My dog has cancer and is suffering. How can I ease her pain?

Poor Sadie! The lethargy is a sign of not feeling well and pain, and losing her appetite will be another sign. I would take her into another vet for a second opinion to see if surgery is an option for you. Best of luck.

Hi there! Thanks for letting us take care of you today! Sorry to hear about Sam. 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 pain control medications such as Tramadol and NSAIDs to be added to the gabapentin just from a palliative standpoint to try to make Sam feel better in the meantime. Sorry you are going through a rough time.

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.

The blood could be coming from the tumor itself, or sometimes dogs with tumors are more likely to develop urinary tract infections. If she is also straining to urinate it may be that her quality of life is beginning to be affected. Before you make any decisions you should recheck with your vet. They could check her urine for bacteria and can also discuss what signs to look for that might indicate it is time to consider euthanasia.

I'm so sorry Ghost has cancer and you are going through this, it's very hard! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face these questions with my clients all the time. I would speak with his vet about pain medication. He can be put onto a pain management protocol that could make him feel better, and increase his quality of life. You can also talk to your vet about the possible use of laxative on him, which may make it easier for him to pass feces. Having these medications on board can help significantly improve him quality of life for a period of time so that you can have more time with him before having to let him go. I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow to speak about these issues. When it comes to saying goodbye, I tell my clients to make a list of five things their dogs loves to do. When they aren't doing at least two of them, then their quality of life has declined to a point where euthanasia should be considered. It's very important to take his quality of life into account when making the decision to let a pet go or not. I hope this helps! If you'd like to discuss things further,, I'd be happy to snout with you, just click the "consult online" button under my answer.

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.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear about Tilly. If her abdomen is filled with fluid, unfortunately aside from draining the fluid out (which has a lot of side effects as well, and is a very very temporary fix), there isn't much you can do. At this stage you have to assess if she is hurting, and if it would be more kind to her to euthanize, so that she doesn't have to go through the pain. Signs that it is time include not wanting to eat, not drinking, not getting up and moving around, not wanting to go on walks, not wanting her favourite toy, not responding to things that normally made her exicted. Signs of pain include tremors/shaking, tensing when you touch her belly, panting, increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, not eating, not moving, not acting herself. If you are seeing signs of pain, or discomfort, or signs that she isn't acting herself, then her quality of life is poor, and helping her out of discomfort with euthanasia needs to be considered. It is a very difficult decision to make, but just keep in mind that although it is difficult for us, removing the pain is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our furry friends, that have given us so much love throughout their lives. I am so sorry that Tilly is so sick.