When Princess got the sedative shot, she let out such a sigh of relief. I doggie sit my 2 grand dogs too! Our 16-year-old Buddy had the same symptoms you are describing. Thank you again for your insight, thoughtfulness and your willingness to share your experiences with your beloved Cricket. However, age isn’t the best indication of when it’s time to say goodbye to your dog. I don’t know what to do.. Although my vet was kind about it. She drinks water like she’s trying to drown herself. For a good week I felt like I lost my purpose in life to be perfectly honest and any future plans didnt mean anything. But the biggest problem is the pacing and the obsession with food. They can be anything of the above to a mild or less noticeable degree. Euthanasia is typically recommended by a veterinarian when and if a pet is losing a battle with a terminal illness, … She was very honest with me and told me he has a terrible prognosis and that, sometimes, euth is the kinder option. brother and sister Debbie,iam so sorry to hear about bosley.I always wished my oscar could talk to me also just for 15min how I wished.ia m always here.HUGS to you. That must have made little Montana’s passing even harder than the agony of saying goodbye to a little loved one. Through my tears, I thank-you Eileen for sharing. She has forgotten too potty outside for the most part but sometimes will go outside. Many thanks for writing about senior dog dementia. Sedated, a dog Thankfully I found this article and bought your book, and this article really struck a chord with me. Full of life & energy. I think my 13 yo may have this.Acts like he has Sun Downers…sleeps most of day up at night, whining, barking, pacing, drooling and has started scratching on doors like he wants to escape, if I open the door he loses interest and walks away. But you are heroes to me because of the amount of thoughtful, endless care you provide for your sweet, ancient, confused dogs. He sleep most of the day and thankfully through the night; I have to wake him to go outside and every time, my touch startles him… when he goes outside, he seems lost and confused;he doesn’t go for walks any more. but if I went out she was anxious. Going over the bridge after the wonderful lives we shared with our beloveds, is what is. Cyd. Was she miserable because of her declining mental capacities? Your vet will be able to advise on the decision to put down … A few days ago she was unable to stand and could not hold her head upright to eat or drink. Our rescue dog, a chihuahua mix, is about 10 years old and I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to euthanize. So I guess the time is near. People have oohed and awed over him his whole life. Eventually she started to lose track of where she was. its a rollercoaster, its a good day then a bad day I am finding strength in the stories of those pet parents who have made this agonizing decision. Julie,so sorry to hear about lulu.Crying for you,hugs to you. Where he used to cuddle with me he now goes off by himself and sleeps. I feel heartsick that I am not making the best, the right, decision for her as that is my one and only priority for our dear Lucie. I held her and cried and have been crying for days. I sometimes wonder why we can euthanized our best friends but sit back and watch our family members die slowly without help. This time? He never gave up on me. I think you are doing the most important thing by contacting your vet about this. It’s some of the worst pain ever. I had put down my other Papillon two years ago, after a year-long battle with kidney failure, and it was obvious that his time had come when he stopped eating and moving. The Vet did the shots and my girl didn’t fight. He’s been our Bet or years and knows Sprouts to a tee! If he were ‘out of it’ but happy, I would make no further decision. My 16 yr old Bruce has dementia also. I especially related to the part where you describe how hard it is to euthenize a dog that can still walk and eat. (She still has them occasionally, but not like she did before we started to arthritis medicine). I Roberta, am crying The vet said that all the medicines may help these idiopathic tremors. The seizure was long and I held him as his lips and gums began to turn blue. We have it booked for tomorrow and I’ve been at war in my head thinking she’s still eating, drinking, walking around. Most troubling is the frequent morning vomiting of (mostly) mucous, the most obvious external sign of what’s going on. I’ll be thinking of you and little Pick tomorrow. The bad thing when I’m at work. have to go .. Tammy,my thoughts are with you.I to had made the decision on Dec 8th Oscar and I said our good byes.I know its the hardest decision to make but my Oscar wasn’t Oscar anymore,he would sleep most of the day,walk into the walls,he looked so sad himself.its hard to think about how he was when I brought him home at 8 weeks old and what he was like at 16.5 years.But Oscar and I had the best 16.5 years together he was my buddy.I still cry daily and miss him so much.HUGS out to you and will pray. If you want to consult with someone who has dealt with dogs possibly as fearful as yours, you might contact Debbie Jacobs of Fearfuldogs.com . Hugs to you. Mandy,you and sage were so lucky to have each other.Will pray for you and your family. Please remember how much happiness you both expri I’m so sorry. Your post has made me feel so much more at peace with opening thd conversation with my ex and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Learned this the hard way with my dogs. The selegine has not helped – enough. I think you made a very good decision about her quality of life. It’s a romantic thought that the dog will know when it’s time to go and somehow convey that to you. He whines incessantly at night. I have read many articles, all with different suggestions and viewpoints for almost a year now. Dear Eileen, My 18 1/2 yr old dachshund, has had CCD for about a year now and of course, as time goes on, it is getting worse. My vet suggested dementia a few weeks ago, and I guess I just didn’t realize it really was, vut looking back over the short time we’ve had her, I can see the decline. Thank you! Take care. Our 19 year old poodle has the same exact symptoms that you described with Gucci. She was still essentially herself. We may be a week to early, BUT I do not want to be one day to late. More indicative of a problem. He was blind and deaf. Wouldn’t greet us when we got home, never wagged his little tail, no more kisses, did sit shake or lay down. But then last night, she fell off the sofa and banged her head hard and was so disoriented. Until this week. It always helps to get support about that. We got ten years, and I’m so grateful for that. XOXO, Sophie’s mom, Roberta, Thank you so much for sharing. I wish for peace and comfort for all of you and for your dogs. Recently I have started to begin to think about if we are doing right by Harvey but we just love him so much and cannot imagine our lives without him. He is my baby and and I am in agony. He was just started on special food about 2 wks ago but I think it’s too advanced at this time. He was my son. She did the same thing like going into corners and circling. Thank you so much for writing this. Lucky I had her, eh? 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