How to care for a dying senior dog and support their appetite?

If Taxx is refusing to eat, that could definitely be a sign of pain and discomfort. Unless you are planning on force-feeding him and syringing him water, he will absolutely continue to waste away. In terms of keeping him comfortable, I would just be sure that if he is wobbly and trying to walk, be there to support his weight in case he is falls. There are medications available to stimulate the appetite, and other meds potentially to make him less nauseous if he is experiencing any. I would take him in for an exam first to see what your veterinarian has to say, Unfortunately, this sounds to me like a situation or illness, that is advanced. If your vet concurs that he isn't eating due to discomfort, you may be faced with the choice that no pet owner ever wants to consider. There are pain medications but I don't usually recommend them in a situation like this. I try to ask people to consider if their dog still is able to do some / any of the activities he once enjoyed. If the answer is no, then this an indication there is a total absence of quality of life. Anyway, ultimately my advise is to have him looked at to see if your vet considers some of the types of meds I mentioned as viable options. Hope this all makes sense.

I'm sorry to hear that Patch has not been feeling well. I would recommend haing an appointment with her veterinarian to assess her quality of life. This will give you an objective over view of her health. Then, if euthanasia is decided to be the best option for her, you will know you did all you could for her.

I'm really sorry to hear about Chloe. I know how hard it is to see a friend suffering with this disease. Cancer that affects the liver can be caused by many different types of cancer, so I cannot advise on treatment for this without knowing the type of cancer. It is best that you have this discussion with your veterinarian. They would be able to find out what cancer it is by taking a sample of the tumor and sending it to the lab. The diet also depends on how well the liver is functioning. Again, your veterinarian would be able to tell you this after analyzing the blood chemistry. For now, feed whatever the veterinarian has advised. A switch in diet can be dangerous depending on how well the liver is functioning. I know this is a very difficult time and you have many questions, but your veterinarian will have the most information and be the best to answer them at this time. For now, try to stay positive and know that you have at-least given Chloe almost 10 years of a great life.

I am afraid there is really nothing that you can do for her other than giving her a lot of TLC and watching the tumor. Should it open up and ulcerate it will cause infection and that may be the time to say good bye. If you think she may be in pain, you can ask your vet for some pain medicine for her. I am so sorry, but 15 years is a grand old age and you took good care of her.

Making the decision to euthanize your pet is never easy. I usually recommend owners make a list of all the things their pet loved/loves to do. For instance, did she used to love to eat, go on walks, play with a special toy, get tummy rubs, go on car rides, etc. Now you make a check mark on the day she does that. As well as noting her appetite and if she can go out to go potty and not have accidents. When she starts to have more bad days than good days it is a sign that her quality of life is poor. You know her best. While her blood work isn't showing any problems there could be medical problems that won't. Just know that this is an extremely difficult decision but know that you have Cheyennes best interest at heart. I hope this helps. Kisses to Cheyenne!

I'm so sorry Zara is so sick! The best thing you can is continue to offer her food and water, keep her warm, and make her a comfortable as possible with a soft bed. I would evaluate her quality of life every day, and make a list of five things Zara loves to do. If she isn't doing at least two of them, then her quality of life has declined to a point where euthanasia should be considered. I would also speak to your vet about pain medications, because mammary cancer can be very painful to dogs. That would also help her be more comfortable.

Hi there! Thanks for letting us take care of you today! Sorry to hear about Ruger. I definitely know where you are coming from as I mostly see cancer patients. What I usually tell my clients is that the time to consider humane euthanasia is when they stop being themselves. For example, when they stop doing 3 out of their 5 favorite things (eating, playing, or whatever these are), it is time to let them go without suffering. Of course this is if not considering treating the cancer. There are always palliative medications you could consider like prednisone and anti-nausea medications (as cancer can cause nausea depending on the type) just from a palliative standpoint to try to make Ruger feel better in the meantime. Sorry you are going through a rough time.