Old dog, last day(s) ...advice needed.

I was going to post this on another thread but thought better of it...
 
This afternoon our old dog can't seem to get up anymore. I heard her howling in the doghouse, got her up and out... in a bit I had to help her up again a couple of times, again a few minutes ago.

I will have to put her down tomorrow. I am torn between taking her to the vet (where she will be terrified) for a shot or just putting her down at home with a bullet or anything sudden and painless . I just am not sure where to shoot her, back of the head I would guess but I don't know. I have .40 clad and 12 guage 00 buck but if I do it myself I want her to not feel it. I want it sudden and over... my fear is that I will mess up but I really hate taking her to die where she will be scared in her last minutes.

Does anyone have any advice?
 
I think digging the hole will really be about all I can do... my back will HATE me for it but it is my responsibility.
 
Well, thanks... is my thinking all wrong? I am not sure what to do, I want to do what is best for her and while I don't want the trauma, I will man up to my responsibility.. but neither do I want to make a mistake. Confused...
 
J

I agree but she is terrified of the vet... she hasn't been there in years because she is so nervous about it. I have to carry her in and she is a border collie mix. I adopted her when she was about a year old and she has always been really shy. She has never liked to be petted, never liked me or anyone putting a hand on her head unless from the bottom. She is "peculiar" and it bothers me to think she will live her last minutes in fear. My wife agrees with you but I am not convinced... but you are probably right.
I really don't mind "taking care of it" if I can know what I am doing... I am a bit old school about things like this anyway... in some ways I feel like I am a 19th century throwback, then again, I've never had to do this. Last year her pup died and I let that go on too long, I am not going to do that again.

Thanks for the advice.

Julien

I feel exactly what your saying.

That sucks. Try calling around to see if any vets will come over to do it. It's rare but some will make house calls for this. If not maybe see if you can go pick up a dose of the shot so you can do it at home yourself. You probably don't want to carrying around the memory of having to shoot her, man or not. It's just a very grim thing to deal with.

Sorry to hear about the puppy. I hope you feel better.

Hi Julian,

You know what to do what is best for her, as sad as it is.

Reading the thread title, I thought is was you saying goodbye. Scared the hell out of me ........

Same here J...my sincere condolences. I'd take her to the Vet too. The nerve thing will pass once they give her a relaxing shot. You're quite a man to even consider doing it yourself. I really couldn't do that. I'd be too afraid to mess up or sit there and look at the after-effects...it's just not the way to do it in my opinion. Too many things can happen that could really make this nastier than it needs to be.

-Danny

My sympathies.  It's always tough to lose a friend or a member of the family.  I'd go with the vet.  

sorry J  :(
my heart goes out to you man.

Explain to the vet that you want her completely relaxed and to feel nothing ... and specifically ask that they give her IV valium first.

My condolences.

Sorry to hear that Julien, it's always a heartbreaking time. Whenever we've needed this to be done, the vet has always come to the house. It's less stressful for the animal that way.

Please, don't even consider doing it yourself.

So sorry to hear that Julien...

Truly sorry to hear you are losing a true friend.  Try and get a vet to call round it will be easier on your friend, you and your family.

Thinking of you and lending you some strength Julian.

Thank you everyone for the kind and understanding words.

Actually, my wife decided it for me, she told me this morning that I was not to do it myself but to take her (the dog) to the vet because she didn't want to think about it, it troubled her.

BUT....

This morning, she got out of the doghouse, walked around, laid in the sun a bit, got back in the house, then a couple of hours ago I saw her get back out and go find some shade to lay in. I took her a little bowl of dry cat food. She likes it because it is small. So... I guess she is better. I don't know why she couldn't get up yesterday, perhaps she was sliding in the cedar shavings, she had a bare spot where she had been laying and I've had a 100w bulb in a clip on spot in the house because of the cold. She had been struggling to get up right under the light and I think she got overheated and it sapped all her strength yesterday. I turned the light off because it has been warmer and like I said, she seems better... now if I can get her to eat again.
I've been feeding her cheddar cheese chunks, cut up smoked sausage, and pepperoni for the last few months. She wont eat much else except pizza or fried chicken, she wont even eat steak... very picky.
I still think the end is near and I am not going to prolong it like I did with Brownie, her pup who died last year. I kept him going longer than I should have but she still has her sense, to find the sun, shade, eat what she likes, and I don't hear her whining except yesterday.

I am going to go ahead and get a hole dug and line it and the backfill dirt with a sheet of plastic, then when the time comes, I'll be ready and take her to the vet or arrange for one to come here.

I know, you are right about people getting upset about a gunshot or about me taking responsibility. I don't like it much. I shoot my .22 here sometimes if the squirrel population gets too high, but since we got this Manx cat.. that does not seem to be a problem. Heck, 20 years ago we lived a couple of miles from here in a country subdivision, one road, our house at the end... woods beyond it and a pasture behind the house. I regularly shot dove in the evening when they would fly over the house going into the woods to roost. They were yummy! I'd shoot and eat squirrel but my wife isn't interested.

I swear, I have a hard time with society these days.

Shoot... I didn't mean to say so much.

Thanks again. I will let you know what happens. I was really surprised that she recovered her ability to get up... but I am glad I have a little more time.

Julien

well Julien, perhaps she ingested something bad around there, not poison, but something that got her sick. I had some scares with my dog(the one in my avatar), found her lethargic in the yard and rushed her to the vet, he couldnt find anything wrong with her but gave her meds and a checkup.

Since you were going to the vet, have you considered bringing her for a diagnosis? 

For what it's worth, I've found several vets in my area that are willing to make house calls for this purpose, even though our regular vet will not.  If it were up to me (and not my wife) I would make one of these vets the regular vet.  The fact that they are willing to do this is a tribute to their thoughtfulness.
 
You might want to check around a bit.  The extra money it would cost isn't all that much and would things easier for both you and your pet.  Good luck.  This is never easy.