This beautiful illustration is by Kevin Brockbank, and it accompanies a moving feature by Patrick Burns (aka "Terrierman") in the December issue of Dogs Today magazine.
Here's an excerpt:
And so now we come to the old dog, the ancient hound who now lies arthritic and deaf.
What do we do here? How will we know when to say when?
There is no clear answer, other than to keep your eyes open.
If the dog refuses water, it is time.
If an old male dog has blood in its urine, it is time.
If a dog cannot stand on its own due to failing joints, it is time.
Do not let the dog live in pain.
Recognize that dogs are natural stoics, and what looks like a little pain may be a great deal more than that.
Which brings me to the most important point: Be early, not late.
A week early, and not much is lost; your moved-loved dog slides off to sleep still free of anxiety, pain, and fear. It is a gentle thing, I assure you.
A week late, however, and you have needlessly tortured your best friend because you were unwilling to face the inevitable.
In the end, it is your job to stand for the dog, and to put the dog first.
This is your last duty.
Don’t fail him now.
An old post, I know but one I missed originally. However I did read this in Dogs Today and it angered me. My boy had blood in his urine 2 years ago. He is entire and it was due to prostatitis. Treated with the appropriate antibiotics it quickly cleared up and has not reoccured. He is now 12, and as healthy and fit as he was at 7, quite capable of running and playing with the younger dogs.
ReplyDeleteI do appreciate that what Mr Burns is trying to say is not to prolong suffering when nothing can be done, equally though it is wrong to suggest that just because a dog is 'old, ancient, arthritic and deaf' does not mean he should be given up on at the fist sign of anything admiss. Frequeuently it is possible to manage conditions and maintain a good quality of life for many more months or even years. Surely that is worth doing?