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Expert: - 2/1/2012


Question
Our akita was 13 in september.  She is hard of hearing, poor eyesight.  She has lost control of her bowels, now had blood after a bowel movement,  usually releases her bowels when she is laying down.  Has trouble walking and sometimes falls down and we have to help her up.  Cannot climb stairs, She is not eating well.  We are thinking of putting her to sleep.  Do you think she is in pain?  and do you think that is the right decision.  We don't want to put her to sleep if we dont have too.

Answer
Hi Karen,

I know that this is a very hard decision,but based on what you tell me here, it is the right one to make. You have to think of the quality of her life.

She knows the end is near, that is why she is not eating well. The kindest gift you can give her is to end the confusion she probably experiences when she cannot make her legs do what she wants. Losing bowel control is an embarrassment for a dog just as it is for us. They are housetrained and they know it's wrong,so they feel bad inside.

She is most likely not in any pain, unless she has really bad arthritis in her hips and knees.

You are doing the right thing, hard as it is. Your comfort will come from knowing that she is no longer suffering and is at peace.

Bless you both.

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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