I have a black lab that is 14 years old. Her name is Tasha.This last year her arthritus has gotten worse. Sometimes her back legs will give out. Now she has started to leak urine. I have to put a tarp down with blankets. I can't let her go. How do I?
by 
counrty girl
ANSWERS: 12
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Sometimes you just have to let go. I don't believe for a minute that you want her to suffer any more.
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Think about the pain she is in....do it for her. I really am sorry you both are going through this difficult time:(
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My dog that my buddy was keeping for me had a heart attack last yr at age 9.I was really sad and it sucked but thats life i guess and you have to move on.I had a black lab named tasha along time ago.lol.kinda weird
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I empathise with you. I have two friends who also had a black lab with the same problems as yours. They felt the same way as you. The dog (Boz) was just gorgeous. They also put tarps down. In the end he also lost his bowel control and could not walk at all. After much agonising and distress they decided to have Boz put down. He was really in a lot of pain at the end and also looked humiliated everytime he went to the toilet. He is buried in their garden now and his grave has beautiful flowers all around it. Please don't let your dog get to this stage. Boz was in so much pain and even my friends agree that they should have had him put down sooner than they did. It's terrible when our pets get very ill as they are part of our family. Just think about the pain he is in and do what you think is right. Good luck!!
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I know I have to. But when I look at her I just cry and think what a horrible person I am to put her down. I get sick to my stomach when thinking about it. I ended up making a appointment for Monday to put her down. I will miss her terribly.
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I dealt with the same pain of letting go of my Precious, I had her 12 years & she was 13, I had to say goodbye a couple months ago. By far it was one of the hardest things I had to do & I'm not going to lie it hurt really bad but what hurt me even more was the thought of keeping her alive just for my sake. I knew she wasn't going to get better & her quality of life was gone. She had cervical cancer & it was very aggressive as much as I wanted to keep her alive so I could see her & touch her & hold her, I couldn't let her suffer anymore. I knew she was leaving me, I could see it in her lil eyes but I also knew I felt like she deserved to finally have some rest. My heart goes out to you hon, good luck with what ever u decide to do.
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If you, who love her, feel that her bad moments out number her good moments then it is up to you to deal with that. If you can honestly say that your decision is about her and what is best for her then you won't make the wrong one. I have approached elderly pets both ways. Some I have had to have put down because I could see that their lives had become about only pain. No appetite, etc. Some I have let live out their days even though their disability is hard for my heart to take some days and I suffer for their struggles. It really boils down to good days vs bad and ending it when the scale tips and stays in bad. I'm so sorry. It is horrible to have the responsiblity of this decision.
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I had to take my sweet Asha in for her final vet visit Monday night. It was very hard, and I cried a lot. The thing to remember is when we give them a home, we are going to have to face their final day. It is an agreement we make with ourselves. There is no easy way, and there is no escaping it. My thoughts and best wishes to you.
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Ask your self, would you rather have her suffer or be put down peacefully. This just happened to my Kita, and my dad was too attached (seeing as we had him for 14 years), he just refused to put him down, he kept coming up with an excuse not to, and just recently he committed suicide (as we say) he ran out in the Hwy, which he never does, and got hit by a car, he died instantly. so just think what you would prefer, have her suffer, wake up to her dead one morning or have her put down
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You say SOMETIMES her legs give out. Is she pretty much functional the other times? Or, is she pretty much an invalid the majority of the time? I don't think I could ever put mine down, if she was still having some "normal" days, (so to speak). I love her too much! And, I know that there WILL come a time when I must do it. If you see no happy faces on her or wagging tails anymore, then you are probably right, and it must be done. But, please do understand, there are a ton of ABers that are hurting for both of you, and that know you will make the right decision! I'm sorry for both of you. I never knew I could feel that way about an animal, until my son brought this last "mutt" home. Now, I'd die if ANYTHING happened to her. So, I realize how very hard it will be. Remember Tasha's happier times, and love on her all you can this week-end.
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i now what you are going throw my dog is at the vet right now and has been there since wends day i no how you feel my dog will probably have to be put down to.
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awww poor baby. No one regrets putting their dog down, what they regret is not doing it sooner. Leaking urine is not hurting her...so thats good, its uncomfortable for you both, but not causing pain. The arthritis is causing her pain, keep her on meds for that. Honey, you're going to have to set a limit or a deadline for her and for you. How long are you going to put up with the tarp? How much pain are you going to let her be in? There is no hurry. As long as you put her needs first, you'll know when it's time. Now is the time to say good by, to get her cheeseburgers from McDonalds, ice cream, bacon... I had to put my dog down a few years ago. I knew I couldn't do it alone. My husband was out of town for a couple days, so while I waited for him to get back-thats just what I did, McDonalds, slept on the floor with him, said good by. We had a good couple of days. You'll know when its time, just keep her out of pain.
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