My senior dog is aggressive and in pain. When should I say goodbye?

The sudden temperament change can be due to stress from a new baby or maybe an indication of pain or a neurological problem such as tumor or dementia. You can talk with your vet about medicine for pain but with a new baby it is probably safest to not chance it and always keep them separate. If the medicines do not help and her behavior continues then I am afraid your only other option is considering euthanasia for everyone’s safety. I am so sorry you are faced with this!

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.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry for Lucy's troubles. As dogs age, they do seem to sometimes become more anxious with the world around them. Diminished senses, such as sight & hearing, & chronic pain from osteoarthritis would make anyone grumpy. Is she ready to be euthanized? If she is a danger to anyone, then yes, but with a little more care & considerations, she might be OK. Never leave her where unsupervised children will be, & put her up when non-family will be around. Make sure any underlying disease or osteoarthritis is addressed with the proper medications. Calming pheromone sprays can reduce anxiety ( Adaptil ). Any dog can develop aggression as they get older, but I do not see more retrievers with this any other breed. If you can take some precautions, then I would see how Lucy does, but if this is a severe change in her disposition, then there may indeed be something more serious going on. I hope this helps in your decision. Take care.

Oh no, your poor dog! It sounds like she is in really bad shape physically. I would have her seen by a vet first thing in the morning to see if there are any treatments possible for her symptoms. If there aren't, it would be time to discuss letting her go peacefully. I know that's not something you want to hear, but it may be best for her given her symptoms. I recommend making a list of five things she loved to do, and if she's no longer doing at least two of them, then her quality of life has declined to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. I work for a home euthanasia service, so if you'd like to discuss this further with me, I'd be happy to consult with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Otherwise, I hope this helps and you should take her into the vet in the morning.

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!

All of these symptoms are to be expected at old age, it depends how severe they are and if medical treatment is helping or not, if the symptoms are severe and meds are not helping then it might be time to let Noosa go.