Knowing when to let go...

[Silverwind]

My dog Echo turns 15 in September. Winter was really hard on her last year, and she is starting to wind down. I don't know if facing another winter is what is best for her. I love her so much and I don't want her to suffer. She keeps on giving me these long looks that make me feel like the end is near. Is she waiting for me to be ready? I will never be ready to lose her. How will I know when the wait for her to go on her own is taking to long? She has been such a wonderful, special friend to me. I am just feeling so sad right now.

[Barkingdog]

Have to talk to your vet about this , I think it would be best to talk the him/her and decide together what is best for your dog. This is a very difficult decision to have to made and I am sorry to hear you're going though this.

[Winston]

I think a conversation is alos good with your vet but ultimateley you know your pet the best.

In my opinion only I would look not at age but quality of life. Is your pet eating, drinking, happy, able to move around, without pain or ailments.
There are so many scenarios.

If you feel winters are harder on your pet than I think you could walk less, find an area that they can do their business in (maybe you have to shovel something). Add a few more cuddles instead or do things indoors to stimulate your pup. Sometimes something as simple as adding a coat in the winter helps them out depending on the dog of course.

They say you can tell when its time and that your pet will let you know, sometimes I feel this can be overlooked but generally I think when you decide the time is right thats is all that matters.

I lost my previous dog to Cancer a very rapid one . I had him for 6 weeks from diagnosis and he let me know. I could see it in his eyes and his body. Having said that he was happy right up to the day before he passed...

How about a picture to share of your pet..

Best of luck
Cindy

[Silverwind]

This is Echo almost a year ago. I know it's pretty old, but she is very camera shy and it is hard to get her to sit still or not look like we are about to beat her lol! She was 14 here, she will be 15 in just a few weeks.

[Barkingdog]

I am not able to see the picture of your pet.

[Silverwind]

Sorry, I think I fixed it now!

[hazelrunpack]

What a sweetheart!

[Silverwind]

Thanks! She really is sweet. She is the most gentle dog I've ever known. She grew up with a bunny as her best friend and she would never hurt a fly <3

[Barkingdog]

How sweet ,a bunny for a best friend . She is cure.

[lindapalm]

Silverwind, I feel for you., Our dog, a border collie/lab mix just turned 17. Last winter was also very hard for her, she seems to be enjoying the summer, but I can not see how she will manage snow and ice this winter. She eats great (too great) loves to follow us around outside and lay in the sun. She is deaf, and her muscles in her back end are pretty much shot so that she has a hard time walking and with stairs, and even poops in her sleep. The odd part is that if she locks her back legs stiff, she still can run, she looks like a rocking horse when she does it. I feel Lexie isn't ready yet, but then I ask myself is it me that's not ready, or her. I too hate to prolong things if I shouldn't be, it is so hard to decide when

[Silverwind]

Echo is border collie/lab as well. I think they are the best mix. Echo struggles with the stairs and walking as well. Her back legs are very weak and she can't get up into our van anymore. I know I'm not ready for her to be gone, how can one ever be ready to lose one's best friend?? Echo has been showing little tells lately. Pacing and panting, losing her appetite, not wanting to drink. And the last couple of days, she is peeing all over the place in the house. She just squats wherever she is, like half the time she doesn't even care that she is in the house. I'm feeling pretty sad today.

[hazelrunpack]

Have you had a urinalysis done recently, Silverwind? That's the same behavior we see in our 14-year-old when she has a UTI. She seems to get them a little more frequently the older she gets...

[lindapalm]

For some reason our dog pant and paces so much more at night. I know with humans with Alzheimer's there is a thing called Sundowners, where they get very agitated in the evening. I often wonder if the same thing happens to old, senile dogs. I would definitely have her checked out for a UTI like hazelrunpack said. If its too hard to get her into the vet, take a sterile jar and in the morning when you let her outside follow her around with a sterile soup ladle and stick it under her when she squats. Take the sample in the jar to the vet and have them check it. We've done it several times, they put Lexie on antibiotics, and she no longer constantly pees.

[Silverwind]

I think Echo has doggy dementia. I know she gets lost and confused very easily now, forgets where she's going. Wanders past the stairs into the family room and just stands and stares at the wall until someone rescues her. Yesterday was a good day, but today she mostly slept. She lost control of her legs tonight and tumbled down the last 4 stairs too I'll make her an appointment with the vet.

[Barkingdog]

Dogs can get vertigo too and get stuck in one spot . Maybe you could have her tested for this.

[lindapalm]

Let me know what he tells you. Thanks

[hazelrunpack]

[Silverwind]

Yesterday we said goodbye to our faithful friend, Echo. 15 years she was with us. It wasn't long enough. She was the sweetest, gentlest dog. I miss you already, Echo. I'll miss you forever.

[Longblades]

I'm very sorry for your loss. You and Echo were blessed to have such a good long time together.

[hazelrunpack]

So sorry for your loss, Silverwind.

Echo

[Winston]

So sorry for your loss Silverwind, it certainly is never long enough...
Please know we are thinking of you....

RIP Sweet Echo

[Barkingdog]

Echo , I am so sorry hear this , I know how hard it's to say goodbye to a best friend .

[lindapalm]

Silverwind, I am so sorry. You gave Echo a long, happy life, but its never enough. She was a lucky girl, and I'm sure she showed you many times her appreciation

[Silverwind]

Thanks everyone. It's been over a month since my girl passed away, and it's not getting any easier. I miss her so much. I'm very depressed and I don't know what to do about it.

[hazelrunpack]

You know she wouldn't want you to be unhappy. Maybe tell us some of your happiest memories of Echo? Her sweetest traits, her mischievous moments, her favorite things?

[Barkingdog]

Echo I am so sorry to hear of Echo passing.

[Silverwind]

It's been snowing today, and that was always one of Echo's favorite things! We called her the Snowman Killer because you couldn't build one around her- she would just jump on it and dig it to death. She loved bouncing through snow drifts and eating all the snowballs. We used to go for long walks on the first big snow day

[Barkingdog]

The snowman killer ! That is funny !

[Silverwind]

She was funny. She also loved the hose. She killed so many of our hoses over the years because she loved biting the spray but she would get so excited and leaping around that she would accidentally bite holes in it lol. Her best friend was a bunny rabbit named Sage, who wasn't fond of people but would sit with Echo for hours and they would groom each other

[lindapalm]

The silly memories are good because they put a smile on your face when your missing your friend We are still trying to get up the courage to decide when. Its so terribly hard to do