Looks like our greyhound may be making his last visit to the vet’s today.

He’s quite old, frail and arthritic, but on Monday couldn’t stand up or sit down (he did this once before; was cured with huge amounts of antibiotics). Vet prescribed painkillers and antibiotics which seemed to work until yesterday when he developed huge blisters on one leg and a stonking temperature. Vet said we’d probably have to get him put to sleep if he didn’t recover.

The blisters have burst and he now has giant cuts (aided by his tongue) and is lying almost motionless in the sitting room. Even more motionless than usual, which for a greyhound is quite an achievement.

Children are pretty cut up about it. The youngest was reading to him; the second eldest who lives for him has gone very quiet.

EDIT: From a purely selfish point of view, we can’t keep getting up in the middle of the night to change his dressings and clear up after him. Sounds awful, but there you go.

Aaaaah, sorry to hear. Poor lad.

All the best – if it comes to it you will be doing the right thing.

Gutted for you…Hard decision but it sounds like the best one.

Poor old fella.

🙁 I really feel for you mate.

Be nice looking for a new pup when the time is right though…. 😐

Really sorry to hear that. They become a massive part of your life. It sounds like when the time comes it’ll be best for him and for you. I’m not looking forward to going through similar with mine. Have to remember the good times though.

Must be heartbreaking but at least you’re doing the right thing.

🙁

Its hard isnt it. At least he had the retirement he deserved.

Nice looking dogmrgrim, pure deerhound or cross?

He can’t even stand up now and barely has the strength to try to lick his bandages off. Pretty clear.

Nice looking dog MrGrim.

It’ll be a difficult day, but not all Greyhounds have a great life, so try to focus on the great life you have given him.

anagallis_arvensis – No deerhound (that I’m aware of). She seems to be a cross of greyhound and Bedlington Terrier. I didn’t get her in the best circumstances so don’t have any history.

It’s never easy. Try and make his journey as good as it can be, fill his heart with your love and thank him for all the happy days he has given you.

Putting him down is the right decision, but never an easy one, we dread the day we will have to do it for our Boxer (she has a large cist/growth on her leg that will one day burst and get infected)

However its the kindest thing for the dog because they are no longer in pain and suffering.

The right decision as you know but that doesn’t make it any easier.

We had our 18 yr old cat put to sleep a few months ago, whilst right, I still cried in the vets but it was very very quick and painless for her.

The vet was excellent leaving me alone with her for a few minutes.

Hope you remember the good times he has had, it sounds like he’s been in a great home and has had a great life and great owners.

I feel for you havibng been ther before. We now have 2 lurchers. The one that is very much my dog is 12 and now slowing down. I keep saying he is immortal and my wife keeps reminding me he isn’t! You know yourself when the time is right, doesn’t make it any easier though. Try and concentrate on what he added to your lives.

To the OP – feel for you. Can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like.

anagallis_arvensis – No deerhound (that I’m aware of). She seems to be a cross of greyhound and Bedlington Terrier. I didn’t get her in the best circumstances so don’t have any history.

Looks like there’s plenty of Bedlington there (we’ve one, Stanley – mad as a box of frogs).

Sounds like its time for him to go, as if you keep him alive for much longer it will be for your comfort not his.

If he has had a good/happy life you have succeeded as his ‘owner’, as you have brought joy to his life, and he has done the same in return…. not that it isn’t sad.

Whatever you chose to do, in my view is the right thing. Don’t dwell on your choice. Revel in his life that hes had with you. 🙂

Difficult times, .. Had 2 cats last trip to the vets last month, one 16 years, ane only 8 months…

You gave him a great home by the sounds of things..

Feel for you. I remember the pain of my lab going and telling him he was a “good boy” as he drifted away. Choked up just thinking about it.

Its the right thing to do

Pretty choked just reading this thread to be honest , sounds like you are doing the right thing though. My lab will be 7 this year and you know they are not going to last forever , I think I will need a week off work when he goes .
I had to put my 18 year old cat down last year and sat bubbling for hours afterwards , Dogs really are ‘Mans best friends’ as they can gauge how you feel and know when you are down .
Remember the good times and take pride in knowing you have given him a great happy life.

Got goose bumps just reading this thread. Our King Charles Spaniel is 13 and had a stroke back in February, really did think that was her time. She’s made a remarkable recovery though and is currently sat next to me sun bathing.

I may be cowardly but i just can’t do it.
My wife took our previous 2 dogs to the vets to be put to sleep.
I knew it was the time but i just wanted one more day with my friend.

Will the vet do a house call? Nothing worse than being last appointment of the day at the surgery. Saves you moving him too.

However its the kindest thing for the dog because they are no longer in pain and suffering.

I think it is the confusion it causes the animal that is the worst bit for them, when their back legs give way, etc. Pain is probably more understandable for them.

😥

Horrible feeling to go through, had to put one of our cats down last year, not nice. Although Rogue ( our pooch) is only three ATM I’m dreading “when the time comes”.

Our old cat made his last trip 3 weeks ago. I was away so i couldn’t be there so my wife had to do it alone, including dealing with the girls who were very upset. It was the right thing to do though, and sounds like it will be for you too.

Depends how old your children are, but i wrote a letter from Fat Jasper (who wasn’t fat any more once his insides had given up working properly) to the girls. Sounds morbid but i think it helped. ‘He’ told them that he missed them and felt sad that he couldn’t see them any more, but he’d always remember them and the nice times they’d had. He told them that it was kind of them to let him go when he needed to, and that the vet had been very gentle and he didn’t feel anything when he left our world. My daughter has it in her school bag now, so when she misses him she can read it and she knows he is in a happy place, where you can have chicken every day and sleep on the beds. And there’s no dogs allowed!

I don’t believe in heaven myself, let alone a specific cat one with no dogs, but at times like this if it helps my girls get through, it’s OK in my book.

Be strong; at this time it’s the last kindness you can give to an old friend.

My mum was more upset when our cat was put down than when my father died…

Be kind, be strong. Do what’s best for the poor little fella.

I’ve had to take two of our spaniels over the last 18 months – one was 13 and the other 16.
The thing to remember is that how you feel is irrelevant, you’re taking this step for their benefit. The poor chap sounds like he’s in a bad way and although the temptation to hold on a little longer may be strong you just need to do what’s best for him.
It breaks my heart thinking about the friends I’ve had to let go but the memories will last my lifetime.
Give him a load of chocolate and a big hug from me 🙁

Thats a bonny hound OP
You know when the time is right, all the best.

We had the vet come to the house with smudge, similar situation to yours.
Was very peaceful and didnt fight the injection etc and “went” whilst holding his head on my lap. Arrange to take the body to the pet cremation place (if that is your plan) yourself if possible if you do have it done at home

Been there a few times and it does not get any easier. I console myself with the thoughts of the fantastic life we had together and that if I were in the dogs place I would want someone to do the right thing for me.
Heartfelt sympathies.

jeez, I’ve only been a dog “owner” for 2 months and I’m welling up.

Sounds like the right decision to make.

Agree with what others have said about arranging a house call. When our 17 year old retriever was put down we didn’t want to go to the vets as we knew she hated it. Vet came out whilst she was asleep, gave her the injection without her even being aware that he was there.

Got some dust in my eye now….

http://mrsparkleversuslife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/goodbye.html

Very sad news. I pestered my dad for years as a kid to get a dog and couldn’t understand why he was reluctant as he’d been brought up with dogs. We got one for my 13th birthday and I was deleriously happy. Only found out years later he’d had to take the last two to the vets to be put down and didn’t want to face it again. Hope all works out for the best.

Same happened to our Chester about 8 months ago now….he was 16 but it had got to the same situation, he was bed bound for the few days I guess. The wife slept downstairs with him the night before we took him to the vets. He now resides on our side board in a little ashes pot and in our hearts.
Sad times 🙁

Oh dear… this is sad.
I’m a grown man sat at my desk right now welling-up – trying not to catch the eye of any of my colleagues.

Mr Sparkle, that’s lovely.

mustnotcryatwork