How to make the tough decisions

[5.4MarkVIII]

My dog, ten years old. Lab husky mix.
Been having hip issues for the last year but getting really bad. He can’t sit anymore. Just walks slowly or lays down. The cold weather makes it worse. But he loves being outside. If he is inside he holes constantly. If he is outside he lays by the gate and watches people walk by. Won’t get up anymore to move to his shelter if the rain starts.
Sometimes at night I have to go out and help him up. (He is getting grumpy and has growled a couple times while doing this, cuz of the pain?)

I know what’s coming but hard to say when. He has okay days. But he has been having less and less

With Christmas fast approaching and him suffering more and more....

Just can’t bring myself to make the call and devastate my kids.

[Ponyryd]

Best thing for that (according to my wife) is to get another dog right away. I’m still on my first dog and I dread the day but I know it can’t be avoided.
Good luck to you bud.

[ZR]

One of our three cats has been in semi tough shape for well over a year now. Sadly, just like your dog, poor days are out numbering the good ones.

[WTF]

such a shame.....dogs are totally family

around 20 years back my parents called to let me know that they were gonna put down Bonnie for similar reasons...an amazing sheppard/lab/collie mix that made it to 13 years.....she was a family member since my late teens at that point

gave me the chance to go and say goodbye....which I did

not sure how old your kids are....but if they're old enough to explain....give em a chance to say goodbye

sorry that you have to go through this

[Ponyryd]

Any medication or anything you can do to ease the pain for him?

[5.4MarkVIII]

Kids are only 5 and 7.
Seems like such a horrible thing to do with Christmas only a month away.

[rioredsvt]

I feel for you,same kind of the situation with my 9 year chocolate old lab, had his ccl done about 3 years ago ,now same issue on left side leg, vet said won,t be long to the day . its never easy to décide

[hsousa88]

My 10 yr old min pin has had seizures since he was 3.. seems they are getting worse. Dunno how I could ever put this guy down.. hes my best bud.

[5.4MarkVIII]

Any medication or anything you can do to ease the pain for him?

Vet gave us some stuff to try. Didn’t seem to help much.

[92redragtop]

Any medication or anything you can do to ease the pain for him?

This was going to be my response as well. Like us, arthritis can be treated unless it's too far gone and the combination of age means you can't help him. Or is it hip dysplasia? (I'm not too familiar with that in terms of treatment, and at what point it's too late).

Have you tried MSM Glucosamine (Chondroitin)? We had a 12-year old rescue and she went through a period where she would stay in her bed and wouldn't walk, and would howl/whimper when we tried to take her out of her bed at times - I thought she was dying at the time since she also had a heart murmur but it was the arthritis. We tried regular MSM Glucosamine and she reacted to it (she had a beef allergy and this comes from beef bone/marrow typically) and then found a seafood based version (made from cartilage/shellfish) and that worked for her - completely different dog within 2 weeks of going on this and she was able to go for walks normally, etc (it was a powder and we sprinkled it on her food). In the end it was heart failure that took her.

Each case is different but depending on how far it has advanced and what your vet is saying some of these options may work.

Lots of info on it out there (but you may have already looked into them):

http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-...-hip-dysplasia

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com...mine-for-dogs/