Our 13.5-year-old golden retriever Murphy (the one our Chessie does not get along with) is getting extremely weak in the hind hips and back legs and it has gotten worse in the past week. He has difficulty getting up, and once up his back end trembles and sways slightly. He used to follow you around from room to room in the house, but now does not get up unless he needs to go outside.

One of my in-laws’ goldens had horrible hips, and they spent a couple of years helping him get around with one of those hip slings/supports (goes under belly and you lift then up by handles). He seemed happy, but he also seemed like he was suffering quite a bit at times. I told myself I would never put one of my dogs through that if their bodies gave out before their hearts. But now I am facing a similar situation, and I’m so torn and looking for suggestions/options.

I will take him to the vet next week to discuss options.

He is a LARGE dog. In his prime he weighed 115 pounds and was not fat. He probably weighs about 105 pounds now, and is thin for his frame size.

I guess I am asking, in a situation like this, when do you know it is time? Because I don’t want it to be time.

Thanks for any advice and support you can give.

Valerie

At 13.5 Murphy has had a long life compared to most CBRs. Unfortunately when I have had to make the "decision" the dog did it for me...I didn't have to second guess my decision.

JMO and having several CBRs reaching seniorhood when their quality of life starts going down hill and they have that look "I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that" is the day I'll know I have to make that unselfish decision for them.

Wish I could be of more help

Edit: Sorry, Golden Retriever

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Susie,

Valerie,

this is always such a hard time, but you will know as you will be able to read their pain in their faces when they can't deal with their bodies anymore. Talk to your vet. Like Susie said, though, that's a long life compared to most CBR's. In the last 3 years I've had to send a 14 year old CBR, a 13 year old CBR and a 10 year old CBR to the bridge. The first two there was no question about, but it was a very difficult decision for the 10 year old who had developed health issues that were not going to go away.

My heartfelt thoughts are with you...it's never easy.

Kathy

Valerie,

sorry to hear that your golden is succumbing to the inevitable breakdown of his body. That is the part about having dogs that is so heartbreaking - we have to watch and make the decision as to whether or not our beloved family member has live a full and happy life, and whether there is more of that life to live.

13.5 yrs is old for any of the retriever breeds.

No one can make the decision for you..but I know for me personally, when the dog can no longer move as much as I know he/she would like to (ie. lots of struggling to get up, laying down except to eat/relieve him/herself), then it is time.

Juli

Valerie, you wrote:I guess I am asking, in a situation like this, when do you know it is time? Because I don’t want it to be time.
You just answered the question yourself.
Unless the golden is in constant pain or dis-
comfort, and as long as there is a will to live,
or a desire (from the dog) to keep trying and not give up, it's "not time". However, YOU must
sacrifice yourself for the dog. If you can't be there almost 24/7, then it's not fair for either
you or the dog. The reason I'm saying this is because you stated you don't want it to be this time. Example, Monica (servicecdog lab) before
cbr Chelsea, after we both were struck by a car, was severely injured - fractured shoulder
(scapula), cracked vertebrate & hip. She could not walk without extreme difficulty so I made her a wheelchair out of a 3-wheeled baby stroller. I struggled to put her on it everyday
(from accident I lost the function of my own legs) but she was grateful to still be with me.
My situation however (being able to be with her 24hrs/day) made this a viable option. Monica survived 1yr 1 month after the accident, with great enthusiam and joy of life. She was not suffering and showed the will, desire, & drive to live (cruial - the dog will let you know when it's time) But remember quality of life is
the most inportant factor, and is living a limited lifestyle agreeable to the dog, esp if it lead an active life and cannot do such anymore (will golden be stressed or frustrated because it cannot run,jump, play,etc?
-

Here is a picture of Monica & her wheelchair (if
I can send it correctly). I also used a wagon to pull her behind my wheelchair which she also
loved to ride in.

monica_wheelchair.jpg (62 Kb, 47 downloads)

With all due respect, I think your situation was a bit different from Valerie's in that you were not dealing with an old dog.

As I indicated in my previous response, I have just had to send 3 old dogs to the bridge and one was only 10. The two elder ones were very special especially my 14 year old Rusty whose photo graces this page! I cried and cried but I knew what I had to do as his quality of life was gone and I knew it when he looked at me with the look that told me he was tired and could no longer endure....and I still miss him dearly 3 years last Wednesday from the date I held him peacefully in my arms for the last time. My 13 year old Shaina who I sent to the bridge last year had been suffering from mini strokes from the medication she was on, but each time she came back and was her happy self. The last time was a major stroke and all that moved were her eyes, and they also told me that she could no longer endure. I waited and waited that evening to see if perhaps she would rebound yet one more time, but it was not to be.

Old age in our wonderful fur guys is the hardest yet to deal with, but it's up to us to know when they can no longer endure and send them to the bridge before they lose their quality of life and their will to keep going.

Kathy

Kathy, Point Taken,but Monica was "older" - about 12+ yrs. You wrote:Old age in our wonderful fur guys is the hardest yet to deal with, but it's up to us to know when they can no longer endure and send them to the bridge before they lose their quality of life and their will to keep going.
Didn't I basically state the same thing? Esp when I said the dog will let you know when it's time and the quality of life and desire to live an altered lifestyle to be considered utmost.
The reasoning I offered what I did was because Valerie stated she was not ready for this time.
Even though the dog is old (13 yrs), as long as there are no other circumstances regarding the dogs health (ie heart, lung, etc), and the dog is not suffering and HAS THE WILL TO LIVE, and can live comfortably and be satisfied with the altered lifestyle, this should also be considered. It's a team effort with Valerie and the Golden. Valerie's emotionally not ready yet to let the dog go. Maybe, if circumstances change, she will be.But until then, all options must be considered. Even if for only 3 months,
there will develop the closure to come to terms with the pending loss & grief, for both Valerie
and the Golden.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Susie:
At 13.5 Murphy has had a long life compared to most CBRs. Unfortunately when I have had to make the "decision" the dog did it for me...I didn't have to second guess my decision.

I am perplexed at the statement long life compared to most CBRS. 13.5 is a long life for a Golden but not untypical at all for a CBR. I have had most of mine leave to 12-15 yrs old. Rocky at 13 leaps on the bed, jumps up into his crate in the van. Powder us 11 and fit and spry-her dam lived to nearly 15.5 yrs old.

Dyane

Thanks for all of your input. I never expected Murphy to live to this age, because of his size and because of the dozens of lumps (most turned out to be cysts) he acquired in the past few years.

He has gone through bouts of stiffness and soreness, and just when we thought he might not improve, he would bounce back with a renewed youthfulness. I am hoping that he will do that again, but this time seems different. The ability to get up is much more difficult. We only have wood floors, and even with slip proof rugs all over the place, he finds an uncovered area and immediately is down. He doesn't even try to help me get him up. He does seem defeated, and it is so hard to watch.

If he does not bounce back in the near future, I think the decision is made.

What makes this even harder is our 7-year-old golden, Lily, has not been eating for two weeks (except for very small amounts of moist food). Other than the lack of appetite and a temperature, the vet could not find anything wrong with her. Blood and urine tests came back normal. A round of antibiotics did not help, so she is scheduled for additional testing.

Thankfully our Chessie, Sherman, keeps a smile on my face!

Valerie

I had a dog live till 16. He had trouble getting up - I helped him up. Went to a boat ramp so he could walk in the water wothout falling down. But it came time when he stopped eating and just wouldn't get up anymore with help. I brought him to the ocean so he could see it. Loved the ocean and then we went to the vet. I was with him till the end. The vet gave me the option of dropping him off or staying with him. Dropping him off is not an option. This dog only showed me love I was there petting him and talking to him. I had a puppy then Murray. Said he would never be the dog Sam was. I was wrong. He eventually filled that emptyness. But never replaced the memory of Sam.

He'll tell you when.

Murphy bounced back over the weekend! He's perky and energetic and is getting up and down just fine. I didn't think he had another rebound in him, but thankfully he did.

Lily, on the other hand, had an ultrasound that showed several tumors on her spleen and liver. It sounds like the best treatment option is to keep her comfortable and keep cooking her chicken and rice until it is time. I never thought I'd be losing the younger golden first.

Sherman, in the meantime, is enjoying the little bit of chicken and rice he now gets on his food too!