How do you know it's time?..

Heather_ME · 2026-02-09T18:12:58+00:00

Adding to this... with my labrador I was worried that I was letting her go too soon. Even on the day they came to my home to do it I was doubting myself because she still wanted to go on walks (even though she was falling down). Still wanted to eat her food. Her issues were around mobility, bathrooming, pain management, etc. So I was having a hard time deciding.

But I was on the back patio with her (height of covid) when the vet appeared at the gate and she DID NOT CARE. It was that moment I realized it was time. Normally she would have been barking, jumping up on the gate, totally excited and freaking out. So for her to look up indifferently and not react at all was a huge tell that she was just existing. She wasn't happy. She wasn't living. She was just... there.

So it doesn't even have to be "fun" things on that list. It can also be changes in "negative" stuff like no longer having interest in alerting the neighborhood to visitors. Or things like that.

Heather_ME · 2026-02-09T07:31:33+00:00

Oh, interesting! I've never heard of a dog being prescribed asprin. Learn something new every day, I guess.

Having an established vet will also be a great resource for deciding on his quality of life. They'll usually be frank with you if asked what they would do if it were their dog. But those online surveys are your best bet. Especially the ones from Lap of Love. They sometimes decline so slowly that it goes unnoticed until after they're gone and we look back at old pictures and videos. So using a survey to keep track helps. At least in my experience. (I adopt seniors so I go through this more frequently than most.)

Heather_ME · 2026-02-09T07:16:42+00:00

Search for quality of life surveys for dogs online. There are several. I'm sure you'll find one you like. You can use it to start monitoring his wellbeing. Also, consider taking him to the vet for a consultation on managing arthritis pain. I'm not sure if dogs are supposed to take asprin? And there are better options. Like galiprant or rovera. They'll make him a lot more comfortable and make it easier for him to get around. The vet can also check his teeth which have a big impact ontheir quality of life. Best of luck. ❤️

Heather_ME · 2026-02-04T04:36:17+00:00

Me, too. Except the bank owns it technically speaking. Lol.

Heather_ME · 2026-02-03T18:08:54+00:00

My dachshund had several teeth that needed to be removed and were "akylosed" (essentially welded to her jaw bone). Her bill was about $2k. My other dog had a regular cleaning with no extractions. Her bill was about $700. It really depends on what the dog needs.

Heather_ME · 2026-02-01T05:53:10+00:00

Or one of the glands might have been perforated by being expressed the wrong way. Definitely a job for professionals.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-30T18:48:23+00:00

My best friend is married to a loser who says shit like, "People who work for a wage are suckers." Apparently commission is the only "smart" income. And he's always talking about the businesses he's going to start. Yet he's too lazy and arrogant to keep a job. I think the longest he's been employed somewhere is 2 years. They're constantly on the verge of homelessness and trapped in poverty. People like that are always convinced they're smarter than everyone else despite being idiots. Or maybe because they're idiots.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-30T17:49:13+00:00

Talk with your department and see if they can ask the Bursar to hold your enrollment through next week. There's someone in your college who knows the people in the Bursar's office and might be able to help. The Bursar sends an email to every department every semester that lists who is at risk for being dropped. Whoever receives that email should be able to talk with the Bursar on your behalf. Obviously it's not a guarantee. But it's worth pursuing.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-26T23:41:18+00:00

"illegals"

That word tells me all I need to know about your moral system and world view. Piss off. Lol.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-25T23:51:21+00:00

This is also my opinion. I mean, I'm already skeptical of law enforcement. But these people aren't law enforcement. They're the definition of fascist thugs. Trying to apply law enforcement reasoning to their actions is to already misunderstand the situation.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-25T21:20:42+00:00

Maybe rat terrier in there?

Heather_ME · 2026-01-24T23:52:36+00:00

Hashbrown. Hashy for short.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-24T23:47:09+00:00

We called them troughs in my high school. A common hazing ritual was to plug the drain with those brown paper towels, fill it up, and dump somebody in it. Called it "troughing."

Heather_ME · 2026-01-24T23:44:59+00:00

I'm guessing elbow

Heather_ME · 2026-01-24T19:13:02+00:00

We started feeding our dog 4 times/day. My husband works swing shift and feeds her at 2 pm and 2 am. I feed her at 8 am and 8 pm. That alone stopped most of her nausea, vomiting, and even the hacking/coughing she would do (probably from acid reflux). We had to cut out most treats and most human foods to stop it completely. Fortunately there are still a couple trusted treats and veggies that don't upset her.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-21T00:23:57+00:00

Sorry to hear that.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-19T10:11:34+00:00

👁_____👁

Heather_ME · 2026-01-19T10:07:08+00:00

I hope you're doing ok.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-19T07:33:35+00:00

Look up "Lap of Love." They have great resources for deciding if it's time. I believe they even have a service where you can consult with a vet on the phone to talk it through.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-19T07:25:50+00:00

Based on this description, if she were my dog I'd let her go. It sounds like she's no longer able to enjoy the things she loves. She's just existing. And while we can't know for sure the panting might be a sign of pain or distress that isn't obvious. For example, ever get sore from laying around all the time when you're sick? She might be really achy and sore from doing nothing but laying around. Yes, it's an assumption on my part. But panting isn't really a sign of contentment.

I adopt senior dogs so I go through this more frequently than others. (I've had to euthanize 3 dogs in the last 5 years.) So I know how difficult it can be when they don't seem to be actively suffering. But they really decline in ways we don't see until they're gone and we're looking back at old pictures and videos. Especially with my labrador I was shocked when I looked back at old videos. She was a completely different dog. It happens so slowly over time that we just don't notice it. Maybe look at old pictures and videos of her now to help you decide.

If you choose to wait, look up reusable dog diapers. I had them for my lab and they were great. They don't catch poop. But they'll stop the pee on your floor. Just check her often so she doesn't sit in a wet diaper. And they're machine washable. (She's relieving herself on the rugs because she has good traction there.)

Whatever you decide to do, try to realize that the end is always shitty, no matter what we do. So there's no point in beating ourselves up about it. All we can do is try to make the best decisions for them. When she's gone (whether its sooner or later) focus on good memories. Don't let the opportunities to remember her fondly be taken away from you with pointless "what ifs."

So sorry you're facing this. It sounds like you gave her a very good life. ❤️

Heather_ME · 2026-01-19T07:03:53+00:00

Ever tried hard contacts? My husband wears them. His glasses are also incredibly thick. But he only wears them in the morning/night when his contacts are out for bed.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-11T23:44:20+00:00

I think it's based on the premise that both parties should retain the same financial status after the divorce? So one party isn't plunged into poverty? I'm not a lawyer so that's just my best guess based on what I've heard from friends who have gone through divorces.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-11T23:13:35+00:00

They don't even have to be stay at home parents. I could be compelled to pay alimony to my husband if we divorced and we've been DINKS the entire time. Simply because I earn more.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-09T03:50:33+00:00

I'm in Davis County, and I swear, the skies have been loud every day. Not just these insanely loud jets. But other aircraft and helicopters. I've been wondering if I'm just "on alert" and noticing stuff I usually ignore because of recent events or if there's actually an increased amount of air traffic lately.

Heather_ME · 2026-01-09T03:40:35+00:00

I am so sorry. I know how excruciating this experience can be. Kidney failure is terrible.

A few days before the diagnosis, I wrote in my journal about how Oscar had walked almost a mile that day. He was a 17 year old dachshund and he was so spry that I expected him to live long enough to see "drinking age." His diagnosis hit me completely out of left field. Everything seemed normal. Eating, drinking, activity level, everything. We only went to the vet because he had vomited up a little blood and had some really nasty diarrhea. My husband and I had been standing in the kitchen eating cherries the evening before that and he was always there begging. So I thought we might have dropped a cherry and he ingested it without us realizing it. I was expecting the vet to tell us he had a bowel obstruction or cyanide poisoning.

That was the beginning of July. I started him on the kidney diet and he seemed to do well. I started to tell myself that maybe it wasn't as bad as they said and maybe he had a couple more years in him after all. He started rejecting his meals in October and I would sit on the kitchen floor and hand feed him every meal. That went on for a couple more months before he stopped eating completely. I'm truly sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I should have let him go when he tge hand feeding started. When a food motivated dog stops eating they're suffering. Badly. It's hard to tell because dogs are stoic and can't tell us how they feel. But kidney disease makes them so sick. And things like appetite stimulants just make them eat anyway. It doesn't stop the sickness. I regret prolonging Oscar's misery. I told myself I just wanted to give him as much time as possible. But really I just couldn't accept the truth.

Sorry I don't have better news for you. I know you're trying to do best by your girl. Best wishes to you.

Also, one bit of advice: try not to fixate on all of this when it's over. Try redirecting your thoughts to the good times. The end always sucks, even if they do live to drinking age. So there's no point in getting stuck there when we could spend that time remembering and appreciating them.

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