Euthanasia delay pays off.

[Kablooie]

My dog Kira is 14 years old and and has kidney failure.
The vet let me know that she would have only a few weeks left until her condition would be so bad that we should consider putting her to sleep. She nearly stopped eating and became very thin.

One night she hardly responded to us so we thought it was time so I called a vet who does home euthanasia.
But in a few hours she perked up and seemed alert so we delayed the vet.
That was several weeks ago. Since then she still doesn't eat much and is getting thinner but she still enjoys going out for slow walks each day and loves coming over to sit on the sofa when we watch TV.

We have had a couple more times where we thought it was time but waited a little and she regained her energy once more.
In the last few days it became hard for her to walk. She could barely get up and only tottered around. She couldn't manage the doggy door and we had to carry her outside.

Once again we thought it was time and planned to call the vet today but this morning she came up to me wagging her tail and ate a full bowl of food. She is a little shaky on her feet but completely mobile. She seems tired but happy doesn't seem to be in any pain.
She looks like she may even have enough energy to take a short walk again.

Boy I'm glad we waited.
We've decided to wait until she is totally incapacitated in some way, then it will be time but even then we will wait a while because it may just be a temporary condition.

So this is just a warning to those of you who have a dog that may be at the end of his life.
They can have bad days but there may still be more good days afterwards so I'd recommend waiting a little before calling the vet.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. What a lovely face!

I lost a cat to kidney failure, and I delayed going to the vet until the last minute, which turned out to be too late. She went downhill so fast. It was Christmas Eve day and the vet was already closed. She died Christmas morning laying beside in bed just as I had woken up. She was wrapped in my arms and never seemed to be in pain, just weak and blind.

But that was not a bad thing. I have been told by a number of medical professionals that kidney failure is not a painful way to go. The toxins building up in the system just cause a state of euphoria, rather like being drunk. No pain. So waiting is not an abusive thing where your dog will be suffering in pain. You wait as long as you think is fair. And give all the love you have to give.

[Kablooie]

2. Good to hear.

She doesn't seem to be in pain.
Just tired and sometimes spacey, she will stare at nothing outside sometimes.
She is still alert most of the time, and likes being with us just as she always did.
We are lucky that she can still see fine and though diminished, can hear and smell.

[KC]

6. Thats exactly

what happened with our cat. He fell asleep
taking a nap with me. I had him wrapped
in a blanket to keep him warm because he was so thin. We fell asleep next to each
other and when I woke up to check on him
he had passed. Thank goodness it was
peaceful and didn't seem to be in pain at the end.

[In_The_Wind]

3. She's a sweetie. I'm glad you have more time with her.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. What a pretty baby!

So glad for you!

Does she have Sheltie in her? Those look like Sheltie eyes.

[Kablooie]

5. I've been told she is probably an Australian Cattle dog mix.

When healthy she was medium size around 45 pounds so Sheltie may not be in there.
(She's very thin now because she doesn't eat very much.)

I tried a genetic breed test once but it came back that she was part poodle and part boxer.
I don't recommend genetic breed tests.

[KC]

7. What a

precious face!
I agree with you about waiting. Unless they
are suffering and on pain then I definitely
wouldn't want to wait.

[TorchTheWitch]

8. Oh those eyes!

Would melt anyone's heart.

I'm so sorry you have such little time with your dear doggie but happy for you as well that you've been able to sneak in more time than you'd thought you'd have. Every minute with our fur babies can mean soooo very much.

[RebelOne]

9. I delayed euthanasia as long as I could

when my almost 13-year-old Rottweiler was so sick with bone and liver cancer. She had her good days and I thought maybe the medication was helping. I loved that dog so much and did not want to let her go. But the bone cancer got so bad that she could not walk any longer, so I knew it was time. It is heartbreaking because it is just like losing your child.