My dog has organ failure. When should I consider euthanasia?

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.

I don't really have any insight into his lab work without being able to see the results, but it sounds like you're not ready to consider euthanasia. You may want to ask your vet if there's anything else that can be done for Baxter - depending on the cause of the kidney failure he might benefit from more intensive 24 hour care at a specialty hospital. Since he is still eating and drinking you could also ask about hospice care - he may be comfortable for a little while longer with fluids at home. At some point it sounds like you will need to make a decision regarding euthanasia - these links might help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/ https://www.ahelpproject.org/ https://www.iaahpc.org/images/BarkArticleSpring2014Goldberg

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

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.

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.

What a hard decision for you to make! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I do face this question all the time with my clients. You need to look at Holly's quality of life. I typically suggest making a list of five things a dog loved to do; when they no longer do at least two of them, then their quality of life has declined to point where euthanasia should be considered. Given that she is incontinent, blind, can't hear well, stands in a corner and stares, and is losing weight, I would say her quality of life has declined quite a bit and it may be time to let her go peacefully. I would have a discussion with your vet about this, and I'm sorry you are in this position. I hope this helps!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The decision you are trying to make is an extremely difficult one. I will tell you that pets typically don't die peacefully at home- it is usually a rare occurrence. When it comes to making the decision about euthanasia, I try to have the owner think about good days and bad days. Being a golden owner myself, I know what makes them happy- food, attention, going on walks, treats, attention... When you think of all the things Jacky loves, is he still doing those things? Does he still come to the door when you come home, is he able to get up to go to the bathroom or is he pottying on himself, is he still interested in food? When the bad days outweigh the good days, his quality of life is poor. A friend once told me, it is better to make this decision a day too soon than a day too late. As I said it is a very difficult decision but you need to think about what would be in Jacky's best interest. I hope this helps. Kisses to Jacky!