Is my dog dying...? :(

[MattW]

I know he's old, and it's going to happen sooner or later, but he's been sick this morning. Apparently, he threw up a few times last night (which isn't an unusual thing for him; he's always done this if he ate something bad, or something). This morning, though, he just seems really... exhausted. And his cheeks are puffy, for some reason. He's still eating and drinking, which I always thought was a good sign (I heard that it's when they stop eating and drinking that you have to worry). But I'm still worried about him. Maybe he's just tired and feeling "meh" from being sick all night...?

 

Unfortunately, taking him to a vet isn't really an option. Money's pretty tight (last time we took him to the vet, it cost a pretty penny just for them to look at him), and if he really is on his way out, it'd be like throwing money away if there's nothing they can even do for him.

 

I know I'm going to have to accept that he doesn't have much time left, either way, but it's just so hard. Every time he gets even a little sick, I get freaked out and worried that he's going to die. I'm hoping I'm just blowing things out of proportion again, and he'll be fine for at least a while longer.

[Ariel85]

If you love your dog, then get him to a vet. Pronto. What if has something that is treatable? At the least, I can't imagine claiming to love him, and then watching him suffer.

 

Being a pet owner is a responsibility not unlike having children. Would you not take a sick child to the doctor, even if "money was tight"?

 

If you can't afford keeping a pet, which means not only feeding him but also medical care, then do the HUMANE thing and bring him to a no-kill shelter so someone else can adopt him and care for him properly.

 

Sorry for being harsh (not really), but it makes me crazy when people mistreat their pets.

[happyfrank]

Sorry to hear the bad news. If the dog is still eating and drinking water it's a good sign.

[happyfrank]

If you love your dog, then get him to a vet. Pronto. What if has something that is treatable? At the least, I can't imagine claiming to love him, and then watching him suffer.

 

Being a pet owner is a responsibility not unlike having children. Would you not take a sick child to the doctor, even if "money was tight"?

 

If you can't afford keeping a pet, which means not only feeding him but also medical care, then do the HUMANE thing and bring him to a no-kill shelter so someone else can adopt him and care for him properly.

 

Sorry for being harsh (not really), but it makes me crazy when people mistreat their pets.

 

 

Old dogs have difficulty surviving surgery. It's best to take dog to vet and put him to sleep so that dog doesn't suffer if it has any pain at old age.

[wantingsomuch]

I'm so sorry to hear this.. I had to have a dog put to sleep about 4 years ago, and it hurts unbelievably.. Think about it.. your dog does everything with you.. sleep, eat, cuddle, knows all your secrets, hell, they even sit in the bathroom when your on the toilet or showering!!! The only advice I can give you is to keep him compforable.. If he starts getting too bad, take him to the vet and have him put to sleep.. My vet let me sit with him and hold him while she gave him the medicine through the iv.. then I stayed with him about 15 more minutes just to say goodbye.. Just remember that he is going to a much better place where he wont feel sick or be in pain.. Its a greiving process just like you are losing a human loved one.. Its okay to call off work, its okay to cry, its oiay to even get a tattoo for gods sake!! Do whatever it is that makes you feel better! And whatever you do, just dont make him suffer... let him go if he needs too.. In the end it will make you and espcially most importantly HIM feel better... Goodluck.. My heart goes out to you.. Keep us updated...

[Crazyaboutdogs]

See how the dog is doing during the day. If the dog gets worse or is not getting better then you should take him to the vet. You can choose not to have any expensive treatments once you are there, but at the very least, if the dog isn't getting better, it is best to take him to the vet and find out if it is time to put him down. It is a tough time when this happens but you have to think of doing right by the dog....if the dog is suffering then perhaps it is now his time to be at peace.

[MattW]

He seems to have calmed down a lot. Before, he was getting really antsy, and was breathing pretty heavy. Now he's calm and relaxed. Mostly just laying around and sleeping, but still. He still eats and drinks. Only thing is, his face still seems kinda puffy...

 

Just out of curiosity... Ever since about the end of this past summer, he's been... congested? I guess that's the word I'm looking for. He's basically had a "stuffy nose", and he's had some major sneezes (which often caused big slimy dog boogers to go flying everywhere...). Is that an allergy, or something? What causes that?

 

Any way, reason I ask is because, when he seemed sick this morning, it almost seemed like he got so congested that he couldn't breath out of his nose. Hence the panting. He had a big sneeze a couple of hours ago, and it seems like after that, he's been better and more relaxed.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

See what happens over the weekend. I believe dogs can get colds as well.

[Michele32]

He could definitely have allergies if he has a "stuffy nose"...and is puffy in the face. You can always give him over the counter benadryl to help with the symptoms. You can shop around to find the cheapest exam visit at a vets office which can range depending on what state and all, and thats the minimum you have to pay. Just to get an answer to what you think might be going on. A lot of places will try and get you to pay for more and a lot of pet owners seem to not realize that they dont have to do these extra tests and treatment. Its sad but small animal clinics are motivated by money. If your dog still seems happy and has a great quality of life, then don't consider euthanasia yet. But the beauty of veterinary medicine is that there is an option of euthanasia, so the animal doesn't have to suffer.

[Ariel85]

Unreal. What will it take before you take this poor animal to the vet?

 

What you're doing is incredibly cruel and if animal control was aware of this abuse, you'd not only lose the dog, but be in trouble with a few charges as well. I'm sure you're aware that allowing animals to suffer like this is ILLEGAL. Forget about the moral obligation you have to take care of him.

 

It's obvious there is something wrong with the dog. I can't get how you can claim to love him, yet sit by idly while he suffers.

[Michele32]

Because the dog is congested, its animal cruelty!? Are you kidding me! LMAO

[metrogirl]

Dogs can catch colds and get allergies. My dog Maggie (may she rest in peace) was allergic to everything. She was allergic to dust, pollen, grass, other pet dander, you name it she was allergic. She was on medication for her allergies which helped with her stuffy nose/runny nose. Sometimes she was stuffy, other times she was runny.

 

Since your dog still has an appetite and still wants to drink water, that is good. Too often we see stories of how the dog stops eating and drinking right before they pass.

 

Good luck

[Ariel85]

Because the dog is congested, its animal cruelty!? Are you kidding me! LMAO

 

It's animal cruelty that he's known the dog has been sick for weeks, and refuses to get it medical care, and instead chooses to witness the dog suffering. I wasn't aware you, or anyone here, was a qualified veterinarian who was able to proffer a final diagnosis either. Sick, and sad, that you find this funny.

[Michele32]

I think we just have two different opinions on animal suffering I guess. Symptomatically it does seem like just a congestion or allergy problem. I'm not a DVM, that's why I wrote in my post to go get an exam to get a definite answer for what it is. But I also don't blame the OP for not wanting to bring him in due to expenses(I work and go to school for veterinary) so I personally know how overpriced it is. You kind of have to think of it if it was your child that had a simple cold, or allergies, taking them to the doctor would be kind of extreme, but that's just my opinion. I don't know, maybe because I have seen callous animal owners that really do not care about their animals at all and bring them in when they are basically DOA which makes me think this isn't animal cruelty. Everyone has their own opinion though.

[MattW]

Ariel, the dog isn't really suffering. He's just been kind of congested for a while. Like Michele said, it's more akin to taking someone to the hospital when they have a little cold or allergy. If he were "suffering", I think I'd be able to tell, and I'd definitely do something about it. It's not that I don't want to do anything for my dog, it's just... well, it's a hard situation to convey properly, because I do love my dog and want to make sure he's healthy, but at the same time, the vet is expensive, and considering he's in his old age, there's not a lot they can really do for him (procedure-wise), and even if they could, it'd just cost even more money to elongate his life for what, an extra few months on top of what he's already got left? He's an old dog. He's not a young pup. He doesn't have much time left as it is, and money's too tight for me to try to squeeze an extra few months of life out of him by rushing him to the vet just because he has the sniffles.

[Ariel85]

So...if your dog just has a cold, then why did you start a thread asking if he's dying? The truth is, you have no idea what's wrong with the dog, and you have no idea if he's in pain. Still eating doesn't preclude an animal from being very ill, nor in a lot of pain.

 

And if you don't have money for proper medical care for your pet, then PLEASE, in good conscience, take him to a no-kill shelter who can properly care for him. Being a pet owner is a responsibility, and if you don't have the money to properly care for him, which you say you don't, then do the right thing for the dog and let someone else take over from here.

 

Saying you don't have money to care for a pet is an atrocious statement. It is exceptionally irresponsible, and something you'll have on your conscience for the rest of your life. Do you really want to look back and wonder if you let an animal suffer needlessly because you accepted responsibility for his caretaking, then felt that you couldn't afford making him comfortable, nor offering him a painless ending to his life?

[MattW]

When I made the topic, he seemed worse off, but now he seems back to normal. I just asked about his congestion later on, because it's something he's had for a little while, now, but it doesn't seem to be causing him any discomfort, and I was just curious to know what could be causing it. Bottom line is, I've had him over twelve years. I've never had problems taking care of him, and I'm not going to give him away to some shelter now just because I can't afford to take him to the vet without being absolutely sure he's in dire need of treatment (and that they can actually do something for him, if they're going to charge me money anyway).