My mum has a chocolate lab now aged 15+, he is deaf and his eyesight is poor and is on medication for arthritis. She takes him out everyday still with her other 2 but he is very slow and so they don't go far, he certainly struggles on his back hips and has to sit down if just standing still. The problem now is that he wets himself mainly at night without seemly to know that he is doing it and so is beginning to smell along with utility floor!
He looks so old and obviously not always comfortable with how he walks but my mum is unsure what to do, she loves him but doesn't want to keep him alive for herself if he has had enough or getting worn out with being old and all its ailments.
Can you give propalin to male dogs? my bitch is on this after being spayed and becoming incontinent and didn't know if this might him.

Yes you can give medication to older dogs as well as bitches.

My two oldies were PTS just before their 15th birthdays but they had both stopped enjoying life and became doubly incontinent and became distressed so I knew it was time. If they old boy is still enjoying life then see if medication can help.

Has your Mum had him since he was a pup?  or for most of his life anyway?  If so, it seems to me that only she can really judge how much he's still enjoying life - or not - and weigh things up. Does the dog himself get distressed at messing his basket?  Does he still enjoy going out for walks despite any discomfort?  I think there comes a kind of tipping point at which you know you have to make that agonising decision - it can be a terribly fine balance though.  My sympathies, it's one of the hardest decisions anyone ever has to make.

Propalin doesn't usually work for dogs -in fact there isn't any medication that is for incontinence in male dogs. But there is no great harm in trying. I had an old incontinent dog for years but it was easier with him as he was small so we simply used belly bands.

With my oldies I have always let them decide if they want to go for a walk or not. If they don't, no great harm in staying at home as long as they are otherwise happy, still want to eat etc. My last oldie would go for a walk about once a month during his last couple of years, and he was a very happy dog until his last day when I knew he'd had enough. However if the dog WANTS to go all the time but finds it very difficult, that's different as it is much harder to deal with.

Ther age old that all of us seem to go by is If the dog is having more good days than bad and not distressed then thats good. More good days may be 6-5 or 10-2 depending on what the bad daqys are like. But the if the good days are 8-4 and the 4 days are very very bad, then maybe not a good idea keeping them going.
You mum will Know when the time is right, and if she doesnt then you will see yourself that your mum cant make the decision.
Just be guided by the dog. as long as he is happy then he is okay xxx
Lea :) :)

i think she ll know when he s had enough-i always worry when mine are getting to that"quality of life" stage,that maybe im being selfish ,whether i keep them on or let them go,its so hard!but ive always found that there comes a point when you just know its time.love to your mum,its a sad time.

> not always comfortable with how he walks

I haven't always taken my oldies out with the others. It can be too much for an aging dog, or else it holds the others up. Perhaps your mum could leave him at home while she exercises the other two, then see if he will go for a short walk with her later on. Best to play it by ear really. As someone else has said, it doesn't really matter at this stage if he goes for a daily walk or not.

Feel so sorry for your mum, it's always a hard decision to make but I think we generally know when it's time. Best of luck with him.

Thank you for all your advice, I will tell her what you have said and get her to ring the vet re incontinence medication.
She has had him from the age age of 6months and he was in a terrible state with mange.
She says he still expects and wants to do his daily walk so maybe he has a bit time left him yet.

very hard decisions to make and I know I will be facing that same situation in the next couple of years with my 13yr old & two 11 yr olds.