A tribute to Chug

[LABS4ME]

 Quote:

HOW does one decide its time?

Glenn,

The decision is never easy and you will second guess your move when you do it. I've had to make the decision many times over and each time it's different issues to consider, but still a hard one to make.

Ask yourself and eventually your vet these questions.

* What is the 'quality of life' for your dog. Is he happy and relativley pain free. Is he eating, drinking and going to the bathroom normally.

* If he is sick, what is the treatment protocol? What is the end result? WHat are the associated costs? My feeling is when they are over 10, aggressive treatments are not warranted. The end result does little as their normal lifespan is 11-12 years of age. that is me, and others may have differing views.

* Can we buy some time with pain treatment and comfort measures. This will sometimes give you the ability to have closure by allowing you time to bring the dog home.

* Is your dog showing you that he is 'done'. Many times you will notice a great change in the dog's personality. You can sense that the end is drawing near. You may have 'good' moments mixed in with the bad, but overall the decline is great and you'll know it's the right thing to do.

In the case of bad hips, talk to your vet and look at some different meds to ease the pain and inflammation in his joints. Many of them are successful such as Rimadyl and Previcox. You may be able to 'buy some time' by treating him now. If you want a pup to start hunting with your older dog, now is the time. At 10 you can hope for 1 maybe 2 years of hunting out of your old dog and if you wait much longer the window of opportunity will slip by.

Hope all works out well for you and your decisions..

Good Luck!

Ken

[lawdog]

Ken hadn't checked in here in a few days, sorry for your loss! I still miss my best bud and it was a year in February. I'm sure you gave Chug many great years and I know he returned the favor many fold.

Take care and good luck!

[jigging-matt]

Labs, good points on how to tell when. It was exactly how it happend for my old girl. The biggest question for the Vet from me was "Is she suffering"? couldn't have that. After 14 years of her always being there I couldn't stand to see here suffer.

[David Kasten]

I am very sorry to here about your dog. From the sounds of it most of us have had and lost dogs. Out of curiousity when does one know it is time to get another partner?

[LABS4ME]

You just never run out of them! I don't know if I'll ever get back to a one dog house... I keep threatening for it to happen, But I'm sure there will for the most part be two around.

Good Luck!

Ken

[cjac]

I went from two labs to none in a span of three months.

One went peacefully at home with an appointment to put her down the next day. That is the worst phone call/feeling I've ever had in scheduling that.....knowing what I had at hand to do and go thru. The other we took in once more and knew it was her time to move onward and upward, so to speak. We just knew, and she did too I think.

It's sure a different household, as we have not got another dog or two yet, waiting on timing of a few other things in life. I want to do it when the time is right, both for the house and the dog(s).

I just believe that when the time is right for dogs again it'll be obvious to us. Case in point, recovering from back surgery as I am now is not the time....

All of you please give your hunting partners and companions an extra bit of attention tonight for those that have gone off to other places.....

Regards, Chris

[icehousebob]

Labs, my wife and I and our house full of critters send our sympathy. As I write this I have a cat in my lap and one of the Bassets begging to be petted. I think I know a bit of how you feel. It hurts to lose the good ones.

As for telling when its time,, my daughter is a vet and for a couple of ours, she just told me that they looked at her and told her it was time. The last great favor you can do for them is to give them an easy passing. Take care.

[David Kasten]

agreed.

[Cootz]

My sympathy goes out for you. With my olf man's grey hair showing how old he's getting to be I can't but think that there's far less left to do then what we've gone through.