...to a beloved pet?:(

My dog, Tobi, is eight and a half years old and we've had her since she was two months old. She's a chocolate Lab and is the sweetest, friendliest, loving dog in the world. She's been great with the kids, both of whom joined our family after her.

We've known for about two years that she's got hip dysplasia and arthritis in her back legs, but she never complains. Sometimes she'd be a little stiff when she tried to stand up, but got around just fine.

Well, last night she was lying at the top of the stairs wimpering and whining, which she never does. I went to see what was wrong, and she couldn't stand up. She couldn't even move her back legs, but could crawl on her belly. Bill came up too and we got her to stand up by Bill lifting her rear end, but she'd immediately sit down.

After a while we managed to get her downstairs and out to the car and I took her to the emergency vet at midnight. They took x-rays and said nothing was broken so it must be the dysplasia and arthritis really kicking up. They'd given her some pain medication so they could get her positioned for the x-rays, and that really knocked her out. She slept sitting up leaning hard on me the whole way home at 2am. Once we got home she had a hard time getting up the front steps to get inside the house. She went into the family room and laid down, but whimpered for an hour and a half until she finally managed to roll onto her side. I slept on the floor beside her all night.

This morning she barely opened her eyes, and wouldn't even wag her tail when we talked to her. Bill and I were falling apart afraid we'd have to get her put down today.:cry: Fortunately, around noon, I guess the pain medication wore off and she was able to wag and eventually stood up and made it outside to tinkle, etc. I was so relieved.:)

Anyhow, she's doing a lot of sleeping, and not much eating, but get up and lie down, still rather stiffly. I know she's not feeling well, but she's not whimpering anymore. I'm just afraid that she's not going to last much longer. I can't bear the thought of putting her down.:cry: She's not in constant pain now at least. How will I be able to admit it's finally time to put her out of her misery? It's like deciding to kill a child.:( I love her so much.:(

If it doesn't cause too much pain for Tobi, you may want to take her to another vet for a second diagnosis...the medication given by the emergency vet was probably too strong for your Lab, resulting in knocking her out. With the right medication, it's possible that Tobi can still lead a good life for some years more.

Her loss of appetite and the efforts in avoiding any unnecessary movements can be signs of the pain she is suffering right now. If there is really no other possibility to allow Tobi a painless life...it's probably no comforting thought at first, but we humans should be graceful for the fact that we can put our beloved friends to sleep before they are suffering too much.

I'll keep my thumbs pressed that the vet will find a way to ease the pains of your dog so she and your family can stay together for a lot of years more. ;)

abcmd, I know how you are feeling. We had to put a dog down before, and it is the hardest thing to do. What does the Vet say about her? Do they recommend you put her down?

In a situation like this, you need to look at what is best for the dog. If they can give her medicine that can lower the pain to where she is not always sleeping then maybe you can try that? 8 years old is still young for a lab. We have three dogs who are 9,10, and 12. So, when I hear about putting an 8 1/2 yr old dog down, it almost makes me worry about my own.

I hope things work out for you! Like I mentioned about my dogs, you might want to try the hydrotherapy(swimming) for dogs. Check around to see if there is one in your area. There is one up here in Timonium where I took my dogs. It is really good for the muscles.

Thanks guys. Of course when I took her to the vet she wasn't acting like she was in as much pain as she had been when we decided to take her there. And no, they didn't recommend putting her to sleep. We just had a really bad scare with her this morning, but most of it could be blamed on the medication.

Actually, the vet recommended swimming for her. When we lived closer to the river we used to take her swimming all the time in the summer, but don't live in a water priveleged community anymore so she hasn't been in about three years. (Unless you count the time she decided to go for a walk by herself and jumped into the neighbors across the street's pool :lol: ) The place in Timonium is the only place I've ever heard about that is specifically for dog therapy. It'd be worth the drive 'tho if there's not one closer to me.

Thanks for reminding me about the Pet Depot Brand.:) We took Tobi up there today and she had an absolute blast!:D I'll post a picture of her once I get my scanner hooked back up.

All in all, she's doing a whole lot better. She seems back to normal stiffness now and isn't having any problems with stairs.

About 15 months ago she did something kind of similar where her legs weren't working right when she woke up and she tried going down the stairs but ended up falling down all 13 of them into the wall. She was really knocked into a daze then, but she got over it. Maybe she just had another episode like that but was awake this time and knew she couldn't walk. It scares the bejeepers out of her people 'tho. Maybe we'll just have to be more alert and look for signs that this might happen more often.

So glad to hear that your pet is doing better...:) It is a hard decision when you have loved a pet for so long. I had a cat Smokey who I got when I was 9 years old. He lived for almost 16 years...very much part of the family. He developed a kidney infection and it took him within just a couple of hours without much pain. He would get to feeling better so that's why we didn't put him to sleep when we first found out about it a couple of days before.

This is real tough, and close to home as my parents have had 3 dogs, all of which have endured similar situations to yours abcmcd. One of them was called 'Toby' ironically.

I really hope Tobi makes a full recovery, these pets are like children to us all.

Originally posted by abcmcd
Thanks for reminding me about the Pet Depot Brand.:) We took Tobi up there today and she had an absolute blast!:D I'll post a picture of her once I get my scanner hooked back up.

All in all, she's doing a whole lot better. She seems back to normal stiffness now and isn't having any problems with stairs.


No problem! :) I was going to PM you to see how it went! That's great she had fun! Isn't that a nice sized pool? I am glad she had fun. It's great you can take a dog to that place, and be able to dry them right after. Did anyone one else bring their dog in while Tobi was swimming? I mentioned to my folks about taking our dogs back there, possibly twice a month.

I'm glad she is feeling better after that!!!! They seem to do a good job of keeping the water clean there too.

Tobi was the last swim appointment for the day so no other dogs were there to swim. It's a great sized pool.:) I wish it were a closer to us, but it only took 45 minutes to get there, which isn't too bad. We'll definitely take her back again.

She wasn't too sure about the ramp at first, but she got used to it pretty quick. A concrete ramp is quite different from the sand at the beach she's used to. She's a true retriever. She would chase a ball to the far end, then bring it up the ramp to us and be right back in the water to chase it again. It was so good to see her having fun again, especially after the scare she gave us the other day.:D

I can't add much but I will give you a *smooch* to ease the pain. :)

BTW, glad the dog is feeling better, I love dogs :)

ABC, there is a nutritional supplement my girlfriend gives her horse who has arthitis, it is glucosamine (spelling?) it aids in the joints lubrication. Ask your vet if it is available for dogs. It really helped Patrick be able to walk, trot and Canter with no pain. Maybe that will help.

Ohh.. wow! this is a happy thread. :) It made me sad at first but the ending was so wonderful. I am so glad for you abc and your family. ;)

I have lost many pets and it is so tough to deal with. I know this may seem heartless but it helps me to think they are just pets and I can always get another one.

I say this but my cat now is really like my child and when she passes I will be devestated. Not sure if this so called remedy of mine will work. :rolleyes: I think it is more of a wall I built up to prevent the pain of a lost loved pet.

Thanks Jasper. Tobi has been on glucosamine for about a year now and it has helped. We just still aren't sure where this latest episode popped up from.

TC, I've lost pets before too, but it's been my parents' pets and so it wasn't my decision to put them down. I'm just a little freaked out that I'm the grown up now and when it's time it will be my responsibility.:uhoh:

Thanks DJ. Tobi sends a big slurpy *smooch* right back atcha.;)

Losing a beloved pet is difficult. 10 years ago I had to make the decision to put down my cat due to his contracting feline leukemia. I spent that month's rent on vet bills and lab fees doing what I could to try and save him, and in the end, he had to be euthanized. It was a hard choice, but the best one for him. I couldn't stand to see him suffer anymore.

I'm glad to hear Tobi is doing better. :thumb: Just like human beings suffering from arthritis, she will have good days and bad, but there are several medications available that should be able to help her with the pain. :)

Sorry to hear about your dog, but happy to hear Tobi is doing better!
I had a cat that lived to be 18 years old. When he was 17, he had a stroke. At first I thought he had hurt his hip or something. My cat had the same symptoms as Tobi.
Did they do blood tests to see if maybe Tobi had a stroke?
When my cat had his stroke, I was going to put him to sleep, but the vet talked me out of it, saying he could quite possibly come out of this state. Sure enough, 2 weeks later he was running around again! The following year he had another stroke, and he ended up dying in his sleep overnight.
I was glad I had that extra year with him, and happy that I didn't put him to sleep.

Thanks Bambi. No the vet never did a blood test to see if she had a stroke, but I've wondered that before. It seems like what I'd expect to see in a stroke with the loss of use of her back parts. I'm going to ask about that possibilty.:)

I had to put my dearest friend down a year ago. Her name was Fuzz, a wire haired fox terrier. She was 14 and almost blind, and in pretty bad shape. Although, she was a trooper...It had to be done. I loved her more than most humans!

So, I can feel what you're going through with Tobi. I hope she gets better :) I love dogs...

I am so glad your Tobi is better.

I will tell you something that's a little sobering before I give you some really great news to cheer you up:

You should make the decision right now--write it down--about what your guidelines are for a happy, healthy life for your "furry children" For example, my husband and I have some of these for guidelines:

1 If he/she still plays regularly
2 If he/she still interacts normally with us (not hiding a lot, or not responding to our voices, etc)
3 If he/she is eating normally

and so forth

Then, make a list of what consitutes behavior that you think means that your friend is suffering

We agree firmly on these, so that we are both in agreement when the time comes to send our little ones to a better place. It is so much easier to make these decisions in the good times, and subsequently to stick with them when that time is here.

I can tell you from experience that this is true.

I also pre-make arrangements with my vet that when my animal must be put to rest, that he/she is automatically cremated, and I keep a little extra in my account there so that I can just leave the office when I am upset so that I am not crying in front of everyone (my vet is very thoughtful about all of this--he even has an exit just for people who a grieving so that they have a little privacy) You may have other arrangements for your little one, but make sure you make them now

Now, the fantastic news--

There are SOOOOO many things that can be done for Tobi! You may want a second opinion on Tobi from another vet. There is no reason that you and Tobi shouldn't be together for a very long time. Tobi can still have a long, healthy, happy life and you can have some peace of mind knowing that she is pain free and happy.

Again, I am glad that you had a happy ending. I have sat all night with sick pets too--they are my children. You are a great person!

Tobi has bounced back so well she's acting like a frisky puppy again.:) (but :confused: )

I did some research on homemade dog food, and 'tho I can't bring myself to do the BARF (bones and raw food) diet for her, I have been cutting down her commercial dog food rations in the morning. Then at night I feed her a homemade concoction of pureed vegetables and meat or fish. I definitely think this has been part of her recovery. She doesn't even act stiff in her back legs at all. Anybody else ever done the homemade pet food thing?

That is really great that Tobi has bounced back :) Do you think it was the commercial dog food that was making her ill? That is strange how well she's doing after you changed her diet. I have also heard many bad things about most commercial dog foods out there.

My dog Buster (another Fox Terrier) Didn't seem to like his food much, would eat a little...walk away, then came back two or three times. It was a Eukanuba brand. I changed him over to an Iams brand, and he loves it!!!

As for homemade dog food, I really don't know of anyone that has done that. But, if it's working keep doing it :)

The vet had told me last year she was getting to heavy so to switch her to Iams weight control formula. I did and she gained 14 pounds!:rolleyes: Now she's gets 1/2 Iams (until it's used up anyways) and 1/2 Hill's Science Diet easy to digest formula since she's got pancreatic problems.

I got the idea of the homemade food from a lady I met once a few years ago who also had a chocolate Lab. The dog had a bad skin condition and the vet said she had other problems and not too good of a prognosis. So the lady had started boiling a chicken or making a fish for her dog every day, and she said it made all the difference. That had been two years before that the vet didn't give the dog long, and the dog was as perky as a little puppy when I met her. So it had been kind of a running joke between me and Bill that when Tobi started to fall apart I'd "boil her a chicken". Well, that time has come, and I really think there is something to it. There must be!:D

Keep doing it abc! I'm sure it is quite a chore preparing meals like that for Tobi. But, if she's doing better...it's worth it ;) It is so refreshing to hear a story like yours. :)

Buster gets a lot of homemade foods...besides the IAMs :lol:

Originally posted by JustRockin2
My dog Buster

My dogs name is Buster too. I totally agree with what you said about loving your dog more than some humans. I know that sounds so bad but I am such an animal lover. I have a sticker that says "The more people I meet the more I love my dogs!"
My Buster is on Science Diet and homemade food also. He lost a lot of weight and does so much better with all his problems now. I hope yours keeps doing well ABC! ;)

There are lots of people who make food for their furry children! It isn't a matter of the commercial food making her ill, it's just that these foods are made to serve the mean average of dogs, and it obviously doesn't contain whatever it is that she specifically needs. There are a lot of supplements out there that can help with bone/joint health without aggravating the pancreatic problems (Is she showing signs of diabetes by any chance?)

One treat that a friend of mine makes for her dogs (the dogs love it and it doesn't make them chunky) is little homemade biscuits. All they amount to are corn meal mixed with broth--chicken, beef, vegatable, whatever one you want to use--until it makes a stiff paste. She feeds them to them either when she just mixes them, or she bakes them to make them crunchy to save for later. The fresh made ones she infuses with vitamins/minerals. You can do that with the baked ones too but some of the vitamin/mineral properties get lost in the heat.

There are lots of people who make food for their furry children! It isn't a matter of the commercial food making her ill, it's just that these foods are made to serve the mean average of dogs, and it obviously doesn't contain whatever it is that she specifically needs. There are a lot of supplements out there that can help with bone/joint health without aggravating the pancreatic problems (Is she showing signs of diabetes by any chance?)

One treat that a friend of mine makes for her dogs (the dogs love it and it doesn't make them chunky) is little homemade biscuits. All they amount to are corn meal mixed with broth--chicken, beef, vegatable, whatever one you want to use--until it makes a stiff paste. She feeds them to them either when she just mixes them, or she bakes them to make them crunchy to save for later. The fresh made ones she infuses with vitamins/minerals. You can do that with the baked ones too but some of the vitamin/mineral properties get lost in the heat.

tried to post, realized i wasn't signed in--therefore the post under unregistered is mine too. sorry!

Since I finally got my scanner hooked back up to my computer, I thought I'd add a picture of Tobi swimming at the pool Brand recommended when this all first started. Glad to report she's still doing well.:D

Great picture Allison. Glad to hear Tobi is still doing well. She looks like she is having a blast in that photo.

What a beautiful baby! And since swimming is great for the joints, you are doing just the right thing for your kiddoe. Keep up the good work!