I don't want to keep my beloved dog alive longer than he wants to be. I want to be compassionate and let him go when he still has dignity and some joy in life...
But it's hard to know if dementia may be causing my dog to suffer in ways that aren't readily obvious to me.
Age: probably about 13-15 (I adopted him 10 years ago and his age was unknown)
I know he has dementia and the vet diagnosed that. He was doing a lot of pacing, getting stuck under/behind furniture, and just seeming confused. She prescribed medication to help him with the dementia-related symptoms, anxiety & nervous pacing. The medication has helped quite a bit.
Physically, he his okay, considering his age. He has arthritis and he moves slow, but he can still get around and still has control of his bowels, etc. He still voluntarily takes two (verrry slow) walks with me every day day. Still wants to eat and receive affection/brushing.
When he doesn't get up and tell me he's ready for walks or meals, he just sleeps. He spends all but 2 or 3 hours per day asleep.
I'm ok with this, but how do I know if he still feels life is worth living, or if it's hard for him? Maybe he would rather just be done?
I'm trying to be careful--I don't want to selfishly keep him around longer than is appropriate because it will break my heart to say goodbye. This is my first dog. Has anyone every been in a similar situation?
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/cc5i7w/advice_senior_dog_with_dementia_but_in_ok/
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