What to do with our old lab

[Deleted member 995608]

Just like the title says, what should I do with my old Lab?

He's happy and eats well, but his old legs are a bit rickety but shows no sign of pain so far.

What the problem you ask? Welp, he can't hold his ladder for very long and he's had his fair share of midnight log drops unannounced. For many years, ole Reno would go to the door and give us that unique bark that lets us know that he has to go right now! For whatever reason, he has stopped doing this.

For the last few weeks, I've made him stay outside because of his uncontrollable habits. He's got a pretty cozy custom doghouse, a fresh supply of water 24/7 outside and he's still getting his 2 +\- cups of dog food that he happily eats. That part that makes me feel even worse is the our female lab, Fallon gets to come in at night, although Reno doesn't seem to mind.

With summer approaching here in the Central Valley of Ca, where the average daily temp is 100+, it's dangerous for dogs to be outside, especially during the peak heat hours in the afternoon. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Reno. I can't leave him outside, but I also can't have a dog dropping bombs and and 1/2 gallon urine every few hours on the carpet.

Sadly, I'll admit that I've thought about putting him down, but I just can't make that decision. If he was hurting or was ill, it would be a no brainer. He is after all, 14 years old. Reno is still a happy dog, eats and drinks normal and carries his old body on those rickety legs of his around the 1/4 acre of yard that I've fenced off just for the dogs.

 

[JR]

I'm in the same boat as you. My 14 yr old lab has been around longer than both my boys (and the wife for that matter ) He's not had bladder problems yet but he does have a bad hip that has REALLY slowed him down the last year. He gets shots from the vet and some pain meds in between to get him through. Some days are better than others and his over all activity level has gone way down but he's still got a good appetite, interacts with everybody and seems happy. Even though its costing me a couple hundred bucks a month to keep him around I can't bring myself to put him down yet. Once he loses that twinkle in his eye and doesn't seem interested anymore I'll have to make that decision. Its been a good run with my ol buddy.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Dog diaper?

Bill

 

[DavidC]

I can really sympathize with anyone in this position. I have had 4 Shepherds and it was very rough with each one. I can not tell anyone what they should do as it is a personal struggle only they can make.

Dave

 

[AH64ID]

We had our last lab put down at 13. He did okay thru the winter and with a few infrequent bladder issues. He had been decently mobile in the cold but the problem was the summer heat. The heat basically immobilized him and he couldn't do anything, couldn't stand up to get out of the sun, nor could he get himself to water, and that was the final decision point. He didn't appear to be in pain but at the same time he wasn't moving.

It is a very tough decision indeed. Best of luck with your lab.

 

[crispyboy]

Tough, tough decisions......
I would try the dog diaper routine. Do you have a place where he can be indoors and on a hard surface floor? Have you tried to change his eating/drinking routine. For example cut off the food/water dish several hours before you go to bed so he can make it through but watch for dehydration due to the heat in your area.
I have a 14+ yr old Border Collie who suffers from the same weak legs and hips. About two years ago I started him on a supplement called Cetyl M. It takes a few months to get into their system but it has made a big difference in his activity level. In the morning I used to lift up his hind quarters to get him kick started. Now he does well on his own and can run pretty good. This past February he came down with Vestibular disease. Essentially doggie vertigo. He couldn't lift his head off the gurney at the ER vet hospital for 2.5 days. He was doing pretty well until one of the cows tried to pound him into the ground. I had to crack a big stick over the cows head to get her to back off. It has taken awhile for him to recover. When this dog dies I think it's going to take me awhile to get another dog. I never thought this dog could get under my skin so much.

 

[Killgore]

Home security becomes an issue with a pet-door large enough to accommodate a lab. However, there might be some kind of an option there in conjunction with the new video security systems that are available.

I had to make the call on our fourteen year old Golden Retriever when her kidneys began to fail. She was my buddy and had helped look after my two sons. It's been thirty years ago and it still hurts.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

We have dog doors in the past. We live in the boonies, so it's not the two legged intruders we fear. After we had a Possum greet us one early morning, the dog doors went bye bye. I'm not sure it would help anyways. Ole Reno sorta walks about the house and lets loose whenever his internal bell rings.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Tough, tough decisions......
I would try the dog diaper routine. Do you have a place where he can be indoors and on a hard surface floor? Have you tried to change his eating/drinking routine. For example cut off the food/water dish several hours before you go to bed so he can make it through but watch for dehydration due to the heat in your area.
I have a 14+ yr old Border Collie who suffers from the same weak legs and hips. About two years ago I started him on a supplement called Cetyl M. It takes a few months to get into their system but it has made a big difference in his activity level. In the morning I used to lift up his hind quarters to get him kick started. Now he does well on his own and can run pretty good. This past February he came down with Vestibular disease. Essentially doggie vertigo. He couldn't lift his head off the gurney at the ER vet hospital for 2.5 days. He was doing pretty well until one of the cows tried to pound him into the ground. I had to crack a big stick over the cows head to get her to back off. It has taken awhile for him to recover. When this dog dies I think it's going to take me awhile to get another dog. I never thought this dog could get under my skin so much.

I thought that too after we had to put down our 16+ year old miniature Dachshund. Annie loved to travel and was our companion 24/7 after we retired. She walked the beaches of the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes and many places in between. With the beginning of kidney failure, she too became incontinent. We worked with her as long as we could, but when she couldn't keep her food down any longer, we decided it was time. It was one of the hardest things we have done and I said I didn't want to become that attached to a dog again. A couple of years later, my wife found a rescue short hair black and tan female Dachshund. (See profile photo) Her adoption has helped us get over our Annie, but we still miss her.

Bill

 

[dodgesst]

I think they now have pet doors that are unlocked by a transmitter in the collar

 

[Killgore]

I like to think that those kind eyes who have wound their way into my heart, whether my dogs through the years, or my horse who was my partner for ten years when I was a mounted cop, were really angels that a loving God sent to comfort and protect.
- Ed

 

[RUSSELL5000]

What Ed said.

Wish I could help OP out - so tough.

I put my childhood dog down when I was 20; still feel as bad 36 years later.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I was out in the garden today watching Reno canter about in the dog yard. I started to hope that maybe the old guy will comfortably pass away before I have to make that decision.

I had to put down our other male Lab early last year after a long bout of Valley Fever. Listening to him cough and cough violently like a seal for hours broke my heart. He was on a strong steroid treatment for several weeks and made a huge improvement but relapsed after about 9-10 weeks. I woke up in the middle of the night and found my wife lying on the floor with him. I took her spot on the floor and petted him for the next 2/3 hours before the sun came up. I told him I couldn't let him hurt anymore.

Gotta go, something is in my eye.

 

[Ozymandias]

When my Welsh had to go the Vet told me something that helped me some.

He said; Don't think you'll steal the life of your Dog, he lives every day of his life like it was the last, a Dog don't care about tomorrow nor has some plans for it. So he doesn't afraid to die. Could be every day.

That helped me a to let him go, it was me that had the problem with his dead, not he himself.
So he went away, as a respected friend and companion.
I still fell tears writing this text, buried feelings come up. ****..

 

[Simplysmn]

We have a 10 yr old Shepard /Wolf Mix and give her a whole Aspirin once a day when we see that she is limping or having troubles getting up .And you can see a Difference after it also .Maybe try that ?the Vet said 1 is good as long as the dog is over 40 Lb's .As for Putting 1 down Yeah they become Family and that is the Hardest thing in the world when that time comes .

 

[fest3er]

Must be a coincidence that so many ocular lubricators are malfunctioning (injecting too much lubricant) at the same time.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Simp, the Aspirin a day deal is something we've done for a long time. Thanks for bringing that up because a lot of people don't have that info or know that is completely safe for the pooches. Reno was my duck/pheasant dog when we still lived in Nor Ca, so I used him pretty hard for the first 5/6 years. Sometimes he'd be sore the next day or two and the vets said the it was perfectly safety use Aspirin as pain management.

Today reached 100 degrees. I finished my daily duties early so I brought both dogs in around noon and made them go out about every hour. Luckily no accidents from ole faithful and his bladder buster. It was nice to have him in the house again.