My 18 year old dog is deaf and blind......do you think he is suffering? He seems content. Family members feel he should be put to sleep.
by 
overeasy240
ANSWERS: 14
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Unless he is in pain or is distressed, leave him be. I would suggest you take him to a vet and let them conform that he is not in any pain.
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As long as he is content and not in pain I see no reason to put him to sleep.
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As long as he is not in pain and is enjoying his food and happy with the love and attention he gets , then he has quality of life and there is no reason to put him to sleep. Just keep loving him.
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I agree with the above answers. Just remember to give him lots of love and rubs.
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You will know if the dog is suffering. For now, just give him love and attention. Take the dog to the vet for a professional opinion.
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As long as he's not in pain and is eating and drinking and seems happy when he gets lovin'. Has he been to the vet lately for a checkup? Just to be sure he's ok?
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If he is not in pain and enjoys his food and cant get around..no reason to put him to sleep :)
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My in laws have an older dog that is blind and deaf. He knows the house and, of course, knows them. They love him and he is very happy and in NO pain. Take him to the vet see what he says.
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i wouldnt put him down i would just make sure that you dont move anything drasticly so he dosent get confused because with blind animals you need to keep everything in the same place so they familarize the area.
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My dog had to be put to sleep last week. She was 18 years old. She was suffering heart failure which as a result was causing fluid buildup in her lungs. She was coughing really badly in the last few days. She had a a number of other problems as well, notably a brain tumour that had caused the left side of her head to 'cave in'. On the day I had her put to sleep she suffered a seizure when I put her outside and I had to perform CPR to revive her. The vet told me she didn't have long to live and rather than see her suffer any more, especially in the summer heat of 40C (over 100F)I reluctantly and with great distress put her to sleep. I had been told mid year that she only had a few months left so I made the most of our time together until the last day. There was really nothing more that I could do. It is very hard to 'get over' the loss of a beloved pet so I would try to keep your pet healthy and happy for as long as possible. There is no reason why dogs can't live to 18, 19 or even 20 if they are well looked after.
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I think ultimately this should be up to you...but 18 is definitely old for a dog. Perhaps the vet can tell you otherwise, but even though it's hard, you don't truly know if the dog is in pain.
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I am in a similar situation. My dog is 18. He eats, drinks, pees and poos. He responds to affection and seems content. My trouble is that he pees and poos wherever he is at the time he needs to go and my house stinks. I shampoo the rugs regularly but it is tiresome. I struggle with the thought of putting him down for my benefit.
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!8 is very old, a good old age on a pup:-) If being deaf and blind is all that's wrong, he's still having a good life.
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My 13 year old springer is deaf and blind he isn't able to climb stairs because of weakness in his hind legs. I carry him a lot and have to guide him all the time. He loves his food and water, loves to be held and swaddled in a blanket. He is a lot of work but seems happy and I love him. For awhile I wasn't sure if he should be put down. But he seems comfortable and loves life when he is being touched. I now know it is not time to put him to sleep. My advice is to touch your dog on the head and then guide him gently by your side. He will learn to trust you and go willingly. A deaf and blind dog needs lots of affection guidance and compassion. They love to be swaddled because they feel safe. When I'm not home I keep mine in a cage with blnkets so he doesn't get lost or confused and feels safe. Hope that helps.
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