My blind senior dog struggles to walk. When to put him to sleep?

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this issue. The right time to euthanize a pet is based on quality of life. If you feel his quality of life is diminished then it is time. In my opinion, no veterinarian will turn you away or judge you for wanting to euthanize her based on the information you provided here. Quality of life is based on many factors. You can check out this link as it may help you to make a decision. ( https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf ) I hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am so sorry to hear that PeeWee is not well. At the end of the day, it is all about quality of life. If you think his quality of life is not good then yes, humane euthanasia should be considered. Here is a link to an article that may help you with your decision. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-assess-your-pets-quality-of-life/ )

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry that you are in this position. I would recommend that you consider going to your veterinarian before making this decision. They would be able to gather more information, examine him and determine what would be best to proceed with always considering his quality of life. They may decide to recommend something that may improve his quality of life and buy you both some quality time to spend together. Best of luck!

What a hard decision for you to make! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I do face this question all the time with my clients. You need to look at Holly's quality of life. I typically suggest making a list of five things a dog loved to do; when they no longer do at least two of them, then their quality of life has declined to point where euthanasia should be considered. Given that she is incontinent, blind, can't hear well, stands in a corner and stares, and is losing weight, I would say her quality of life has declined quite a bit and it may be time to let her go peacefully. I would have a discussion with your vet about this, and I'm sorry you are in this position. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Jade! This is the hardest part of owning pets. You know what is best for your pet. You know her quality of life better than anyone ever will. Your Vet and we can help you decide when it is time. I consider a decreased/poor quality of life when the bad days out weigh the good days. When an animal no longer hangs out with the family, can't get around well, has vomit, diarrhea or won't eat, is crying or whimpering then I consider that a poor quality of life. I don't think it is wrong to try some time with pain medications to see if you can improve her mobility. But if it doesn't work and you think she is in pain then it might be time to consider putting her to sleep. I wish you and Jade the best!

I'm sorry to hear that both you and Valentino have had to deal with these challenges over the past few years. Dogs can usually adapt fairly readily to a loss of either vision or hearing, or a minor decline in both. Complete loss of both hearing and vision can be quite challenging and many dogs can experience a good bit of associated anxiety associated with this dramatic change in their lifestyle. I agree with you in that it sounds as though Valentino's quality of life is likely poor as a result of these changes. Deciding when to euthanize is an exceptionally difficult and personal decision because there are so many factors to consider. If Valentino still seems to enjoy your company and is able to do his normal things (e.g. find the water bowl on his own, play a bit, navigate your home without too much difficulty, etc.), then it may be worthwhile to give him a bit more time. However, if he seems overly anxious, fearful, seems afraid to move around too much, repeatedly bumps into things, or has trouble finding his water bowl, then it's likely in his best interest to consider humane euthanasia. I've included a link to a guide that I personally find quite helpful in helping to decide when it's time to euthanize my own pets, as it helps me to think about things more objectively. I'm really sorry that you and Valentino are in this situation and wish you both the best. https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

When making the decision if it is time to say goodbye to a loved pet, I suggest making a list of 5 things Willie loves to do. If he is no longer able to do at least 3 of them, his quality of life has declined to a point where it may be time to say goodbye. It is never an easy decision to euthanize an animal, but it is in the best interest of that animal to do it when their quality of life declines significantly. Making these kind of decisions is something I help people with frequently, and I would be glad to consult with you further if that would help. You can press the "consult online" button under my answer if you would like to talk further with me.