A Timeless Question of Time

Dear Dog Lady,

Our six-year-old Retriever, Jakob, has severe epilepsy and has had it since he was two.

Because of this, he drinks a lot more, is on five different kinds of pills, and he has taken to using our living room as his personal bathroom. The pills are eating away at his liver and they also affect his legs so he has problems walking and jumping up on things.

We are struggling with when we should or shouldn’t put him down. Is he suffering too much? Is it inhuman?

Jenn

Jenn, deciding when to send Jakob away from his earthly suffering will be one of the hardest choices you ever have to make. Dog Lady can't possibly advise you specifically on a timetable so achingly personal.

Look for a sign. Talk to others who have gone through this ordeal. People speak almost mystically about the experience. They describe their pets as giving them a deep look, or an obvious signal, when they are ready to go. One of Dog Lady’s friends, who had to euthanize her sickly wire-haired terrier, Fred, described how constipated Fred finally lost control of his bowels in the waiting room of Angell Memorial Hospital. Afterward, the dog collapsed and couldn’t get up. With the help of a vet tech, my friend carried Fred into the room where he was put to sleep forever. She describes her terrier sighing with relief.

It sounds as if the quality of Jakob’s life melts away each day. He can’t enjoy the walks and jumps he once had. He soils his home. You must see the pain of this gruesome existence in the way he moves and looks at you. Stay tuned for that moment when your angel finally indicates he’s ready to fly.

Posted by Dog Lady at January 7, 2006 01:10 PM