My dog has kidney failure but is active. When is euthanasia right?

I'm very sorry to hear about this situation. Sadly, even if Kody would tolerate fluid therapy at home, it would not reverse the renal failure. When we are giving subcutaneous fluids at home, we are trying to keep our pets comfortable and give them more time. In patients that do tolerate it well, it still only helps for a while. Making the decision to euthanize is never easy. What I never want to see is a patient that ends up resenting the care their family is trying to provide, and making their last days miserable for everyone involved. If you absolutely wanted to keep going and keep trying, you could hospitalize with IV fluids, or take him to the veterinarian for daily subcutaneous fluids, but if he hates the treatment, I'm not sure that is what most people would want their pet's last days to be like. I can only access how Kody is doing based on the information provided, but it sounds like you are at a point when it would not be wrong to consider euthanasia. Even knowing it is the right thing does not make it easy. I wish I had better answers for you.

I think it is too early to think about euthanasia, however Bucky does need to see a vet/emergency vet again today. He will need to be put on fluids again the very least. Have a talk with the vet about his condition, ask what the chances of him having a good quality of life are and then this will make your decision based on facts rather than feelings. Sometimes it takes a while for a dog to get better and in the meantime we think he is suffering terribly. But there may be a chance to recuperate.

Poor girl. I would certainly consider at least getting her checked again and fluid therapy (IV or subcutaneously). If her values are not too bad, she may be able to be managed at home with subcutaneous fluids that you yourself give. That is if you are up to the task. Also I am not sure if she is on a prescription kidney diet. If not, then she needs to be transitioned right away. The vet can also prescribe some anti-nausea medication for her to help with her condition. And lastly, I would highly recommend a supplement called Azodyl, which is a natural way to help lower your pets kidney enzymes. Their toxic levels in the bloodstream are directly correlated with how sick your pet will feel, so focusing on lowering these values can improve your pets condition greatly. Here is a website link with more kidney therapy options --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952670 I hope that these additional treatment suggestions help Chloe stabilize and perhaps hold off the euthanasia talks for a while. Best of luck moving fowrard and take care. : )

Poor baby. Kidney failure is usually pretty bad news in dogs. The usual treatment is hospitalization for IV fluids to lower kidney values (since high kidney values make animals feel crappy) and treatment for whatever associated complications an animal has (such as nausea or anemia). Early in the disease, food changes and at home fluids can help. You mentioned that Priscilla has already been hospitalized for two days, so I'm going to assume she has two days of aggressive fluids and her kidney values haven't gone down. If you don't believe in euthanasia than I'd say you need to find a veterinarian who practices hospice in your area. A Google search should turn up an opinion or two. In your own, there isn't much you can do. I will warn you that kidney disease often ends in euthanasia because at the end stages it causes severe nausea, vomiting, severe weight loss, ulcers in the mouth, severe dehydration (even though they are drinking a lot, it just goes right through them). So it's not a good way to go without really really aggressive support from a local hospice vet. I'm so sorry and you are Priscilla are going through this. You'll be in my thoughts.

In cases of kidney failure, it's not so much the BUN number, it's the quality of life that's examined the most. Some dogs can have only moderately high levels of BUN, but their quality of life has deteriorated to a point when it's kinder to let them go peacefully. Losing weight is a common problem of kidney failure, and given that Beau is a toy breed, a pound and a half is a lot for him to lose. I would make a list of five things that he loves to do, and if he isn't doing at least two of them anymore, then his quality of life has deteriorated to a point where euthanasia should be considered. Weight loss is another consideration, and if he's becoming very skinny, that's not a good quality of life for him as well. Because I can't see him in person, I would discuss with your vet as well what they think his quality of life is at this point, and their recommendations for him. It's never easy to make the decision to let a beloved pet go, and often they are ready to go before we are ready to let them go. I work for a home euthanasia company, so I face these questions all the time from clients, and I'd be glad to consult with you further if you'd like to talk more. Just click on the "consult online" button under my answer. Good luck with Beau!

I'm so sorry the Lexi is having this issue. Unfortunately kidney failure cannot be "cured" so you are only prolonging the inevitable. My opinion is that it is always best to euthanize before they are suffering too much. It is better to do it on a good day. It is more for us wanting to have a few more days with them when we prolong it. You need to do what's best for her. I'm really sorry that you are going through this :(

This is a horrible situation for both you and Bucky to be in at the moment, and I'm very sorry!! I'm not sure what brought about his kidney failure or his other symptoms, so I can't say for certain that putting him to sleep is the best option. With treatment from the vet, there may be a possibility he could survive this kidney failure if it is acute, and I would discuss with your vet what they think his chances are for survival. The vet working with him will know best his current situation, and can give you advice for it. Given that he is so young, I would try to give him a chance to make it if possible, but I can also understand not wanting to see him in pain. It is a very hard situation to be in, and while I wish I could give you a definitive answer, I can't without seeing him in person. It would be best to talk this over with your vet before making a final decision. Again, I'm very sorry :-(