My dog has chronic leg pain, meds failed. Is euthanasia an option?

Poor girl! So you have a few options. If she is just holding it up but not crying out, you may just consider medical management and not euthanize her as long as she is playing eating and drinking normally. I would make sure she is on a high quality joint supplement like flexadin or dasuquin. I would also have a vet prescribe her an anti-inflammatory like rimadyl or galliprant. You could give that on days she is really painful. If she is only having pain in one leg and the other leg is normal, you could consider having that leg amputated. Dogs do amazing with 3 legs as long as the other is normal. There is also a surgery called an FHO with gets rods of the hip joint of that is the problem area. You could also look into that as an option. Another option would be to look for an alternative or integrative vet who practices acupuncture and herbal therapy. These can be wonderful for pain relief and mobility. I would only decide to euthanize her when you feel she has more bad days than good days. When these other options are no longer helping or if she stops eating or doesn’t want to play, then I would start to consider her quality of life is poor. I hope this helps!

Yes, euthanasia is definitely a very valid option here, it is quite likely that inflammation in and around her spinal nerves is contributing to both the paralysis and incontinence and severely impacting her quality of life

If she is in pain despite medication, unable to mobilise and also incontinent then yes, euthanasia should definitely be considered to prevent further pain and discomfort (such as infected bed sores etc). The cold limb is also a red flag for reduced circulation such as from a clot and is extremely painful in itself. Recovery is very unlikely and delays would add further suffering and pain

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that you look into other treatment options before considering euthanasia. There are a lot of treatment options nowadays including simple things like joint diets. I really like the Science Diet j/d for joints. This is usually very helpful. Sometimes adding other medications such as Amantadine, gabapentin and NSAIDs can help. There are other options like radiation therapy and laser therapy that can help. I recommend you discuss these options with your veterinarian. Best of luck!

Oh my, I'm so sorry to hear about Dodge's diagnosis. Bone cancer (most commonly osteosarcoma) is extremely painful and most cases metastasize (spread elsewhere in the body) by the time they are diagnosed. His lethargy could be a side effect of the anesthesia, but it could also simply be a sign of pain from his cancer - there is no way to differentiate between the two. Anytime an osteosarcoma is present, euthanasia is always an option due to the aggressive and painful nature of these tumors. Unless you are considering a limb amputation and chemotherapy, it sounds as though euthanasia may be warranted to ease any suffering that Dodge may be experiencing. I'm so sorry that you are all going through this.

Oh no, I'm so sorry that Santeri is so sick! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this question all the time with my clients. I suggest making a list of five things Santeri loved to do. If he's not doing at least two of them, then his quality of life has decreased to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. It's always a hard decision to make, but if he has a poor quality of life, letting him go peacefully would be a great kindness. If you'd like to discuss this further, I'd be happy to consult with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Otherwise, I hope my answer helps and I'm sorry you are facing this issue :-(

I am sorry you feel like Sox does not feel well. I would recommend starting off with a really good physical exam with your vet. The vet will be able to determine why he is not walking well. The main concern is arthritis/ joint disease vs neurologic disease. There are lots of options for pain control in our loved patients. There are a range of medications, supplements and even therapeutic procedures like a cold light laser an acupuncture. You can start an over the counter glucosamine and chondroitin supplement however any other medications need to be prescribed by a vet. If you decide with the vet that her pain is not controlled and you feel she has a poor quality of life it might be time to put her to sleep. Hopefully you and your vet can make a plan to avoid that from happening.