Have a 16 year old female chocalate lab that has had hip problems over the years, diagnosed last month with cancer, anxiety, panting all the time, flinches when you touch her like she's in pain, drinks water like she never had any for 2 weeks, losing her sight and hearing.. I could go on..
She is miserable. She only gets up to see where I am at then either drinks water or goes back to sleep. If i leave, my wife says she barks, whines, and paces till I get back..
I keep telling my wife she'll let me know, but I cant help but think she is suffering..
She seems like she will go another year in pain because she's so ornery...
When is it time?

You already know.
Thoughts are with ya bro.

I agree, if you are asking the question you already know the answer. Bad times for sure, sorry.

Follow your soul.

It is a tough decision, but one that is better made on your terms. There are services that will come to your house for you. No need for one last vet visit.

You will know when it is time.

There in lies your answer brother.
I know it's tough, I've had to do it before...and I've got a Golden that's not far off.
Last time we had it done at our house, it was the best way for us.

To be honest, untill i read about Dunegoats loss and how his dog was still up and around, I never really questioned it.
She will still try and play once in a great while, she always wants a pet from me and still tries to chase the cat (lifetime hatred lol )
I figured she would either quit eating, not be able to make it back upstairs, get sick or something..
At night it's the worse for her, she isn't comfortable, pants alot, paces some..
I thought I was just being pro-active in asking....
Maybe it is time to talk it over with the VET. I had told my vet, I didn't want to know how much time they thought she had left after they diagnosed her with cancer. I told them I would know when it's time.
I said that because my last dog died of cancer and I felt he knew, that I knew, he didn't have long and how sad I was.... he died 2 days after I found out he had a month to live.
Wow... probably shouldn't have asked a question i don't want an answer for..
Thanks for the honesty folks.......

just went thru this in may with our 15.5yr old lab, toughest thing I had to do


May I Go? May I go now?
Do you think the time is right?
May I say good-bye to pain-filled days
and endless lonely nights?

I've lived my life and done my best,
an example tried to be.
So can I take that step beyond
and set my spirit free?

I didn't want to go at first,
I fought with all my might.
But something seems to draw me now
to a warm and loving light.

I want to go. I really do.
It's difficult to stay.
But I will try as best I can
to live just one more day,

To give you time to care for me
and share your love and fears.
I know you're sad and so afraid,
because I see your tears.

I'll not be far, I promise that,
and hope you'll always know
that my spirit will be close to you,
wherever you may go.

Thank you so for loving me.
You know I love you too.
That's why it's hard to say good-bye
and end this life with you.

So hold me now, just one more time
and let me hear you say,
because you care so much for me,
you'll let me go today.

I had to put my 1st Akita of 11 yrs. down when she contracted canine cancer in her hip/back. I knew when she could no longer walk to the food bowl or get up to potty it was time. She never wimpered as if she were in pain, she was one tuff girl and the best guard dog I've ever owned. I couldn't do the door pickup service, I had to hold her paw one more time as she always shook my hand after sitting at my feet. And once she closed her eyes I knew it was the right thing to do, no more pain or suffering, and she passed with the love we both shared for each other. You'll do what your heart tells you to, no else can or should. Thoughts and prayers for you and your lab.

Esco - that poem makes me cry every time! Even when I try to not look at it!

Legit Duner. I had a dog that slowly got worse and worse. I played with the question but all of a sudden one day I HAD to know the answer.I told my dog I'll do what I can to keep you happy and healthy but when you lose your 'bounce' to your step and that goofy smile he always had then I'd know and let him go peacefully. He started going downhill fast then outta nowhere recovered one morning. I remember him walking behind me and I could tell he had his jaunt going and he always did this stupid slap on the back of my leg with his paw and follow it up with this circle jump thing he did. I was like WOW my bubba is coming back, it ain't so bad after all. The next day he was right back to bad - he didn't have his smile or his bounce and I realized that what happened the day before was just his 'so long and thanks for the memories' moment I called my sister and started asking her, how do you know? she told me if I was asking out loud then it was time. I think in their eagerness to please us it's easy for us to fool ourselves into thinking it's more of them holding on then them trying to make us smile and letting us know it's OK.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Man this is a tough week, I just had to put mine down today. THey try to act like its all right but when you know they are suffering you have to let them go.

Its not easy but we had a great 13 years with ours.

You know if she is in pain you have to let her go. One thing I will NEVER do again is take a dog in. Spend the extra 90 bucks and have a vet come out to your house. Let her last mins be where she knows you are. I will be facing this very very soon myself. Once they don't move around all day and are in pain it is time you have to for them.

Now...

What they are saying...now.

We had to put down our Black Lab mix Bart, a true Glamis loving dog, three years ago. He was 13. He had cancer, but he still wanted to walk around and pee on everything. Our Siberian Husky Mishka went from a free spirit to a never leave out side dog...she had a broken heart when Bart went away.. We finally put her down last Thanksgiving. She was 14. She is now with Bart chasing Kangaroo rats over by Boardmanville in doggie heaven.

I miss them every day...

I just had to do this with my 13 year old best buddy. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do!!! It was to hard to see him in so much pain, I think you know the answer to your question. Make sure you are there when the finally time comes, I was for my buddy and it was worth it.

Glamis is going to be hard this year; he liked going more than we did.

Good luck

put down my 12 year old chocolate lab last week, she contracted a form of doggie Lupis (sp?), she hung in for 8 weeks but lost 15 pounds (of a 50Lb dog), wouldnt move around at all, had no balance, but if she saw me her tail would wag like it always did. She had the heart, but her body couldnt fight it any longer. I look back on it and feel guilty. I knew she was not going to get better, but I couldnt put her down. I was 9 years old when I got her, and I carried her in my arms in her first car ride home.

Buddy Send her home, she has been selfless her whole life, its now your turn to return the favor.

Goog luck , my thought are with you my lab is also slowing down and I have already lost one and it was hard I feel for you

My heart goes out to you.. I have a 12 year old black lab that's doing the excessive sleeping, heavy breathing/panting, struggles to get up. He's been losing weight, his sight and hearing.. And the worst part is the barking when I leave and return home.. Takes at least 10 minutes to quiet him down... I believe in the fact you'll know..

Thanks everybody, I appreciate you taking time out to give me advise..
ESCO... Eff Youu!!! I aint reading that chit..

Me and my dog had a heart to heart last night.. She's just not ready. I still see the "fire" in her eyes.
Maybe I will start forcing her to take her pain meds. She doesn't like them but maybe she'll be more comfortable.
I imagine we don't have much more time together but it's not time yet..

is she taking tramadol or some similar pain med for comfort? thats what our girl was on, and we had to put them down her throat

Yes, Tramadol and Novox.
I can put these things in steak and she wont touch them, as soon as she gets a taste she starts running away..

Jason, thats a hard call. do what is best for your dog, and put yourself in it's shoes, do you want to suffer, if the meds don't work, don't make it suffer.. I have a cocker spaniel and he is 16, and dread the day if it should ever come. I hope he just never wakes up. Sounds like you had a good life with your dog, so take the memories and do what is best for the dog. If the meds work, that is great. You are the only one that can make the decision. Hugs for you and your doggie.

We would just give Lacey her pills put them in the back of her mouth and rub her throat. But she was on different meds for years. In the end it was the Thyriod, Glucosamine and Tramadol

Tramadol works wonders! Do what you can to make her take it good luck and she will let you know but if she's like our Lab she'll hang on as long as she can

God Bless

I'm sorry for what your going through. Its amazing how deep our animals can touch our lives. They are really part of your family. I sounds like you know what needs to be done and your just putting off the enevitable. Dogs are amazing loyal animals. We had a dog that was very sick with cancer. She did not want to show how bad she was to my wife. The minute my wife would leave the room the dog would start breathing very heavy and wimper. But she never let my wife see the pain she was in. Needless to say my wife could not handle having to put her down or see her this way. I knew what had to be done. She is obviously in pain and as old as she is im sure she had a great life and loves you and your family very much. I think you know what needs to be done. Its not easy but its not right to make her suffer. -Justin

I've lost five pets in the past five years. Three dogs and two cats. All were in the 12-15 year range. And we're facing number six year here in about another year
It's hard to explain, but you'll just know when the time is right. There will be that day or series of days where your pet's demeanor has changed. Despite all the physical problems, your pet will continue to have that "fire" in its eye. One day you will see that fire is gone and has been replaced with a sort of sadness. Almost like your pet is finally telling you that enough is enough. That's when you'll know. It'll be hard and you're going to cry. (I'm starting to get teary eyed just writing this, because I'm remembering those moments myself.)

Good luck. If the dog is telling you she/he is not ready, then it's not ready. But make sure it's the dog telling you that and not yourself.

Well said Kelster. With the dog I mentioned I know a lot of people thought I should of let go earlier. I admit because of a lot his medication his bladder control was TERRIBLE. He could make it outside but not overnight. He was mostly blind and I live very near the desert so dog door wasn't an option, I had to personally let him out and keep an eye on him. Sometimes I would do this 2x a night. There was a 6 month period, I didn't sleep through the night, I would wake up at least once for him. I may have even attached a kitty bell to his collar to wake me up at night when he started to move poor guy I bet he felt just a little disgraced! But I still saw the 'fire' in his eye and the pep in his step, so I considered it a return of how much he'd done for me. Other people felt that his not being able to 'hold it' through the night was reason enough to put him down, just not me.

The choice that you make will be the right choice, be loyal to your dog like your dog has been to you.