When is it time to humanely put my senior dog with arthritis down?

This is always a hard decision as our loved ones get older. My rule of thumb is to look for when they have more bad days than good days or they quit eating or quit getting excited about things that ALWAYS use to make them excited. From what you're telling me it doesn't sound like she is ready to be euthanized BUT you know her better than anyone and with her age and all of her problems, whenever you make that decision it will be be The Right time for her and you. She is so lucky to have such a loving family and to have lived such a LONG life. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry you are facing this with Rocky! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this type of question with my clients all the time. I recommend making a list of five things Rocky loved to do. If he's no longer doing at least two of them, then his quality of life has diminished to a point where euthanasia should be considered. His quality of life needs to be taken into consideration when making this decision, and if you feel he has a poor quality of life, then certainly letting him go peacefully would be a kindness. Make this list and really think about what his life is like now and if you feel he's happy and not in pain. If you think he's in pain and unhappy, then letting him go would be a great gift to him. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Jade! This is the hardest part of owning pets. You know what is best for your pet. You know her quality of life better than anyone ever will. Your Vet and we can help you decide when it is time. I consider a decreased/poor quality of life when the bad days out weigh the good days. When an animal no longer hangs out with the family, can't get around well, has vomit, diarrhea or won't eat, is crying or whimpering then I consider that a poor quality of life. I don't think it is wrong to try some time with pain medications to see if you can improve her mobility. But if it doesn't work and you think she is in pain then it might be time to consider putting her to sleep. I wish you and Jade the best!

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 :-(

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dexter. When discussing quality of life with owners, I like to have objective questions that you can answer to guide the decision making process. When a dog is elderly with a chronic condition, you can expect the pet to have bad days. However, the good days should outnumber the bad. The pet needs to have enough mobility to get to his food and water independently and to be able to go to the bathroom. He needs to still have the desire to eat and drink. His pain to be reasonably well controlled. Finally, he needs to have some joy in his life. It may be different from in his younger years, but he should still enjoy things. I know this is an extremely difficult decision, but I hope this gives you some information to consider. I cannot say without evaluating him myself, but I suspect the time is near based on what you have described. I hope this gives you some peace.

Poor Ben. It sounds like his quality of life is poor at the moment. I'm glad the pain meds are working, but I would speak to his vet about his quality of life and if it may be time to say goodbye. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry Ben has an anal tumor! Your vet is right that he will be pain, even if he doesn't act like it. Dogs can be very stoic about pain, and he is also showing you he is in pain from his arthritis based on the fact that he moves around slowly and can't get up stairs well. It's a hard choice to make as to when it's time to say goodbye to a beloved pet. I work for a home euthanasia company, so I face this question all the time with my clients. I recommend making a list of five things Ben loved to do. When he's not doing at least two of them, then his quality of life has declined to a point when humane euthanasia should be considered. Also consider his quality of life if he starts having trouble passing feces due to the size and location of the tumor. In the meantime, I would discuss giving him pain meds with your vet. This may improve his quality of life in terms of getting around and help with the pain from the tumor. If you'd like to discuss things further with me, you can request a consult for more in-depth help. Good luck, I hope this helps!