My senior dog is blind, deaf, has seizures. How to cope with a baby?

I'm so sorry to hear that Lilly has developed seizures. Seizures in dogs can be fatal if not treated. There are a huge number of newer anti-convulsant drugs that are much safer than some of the older ones (and even a new diet). I always tell people that old age is not a disease. Seizures and their side effects are much more likely to kill Lilly than any of the medications that your vet might prescribe. I think it is worth having your vet examine her and discuss the treatment options. Hopefully your vet can put your parents' minds at ease about the medication and make Lilly feel better. I have included some information about seizures below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=560 I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using PetCoach.

That's a tough question. Blind dogs can have a good quality of life, and if she has no other issues, letting her go right now may not be the right decision. I'd have Britt seen by a vet to discuss her quality of life, but my instinct at the moment from your information is that it's not time. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!. I am so sorry to hear about Kika. What a long life she has led! When I have the talk about quality of life with my patients, I tell them to measure the good and bad days. When the bad day far outweigh the good then the time has likely come. You as the owner know your dog best. When the pet no longer interacts with family, stops eating well, urinates or defecates around the house, uncontrolled vomiting or diarrhea or is unable to move with out pain are all indicators of a poor quality of life. Dementia is a terrible disease in humans and people. We can only imagine how the dog feels. I think taking her to your Vet for at least an exam to see if there are any medical conditions that they could treat to help her feel better. Maybe she has urinary incontinence and some medications would help. Also there are some treatments that help dementia, though it is progressive. I hope this helps in some way.

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear Sammy has been declining. From your description, I sounds like Sammy may have several medical issues going on. It is hard to get a good idea of what all the issues may be without examining Sammy first and I would encourage that an exam be done on Sammy with his veterinarian soon to fully discuss and evaluate Sammy's conditions. Perhaps he has osteoarthritis, other degenerative joint or neurological dysfunction of his hind limbs making walking difficult and painful for him. It also sounds like he may have some vision loss or visual deficits making navigating around challenging. Lastly, the walking around in circles and defecating in the house may be related to canine cognitive dysfunction (canine dementia). He may also be experiencing some incontinence as well. Aside from the incontinence he may have from older age, there are medications and other holistic treatments that can help with the possible dementia as well as joint pain that may help make him feel a bit better and improve his quality of life. I think a good evaluation and discuss with Sammy's veterinarian would be a very good idea at this point. I hope this helps and I wish you and Sammy the best.

First matter of business is Sophie's safety. Baby gate any stairs or access to outside she may have. She can still us senses of touch taste and smell so utilize those for training. Banging the floor may orient her to where you are. There are also vibrating collars available. Make sure her area of the house doesn't change. Try to minimize moving furniture or inadvertently putting roadblocks (boxes, bags) in the path she normally travels. Dogs are creatures of habit so many acclimate well to loss of senses if thier environment doesn't change. I found this article that also may help with some pointers for Sophie. https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/senior-dogs/caring-for-dogs-that-are-blind-and-deaf

Hello. Please do not be afraid to see your vet. It sounds like a reassessment needs to be made. Cushing's is not a static disease & adjustments in medication sometimes does need to be made. In addition, other endocrine problems can appear that will need to be treated. Only you can say when it is time to say goodby & let her go. We, as vets, can only guide you in your decision. See your vet & hopefully he can tweak the medication(s) to make her much more comfortable. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!