Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Help me make a tough decision

I own a german shorthair pointer that is 14 years old, named Pepper. She's been a good dog although hyper. I guess they all are.

She has a soft tissue carcinoma on her left side about the size of a softball. The Vet sent a biopsy to the lab to confirm her diagnosis. The vet said that she could remove the carcinoma but it may have roots that have already penetrated into her interior and she can't remove the roots. Pepper is losing control of her back legs and she's losing her hearing.

The Vet says that she will eventually die in pain. I hate to see her in pain. So what do I do? Do I put her down now to prevent the pain from occurring? Or do I wait until she obviously is in pain and then put her down?

This is a tough decision for me. Please help me make the right decision.

This what she looked like when she was a pup.
[img]https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...2898/pepper-2010#lg=12622898&slide=0

She goes to sleep when she starts being unhappy living.

Its too bad they dont treat humans as well as pets.

Man, KC, beautiful picture and dog.

What a tough decision. Me, personally, I'd put her down now.

It's been my experience, limited as it is, when they start to lose their back legs, their quality of life goes downhill quickly and accelerates rapidly.

The last one we put down, the vet actually came to our house and afterwards transported the body away for cremating. If your vet offers the same service, I highly recommend it.

Good dog or not. No way would I drop a pile of money on a 14 year old dog

Take her to her favorite place.

Feed her her favorite treats.

Take some pictures.

Scratch her in her favorite spots.

Send her on ta her next adventure.

Yes, get a vet to do it at your place.


Me.....I guess I tend to let them go for a while.

KC,

Sorry to hear about the pooch.

If she's still having good days, enjoy them until she isn't.

You mentioned you hate to see her in pain. You'll know when it's time.

Higgins

I would say, let her tell you when. Can she still move enough to get her where she wants to go with out too much pain?
I had a hunting dog that died from progressive kidney issues. Vets gave a similar outcome. The day he didnt get up from his bed when I opened the gun cabinet was the deciding factor for me.
Good Luck.

It’s tough to let them go but it’s not right to have them suffer because we aren’t ready to let go. If she’s losing control of her legs she’s struggling already. Love on her and say your goodbyes - 14 years has been a blessing to you both.

I don't mean to sound heartless, but personally, I wouldn't spend a large amount of money on the surgery. If the surgery can be done for a reasonable cost, I might go ahead and do it if it will give her another year or two, but if the carcinoma is aggressive and would prevent her from carrying on as normal, I would probably opt to put her down and spare her the pain. She is 14 years old and had a good run.

Good luck with your decision.

You'll know when it's time.
When it is, get I done. Don't wait. That's selfish.

I take mine to the spot out in the fields and take care of it myself. But for some, that would be undoable

Dogs don't know what you know, so I'd just try to keep her comfortable as long as I could, and when she starts having pain, you'll know what to do. Maybe you could get the vet to give you some strong pain meds and/or some Trazodone to keep her quiet, to have on hand just in case you can't get to the vet quick enough. It is a tough decision, I've been there.

I have one that's starting to struggle physically, but he's still a happy, happy dog. When the time comes, I have the spot picked out, we'll go for one more walk around the farm, and he'll get to stay at one of his favorite spots after that, watching over us.

I've had the vet put dogs down; it never felt right. This one I will have to do myself. I owe him that much.

I feel the same way.

We went through that a few years ago. I gave my dog some of my prednisone everyday and it bought her some more happy days for a while.

Eventually the tumor got large enough it started blocking her stomach and she couldn't hold food down. It went quick from there and we knew within a day or so it was time for that last ride to the vet.

The prednisone may help for a few weeks but it's not a fix it just can make them more comfortable for a while.


Bb

My last shorthair got arthritis so bad that when she could not go up/down the 2 steps into the house anymore I made the call. Very sad day.... she was my dog before I met my wife and had her 13 years through marriage and the birth of my first child until she was about 4 years old. I just couldn't watch her in pain anymore. Tough decision but the right one in the end.

This is how I see it, too. Right ain't always easy. No one will ever convince me that dogs don't make our lives better.

I’ve let one fight too long and I regret it.


Tough decision.


If she is eating and trying you have to be the judge

Like Conrad, we have the vet come when we live where they will do it.

And, I have let them go in pain too long, for my own reasons. This one had pancreatitis and the vet said there was a chance she could recover with antibiotics and such. It didn't work.

when she was a healthy 12 years old or so.




This dog was not the same dog as the one above three years earlier



I still blame myself for letting her exist in pain longer than she had too.

Good luck with your decision.

When the bad days outnumber the good its time.

We have one that's getting close. She is still having 4 or 5 good to 1 bad but that could change tomorrow.