Putting A Grey Down Due To Dementia / Senility ?

[Guest candt]

i now know two different people that put their greyhounds down (at an advanced age) due to dementia/senility rather than any pressing medical problem.

 

is this common?

[grey14me]

 

the only way I could imagine something like that is if the dog kept putting itself in danger somehow. or was obviously mentally stressed out and couldn't be consoled.

[3DogNite]

I don't know about "common".... what is common? we do what is best for our babies.

 

I have a 14 yr Boy,, my Pepton, Sir Prance-a-lot! I have been saying for the last year that he seems like he has doggie Alzheimer's, or dementia. For him it comes and goes, like being on a rollercoster. Some days are really wonderful and happy, others aren't so greyt. Today we are experiencing a not-so-greyt day

 

If i didn't feel he has more good days than bad, i wouldn't hesitate letting him go. I want him to have the best life possible and We all deal with our babies the best we can.

 

I don't know about what is normal or common protocol for old age. But I want my boy to keep his dignity and have a very good quality of life.

 

Did i answer your question? i don't know, this topic is tough, and individual to each person and dog.

 

[PatricksMom]

Common, I don't know. I guess it would depend on the dog's quality of life--my childhood dog got to the point when she was blind, deaf, disoriented, and scared. Sadly we decided it was kinder to let her go.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I'm not really sure if you're asking if the condition is common, or putting the dog down is common

[Guest candt]

neither. if putting a dog down for this reason is common.

[Guest PhillyPups]

I never had to face that with my 14.5 SugarBear, it was hard enough letting her go due to osteo ~ The Queen had either an aneurysm or stroke, causing her right side not to function at all. I think dementia and/or doggy Alzheimer's would not phase me, what phases me is the dog being in pain ~ then we can give the gift of letting go.

 

Common? I don't know, this is the first I ever heard of it, and I have been with/had pets my entire life, so I guess it is not common in my world.

 

 

 

[Batmom]

blind, deaf, disoriented, and scared.

 

I certainly know people who have, with great sadness and immeasurable kindness, let their pets go for similar reasons.

[floydieboy]

I have a cat that suffers from kidney disease that affects his brain. He definately has some dementia. He no longer uses the litter box and often cries as if he is lost in the house. We deal with it, i would never dream of putting him to sleep b/c of it. I just tell him he is lucky he is loved to tolerate the mess he brings me daily.

[Guest youngINlove]

My aunt had a very old terrier who had dementia. He would walk around in circles to his left all day. He would wear himself out, fall asleep while walking, then fall over. The jolt from hitting the floor would wake him back up, and he would start the circles again. That's no life for any dog, especially one whom you love so dearly. Sometimes, it is better to let them go.

[Guest KennelMom]

I have no idea how common a reason dementia is for putting a dog down.

 

Our Erin certainly lived in that fuzzy little world of doggy dementia for a long while before we let her go. For a long while, I think she really was in her own happy place. It definitely progressed towards the end and was a factor in our decision b/c it was compromising her quality of life. The decision was made easier b/c she also had some physical issues that compromised her quality of life - combined, the most humane thing to do was to say goodbye.

 

One example of how dementia can deteriorate a dog - Erin first used to wander around like she was lost. Then she'd start getting "stuck" in corners. Kinda like one of those wind up toys that you just have to redirect and it'll start moving again. She'd get stuck and we'd call her name to 'bring her out of it.' Then it progressed to where we'd have to gently touch her and call her name. Towards the very end, I remember two episodes where she got stuck in a corner and when we went to her she became extremely frightened. It really breaks your heart to see your dog absolutely terrified of you - like they've never seen you before or even seen anything like a human before and they try to run away so fast they are flailing or fall down or run into walls.

 

Quality of life decisions are truly the most gut-and-heart wrenching for me, personally. Dementia can definitely affect a dog's quality of life to the point that I think euthanasia is the kindest thing to do...even without other physical ailments. For me, it's not enough for a dog to simply exist as a beating heart and nothing else. There has to be a quality to that life - a dog with dementia so severe they can not function is just not any way for a dog to live

Edited June 25, 2008 by KennelMom

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

No doggie experience and I can't imagine that one with my dogs, but towards the end of my grandfather's alzheimer's I would have rather known he was already in heaven than lying in the nursing home in a diaper. I miss him since he has passed, but that I can deal with. Knowing he was lying there with no purpose or awareness was heartbreaking. That's not who he was and I hate I had to see him that way. Eventually his body finally gave out, but it was way after his mind was completely gone.

 

That's a tough one.

 

Tara, Coach and Cougar

[Guest TBSFlame]

No doggie experience and I can't imagine that one with my dogs, but towards the end of my grandfather's alzheimer's I would have rather known he was already in heaven than lying in the nursing home in a diaper. I miss him since he has passed, but that I can deal with. Knowing he was lying there with no purpose or awareness was heartbreaking. That's not who he was and I hate I had to see him that way. Eventually his body finally gave out, but it was way after his mind was completely gone.

 

That's a tough one.

 

Tara, Coach and Cougar

 

We can do for our dogs what we can't do for our human loved ones. It does come down to quality of life issues.

[6greyhounds]

Our Softee will be 15 in August and there are days I swear she has doggie dementia and altzheimer but I would not dream of putting her down. I would only put her down when her quality of life is no more. Oh, BTW she is also incontinent at night but that is why they sell puppy pads we put a couple of them down and everything is okay.

[jenn8]

I think we all get to know our own dogs well enough to be able to tell if they are suffering, mentally or physically. The worst possible thing we could do is base our decisions on our own feelings, rather than what we think is best for them. 9 times out of 10, we will end up feeling worse if we do.

 

Jenn

[Guest LynnM]

I put my old mix down due to mental decline. She's been pretty spacy for about a year prior, but happy and content on whatever planet she inhabited. When her world started getting scary for her, I put her to sleep. I wasn't about to make her live life afraid of things that only she could see and couldn't possibly understand. She also started to fight my handling her for grooming and I *had* to handle her, as she was coated and had bad skin. Without regular bathing and brushing, she would have gotten quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately, she had lost her understanding of what I was doing to her and that it wasn't threatening.

 

It was a crappy decision to have to make, but was for the best. I wasn't going to make a dog live in fear of things in her own head.

 

Lynn

[6greyhounds]

In my previous post about Softee when I see that she no longer can get around then I will know it is time to let her go. She is eating, going outside in the yard and sometimes trotting around the yard.

[Guest sheila]

neither. if putting a dog down for this reason is common.

 

surely you didn't expect to reach a scientific conclusion on this question by starting a poll on a pet lovers board? All anyone here can do is give you their own personal viewpoints and the fact that it IS a pet lovers board automatically makes results null and void based on the original question. To get a true feel for the issue you would have to interview ppl who have never used the Internet, or at least not used it to visit a dog lovers forum as well.

[Sorcha]

The term for it is Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or CCD. My 15 year old non-greyhound breed has been showing symptoms for the past year. There are good days, and there are bad days. Currently we are going through a patch of bad days where she is confused, distant, and simply acts lost. I will take her out to the yard and then she stands there in trance. I call her name and she snaps out of it and remembers she needs to pee. In the house she lays on her dog bed and stares off into space. If she finds her way downstairs (basement) I go down there to bring her back up and she goes past the staircase several times before realizing they are there. At any rate, back to the topic, no I would not put her down because of it at this stage. As it progresses or if other health problems present them I will re-evaluate the situation. She is not in pain right now, and has more good days then bad.

 

 

[Guest candt]

neither. if putting a dog down for this reason is common.

 

surely you didn't expect to reach a scientific conclusion on this question by starting a poll on a pet lovers board? All anyone here can do is give you their own personal viewpoints and the fact that it IS a pet lovers board automatically makes results null and void based on the original question. To get a true feel for the issue you would have to interview ppl who have never used the Internet, or at least not used it to visit a dog lovers forum as well.

 

 

wow. some things never change.

 

im pretty happy with what people have written. they have answered my questions on the matter.

[Guest luckydog]

neither. if putting a dog down for this reason is common.

 

surely you didn't expect to reach a scientific conclusion on this question by starting a poll on a pet lovers board? All anyone here can do is give you their own personal viewpoints and the fact that it IS a pet lovers board automatically makes results null and void based on the original question. To get a true feel for the issue you would have to interview ppl who have never used the Internet, or at least not used it to visit a dog lovers forum as well.

 

 

wow. some things never change.

 

im pretty happy with what people have written. they have answered my questions on the matter.

 

??? Glad you're happy. Still not sure what your real question was.

[Guest Snowy8]

I've only had one greyhound put to sleep who showed signs of dementia, he was 13 yrs old, he couldn't stand on his own, he pottied on himself, he didn't know who I was or who he was. His previous owners had basically let him starve, his gums were so infected he couldn't eat...he was on antibiotics when I took him in for gum infections...fortunately once the infection was gone, he had a dental & only lost 1 tooth. He should've weighed about 75 lbs & he weighed 53...

As long as there's quality of life, then there's going to be life in them with me.

I don't know if this common though, most of the time when I've talked to people about their dogs being put to sleep, they couldn't walk or eat or were dying of cancer.

[lothianjavert]

For me, it depends on the situation. As others have said, it's about quality of life. However, for the average person, I wouldn't be surprised that they wouldn't want to deal with a touch of dementia, even if the dog was otherwise happy and healthy. (from experience with other, esp. co workers, who thought the other year that getting a dog door for a dog that couldn't hold it for a long work day (10 hrs) was above and beyond and that "that dog should just be put out of your misery" Urgh. ) In that sense, it wasn't about the dog and her health/happiness, it was about my convenience. Because she couldn't hold it for 10 or more hours straight, it was an 'inconvenience' and according to them, I should have her put down. The fact that I spent the $ first on pee pads (while waiting for the custom door) and then the $ of the door just baffled them.

 

She'll be 14 this fall, and with her door, she is a very happy girl. She can go out when she needs to, without waking me up, and however many times a day/night she feels the need to, whether I am at work or not. She doesn't see or hear as well, that's for sure, and is not as quick to respond, but she still loves life, and is as stubborn as can be. Heck, she can still do her mile walks. Sure, it's not the 3 miles she did a couple years ago, but it's great for her age, and she loves it. So we do it. She'll be with me as long as she can--as long as she has a good quality of life. That is what counts. If life becomes painful, or scary, then I'll know it's time. Though I don't think the average "Joe dog owner" feels this way. I know this is how most here feel, but what I've encountered elsewhere is far different. Most can't get it through their heads that all 3 of my BIG dogs actually live INSIDE. (and they see a vet regularly too , have booties, coats, etc. )

[Guest Becki]

Our Scottie was initially diagnosed with Canine Cognitive Disorder, although later his new vet felt it was probably a condition secondary to Cushings. They have him six months and he made it 3.5 years. He lived in his own little world for most of that time, and quite happily I might add. When he wasn't happy anymore, we made the loving decision to let him go. We dealt with potty accidents, which we are still dealing with because we need to have a floor replaced and the others will still try to mark over his favorite place. We dealt with the wandering, the pacing, the not knowing where he was going and listed his top three things. When two were gone, he was euthanized. The day he died, he ate three cheeseburgers from a fast food restaurant. I am glad he still remembered that he loved them.

 

If he would have been a grey, we would have handled his situation the same.

[Guest lizmego]

neither. if putting a dog down for this reason is common.

 

surely you didn't expect to reach a scientific conclusion on this question by starting a poll on a pet lovers board? All anyone here can do is give you their own personal viewpoints and the fact that it IS a pet lovers board automatically makes results null and void based on the original question. To get a true feel for the issue you would have to interview ppl who have never used the Internet, or at least not used it to visit a dog lovers forum as well.

 

 

wow. some things never change.

 

im pretty happy with what people have written. they have answered my questions on the matter.

 

??? Glad you're happy. Still not sure what your real question was.

I don't understand the initial question either. I think its a personal, heartfelt and difficult decision to make to put a family member to sleep. Every pet owner has limits as to what they will allow their loved one to exist with, whether it be a quality of life issue or a medical issue. There are medical procedures that I have read about on this board, that I wouldn't dream of putting my own dog through to extend his/her life without knowing the quality that it would be afterwards. Does that make me a bad pet owner because my views are different than yours? Absolutely not.