I've known this was coming, but I'm still not ready. My dog is 14 this month, and that's really old for a golden retriever. She is almost completely deaf now, and she has difficulty getting up - we can see how much it hurts, and now she has started dropping poop as she walks because she can no longer squat down to do it. She is now doing it without realizing it, even in the house. This is usually the first sign because it means she's not able to properly get all the bowel movements out anymore.
Does anyone know about how long we have before we will have to make some decision? I was really, really hoping she'd be one that got to 15 or 16 and until this, I was hopeful.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I'm so very sorry. Our oldest will be 18 (terrier/Chihuahua mix?). Mostly blind & deaf, and she limps, but she's still eating & able to make it up & down the steps to the back yard.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
if she's in pain now, you need to do something now--she's suffering--think of her, not of losing her--in health, there's no way you'd hurt her intentionally--it's near the end of her life and she's hurting--be merciful
have had two goldens ourselves--both wonderful, both extremely loyal--we had to put each of them down eventually--in many ways, they were finer beings than most of the people we know--we were lucky to have known them
am sorry for her and for you
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" the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. "--edmund burke
if she's in pain now, you need to do something now--she's suffering--think of her, not of losing her--in health, there's no way you'd hurt her intentionally--it's near the end of her life and she's hurting--be merciful
have had two goldens ourselves--both wonderful, both extremely loyal--we had to put each of them down eventually--in many ways, they were finer beings than most of the people we know--we were lucky to have known them
am sorry for her and for you
We give her stuff for the pain, and she still happily interacts with us. I just know it's coming soon. I will not wait too long, though - I'm not going to watch her turn into nothing but suffering.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I feel for you, LL. We haven't had to make that decision since we lost our first cat, Stanislawa.
In your heart, you'll know when it's time.
(Some animals perk up during Spring and Summer, and take a turn for the worse, when the weather turns cold again. It sounds like she still has some time.) Just my best guess.
enjoy her now, watch her for signs and then when it is time, know she trusts you unconditionally to do what is best for her. Though often what is best for them, is painful for us, they trust us...
((((HUGS)))))) we have had to make that decision and it is hard, but know we are all with you in heart.
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~~Four Wheels Move the Body~~ ~~ Two Wheels Move the Soul~~
