My old dog is sick with liver failure. Is putting her to sleep best?

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this difficult decision with Whisky. If your vet has said that we are out of treatment options for Whisky's liver and kidney disease and he has stopped eating and drinking, then I think it would be the kindest to euthanize him at this point since we do not have any hope of him getting better, and we do not want him to suffer. Again, I am so sorry.

This is a very valid question and it is important to consider his overall wellbeing and comfort above and beyond prolonging the length of his life. If he is mobile, greeting family members as he normally would and eating enough (a specialised liver diet and supplements can help to reduce some of the symptoms of poor liver function by reducing the amount of toxins the liver needs to excrete. As long as his appetite is sufficient to prevent significant weight loss then it is likely he is feeling ok in himself. The following link can be very helpful for all family members to sit down together and discuss and can help in the medium term decision making https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

Getting down to the cause of the liver failure is important for treatment. I would be concerned about the lumps and irregular breathing pattern. Chest x-rays would be helpful to determine if there is an abnormality with the heart or lungs or enlarged lymph nodes within the chest. The lumps could indicate cancer, either primary or secondary to another location. The liver is a common site of cancer or metastatic cancer. I would recommend talking to your vet about a liver biopsy or biopsying the masses to determine if they are cancerous. Antibiotics and steroids can help with infections of the liver or an inflamed liver, but if there was poor response then these are unlikely the causes of the elevated liver values. Denamarin is a supplement that contains antioxidants to protect the liver; it does not treat liver failure.

Poor amber,, that liver is massively enlarged and I would expect breathing difficulties, inability to eat and abdominal pain. Although scans and biopsies may provide information on the underlying cause, euthanasia may be the kindest option at this stage

It is always a tough decision to say goodbye to a beloved pet but from your description, you made the right choice for him. His quality of life was poor, and you prevented him from suffering. I hope this helps!

Hello, I am so sorry for your concerns about Tucker. I would guess that he is having issues with his liver, hense hepatitis, which can occur with long term phenobarb. use. The medication to control the symptoms of Cushings ( we can not completely cure this disease, as it involves a tumor on the adrenal gland or the pituitary gland), also has some side effects that require frequent blood work to monitor. You have a very hard decision to make, & it is wonderful that your veterinarian is there to support whatever you decide to do. Take a few days to try & put things is perspective. Weigh the good days against the bad days & decide what is in Tucker's best interest. It is hard to let a pet go, but if there is a choice between existing because a decision can not be made, & truly living, then please consider things this way. If you are not happy seeing Tucker this way, knowing that things will probably get worse, he can not be happy, either. I sympathize with your predicament. For all of us who love our pets, this is a day that always breaks our hearts. Take care.

Thank you for using PetCoach. I'm so sorry for your situation with Brooklyn. Euthanasia for our pets is one of the greatest gifts for our pets, and greatest burden on us as owners and veterinarians. Consulting with Brooklyn's vet may help you to know when to make the decision. Using a quality of life scale can also help to make a more objective decision. This allows you to assign a numerical value to Brooklyn's activities and symptoms in order to determine his quality of life. I have used this one: http://lapoflove.com/Pet_Quality_of_Life_Scale_DrMcVety.pdf Another thing you can do is to have 2 jars - for every good moment put a penny in one and for bad moments put one in the other jar. If bad moments approach or overcome good moments then it is time to consider euthanasia. I hope this has helped a little bit with your decision making. Please feel free to post again if you have further questions.