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My older dog has progressively shown some odd behaviours and more recently appearing to get lost/confused. All signs point towards dementia in the old boy. Anyone else had this with their dogs? Curious about how quickly it progresses etc might be time to take him on his last hunt soon if it gets too bad
Yep I had a dog that started to have panick attacks, I gave it sedatives to calm it down, if it was a thunderstorm or severe rain it would take off into the night and I would find it wet through, freezing cold and shaking somewhere up the street. It got worse and while I was overseas my son decided to take a photograph of her with a flash, she panicked with the flash, ran out into the rain, never to be seen again. Whatever was going on with her brain was really starting to debilitate her. Was very sad, she was about 13 yrs old!
He's about 12-13, was a rescue dog, about two when we took him on, not keen on losing him but not keen on leaving him to deterioirate and go out in a sad state
This is him sitting in front of the hunting gear so he can't be left behind
Attachment 50425
My Husky suffered demtia for last 18 months of her life. We managed it as best as we could. I would come home from work to find her stuck in a corner.
We also seemed to have to "make friends" every morning ang again each night. She was fine till her back end failed and she could no longer get down our stairs.
She is now waiting at Rainbow Bridge for me (still brings a tear to me eye sadly)
If only they lived longer eh, this ones been a bloody good mate (also the reason for a lot of swearing at times lol). Got him after the old man died and he was my mate while I was doing work on his house, one of those dogs happy to sit next to you while you dig post homes but then loves to catch a wounded animal for you
Yeah it happens. My Dads dog, a rough haired collie, which was 17 when we had to have her put down but had been going downhill mentally for a good 6 months prior to that. She'd been deaf for about 2-3 years but had still "with it" then over 6 months prior her bowels stopped working and she would get disorientated and was going blind. My Dad really struggled to make the decision to let her go since he was her shadow as he lives alone but she was really far gone and he'd just had his hip replaced a couple of months before. About 2 weeks before we let her go she went out during the night in the rain and collapsed in the yard, the old man goes out to find her and tries to pick her up and then finds he can't get up, ended up lying there in the yard till daylight apparently. When he gave me the call and said it was time I drove to his place (in Marton) to give him a hand with it all and help him through. I'll never forget the smell when I first walked in the room where she was and how she was just skin, bone and hair. Must have weighed about 12 kg (18kg was optimum for her). I personally think the old man left it a week or so too late. I insisted on digging the grave myself over night. Took me 8 hours through 5 foot of clay and I was sore as shit the next day but I'm glad I did. Also insisted that we use my vehicle to take her to the vets as I didn't want my Dad to forever associate his car with the dogs death. Dad was crying when we took her in and I had tears running down my face, welling up thinking about it now. I remember her looking at me as they put her to sleep and you could see in that moment she was with it and knew what was happening and was fighting it but to keep her alive any longer would have be evil. Still nearly broke my heart seeing it. She hadn't eaten or taken a shit in 3 days at that point and stank of bile and... well death really. Heart was strong as anything and wasn't going to give out but her mind was gone 90% of the time and she would have starved to death despite anything we did. That was 11 months ago.
But ah yeah, anyway. Yeah they sadly do get it and I really feel for you. It's not a fun or a easy thing to deal with!
had a ridgey that showed all the signs of dementia , he was cranky barked and growled and chased the cats he had grown up with and never chased (like he had forgotten who they were)walking around looking confused banging into shit like he was disoriented then came the physical problems the incontinence and the muscle wasting and the arthritis which made it difficult for him to move around. told the wife it was time to let go (her dog her call) he was just short of 10 years
jeez @Jacobite that had me wiping my eyes
its a major flaw with all creation we just dont have them long enough. Our old boy who is still so young at heart is deteriorating rapidly, doing all the drive ya nutty old dog stuff and physically failing. Booked for his last vet visit tomorrow here in his garden. Wont be the same without the White shark .....he is a big white show bred Pointer who proved his worth as a gundog teaching the boys the patience of waiting in the maimai for Ducks then all but drowning the other dog (while leaving for the retrieve via the dog door onto the water) by leaping out over the top...poor Saiga was beaten to the bird many a time. Quinn joined our family as a youngster as company for an older bitch we had rescued... taught her how to be a pointer and enjoy life as part of a family. Hardly seems like 12 years have been and gone....Attachment 50489Attachment 50490
Condolences.
its never easy but i think i can say at least we arent the types to fob them off onto someone on trademe as soon as they start showing a bit of age:pissed off:
god i hate those bastards and it breaks my heart to see the dogs so discarded:oh noes:
Only had one dog put down by vet. The rest I've done myself.
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couldn't do it myself , not to me best mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiroatedson
each to there own but there life is worth a hell of a lot more then a bullet
It's a horrible topic. Heard of a farmer that used to take his dogs one one last rabbit trip in the hills, convince dog there's one down a hole, dog doesn't see it coming. Sounding like a bloody good way to do one of the toughest tasksQuote:
Originally Posted by madmaori
Better the dog is enjoying itself at the end than shit scared in strange surroundings I believe.Quote:
Originally Posted by 223nut
In older dogs the veins can be thin and difficult to access in some cases and vets resort to injecting into the liver which is much slower working which is harder on the dog and gut wrenching for you. We owe them a duty of care to make the end as painless and stress free as possible for them, if that causes us angst its a small price to pay in return for what theyve given us.
You touched a nerve with me... Last dog of my own I put down was about 27 years ago. It's not much to pay $70 at a vet and watch them sleep than it is to put a slug through their head. I have done it both ways, no brainer in my opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by madmaori
I think back to a few years ago and a mate had a pig dog who had, for reasons I won't get bogged down with here, to be "sent on his way"... He asked me to help... We drove out to the forest, he had the dog on the lead and an old rifle on his arm. He told me I was there to drive home because he would be upset. We got a few rows of trees in and he told me this was the spot. I took the dog lead, the rifle and told him to go back to the truck. He said "No, I have to do this". I told him "Like fuck you do... go back to the truck"! He did. I took care of the business, he came back, helped me bury him, said his goodbyes. He really liked that dog. There is nothing noble in having to "do it yourself". The noble thing is making the decision that it has to be done...
I had to put my jack russell down a couple months ago, he had succumb to dementia. He was just shy of a solid 17, my parents got him for me when I was 12 so we grew up together, liitle dude was awesome and will be forever missed.
I agree with @Ruff, no need to make a shit situation worse by having to do it yourself. I'm lucky enough to have a family friend who is a vet, she came to the house and gave him a tranquilizer first so he just drifted off on his couch. (he claimed a couch, he was a spoilt dog :) )
Got bloody sand in my eyes from reading this thread
seems to a lot of that around i suspectQuote:
Originally Posted by Roddy
