laxmom

Thanks for all the kind words and prayers. I think the reason this is hitting me so hard is because Casey is "my" dog. From the day I found her at the pound, she has been my constant shadow, never leaving my side.
We pick up the meds this morning and I pray this will help shrink the tumor. If it's not meant to be, I will look into having the vet come to our house (thanks, Kjofkw). Casey always trembles when she is in the Vet's office and I don't want that to be the last thing she remembers.

scualum

Thoughts and prayers for Casey...

romanigypsyeyes

I second kj. We let our baby pass away peacefully in the woods, her favorite spot. The vet tech was gracious enough to come over and help us. It made the whole thing much, much easier on everyone and especially her which was the most important part.

My thoughts and hopes and whole heart goes out to you and your baby dog.

toneranger

so sorry laxmom.
We also have an old dog who is starting to have problems. He is very dear to us and is my constant shadow. He is such a sweety and I can't imagine life without him.
Our dog is also afraid of the Vet's office...he growls and barks instead of trembling. Years ago, they didn't give him enough anesthesia for surgery and he never forgot. Poor thing. We go to a different office now, but they're all the same to him.
I hope the drugs work for Casey. Hang in there...we dog lovers understand and are pulling for you!

mmaah

OOh, we are so there with you on this hard situation. Trust your love for her to guide you. I find an odd comfort in my sense that while animals can feel pain, they do not "suffer" like humans with worries and regrets. So if we can give them time that is relatively pain free and full of love, that is good. But our hearts struggle with it. You're not alone and I'm glad you could post about this.

bookiemom

laxmom: so sorry about your Casey. I think we can worry about and get just as upset about our beloved pets as our children.

I lost a dear Schnauzer to cancer the fall my only D started college. It is very hard with a slowly deteriorating situation to know what to do and when. This dog had a tumor in her paw, which gradually got worse and worse, but the rest of her was fine. She was too old for major surgery. It wasn't really true for us that we "knew" when was the right time for the end of her life. The advice you got above about talking things through with the vet ahead of time is good.

My vet told me that most dogs now die of cancer, so most owners have some hard decisions to make. As long as Casey is still having mostly good days and you can cope with her care, you are doing the best for her.

emeraldkity4

So my dog is going back to the dr tomorrow, I expect that unless she bounds up the stairs ( she likes the vet- people there ya know & treats), Vet will suggest that I start planning for her last days.

However, the timing could hardly be worse, my mother has been in the hospital for the past two weeks, is expected to be discharged to a temporary care facility, but is also suffering from asphasia from a TIA after her most recent surgery according to my brother. ( she has been in and out of the hospital at least 10 times this past year.


I know some get to the point where they are having to carry their dogs outside to go to the bathroom- she is still interested in food and cooking ( and for a lab- that is important), but it is frustrating cause I really don't know what to do.
Should be able to tell tomorrow though, cause she really likes the vet but if she doesn't show interest then I will know it is time.

romanigypsyeyes

^ I am a firm believer that dogs know when it is their time to pass on. She will tell you when it is time to go. Our dog would try to crawl under the bed and wouldn't give us kisses. The other hid behind the tv and wouldn't eat.

Just trust your heart. You know your pet better than anyone else.