Posted on 12/06/2010 4:16:26 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Several weeks ago, my 14-year-old lab/chow mix, Wally, began making loud coughing/choking noises every half hour or so, for no readily apparent reason. The second day of his doing this, we took him in to the vet, and -- after x-rays and ultrasound -- he was diagnosed with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy). What this means is that Wally's heart had enlarged to the point where it now presses (with increasing frequency) against his esophagus, making it steadily more difficult for him to breathe. (Hence, the bouts of choking/coughing).
The vet prescribed various medicines for Wally -- Tussigon (cough suppressant); Furosemide (diuretic); and Enalapril (lowers blood pressure) -- but the condition is an incurable one, and they are, primarily, to ease his discomfort. The prognosis, given his relatively advanced age, is that he might conceivably (although not likely) live as long as another four to six months; or possibly start to suffer strokes and/or heart attacks within the next month or so. This afternoon, Wally's vet gently advised me that I might want to start thinking about the possibility of euthanasia, should that latter scenario begin to seem the likelier of the two.
I've never had to deal with the possibility of having my own dog -- whom I adopted from the animal shelter when he was a mere two weeks old, give or take -- put to sleep. (I'm not even altogether certain I actually could do such a thing, although I absolutely do NOT want him to suffer, should it ultimately come to that!)
Has anyone else here ever dealt with this situation (dilated cardiomyopathy, I mean) in one of their pets... or any sort of canine consumptive heart failure, for that matter? Should I be holding to the hope that he'll simply expire peacefully in his sleep, when the time comes; or am I going to have to do what I LEAST want to do, and have him preemptively put to sleep, in order to spare him what might end up being terrible pain?
I hope this has all made sense; I'm feeling horribly dazed and numb, right now. Any advice or counsel from fellow FReepers who've been there themselves would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.
My sympathies to you and your family, Kent. I know how hard this is.
Doggie years = 98, you took good care of him, its time. Ours lived to 15, he was black too, and his muzzel never turned white. He looked like 5 but was 3x that. Sad, we miss him, wish he could live as long as us, but big dogs who live till 14 -15 have given you a gift of a couple of extra years.
I kept my lovely dog Bean alive five months longer than he should have been for me, not for him. He had kidney failure. We paid a fortune to keep him alive because I could not face living without him. In the end we had to put him to sleep anyway. I may have had him for five more months but he did not have the life he deserved. I would not do it again to an animal I love. It has been five years and I still miss him.
You are going to have to do what you think is best for your lovely dog. It’ll be hard and you will cry, but that is okay.
I am very sorry to hear about your dog. Good blog entry here on when it is time to put your dog down.
http://blacksheepcardigans.com/ruff/general/when-do-you-know-its-time-to-put-a-dog-down/
I've also had to put a dog out of its misery the old fashioned country way (use your imagination). I don't envy you, but it's not fair to the dog to let it suffer, and it sounds like it's suffering. The vet sees a LOT of dogs, and gets a pretty good buck for his advice. I believe I'd take it and not let your dog suffer. Everybody loses a dog, and it's never easy. Just be happy that you've got some great memories.
I hope the above helps. God bless you.
I have replied, musicman, and I told Kent about the flea med/flea killer that I told you about in October. Our old Pug now runs up and down the stairs and acts like he did 10 years ago. It’s amazing. He was literally on his death bed, or so I thought.
Trust me from someone who has had to deal with a situation such as yours on several occasions.. It is much easier and more compasionate to go with your beloved pet to the vet and have him put down while you are there with him. Dealing with a heart failure at home could drag out for 12 hours before he succombs, and that my dear fried is a very hopeless feeling.Being euthanized by your vet is painless and quite quick to happen and I am sure the vet will be more than willing to take care of any final wishes including cremation if you so wish.Trust me, it is much easier than staying up all night with a pet having a cardiac arrest.
Dogs are the must unconditional loving pet. They want nothing but attention and give nothing but love.
Our lab/chow is dying of a liver ailment......and doesn't have much time, so I can sympathize with you. It will be the hardest thing I have done since it's the child's dog.
She brought him in when she was 4 and he was 6 weeks, and now she is 19.
It will be hard. It will hurt. Just be thankful you had his companionship and love.
If you are rural, see if any of the large animal vets will come to your place to take care of cardiotoxin. At least that way his surroundings are familiar.
If he stops eating, that's when he's no longer comfortable.
"Lord Give me the strength to be half the person my dog thinks I am"
God Bless
I've seen several people spend thousands on their pets and they still died within a few months. Many were miserable for the entire time.
When we did decide to have them put to sleep I couldn't bear the though of them not having somebody they loved with them at the time. I went in the room where the vets administered the shots. I wouldn't do it again for all the money in the world but would regret not doing it forever.
My dogs are with Jesus now and not in pain anymore.
Prayers go out to you and your family.
From Experience, I am a loss for words during times like this. I’ll send a prayer.
I will add that my son was only 6 months old at the time, and I remember praying the Sampson’s phone call would be the worst that I would ever have to make to my folks. Sampson was my baby before I had my baby, but time does ease the pain. It doesn’t take it away, hell I still miss him on warm fall evenings on the front porch! My parents waited too long for their Irish Setter, and they felt terrible for this. Don’t do that to your buddy.
Yes, I have, Kent. My 15 year old female Dalmatian Emma had this condition at the very end of her life (early this year). Yes, we tried some medication but it did not really help the situation and after two months I had to have her euthanized.
I got her in Tacoma from a breeder (I now live in Las Vegas) when she was eight weeks old and she lived for 15 good years. You can’t do better for good dog than that, I think.
That’s what you should take with you...when that time comes that you know that you need to do that as well.
Him dying in his sleep without you having to come to face with the horror of ending your dogs life is easiest for you.
But will it be easiest for him?
I just had to put down my 15 year old Lab. He had a brain tumor and was suffering seizures and was in a lot of pain.
I wasn't ready to do what I had to do, but he was ready to lay his burden down.
He cannot make that choice for himself. YOU have to be the strong one.
Prayers to you my FRiend.
I’m very sorry to hear about your buddy. 14 years is a good life for a dog, especially a lab. I’ve had to put 2 dogs down. It’s not easy. The previous dog I had before the one I have now was on the operating table when the vet called me to tell me he was full of stomach cancer. I told her to put him down while he was already asleep. I went to the vet to bring him (Rudy) home to bury when one of the vet techs suggested a little black and brown hound that needed a home. So I brought the little hound (Tootie) home with me and Rudy. I had a burial service for Rudy with all of the neighbor dogs and then we went back to my garage for treats. BTW Tootie never leaves my side.
I am so sorry you are having to face this. It is one of the toughest situations you will grapple with in this life. Twice,in the last twelve years, I have had to make decisions to put my beloved golden retrievers to sleep, to end their suffering.
In both cases, I asked myself the question: am I keeping them alive for me or for them, even though they were in pain.
I had to send them on to be in God’s hands.
If the condition is indeed untreatable and causes him to suffer, I would opt to put him down before it gets to the point of emergency. I had to go through that with one dog who we trying to get to the vet and died as we were putting her in the car. It was extremely traumatic. She was being treated and took a turn for the worse in a matter of hours. I have never gotten over it.
Labs are fabulous dogs.
Please don’t take this reply as cold hearted because I’ve gone through your pain.
Cost of vet bills
cost of mercy
Mercy always wins!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.