My Toy Poodle is aging.Question.

[DawnCt1]

My toy poodle, Chelsea is 15. She has cataracts and can't see well. As a result she is harder to groom. She doesn't like hands near her face. She is also becoming senile, forgetting her bathroom habits at times. Sometimes she just stands in the middle of the room and stares. She seems to live in the moment, playing briefly. She sleeps a lot of the day, is missing a lot of her teeth, but still likes to eat. Her only joy in life seems to be riding in the car and following the sun around the house to lay in the warmth of it. I am considering pulling her dog dish. It wouldn't be starvation. Her electrolytes will go up and she will just quietly slip away. As her guardian, it seems I can make this choice. My DSs' think this is cruel. They want me to keep her around because they love her, she isn't in any pain and often seems happy. She will occasionally run around the house for exercize and cuddle with them on the couch. She just doesn't interact with them as much as she did when she was a young dog and because of her limited intellectual capacity she "thinks she is happy". Don't you think she should go to doggie heaven in a quiet, "natural" way. I wouldn't want to kill her by putting her to sleep. It's not that I want her to die. I just want "nature to take its course". Am I wrong? Should I give in to my children or exercize my "rights of guardianship".?

 

[phillybeth]

No comparison.

 

[RitaZ.]

My toy poodle, Chelsea is 15. She has cataracts and can't see well. As a result she is harder to groom. She doesn't like hands near her face. She is also becoming senile, forgetting her bathroom habits at times. Sometimes she just stands in the middle of the room and stares. She seems to live in the moment, playing briefly. She sleeps a lot of the day, is missing a lot of her teeth, but still likes to eat. Her only joy in life seems to be riding in the car and following the sun around the house to lay in the warmth of it. I am considering pulling her dog dish. It wouldn't be starvation. Her electrolytes will go up and she will just quietly slip away. As her guardian, it seems I can make this choice. My DSs' think this is cruel. They want me to keep her around because they love her, she isn't in any pain and often seems happy. She will occasionally run around the house for exercize and cuddle with them on the couch. She just doesn't interact with them as much as she did when she was a young dog and because of her limited intellectual capacity she "thinks she is happy". Don't you think she should go to doggie heaven in a quiet, "natural" way. I wouldn't want to kill her by putting her to sleep. It's not that I want her to die. I just want "nature to take its course". Am I wrong? Should I give in to my children or exercize my "rights of guardianship".?

Dawn, I respect your opinions. I have even agreed with some of your posts in the past, they were intelligent and informed. However, there comes a point when a person loses credibility, you're there! Give it a rest already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn, I respect your opinions. I have even agreed with some of your posts in the past, they were intelligent and informed. However, there comes a point when a person loses credibility, you're there! Give it a rest already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a serious question. I took her out to do her business and she is waiting by the door again. I don't think she remembers that she just went out. It must be lower brain functions that tell her when she is hungry or thirsty. Intellectually though, she won't know if I take her dog dish away, will she?

 

[ToriLammy]

This is a serious question.

It's your dog - go for it. Make sure you set up a website and alert the media so the everyone can watch and show it for hours on end on TV.

 

[DawnCt1]

It's your dog - go for it. Make sure you set up a website and alert the media so the everyone can watch and show it for hours on end on TV.

That's a good idea. Do you think I would be arrested however for cruelty to animals?

 

[chyam]

Most of us have been told that putting our animals to sleep when they are suffering or failing is the humane thing to do and I agree............in todays St. Pete Times there was a letter to the editor concerning compassion for pets where one writer said that what they were doing to Terri we would never consider doing to our pets.........the response was "No, we would have euthanized the pet years ago!
I just went through this with a 20 year old cat (1 month ago) and he was senile and didn't use the bathroom correctly for awhile, I tolerated it until the point where he was suffering and knew his quality of life was no longer worth keeping him here just for me! And that is exactly what Terri's parents are doing keeping her here for them, she has no quality of life she is just breathing! We believe in being humane to our animals but not people? To many people suffer for the sake of being around for their families and medical science has prolonged it...........the one thing I have learned from all of this is we all need living wills and copies of it everywhere!

 

[chyam]

That's a good idea. Do you think I would be arrested however for cruelty to animals?

It's not cruelty it's accepted and it's the humane thing to do............

 

[DawnCt1]

It's not cruelty it's accepted and it's the humane thing to do............

So it's okay if I don't give her food and water? I thought people got arrested for that. I have seen articles in the newspaper about people being arrested for that. Perhaps if I go on Larry King Live, he will give me the opportunity to explain how starvation is really not starvation. Of course DSs are going to be upset. They don't mind that she is happily senile. She doesn't seem to mind that she is happily senile but if she isn't thinking the same "doggie thoughts" that she did when she was a young pup, can she really have the same quality of life as Annie, my standard poodle? I know Annie dreams about chasing rabbits. By now, Chelsea is probably afraid of rabbits.

 

[septbride2002]

Go for it - with the way you are posting you've got a good shot at the insanity plea.

Like someone else said well - now you've lost all credibility.

~Amanda

 

[chyam]

First off I didn't say starve her to death I said EUTHANIZE her! If Terri can not eat and drink on her own then she would die anyways........who in their right mind would want to lay in a bed 24 hours of day, not being able to communicate, eat or do anything but stare at a ceiling.............I got a great idea send your poodle to her.

 

[Inafrenzy]

Aw, you poor thing! Have the vet insert a tube for feedings and perhaps she can live decades longer.

 

[coach4448]

Go for it - with the way you are posting you've got a good shot at the insanity plea.

Like someone else said well - now you've lost all credibility.

~Amanda

 

[septbride2002]

First off I didn't say starve her to death I said EUTHANIZE her! If Terri can not eat and drink on her own then she would die anyways........who in their right mind would want to lay in a bed 24 hours of day, not being able to communicate, eat or do anything but stare at a ceiling.............I got a great idea send your poodle to her.[/QUOTE]

 

[DawnCt1]

First off I didn't say starve her to death I said EUTHANIZE her! If Terri can not eat and drink on her own then she would die anyways........who in their right mind would want to lay in a bed 24 hours of day, not being able to communicate, eat or do anything but stare at a ceiling.............I got a great idea send your poodle to her.

This isn't about Terri at all. DSs' would be really upset. They think she just isn't as "sharp" as she used to be. I mean, I would hate to kill her and she isn't in pain, or uncomfortable. While she doesn't lay in her bed 24 hours a day, I will bet she spends a good 16 hours laying down. As far as communicating? She scratches at the door to come in. Is that really adequate communication?

 

[DawnCt1]

Aw, you poor thing! Have the vet insert a tube for feedings and perhaps she can live decades longer.

Nah, she chews just fine. She likes to eat. But if I took away her dish.....?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

 

[Fantasmic303]

Um, sorry to step in to this post when it's clear it's going somewhere else, but I had to share.


I thought the subject said "My Toy Poodle is Asking Questions."


Obviously, this isn't the post I expected. I'll just be leaving now....

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

Your dog would FEEL hunger and intense thirst. Try that. Just push your plate away a meal or two. And no fluids for one day. You will not die. You will not starve. But I guarentee that it will not be a good time, and if you feel a hunger pain or are thirsty, good. Think what that trusting friendwouldgo thru for a week or two. Just explain that you are putting her thru thatfor her own good. I'm sure she would understand.

Euthenization is a tiny pinprick, acutally smaller than her rabies shot she has had all these years. Fast, painless, and better for HER!

Good God Almighty.

 

[DVCLiz]

Uummmmm....who's that trip - trip -tripping over my bridge?