Hi all. I posted here a while back re my 13 year old staffie. He is blind and has been for 8 years and until roughly 6 months ago got around very well indeed. He'd occasionally bump into things but would rarely do it a second time. Earlier this year I noticed he was on the lean side and had a few lumps and bumps appear. We noticed that he had become very disoriented and at first put this down to some building work we had done thinking that he would Be ok once he got his bearings but unfortunately not. Once or twice now, his back legs have gone but he's regained himself over a few minutes. I had him checked in September time. The vet felt that it wasn't weight loss so much as loss of muscle mass due to not walking so often (due to him being all over the place on a lead and not being able to let him off because he has lost all recall with being so disoriented). The lumps she felt were benign and she was unconcerned with his general health but I am concerned, partly because things have moved on a little and partly because he's my dog and this is just not him.  Since then he has started pooing indoors about once a week. It's solid and no sign of upset tummy. Each time he has done this almost immediately after coming in from the garden. He looks miserable when he's done it as with most dogs he's very clean. His disorientation seems worse than ever. We watched him the other evening try to walk to his bed and he has a wide open gangway to do so but instead walked into the table and chairs but more worryingly repeatedly kept trying to do so before we guided him to his safe place. This evening his back legs just went. I sat with him for a few minutes and he eventually got himself together but was very wobbly. He now seems fine in this respect. He keeps asking to go out literally minutes after he's just come in but does nothing but stand there - it's like he's forgotten he's already been out. I call his name and he literally goes in the opposite direction. We rescued our boy and finished rearing him by hand and he hasn't been without his issues and for these reasons coupled with the higher level of care he's needed due to loss of sight he's more special to us than we could ever have imagined. I have always been clear that when the time comes I'd rather say goodbye a week too early than a day too late - he deserves more than that after all he's given to us. However, I always imagined there would be some kind of obvious health issue that would dictate such as cancer, I never imagined it would be an extensive set of vagueish symptoms through which we'd have to try and consider the quality of life question as rational people rather than the emotional wrecks who could be faced with an awful decision about a dog that's been like a third child to us. I don't mind admitting I need help with this and I didn't know where else to turn other than here since at our last vet visit she seemed satisfied that he was eating and drinking but generally just behaving like an old person. Maybe she's right, I just don't know anymore. I don't want him pulled about and tested unnecessarily due to his age and vulnerability but of course would be open to some tests if it would help. Does anyone have any advice about what you would do or maybe what you have done in similar circumstances? I guess I'm worried about making the call in the absence of a very final health issue in case he has more time left. Any advice would be appreciated.

The symptoms you describe sound rather like doggy dementia sadly. I have heard of dogs being treated successfully using vivitonin, but I know very little about it.
It's always a difficult call, one of my previous dogs at 14 had lost her hearing, was going blind and had spondylosis and often fell over, was losing  control of her back legs and was also no longer continent. It was with a heavy heart that we made the ultimate decision as in herself she was fine, heart ok, appetite good, but was only happy if we were prepared to sit with her all day and not move if possible.
Only you will know what is best for her.

Thank you Jodi. That's what the vet suggested really. No discussion about meds but she suggested a better quality diet if possible to slow it down. Unfortunately sox is a fussy eater and his tummy is easily upset by diet changes so on balance I did not feel it was worth the upset on the off chance. That's pretty much it for sox as you have described. When we are here, he sits in his bed a lot to keep out of the way. When the kids are in bed he comes to life and comes for a cuddle and sometimes a play (likes to play bite etc) and we see a bit of the old him which is lovely but confuses things even more because it's not long lived. He sat with me the other day and I can't describe it but it's like he knew the time was coming. Probably sounds mad but that's what it felt like. So your decision was really purely based on quality of life? Do you mind me asking how long she went on like that before you made the decision? Thanks so much for replying and sorry for waffling on - I'm in bits here.

She was diagnosed with spondylosis at about 10, then over the next four years she slowly deterioated physically and also losing her hearing and sight. The vet always said it would be difficult as to when we made the decision as the deterioration would be slow. I think it was when her sight got a lot worse and her not being bothered about going for a walk or even going outside really began to bring it home that the quality of her life was going.
Although I often wonder if we stepped in too early, I'm often reminded of the saying 'better a week too early then a week too late'

Thanks so much for the reply. It sounds to me like you dealt with it perfectly. It's odd isn't it how we don't want them to experience pain ever but when we do the right thing prior to any significant pain we question whether it was too soon. I guess it's testament to how much we love them and wanting to do the right thing. Thanks again, I really appreciate you replying.

Thank you, that was kindly put.

Its a hard one. My sisters dog was blind and going deaf and like your boy loss muscle mass due to less walks as he was weak.
He would get disorientated and she made the decision that he really didnt have a good quality of life. He was loosing weight and not eating a lot either.

Sadly, I think I have decided to get through Christmas and then pay the vet a visit. Thank you for your replies.

We have a 13yo too, but she is doing ok at the moment.  She is deaf, and can't see much either - sees movement but often walks into things.  But she keeps up on walks - on lead, due to deafness - and she seems very happy and not in any pain. 

We do have slippery wooden floors and sometimes she misjudges things and slips, so I've just got some more vet bed with grippy bottom to it, to put in various locations.  Sometimes she hasn't quite made it jumping into the car and ended up splat on the bumper - we tend to let her decide when she wants to be lifted in.

But I see the end of life decisions coming and I hate it, so I wanted to say that you have my sympathy.  Like you, I'm hoping there will be a clear problem rather than just a vague deterioration relating to aging.  I don't know how I will go through with PTS.... I keep thinking the only way is to block out what is actually happening at that moment and deal with it later - because if I were fully aware of it, I would be in bits and inconsolable and no use in terms of being with her at that time.  Trying not to think about it really...

We were lucky I suppose.  Our 14.5 year old mini schnauzer had all the symptoms of doggy dementia.  He was deaf, had cataracts, and often had little accidents in the last 6 months of his life.  He was very wobbly on his rear legs but still went out on short walks.  He slept an awful lot and really heavily.  If I needed to wake him I would have to nudge him for quite a while.  But he loved his food and there was never a day when he didn't remind me that it was time for dinner.  He was the sweetest old thing.  One evening, he got up wobbly out of his bed and I thought he was off for some water.  Then he wobbled even more, I rushed to steady him and lowered him to his side, he let out a scream and was unconscious.  There was no decision to be made really.  He clearly had had a stroke or blood clot to the brain and although he was still breathing when we got him to the vet, he stopped breathing several times, there was no life left in him.  The vet put him to sleep.  The most enjoyable things in life for Oscar were eating and going for a walk, he lived for those things.  I told myself if ever he stopped enjoying those things then that was the time.  So relieved now that the decision was made for us. 

Thinking about you.  You will make the right decision.  Anyone who loves their pet like you will make the right decision.  Enjoy whatever time you have left.  This time is special.

> Does anyone have any advice about what you would do or maybe what you have done in similar circumstances?

I had this problem with my last Bearded Collie.  I decided to take her pain away and make it mine.  It was the right decision.