Euthanasia?

[Truthseeker]

I have a 12 year old poodle/spaniel mix. His eyesight is getting bad, his hearing is getting bad (if he hears me he always looks around trying to pinpoint what direction I am calling him from), and he has a chronic skin condition that only responds to a certain point, other than these things, he is a super good boy and I have had him from 4 months old. The skin condition is the main factor. He is miserable with the itching and scratching. I have changed his diet and make his food homemade from scratch.

All his hair had completely fallen out from his middle to the tips of his back legs and tail.I have been rubbing this noxious smelling medicine on him about once a week for the past month and his hair has grown back at least 85% and his skin is healing up very much but he still wakes us up regularly thumping, digging and snarfling. He chews or rubs until he is raw and bleeding. If I am late treating him he starts breaking out and getting reddened skin again. I have seriously wrestled with having him... well.. I haven't been able to convince myself that he would welcome this solution.

How can I have a peace about my decision one way or the other? I can't exactly ask for his blessing. This is tearing my heart out. He has in the past couple of weeks gotten more energetic and lively, and I somehow can't reconcile myself to the idea of taking his life from him- I am not God, and he is a living creature with feelings and desires just as I am, but without the choices I have. I don't want to sound like an idiot, I realize maybe I am over analyzing but I am really struggling with how to make this decision.

[AutumnMaidens]

This is a horrible thing to have to decide on, one of the biggest issues to concider would be quality of life. Do you think that he is still enjoying his life or has it become a heavy burden. This is what you're up against, only you can decide if he is suffering, because if he is it will give him peace.

Blessings to you and your dear animal friend.

[Truthseeker]

Ooooh, I am so not ready. I hope and pray I WILL know and have peace about it.

[Ravencry]

That is a very difficult decision to live with. Once, I had three kittens and one of them got out of the box before we could get them home... Well, I didn't realise that she had gotten out and I accidentally closed the car door on her head. I felt terrible, I was keening like a bean-sidhe. I had to put her out of her misery that I had caused, so I smothered her. I felt terrible, but her skull was crushed in on one side, her eyes were bulging and she was braindead. I had a dream about her that night and I felt like she was saying 'Thank you for not prolonging my pain.'

It may be hard, but maybe you can try to do some form of communication with him/her, since you have had the dog so long and its hard not to have a strong bond after years. If you sense that the dog is distraught and wishes for the suffering to end, then I think that it is his time. I know it may hurt and it will definitely be difficult, but I know that it will only pain you more to see your beloved in pain.

[Truthseeker]

I get almost hysterical just reading this and thinking about it. Somehow I feel like being an empath should help me in this but it doesn't. It makes it worse. I get my own emotions tangled up in it and can't distinguish what he really feels about it.

[Ravencry]

I completely understand. I don't know if I would be able to do it if he was not on the verge of death like my kitten was. It will be hard and I'll never say that it will be easy, its like pulling the plug on a family member. Just keep his well-being in your heart, and if he does show signs of his skin disease improving, you'll be amazed with how good of a life he can lead being blind and deaf. He won't be like himself, he'll be like a grandparent that needs your help almost every step of the way, but I think thats what we bargain for when we take on a familiar. I'm sorry that your in such pain right now, I truly can feel your pain. Its hard on you, but we are with you through any decision you make.

[Ula]

If you don't put him to sleep take witch hazel and put it in olive oil. Bake in a non-porous pan for 6 hours on 200 degrees. Strain and then you can use the oil to keep the itching down. We use it at home for that on us. So sorry about you sick friend. We have had to put two dogs down in my life and it's just so hard, they are family.

[Truthseeker]

thank you Ula

[EmeraldMist]

I had a cat that I named Cassie. She was like my dog. We were pals. We did everything together. I had to make a choice shortly after my son was born. My beloved Cassie was over weight, full of fleas (flea meds wouldn't work), and turns out she had bowel problems. We noticed her bowel problem when my mum and I got home one day to find her bowel hanging out of her butt. A few years later when my son was born, she became extremely constipated. Three days in animal hospital and five enemas later, the vet concluded that there was no more that could be done. That Cassie would be constipated again within a week or less. So I got the vet to put her to sleep. I had my son's health to worry about.

I loved my cat. But when the time came, she gave that look as if she was saying "it's ok mum. You did what you could. You made me feel comfy when I felt like exploding. It's ok. I still love you." Being a little girl when we first got her, Cassie and I talked all the time.

I had bought Cassie a collar with a bell. She's been gone almost five years. I still hear her bell jingle every once in awhile. I miss that cat... <3

[Floyd Pinkerton]

It's very possible your dog could just have a food/seasonal allergy. If the animal doesn't have any underlying, severe medical condition, I wouldn't recommend euthanizing them.
If changing the dog's food/environment doesn't help, take him to a vet and see what their opinion is. Maybe they can give you medication for the pup and he could live a long time yet.

I apologize if this comes off as not giving sensitivity to your pet's problem. He is old for a part-spaniel (I have 3 cocker spaniels of my own) and it could be something more serious than what I can comprehend. I just believe that unless an animal is truly suffering and in pain it shouldn't be euthanized. There are plenty of options available for you based on the information given, and I wish you and your furbaby the best of luck.

[Silversong]

I'm the daughter of a vet, so I've been through this kind of thing before. At one point, I had a hamster that I was extremely attached to, and we found him one morning turning blue from not being able to breathe - looked like pneumonia, but there was no apparent reason for it. I was sobbing, but when Mom gave me the choice of trying to save him (which we both knew was hopeless) or just euthanizing and ending it, I managed to choke out, "Euthanize" and then couldn't talk anymore because I was crying too hard. Thunder... gods I'm almost crying again thinking about it, and this is at least five or six years later if I remember correctly. I was and still am sad about it, but I also know that keeping him alive longer would only have prolonged the suffering and that we couldn't have saved him. I will admit that I'm proud that I was able to let go when I realized that, even though it hurt. If he hadn't been so close to death already, though... I don't know.

Scratching until the skin is bleeding I think is probably drawing close to the line for me. In the end, it comes down to one question: Does he still seem to take joy in life, or is it just suffering?

Whatever your decision, just remember this: We will be here for you.

[Vesca]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's unlikely this is still a current issue, as the thread is 3 years old.

Though for future readers with a similar situation, it's good to get advice and insight.

[SnowCat]

I agree that the situation has probably been resolved. Truthseeker last visited a year ago.

Snow

[Silversong]

Right... I should check dates on these things XD

[Vesca]

Meh, I've posted an outdated response before. ^^ It happens.