Do you think it's right

[sally]

to euthanize a dog that still has life in him, but can no longer walk because his hind legs are so old and worn? A dog who is not in pain, still enjoys food and playfully rolls in your lap, but can no longer get up to shit and piss so you clean up his shit and piss all day. A dog that you let out for a walk and he can't make it out of the driveway, but still has a gleam in his eye when he looks down the road and tries to scoot on his ass just to go for a walk. So would you kill him?

[Maggot]

Probably, whats it's name? I knew a guy that had an old hunting dog. That thing would retrieve a duck in any swamp and in any body of water. A really good dog with the kids and so very faithful that he just oozed enthusiasm. After 15 yrs of doing it he ended up running away for a week and ended up coming home to die on the doorstep. Get rid of him and get a pup that can do the whole thing over again, don't be like User and end up prolonging the inevitable. It's a dog and they know when their time has come. Humans don't see it but the dog does. Some people spend thousands but in the end it's a dog. Mr. Bojangles grieved for 20 years after his dog died.

[sally]

Fuck no I'm not getting another pup. I'm never getting another pet again.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't think it's wrong to keep him alive so long as you're convinced he's not in pain, he still has good quality of life, and you have the time and money to provide all the assistance he needs.

Otherwise, it's selfish to keep him alive, to me -- not a bad heartless kind of selfish, but the kind that stems from not being able to let go because you love him and you'd miss having him around.

[sally]

The thing is he's pissing all over himself and it smells like death. Plus he's 150 lbs so it's not like he's a small dog that I can just wash up in the laundry tub. He doesn't have a good quality of life because he can't walk, but he's not sick and in pain. He still acts like a happy dog even though he has to scoot on his ass to move. It sucks because I'd have an easier time euthanizing him if he was just laying there depressed and sick, but he's fine except for his legs.

[Maggot]

Borrow a couple of your husbands depends and try them on the dog.

[Duchess]

So would you kill him?

No, but that's just who I am. I'm willing to invest time and love and anything that goes with caring for an animal in that condition. I would never prolong a life if I didn't feel there was still value in that life. I would do the right thing for an animal in pain who was living in misery, I would never keep an animal alive simply to spare my own feelings.

I have 2 close friends who are going through the same thing you are. My girlfriend has a little dog who now wears diapers because he pees when he falls asleep and my guy friend just had his dog euthanized after spending more than a year doing exactly what you're doing right now. Both these people feel that their pet was worth the trouble.

Having said all that, I would never condemn anyone who took the easier route.

[sally]

Yeah ive been doing it for about a year now, but its getting worse where sometimes he doesnt even try to get up, he just poops and pees where hes laying. I dont know how he'd feel about me trying to put Depends on him.

[Duchess]

Yeah ive been doing it for about a year now, but its getting worse where sometimes he doesnt even try to get up, he just poops and pees where hes laying. I dont know how he'd feel about me trying to put Depends on him.

I know this isn't easy and I'm very sorry, honey.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Not an easy choice but I would probably put him down. I am not as kind a soul as Duchess and would not likely to invest that much time and care. Wouldn't be a day I would enjoy though

[Love Child]

This is a tough decision to make, the dog will tell you when it is time, or it will just die. Otherwise the quality of life for both of you needs to be considered.
My sister's dog was blind and had diabetes, which was managed for quite a few years. Finally in its last week of life it could not stand up, and they lifted it to go outside, and the last night he was howling in pain...so it was time. : (
My cat died on her own and I was giving her subquetanious injections of water each night. That was tough.

[Blindgreed1]

It's time to put him down.

[Carsman]

The thing is he's pissing all over himself and it smells like death. Plus he's 150 lbs so it's not like he's a small dog that I can just wash up in the laundry tub. He doesn't have a good quality of life because he can't walk, but he's not sick and in pain. He still acts like a happy dog even though he has to scoot on his ass to move. It sucks because I'd have an easier time euthanizing him if he was just laying there depressed and sick, but he's fine except for his legs.

Sorry for your "big" problem.
He's "Big", so of coarse that's the difficult part for you, having to "clean up a ton" of shitty-piss" every day! And it will only continue for the rest of his life.
Since he can't walk, his "quality" of life is next to non existent.
He won't be getting better, so it's up to you just "how long" you can put up with your furry family member's situation.
"15" dog years is said to be "105" human years, so it's about time.

[sally]

It's time to put him down.

Yeah I suppose so. When I sit down with him he puts his head in my lap and rolls around like a big puppy so I don't know how I'm going to look him in the eye when the vet comes over to give him the shot.

[Maggot]

Yeah ive been doing it for about a year now, but its getting worse where sometimes he doesnt even try to get up, he just poops and pees where hes laying. I dont know how he'd feel about me trying to put Depends on him.

I had a cat that did that. It drove me a bit nutty for a while but I ended up putting her down, she was a great mouser and it did suck, but I got another and that bitch grew big. A coon cat that act's like a dog.

[sally]

Coon cats are beautiful. Not that I want one. You remember the last cat that I had who really wasn't my cat, but took it upon himself to be my cat for four years and then died in the crawl space under my house costing me $200 to get him out.

[Blindgreed1]

It's time to put him down.

Yeah I suppose so. When I sit down with him he puts his head in my lap and rolls around like a big puppy so I don't know how I'm going to look him in the eye when the vet comes over to give him the shot.

That was difficult for me too when I had to put Thorny down. Those last goodbyes are really rough, but he can't be in a good place right now not being able to run, walk or play. In my case, my daughter was there as well so I had to be strong for her and there was a lot of explaining to do so there was a distraction.

[HairOfTheDog]

Coon cats are beautiful. Not that I want one. You remember the last cat that I had who really wasn't my cat, but took it upon himself to be my cat for four years and then died in the crawl space under my house costing me $200 to get him out.

I do remember that stray you took in. And the wild cat that was stalking and terrorizing Duchess's grounds for a while.

Our two cats are pretty mellow. The girl used to be really skittish, but she's calmed down a lot over the last couple of years.

There is a huge tan Siamese cat that considers my backyard its litter box. She's huge and beautiful, but a pain in my ass. Every morning I have to go out back and pick up shit and whatever she's knocked over. She just sits on the fence and watches me. Bitch.

I'm sorry about your dog, sal. I don't think there's a wrong decision right now; you're considering it compassionately and intelligently. It's not like you're refusing to even consider putting him down to spare your own feelings, nor are you rushing into it as if he's an inconvenience. What do your husband and older kids think?

[sally]

My husband and kids said just do it and get it over with. So yesterday morning I made the call to the vet after he peed all over the laundry room and himself and I knocked over a bottle of bleach almost killing the dog and myself with the fumes. But this morning everyone had a change of heart so I cancelled it. I'm going to have to do it, but Monday morning is too soon.

He likes to go to the park down the street from my house. My daughter has a big, pink wagon and I was thinking I could put him in there with his depends on and pull him down the street.

[Duchess]

He likes to go to the park down the street from my house. My daughter has a big, pink wagon and I was thinking I could put him in there with his depends on and pull him down the street.

Troll!