I’m the owner of a 14 (only about a month off 15) year old Westie. She’s had an absolutely fantastic life and unsurprisingly has been showing the signs of ageing for a while now. Over the past couple of weeks she has really started to slow down; the food no longer goes like it used to, all walks are less frequent and slower, and she’s much less aware of things and seems mentally absent. My father, who has had many pets, wonders if she may have had some mini-strokes.
She is clearly still happy, at least sometimes. She wags her tail when she’s awake enough and being coo’ed over, and does show a little excitement for treats.
We’ve known for a while that she hasn’t long left, last Autumn we took her to the vets after she got bit by another dog and turns out she’s in renal failure. She also had an abscess above her mouth which was painful for a while after removal and that alone was nearly the end.
My father, brother, and I aren’t sure what to do. On one hand we want her to go peacefully during the night, and ensure she isn’t stressed at all. On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking for us to watch her age so extremely. I’ve wondered to myself whether perhaps it’s kinder for her, and better for us by cutting off the stress, if we choose to have her put down.
I’m only 24, and the last time I lost a pet I was only about 8, and obviously it wasn’t my choice back then. Those of you who’ve been through this sort of thing before, did you make a choice that you regret? That’s what I’m scared of. I just want her to be happy or comfortable, even if that may be in death.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/hba50y/what_is_the_kindest_choice/
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