How do I know when it's time to say goodbye to my dog?

by Julie

I have a 14 1/2 yr old Coton de Tulear. He does not like to be alone; never did. He has a heart murmur. He drinks a lot of water and has some type of seizure with his head and tongue.

Do you think this is the time to put him down? He is active in the evening but daily sleeps. He has accidents in the house which may be on purpose. What should we do?

Comments for How do I know when it's time to say goodbye to my dog?

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Oct 02, 2010
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How do I know when it's time to say goodbye
by: Joyce

I like Gale have had to make that decision numerous times. The advise she gave you was GREAT. Remember that they look for you to take care of them in every way. Saying good bye is NEVER easy. But it's called quality of life. When they don't have that - you need to decide when. I know the last time was just recently and with the help of my Vet we made the decision. God Bless and Good Luck to you.

Oct 01, 2010
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The heartbreaking part of having a dog
by: Gale

Julie

I know what a hard time you're going through right now. All of us animal lovers have had to deal with losing a beloved pet and it's never easy.

I think you know that this decision is a very personal one; I can't make that decision for you and neither can anyone else. Even your Vet who can certainly give advice as to whether or not your Coton is suffering or if there's any treatment that can improve his condition cannot ultimately tell you what to do.

What I can tell you is that there is no wrong decision. Any decision you make will be made out of love for your dog so either way you just have to listen to your gut and determine what's really best for him. Is his quality of life declining? Does he have more bad days than good days? Is he in pain? Is he able to enjoy any of the activities that usually make him happy?

As far as the accidents in the house, this too is a sign of aging in many dogs. There may be something your Vet can do to help with that depending on the cause.

I'm sorry you're having to face this very difficult decision - it's so heartbreaking. I've had to put pets down and even though I know it was the absolute right decision for them it was still a huge loss. That's the hard part about having pets. Fortunately, for me, the good far outweigh the bad, and over time you will only have positive memories.

Best wishes for you and your Coton. Maybe we'll hear from other dog owners who have also had to deal with making this very difficult decision.

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