[LuluOliver]

Hi!

I'm in the process of trying to decide my 15 year old Cocker Spaniel's quality of life. He has a mass in his right ear that is growing and pushing against his brain. As a result the ear has become a breeding ground for bacteria. He now has MRSA and others that I can't recall.

He is on medrol, pain meds, and atopica to help with his problem.

On top of this he has arthritis in is back legs, is partially blind, and is fully deaf. He is either always sleeping or hungry (because of the steroids) and has lost interest in going on walks. I'm not sure what to do as the quality of life scale isn't helping. I don't want him to be in pain, and I also don't want him to get to the point where he's not able to eat and is pooping on himself.

Reading what I wrote, the answer seems obvious but he still eats, goes to the bathroom, and greets me when he sees me. These factors make the decision even more difficult.

Any suggestions would be great! Or even personal stories that would help soothe my guilt.

 

[Dr T]

Sounds like you love your pet and he most likely has had a good life. Our conditioning is to turn to the intellectual mind when we try to decide when it is the right time to let a pet go. This never works as the intellectual mind always makes a list for one choice and then flips on itself and makes a mental list as to why the other choice is best. This only causes great suffering for us and does not help with the problem. I have been schooling clients for many years how to get through this. Spend some quiet time with your pet, allowing that time to be spent without thinking about the problems. Just be with him, quietly and focus on the gratitude that you have for him being in your life. You will feel your heart open in time and when you do this, you will connect with him at a deeper level and you will be aware of his needs. Then, you will realize that your loving compassion is always there to guide you and your decisions will be made from that perspective instead of fear. You will know when the time is right and when it comes, you find peace and love even in the presence of grief. Good luck.

 

[Artdog]

Sounds like you love your pet and he most likely has had a good life. Our conditioning is to turn to the intellectual mind when we try to decide when it is the right time to let a pet go. This never works as the intellectual mind always makes a list for one choice and then flips on itself and makes a mental list as to why the other choice is best. This only causes great suffering for us and does not help with the problem. I have been schooling clients for many years how to get through this. Spend some quiet time with your pet, allowing that time to be spent without thinking about the problems. Just be with him, quietly and focus on the gratitude that you have for him being in your life. You will feel your heart open in time and when you do this, you will connect with him at a deeper level and you will be aware of his needs. Then, you will realize that your loving compassion is always there to guide you and your decisions will be made from that perspective instead of fear. You will know when the time is right and when it comes, you find peace and love even in the presence of grief. Good luck.

I hope I can remember this when I'm forced to face this yet again; with multiple pets, it is inevitable. Thank you.

 

[lynsey]

Hi LuluOliver

I think you know the answer, your post says it all. One of our dogs was in his early 20's (we think, don't know for sure)and hardly moved at the end. He still insisted on coming upstairs with us at night, but it could take 20 minutes sometimes. He was so independent he wouldn't let me carry him, but it was heartbreaking to watch him struggling. He never stopped guarding the house, lost interest in his food or stopped telling the other dogs off if he disapproved of something they did, but it was clear he wasn't really enjoying life any more. It was horrible to finally make the decision and I can't tell you how much I still miss him, but I know I did the right thing for him.

Lynsey