Help with difficult decision.

[Richard1966]

Hi all,

I don’t usually post in this section but I have a difficult decision to make and need some help.

I could post this in the animal section but this is more about how you make a difficult decision than the actual dog.

My dog, 10 years old and a bread that usually lives to 15-17 years, has been diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. Vet has given us three options.

Do nothing, dog will get ill in 3-5 weeks when his liver, kidneys or other organ start to fail. We then have to put him down.

Give steroids. This will possibly delay the getting ill by a month.

Chemotherapy. This will possibly delay the inevitable by 6-8 months, if he has the type of cancer that responds to treatment.


At the moment he is feeling no ill effects. These will come on quite quickly as organs fail when the cancer takes over, so id like to think that at that stage it will be an easy decision to make. However by choosing the chemo am i simply putting off something that cannot be avoided, and perhaps it would be better to allow the illness to take its course and get it over quickly in a few weeks time.

As i say its not really about the dog but about how to make a decision.

Any views happily accepted.

Richard

[Jemisa]

I think you already know the answer Richard, - Go with your Gut feeling you know its the right feeling. It will break your heart whether it be now or later.

Hugs - Jem.

[Old_Geezer]

Appreciate I come to this thread with 3 pages already showing (which I don't intend to read through) but to answer the initial post. I think any extension of the dog's life is for the benefit of it's owners, not the dog; who probably has no inkling of the concept of death or how it is soon to experience it. So although it is a personal decision I think that in your shoes I'd 'bite the bullet' and allow nature to take it's course; until suffering occurs. As you say it is only putting off the inevitable. Extension is good for a family member who knows what is imminent, and wants to stay a bit longer with you; not really the same for a pet.

[merciasounds]

I'm so sorry for you Richard1966, it's an awful situation to be in (as I have) and I know you just want what's best for your dog without him suffering. I'm certain I would do as you and give him every possible chance, but if it looked like it wasn't working, then the inevitable will have to happen. I think by letting the dog have treatment, you know then you gave him the best possible chance and it will be more of a comfort to you later, than if you had him put down straight away, you will always think 'what if etc'. This is just my opinion - I hope it helps in some way, and I wish you all the best.

[gina32]

this is the same thing that happened to my daughters dog a few weeks ago, she had him for 10 years and found out he had prostate cancer the vet gave her options as well but as much as she loved the dog she didnt want to think of him in pain knowing that it could get worse, he was a fantastic family dog, but she knew that it was the best for him to have him put to sleep. she was devastated but was best for him

[david51058]

Funny how everyone is saying put him to sleep before he suffers but if he was a human being then you would have no choice but to keep him alive however much he was suffering. It's a funny old world.

[dotty.]

Max deteriorated very quickley once the cancer started but in the month before it was obviously taking hold, he became incontinent and was unable to let me know he needed to go out and he would struggle to get beyond a walk when he was out. It upset me that his last month or so had made things difficult for me and I felt guilty at losing my patience when he kept getting up in the night as he was trying to be good but he was so unsettled. I think this is the decision you have to make, it would be awful to have the last months marred by him being dabilitated and not the dog he was. I should have let Max go earlier and Bingo as well come to that.

[Jemisa]

Let us know Richard what you decide, we are all with you and know the decision you make will be the best.
Thinking of you

jem

[chrissa1]

Dotty, that is exactly what happened to our beloved Jumbo. He became incontinent and was so obviously upset and unhappy that this was happening. We could have kept him for a while longer but decided that it was unkind to him and his dignity to keep him going through this for our own selfish reasons because we loved him so much. He went to sleep in our arms and knew he was loved. This was 10 years ago and I've got tears in m eyes as I type.
Richard. I would let him go and I'm so sorry for you.

[chrissa1]

This is our Jumbo in his prime. Magnificent, proud and beautiful. This is how we remember him and you should remember your dog too, with not the slightest bit of pain or discomfort on his beloved face.

[Richard1966]

About a month ago I posted a question regarding a difficult decision following my dog being diagnosed with Cancer. I received loads of really helpful and most importantly objective advice for which i was and remain very grateful.

Several people asked for an update, so here goes.

Dog has had a fantastic month, lots of treats, mostly ice cream based, long walks in the forest and has spent loads of time with me at work and pretty much anywhere else I have been for the past month. We have had weekly visits to the vets who have been monitoring him as his weight was falling but otherwise he has been the same bright spark he has always been for the past 10 years

Unfortunately he went downhill rapidly this weekend. He was fine on Saturday morning but by the evening clearly unwell and during sunday got worse.

This morning the vet put him to sleep.

We are of course devastated but know that we gave him a good life and the best last month possible.

So thanks again to everyone who responded a month ago.

Take care.

R