wouldnt make that decision, its horrible watching a dog struggling in this way, I hope your vet agrees with you and the right decision is made.
 
It's the hardest decision in the world to make, I can understand why your family are struggling and trying to see her future as a positive one, though from what you've said I agree with you and think that the kindest thing would be to send her to sleep. Better to put her to sleep while she's still fairly happy and finding interest in things, than to wait until she's miserable and 'lost' when her sight and hearing finally goes. She has reached a very, very good age. We lost our Yorkie recently, they are such lovely dogs and it is heartbreaking, but we have to do what is best for them. Good luck with the vets on Friday, will be thinking of you xx
 
Better a month too early than a day too late...I had a friend who was desperate to hang on to her dog, at any cost, until I pointed out to her how much the dog was truly struggling. She asked me to go with her to the vets to have her dog pts, and although it was a very hard thing to do, I did it for the dogs sake. Afterwards, the owner thanked me, she really hadn't stepped back from the situation to see the suffering her poor dog was going through. I thought it took a lot of courage on her part to actually realise the situation and take the proper action...I hope your family will do the same very soon.
 
Not a nice position for you to be in.

My dad refused to have our old JRT PTS (which was a surprise, as he's a farmer's son). Our dog was 21 and although he didn't go downhill as such, he had what I think was a stroke on a Tuesday. I heard that he wasn't well, but didn't live at home and didn't realise how serious it was. I suggested PTS but as above my dad wouldn't hear of it. Poor soul soldiered on until saturday. I had a call at work from my distraught mum, the dog was drifting in and out of consciousness and yelping - I could hear him in the background. I packed up work, drove round, called the vet and took him straight there to be PTS, I brooked no argument, there was no choice imo. I'm still surprised that I had to do this (as my parents are normally very sensible) and also surprised that I could do it without even thinking twice. My dad still doesn't know - as far as he's concerned, the dog died in his sleep.

Could you call the vet and explain? Perhaps they could come to you on short notice when your husband is out - send him shopping or something. I ultimately think this is not about the finer feelings of your family, but about the rights of the dog.
 
Vet coming to do horses flu jabs tomorrow and have a look at yorkie. I have filled her in and told husband I will not be present then he will listen to vets advice without my input.
I TRUST the vet will advice PTS although she has started to eat again and no more blood!
Will update tomorrow.
 
The vet has been,
I went up the yard whilst she examined Yorkie with husband.
I then went back in house when they called me.
Vet says her kidneys are failing and has given her some tablets to open up her blood vessels.
Review in two weeks :(
 
Poor you, a horrid postion to be in. My hubby and I recently had our IWS pts. We couldnt agree on the decision and it caused quite a lot of agro between us. He was 11 but had started to become incontinent and lose control of his back end. I thought the time was right to do the deed, hubby thought I was being premature. In the end I turned all the old boys care over to hubby, left all the mess for him to clear up, made him sleep downstairs with him when he couldnt manage the stairs (our dogs all sleep with us) and left him to deal with the repurcussions of the incontinence and falling over. After 3 days of this he came to realise I was right, the dogs quality of life had gone and keeping him alive was the wrong thing to do. Can you try this with your OH, might make him realise the little dog is suffering more than he likes to think. In the meantime I do hope the tablets help.
 
alison247 said:
The vet has been,
I went up the yard whilst she examined Yorkie with husband.
I then went back in house when they called me.
Vet says her kidneys are failing and has given her some tablets to open up her blood vessels.
Review in two weeks :(
Click to expand...

I would change your vet :( The poor dog is the one suffering in all this, I really feel for you as you seem to be in an impossible position :( Although if it were me I must admit I would just take the poor dog to the vets and cope with the consequences, I know it is not that easy for others :(
 
Was the vet aware that the dog had a fit? I agree with Levrier I would change your vet, or just take the dog to the vets and ask for her to be pts, surely your OH can see that her quality of life is poor now. Perhaps show him this thread.
 
Thank you for all your messages!
Yes the vet was told by me that she has had three convulsions since Xmas.
Also I have NEVER cleaned up after any of our dogs or kids come to that as I don't DO sick or poo cos I retch!!!
Hubby has always fed them (dogs not kids) and cleaned up after them.
 
Your not cruel they are. She should of been PTS weeks ago

The only reason they are not is for there selfish reasons they want her alive as they love her

The animal is clearly suffering

If she was mine I'd pick her up when no one noticed and take her to be PTS ASAP.

What a horrible situation for you to be in.

Good luck
 
Agree with Daytona, just take her and get it done, bring her back and say she died in her sleep. Selfish people, if you can't bare to lose then don't get a pet - ever because they depend on you to do the right thing when the time comes and this poor girl is well past that time.
 
She will be in pain with failing kidneys, do the kindest thing for HER and take her to be pts, rabbit heaven is where my old girl went last monday and i feel much happier knowing she isnt suffering any longer, nor do i feel guilty.....
 
I feel so sorry for you, it is a horrible decision which is just being drawn out for much longer than it really should be, by a stubborn husband and a vet determined to keep your little one alive at any cost. 16 is a grand age, I'dl be very proud if my Yorkie reaches that age.
 
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