The signs that tell you when its time to say good-bye to your dog?

This picture of an elderly dog enjoying one last car ride has been tugging at my heartstrings.

The reality is that unlike your children — or anyone else you’ve helped raise and take care of — your dog will probably not outlive you. Even more sobering, you may end up facing a very difficult decision about when to end the life of this precious friend and family member.

Some dogs do pass peacefully on their own, but in many cases, the will to survive keeps a dog going long past the point of experiencing good quality of life. While recent advances in veterinary medicine are nothing short of amazing, remember that just because you can prolong your dog's life doesn’t mean it’s in the animal's best interest to do so.
Most of the factors around aging and death are beyond our control, but the one thing you are able to do for your dog is make sure it is not in undue pain and suffering. Without a doubt, no other decision you make about your dog will be as difficult as the one to euthanise, but in so many cases, it is the only humane option.
Having an inkling when it is the time 
If there’s ever a time to put your dog’s welfare ahead of your own needs, this is it. While the idea of living without your beloved pet can be heartbreaking, the thought of them suffering should feel even worse. So in considering what to do, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your dog have a terminal illness? Ask your vet what to expect at the next stage and then ask yourself whether you’re prepared to go there.
• Is your dog in the kind of pain that cannot be significantly helped by medication?
• Will more treatment improve their quality of life, or simply maintain a poor quality of life?
• Can you afford treatment? End-of-life care can run into thousands of pounds, and people can end up prolonging their grieving while paying off credit cards.
• Is your dog so old they have lost most bodily functions? If they can no longer stand up, get down stairs, defecate, and urinate on their own, then their quality of life is pretty poor.
• Do they still want to eat? Once a dog loses its appetite they are signaling that their time has come.
• Are the gums pink? When  you gently press on then and the gums aren’t a normal pink, your dog is not getting enough oxygen. This means its body organs are shutting down.
• Is it in the animal's best interest to extend their life, or are you extending life for yourself? This last point is the most difficult one for most of us to sort out, but it may well be the most relevant.

Other considerations

• Of course, everyone feels free to tell you what to do, but the responsibility for this choice is yours. And believe me it will be really hard.
• Your vet is trained to save lives. That’s what they do, and that’s why you go to them. But all they can do is delay, not prevent. If your vet is advising euthanasia and you’re reluctant, closely examine your own motives and see if the reasons you give are for your benefit or for the dog.
• People often say, “You’ll know when it’s time.” In many cases that’s true, but not always.
• Choosing euthanasia is not “playing God” any more than providing medical treatment to save a life is.
• Make sure that you’ll be able to be with your dog at the moment of injection, so that you are the last presence they sense. However, if its too hard to be there, get a friend or relative to hold them. It’s best for your dog's last moments that you are calm and reassuring.
• Follow your inner voice and know when its time to let them go.

Before your dog gets to the point where euthanasia is a consideration, and you’re still fairly calm, write a list of what gives them quality of life. Decide how many of those points they can be without in old age and still enjoy life. For example:

• He/she likes to eat.                         * likes to drink from puddles                        
• likes to play ball.                            * loves treats                                            
• likes to go for walks                       * loves cuddles
• loves rolling in smelly things

Make a decision, write it down, and stick to your plan when your emotions are more rational.
If your dog is suffering, they have lost all joy in being a dog.
Bottom line: The emotions surrounding this decision are mixed and complicated. To do what’s best for our dogs, we need to realistically assess the criteria without allowing emotion to overwhelm the decision-making process.
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                                                                     This and that ....... 
December started this week, so we can all agree its Christmas time and that means:             
A sense of awe and wonder at the twinkling lights and sudden goodwill towards mankind.
Wearing clothes that have fleece, fake fur, fluff and sparkle.
Groaning at Christmas music but secretly loving it.
No idea of what Frankincense and Myrrh are.
Putting up twinkly lights, even in the loo....especially the loo, and upsetting snobby neighbours.
Adding Baileys to all warm drinks including Cup-a-soup (eeeuw!)
Wondering how the true love in "12 days of Christmas" had access to so many wildfowl. 

                                     Here's to the amazing kindness of mankind towards animals.                                         
                                              Last blog for 2015. Have a happy Christmas and a
                                                                    spectacular New Year.

                                                                                   Dawn  (".".")