Thread: Dementia in dogs

Originally Posted by 223nut

It's a horrible topic. Heard of a farmer that used to take his dogs one one last rabbit trip in the hills, convince dog there's one down a hole, dog doesn't see it coming. Sounding like a bloody good way to do one of the toughest tasks

Better the dog is enjoying itself at the end than shit scared in strange surroundings I believe.
In older dogs the veins can be thin and difficult to access in some cases and vets resort to injecting into the liver which is much slower working which is harder on the dog and gut wrenching for you. We owe them a duty of care to make the end as painless and stress free as possible for them, if that causes us angst its a small price to pay in return for what theyve given us.

Originally Posted by madmaori

couldn't do it myself , not to me best mate.
each to there own but there life is worth a hell of a lot more then a bullet

You touched a nerve with me... Last dog of my own I put down was about 27 years ago. It's not much to pay $70 at a vet and watch them sleep than it is to put a slug through their head. I have done it both ways, no brainer in my opinion.

I think back to a few years ago and a mate had a pig dog who had, for reasons I won't get bogged down with here, to be "sent on his way"... He asked me to help... We drove out to the forest, he had the dog on the lead and an old rifle on his arm. He told me I was there to drive home because he would be upset. We got a few rows of trees in and he told me this was the spot. I took the dog lead, the rifle and told him to go back to the truck. He said "No, I have to do this". I told him "Like fuck you do... go back to the truck"! He did. I took care of the business, he came back, helped me bury him, said his goodbyes. He really liked that dog. There is nothing noble in having to "do it yourself". The noble thing is making the decision that it has to be done...

I had to put my jack russell down a couple months ago, he had succumb to dementia. He was just shy of a solid 17, my parents got him for me when I was 12 so we grew up together, liitle dude was awesome and will be forever missed.
I agree with @Ruff, no need to make a shit situation worse by having to do it yourself. I'm lucky enough to have a family friend who is a vet, she came to the house and gave him a tranquilizer first so he just drifted off on his couch. (he claimed a couch, he was a spoilt dog )

Got bloody sand in my eyes from reading this thread

Originally Posted by Roddy

Got bloody sand in my eyes from reading this thread

seems to a lot of that around i suspect