My GSD cross (She looks like a full gsd. She is a rescue we got her at 8 years old and she is 11 now) is very unhealthy. When we got her we noticed her bottom wasnt right and took her to the vet who said she had anal furunculosis we gave her medication for it and its better but still there.

In January we noticed she was having problems walking and was diagnosed with dysplasia of which we were given pain killers for her as the vet said it wasnt that bad. We woke up one morning in Feb and she could not walk. She was led still crying. We took her to a different vet for a second opinion of which we were told she had severe HD and that she had nearly no muscles left in her back legs (we had noticed she had gotten very thin in the back legs). We were given Tramadol and PLT which she has been on everyday now for a month however this week we have noticed her front legs are starting to go now too, she is limping with her front legs and her hair is falling out on her front legs. I think its elbow dysplasia and we are seeing a vet in a few days as the vet wants us to wait to see if she has twisted something.

My question is, when do I know to let her go?
I love her to bits but now she cant enjoy her walks. She's happy at home and in the garden but what sort of life is that for her?

What would you do? I dont want to put her to sleep but I dont want to keep her alive for selfish reasons.

My question is, when do I know to let her go?
I love her to bits but now she cant enjoy her walks. She's happy at home and in the garden but what sort of life is that for her?

I dare say you will just know when the day comes. My old vet always used to say that there will be good days and bad days, and as long as the good days outnumber the bad, then it's fine. When the bad days outnumber the good, then it's time. At the same time, don't EVER feel guilty for taking the decision because being put to sleep means you KNOW your old and ill dog will not suffer, and "too soon" is only ever for you, never for the dog. The dog will not suffer if put to sleep, that is the one thing we know is 100 % true.

As for your above quote -if your dog is HAPPY staying at home, not in pain etc, then why not? My Cavalier rarely went for walks during his last few years of life. Perhaps once a month. I let him chose, all the time. When the leads came out he'd either appear or stay in his bed, so it was his choice. He was happy until the day before we let him go. Slept a lot, yes, fell over a lot too!, but tail always wagging, still wanting his food, still STEALING food when he could :) , still wanting to greet visitors and be included. He still had a life even if it wasn't the same life as he had as a youngster -but then what oldies (be it dogs or people) can have the exact same life forever? Not many.

When the leads came out he'd either appear or stay in his bed, so it was his choice. He was happy until the day before we let him go.

Even when she's in pain she will go and wait by the front door for a walk. :(
I took her down to the shop this morning (its on the next street to mine) and she did it but she limped all the way and needed encouragement.
Thank you for your kind words. She's asleep right now snoring her head off.

I know what you mean it feels to soon for me, I have only had 3 years with her. Her previous abusive owners had 8 years with her. Its not very fair now shes having a good life for it to be cut short.

Bless you, believe me, youl know when the time comes, one day, you will look at her and think"youve had enough" ,I was the same as you with my Flyss, she had bad arthritis, and developed lymph cancer towards the end.The last week of her life, her legs just stopped working, dragging her outside on a piece of vet bed frightened her, I couldnt support her with a collar and a sling because I was worried Id be hurting her swollen lymph glands.I made the decision one night and took her to the vets the next day.Despite my own advice, I too worried I might be taking her too early, for my own ends, but in the end, I had no choice really.I would have been happy for Flyss to end her days pottering round the garden as long as she was happy, but that decision was taken from me.I wish you and your girl all the best, my heart goes out to you as I know what an awful lonely time this is for you.

I would talk to your vet about giving hydrotherapy a go to help her mobility. If she's otherwise healthy she should be fine, but you will need a referral from your vet. i swam my old boy until he was nearly 12 1/2 and only stopped as he has other health issues so don't think he would cope with it now.

> She's happy at home and in the garden but what sort of life is that for her?

a long as shes happy, that it's a happy life for her :)

hydrotherapy

Because of her low immune system the vet wont give her booster and most hydrotherapy pools wont allow a un-vaccinated dog in. Also she doesnt like water, would any hydrotherapy pool owners allow her in for a test go? And allow her in if I explain her problem?

A couple of weeks ago when my gsd struggled to get outside, couldn't squat for a wee and ended sitting in the puddle, cried every time she tried to get in the position for a poo because it really hurt her joints, spent all day on her orthopedic bed and showed no interest in walking, I knew this was the time. Her face became drawn and she just stared at me as if to say ' I've had enough mum' and yet the day I took her on her last journey she got excited with the lead and couldn't wait to get into the car and I must admit I wondered if I could keep her going a while longer, but knew that would be selfish and she deserved to go with dignity. I have no doubt I did the right thing and even though the pain is still awful I know that she is better now and running without pain.

I've jsut tried a homeopathic drop called RRA.  Its had a good effect already.  Hydrotherapy could be good, maybe ask if they will accept a titre test as proof you dog is vaccinated.  I'm sure the right pool will underdtand why the dog isn't.  i stopped boostering mine about two years ago now and her legs have improved just from that.

I'm going to try Collagen tablets as well as a friend with arthritis and stiff joints have had very good reults.

Like others have said, as long as getting about more often than not and generally happy, you should be fine.  Judge on a weekly/daily basis.  Their in good hands.

So sorry to hear your girl is poorly, bluemerlemum--there's nothing I can really add to all the advice you've had, but you will know when it's time. I agonised over this recently (and she was "just" a pet hen I'd hand reared from hatching last year when her mother was hell bent on attacking her and almost killed her); she suddenly started to go lame but still seemed cheerful enough, eating and getting into the hen house with the others. I hand fed her, held her, made sure she had what was needed but it became progressively worse over a period of 10 days and one morning I went up and she had what I can only describe as a defeated look in her eyes. That was it for me and I knew I had to let her have peace.

Hello everyone.
Thank you for your kind replies.

We are keeping her going for now however currently she only has 1 fully working leg so we are going to see how that plays out we are hoping she has just twisted it.