Foster Or Put To Sleep

[patricia]

So very sad. Sending hugs and prayers for your sweet little man.

[Hubcitypam]

I sent the article link on LS just because the shots helped Rex so much. The "test" is free and done by the vet with his/her thumbs and my vet charged a total of $77 for the shots, which lasted several months. Some that have never tried them are wary of them, but the relief they gave Rex was unbelievable. It doesn't work on all dogs with LS but it might help and can't hurt.

 

The option of having a neighbor come over is a good one too. Pre dog door I paid my stay-at-home next door neighbor $3 a day to walk over and let my guys out once a day while I was at work. Do you have anyone on your block strong enough to help him that might want maybe $20 a week?

Edited October 31, 2008 by Hubcitypam

[Guest 4gryhnds]

where are you located?

West Allis (Milwaukee) Wisconsin

[Guest mandm]

A typical Milw bungalow has a back door entry hall that is pretty narrow, maybe about 30" wide, with 3-5 steps leading up to the living area, usually the kitchen. The front entry is typically much wider, generally a front porch with 3-5 steps. It would be really hard to ramp the back steps, but many people ramp front entries, for disabled humans.

 

Maybe you could ramp the front porch steps, add a doggy door to the front door if he has to have one, and create a small enclosure at the bottom of the ramp for Rocky to potty. The enclosure would have to be kind of attractive, maybe some hedges, because the neighbors and the city would probably not tolerate a kennel in the front yard.

 

Maybe you could find someone in the neighborhood, maybe a retired person, who would let Rocky out at noon in exchange for you shoveling &/or mowing for them. A senior center in your neighborhood could probably hook you up with someone if you don't know the neighbors well.

[Guest 4gryhnds]

So If I understand your lay out, you have stairs from the basement and then more stairs to the upstairs living space. Can't you baby gate him upstairs so he has access to the doggie door? I would think a baby gate at the top of the stairs would enable him to have access to the upstairs living space in your home thereby enabling him to get to the doggie door.

 

The doggie door is right next to the outside door in the small landing. Stairs go either right down to basement, or right up to kitchen. Danger, Panda, and Carson also need to use the doggie door. Unfortunately a baby gate couldn't work in such a small area

[PrairieProf]

Does he have to have a doggy door? Couldn't he just be taken out the front door on leash to pee, with a ramp if necessary? I don't have my girl go down the steep back steps yet (we may work on that), and only up them once in a while; we always go out the front and down our few front steps for every potty call.

 

If there's an issue with his "holding it" while you're out without the freedom of the doggy door, perhaps he could be crated when you're gone. He might not love going back to that, the transition might take a bit of work, but considering the alternatives....

 

Prairieprof, fellow bungalow dweller

Edited October 31, 2008 by PrairieProf

[Guest 4gryhnds]

I sent the article link on LS just because the shots helped Rex so much. The "test" is free and done by the vet with his/her thumbs and my vet charged a total of $77 for the shots, which lasted several months. Some that have never tried them are wary of them, but the relief they gave Rex was unbelievable. It doesn't work on all dogs with LS but it might help and can't hurt.

 

The option of having a neighbor come over is a good one too. Pre dog door I paid my stay-at-home next door neighbor $3 a day to walk over and let my guys out once a day while I was at work. Do you have anyone on your block strong enough to help him that might want maybe $20 a week?

 

Thanks for the suggestion on the test. I am going to check into it today. I don't think Rocky is in discomfort. It seems as if his feeling is going in his back end. He cannot wag his tail as a result of this.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Just want to send prayers that another solution can be found so this boy doesn't have to lose him home.

[carronstar]

Sending prayers that a workable solution will be found so that Rocky can stay at home with you.

[ElizabethGPAPS]

So you're saying that Rocky can no longer live with you because he can't get up and down the stairs while you're at work? Let's break this down...

 

1. The only reason he needs to go up and down the stairs while you're at work is so he can use the dog door.

2. The only reason he needs to use the dog door is so he can go potty where you'd like him to.

 

So what we really have here is an old dog who can't hold his bladder/bowel for the whole workday, right? And do you think this is NOT something that every single one of us who works outside the home has to deal with as our dogs get older? 95% of us who work full time and have old dogs don't even have dog doors! We manage with crating, ex-pens, dog-walkers and day care, and wee-wee pads and diapers if we have to (getting old is rarely pretty - you'll be there someday too). We don't ditch our dogs with strangers, and we certainly don't euthanize them while they're still happy and enjoying life. My 13 year old Savannah pees every single day while I'm at work. Do I like it? Of course not. I supply weewee pads and appreciate whomever invented vinyl flooring. It's never even occured to me that I should get rid of her! Good grief.

 

Rocky probably doesn't have a whole lot of quality time left if his back end is going. Please make his last few months full of love and forgiveness for his old-age infirmities. Then look at all the people here losing their dogs to cancer at 7, 8 or 9, and thank God you got to see him get old at all.

Edited October 31, 2008 by ElizabethGPAPS

[Guest 4gryhnds]

An "easy" answer like ramps or babygating would be ideal. My guess is that Sue has already thought of these options. It is certainly worth mentioning them in hopes that at least one of us can come up with a different idea.

 

So, back to the OP....

 

Sue, I don't know if Rocky could be easily placed. He certainly sounds like a love, and it is obvious how much pain you're in to even have to consider euthanization. I applaud you for hoping that you can rehome him. In the meantime, my heart goes out to you as you work to find a workable answer that is gentle on both you and Rocky.

 

Thank you for hearing me. This is a horrible position to be in.

[RobinM]

If it's an issue of the stairs to the doggie door during the day while you're at work, can't you baby gate him upstairs so he has access to the outside? You can use a sling when you're at home. I just know there has to be a better solution than rehoming a 13 year old who I'm sure would love to spend the rest of his days in the home he knows.

 

 

I agree. There has to be another way.

 

agreed. it maybe a major inconvience, but somehow, someway it's workable.

 

ETA to take out what could have PO the OP.

Edited October 31, 2008 by RobinM

[Guest LindsaySF]

If it comes down to the decision on whether to rehome him or put him to sleep, I think it would be kinder to put him to sleep (with you holding him in his final moments) than to change his whole world around so much by giving him to someone else. (Chances are extremely slim that you would find someone to adopt him anyway, with his age and health issues. He would probably be in foster care for the rest of his life).

 

All of that said, I don't think rehoming him OR putting him to sleep are viable options here. Stairs can be worked around, surely that is not a reason to euthanize a dog.

 

I still don't quite understand the layout of your home. Is the doggy door on a landing, with stairs up and down? (Like in a raised ranch?) If so, isn't there a way to install a doggy door in a different location, either upstairs or downstairs, and still have access to the yard to potty? Then you can gate him on one level, so he doesn't fall down the stairs.

 

 

He has dignity. I truly believe that if he had to pee and poop in the house, it would devastate him.

I think you are humanizing Rocky. Dogs don't feel emotions like that. Dogs can be litter and wee wee pad trained. My dog Cody is seriously thunder-phobic, and he also has DI which makes him drink a lot of water, he knows to use his wee wee pads when he can't (or won't) go outside. He does not feel bad about this, because he is praised for using them.

 

 

I believe that his quality of life would quickly deteriorate because of his inability to do stairs.

Many many owners have dogs that can no longer do stairs, and they are still very happy dogs. I know someone whose Greyhound didn't do stairs the last year of his life, and one of the owners slept in the family room on a futon with him, so he wouldn't be alone. Not being able to do stairs won't make him deteriorate that much. He can adapt, but you have to as well.

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

[Guest 4gryhnds]

Wow, I just want to warn you, this posting may get you a lot of flames. Good luck.

 

:mellow:They say....if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen......I wish I had.

 

Thanks for the warning

[retiredracers]

So you're saying that Rocky can no longer live with you because he can't get up and down the stairs while you're at work? Let's break this down...

 

1. The only reason he needs to go up and down the stairs while you're at work is so he can use the dog door.

2. The only reason he needs to use the dog door is so he can go potty where you'd like him to.

 

So what we really have here is an old dog who can't hold his bladder/bowel for the whole workday, right? And do you think this is NOT something that every single one of us who works outside the home has to deal with as our dogs get older? 95% of us who work full time and have old dogs don't even have dog doors! We manage with crating, ex-pens, dog-walkers and day care, and wee-wee pads and diapers if we have to (getting old is rarely pretty - you'll be there someday too). We don't ditch our dogs with strangers, and we certainly don't euthanize them while they're still happy and enjoying life. My 13 year old Savannah pees every single day while I'm at work. Do I like it? Of course not. I supply weewee pads and appreciate whomever invented vinyl flooring. It's never even occured to me that I should get rid of her! Good grief.

 

Rocky probably doesn't have a whole lot of quality time left if his back end is going. Please make his last few months full of love and forgiveness for his old-age infirmities. Then look at all the people here losing their dogs to cancer at 7, 8 or 9, and thank God you got to see him get old at all.

 

Amen. I don't want to flame you or anything but what Elizabeth is saying is correct. My girl, Flake, who died this summer was 14.5 years old and had some hind end weakness that made it difficult for her to walk. For the last year, we came home to pee and/or poop on the floor just about every day. We cleaned it up and didn't make a big deal of it. She was also a dignified dog but since we didn't make a fuss over it, she never let it bother her.

 

I hope you are able to somehow work it out that he stays with you. If not, I hope that a foster family is found for him.

[vjgrey]

So you're saying that Rocky can no longer live with you because he can't get up and down the stairs while you're at work? Let's break this down...

 

1. The only reason he needs to go up and down the stairs while you're at work is so he can use the dog door.

2. The only reason he needs to use the dog door is so he can go potty where you'd like him to.

 

So what we really have here is an old dog who can't hold his bladder/bowel for the whole workday, right? And do you think this is NOT something that every single one of us who works outside the home has to deal with as our dogs get older? 95% of us who work full time and have old dogs don't even have dog doors! We manage with crating, ex-pens, dog-walkers and day care, and wee-wee pads and diapers if we have to (getting old is rarely pretty - you'll be there someday too). We don't ditch our dogs with strangers, and we certainly don't euthanize them while they're still happy and enjoying life. My 13 year old Savannah pees every single day while I'm at work. Do I like it? Of course not. I supply weewee pads and appreciate whomever invented vinyl flooring. It's never even occured to me that I should get rid of her! Good grief.

 

Rocky probably doesn't have a whole lot of quality time left if his back end is going. Please make his last few months full of love and forgiveness for his old-age infirmities. Then look at all the people here losing their dogs to cancer at 7, 8 or 9, and thank God you got to see him get old at all.

 

 

 

[MP_the4pack]

If money is a problem for hiring a dog walker midday to help him up and down stairs then outside(using a sling), how about trading?

 

I babysit my friends greys. no cost.

They babysit my greys. no cost. Some years I make out, some years they make out ahead. It's a great deal between the two of us

 

Can you find someone who could use you for babysitting in exchange for daily dog care? Maybe your group has ideas.

 

 

Also.....I've put my dog door in the wall. They have wall sized doors. Can you put a door in somewhere upstairs or downstairs where your boy stays and then a ramp from that to outside?

 

Rocky probably doesn't have a whole lot of quality time left if his back end is going. Please make his last few months full of love and forgiveness for his old-age infirmities. Then look at all the people here losing their dogs to cancer at 7, 8 or 9, and thank God you got to see him get old at all.

 

I'm one of those who lost a 5 and 8 yr old........

[Hawthorn]

Is it at all possible for you to either take a break from work, or work part-time, just for a while so you can be at home with him? I realise it might make things difficult financially but it wouldn't be forever ... .

[Guest vahoundlover]

Can you gate off the living room or such and put pee pads down in case he needs to potty when you aren't home? We have a 13.11 yr old who can't do steps, he is carried down the 3 steps at the front of the house and leash walked. When we are gone he is gated off in the living room with the floor covered in waterproof crib pads...if he has to go he can and it's easy clean up.

 

 

[Guest 4gryhnds]

to you! Hard either way.

 

Thanks much, it is appreciated.

[robinw]

to you! Hard either way.

 

Thanks much, it is appreciated.

 

i also feel bad that you've come to this. i'm sure you've given it a lot of thought. good luck and i hope you can find a good solution

[Guest 4gryhnds]

prayers for a suitable outcome

 

WOW what a tough call................

 

You obviously (reading between the lines) adore your greyhound and want what's best for him.

 

Thanks so much for your prayers. I know I can't put Rocky to sleep under these circumstances. I need time to work things out.

[Guest 4gryhnds]

So very sad. Sending hugs and prayers for your sweet little man.

 

Rocky really appreciates your hugs and prayers. He is a very "sweet little man".

[Trudy]

Remember that "bash ideas, not people" thing in the TOS???

maybe it is time for a few people to read that handy TOS thing again....