It's just a dog.

[old goat]

Our 15 year old, 15 pound cockapoo is deaf, partially blind, very weak in the hind legs, and demented--she doesn't seem to know what she wants, what she came into a room for, etc. (Like me) Pisses in the house about once a day, but we keep a pretty close eye on her and take her out periodically. She doesn't seem to be in any pain. We have to carry her up stairs or to put her on the bed. Sometimes she falls off things. As I posted in another thread she fell down a flight of hard wood stairs from the top--halfway down she landed on her feet running and made it to the bottom without missing a step, moving her feet faster than I'd ever seen her.

So physically there's no reason to euthanize her. I just wonder how the combination of sensory loss and dementia feels to her. I could see her accepting it the way dogs seem to accept everything that happens to them and not being in any mental distress. Or I could see the situation being very distressing for her. Who knows what's in a dog's mind. The only thing that bothers her is being left alone. When I come home after being gone a while I find her standing in the living room looking towards the front door and softly crying. (She used to be a very vocal dog--barking at strangers and other dogs, howling when she wanted something, growling when her water dish was empty. She's stopped doing all that--there's just the crying.) When we are home she sticks to us like glue.

I guess we'll just keep rubbing her cheeks and ears, letting her clean our plates, giving her treats, and keep giving her the canned food we just switched her to, which she appreciates.

[MontuckyFried]

That's rough to see for sure, OG. Sounds like you guys are amazing dog owners though. The old gal has definitely had a good run for sure.

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[old goat]

Looks like we won't have a decision to make. She stopped eating yesterday and then fairly abruptly last evening she couldn't stand. This morning she's unresponsive with occasional small seizures (?). We'll let nature take its course. Glad we won't have to take her to the vet. She's terrified of the vet.

[dan_pdx]

I'm sorry to hear that OG. It sounds like she had a good life with you right to the end. Godspeed to your girl.

[Supermoon]

Vibes OG. That's got to be tough to watch happen

[riser4]

Vibes OG.

[bodywhomper]

Sry, OG

[old goat]

She made it tough by perking up some today. Had to drive down to the Sacto SPCA to find someone to euthanize her. They gave us the senior discount though. She was a good dog.
Losing her wasn't as hard as seeing how diminished she was in her last couple of years. (Or maybe it's me I'm feeling sorry for.)

[Mustonen]

Sorry OG. +++

[mcski]

From another cockapoo owner, vibes to you OG. And that’s an impressive jump! Mine hates the H2O

[riser4]

Fuck. Sorry OG. My toy poodle just turned 13. He's definitely acting like an old man. Crotchety. Isn't supposed to jump because of a bum knee. Still does get up on his claimed chair and back down out of pure obstinance, but you can see him limp hard after. The cataracts are slowly clouding his vision. He lounges a lot. But still goes bonkers if he hears the word walk or sees his leash in your hand. He will walk further than he should so we have to set an early turn around point. He gets pretty steamed when we head home. He's got time left, but how long? Nobody knows.

[old goat]

Cleo was a stereotypical yapper, until she went deaf about a year ago and stopped barking. Sometimes she would bark to be let back into the house. Sometimes she just waited. She even stopped barking when strangers came in the house.
She blew out ligaments in both knees jumping but after they were repaired she kept right on jumping. We didn't let her jump off the rocks any more and I stopped throwing snowballs as far (which probably has more to do with my shoulder). But we couldn't stop her, until her hind legs got too weak.
I'd see people on nearby docks trying to get their young labs to retrieve in the water and not liking it. I made sure they saw Cleo doing her lab imitation.

[liv2ski]

I am sorry OG, that is a long history with a good friend or if Cleo was like my two, your best friend. That hurts. Take care.

[::: :::]

Rip Cleo

[old goat]

Rip Cleo

Wherever she is I doubt she's resting.
Thanks all of you for the vibes.

We used to have Irish setters. I took one of them to the city animal shelter to be disposed of after she died at home. There was a guy there giving up his little white dog to be euthanized and as the attendant carried her away the dog looked back over his shoulder at the owner and the owner back at the dog, with looks I can't get out of my mind over 30 years later. I'm glad the vets and the SPCA will put them to sleep with a shot while you hold them nowadays.

[liv2ski]

The problem with the SPCA is they give one shot that likely stops the heart, not two with the first shot putting them to sleep.
Most traumatic thing that I will never forget. Now I pay to have a vet come to the house.

[concretejungle]

Now I pay to have a vet come to the house.

I have done this twice now. Once for a dog and once for a cat. It is the best money I spent on them. Our previous cat was put down at the vet. They did a great job but driving thirty minutes when she was dying was a horrible experience that I don’t want to relive.

[old goat]

The problem with the SPCA is they give one shot that likely stops the heart, not two with the first shot putting them to sleep.
Most traumatic thing that I will never forget. Now I pay to have a vet come to the house.

Every one is different. Cleo got a poke in the butt and drifted off to unconsciousness. They took her into another room to finish. Our cocker was put down at a private vet--same procedure with the first shot. Then they gave her the second shot while we held her. Both times were calm and peaceful.

[liv2ski]

I am happy your experience was night and day from mine OG. Mine will haunt me forever.

[bendtheski]

Sorry for your loss OG


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[MontuckyFried]

Sorry about losing your pup, OG. Man, losing a dog sucks.
Glad she went peacefully. You gave her a good run.

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[powdrhound]

I had to say goodbye to the best ski partner of my life.

Bella Serra was always ready to go.

She loved snow.

Walking thru the Wood in fierce blizzards - the snow didn’t stick to her fur, and she figured out that the ice hanging on her face could be wiped off against the snowbank.

Then whine about having to go back inside the SkiBumMobile.

She eagerly hiked to go patch skiing with Vets and Dookey every month.

Always had a tennis ball, lost a few in the snow, but would look for it again the next day’s walk.

She would find someone basking in the Spring sunshine at Timber Creek and toss her ball into their lap, they would throw the ball and everyone had a better day.

She played at many of the west coast ski hills, she loved going for a ride.

There is no doubt that she made my life better.

[Supermoon]

RIP Bella

[bendtheski]

Sorry for your loss powdr, looks like she had a great life with you.


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[irul&ublo]

I hate and love this thread. RIP Bella