Deciding when to let an old or ill dog go is one of the hardest choices. A few questions can help you see clearly.
Ask yourself whether your dog still eats, can move and go to the toilet without distress, enjoys things it used to love and has more good days than bad. Writing down good and bad days for a week or two makes a gradual decline easier to see.
Your vet can tell you whether pain and other symptoms can be relieved, and what to expect. Many owners find it helps to decide in advance where it should happen, at the clinic or at home, and who should be there.
Losing a dog is losing a member of the family. Give yourself and your family time, including children and other pets, who may also react to the loss. Many owners keep a photo or a paw print, and the memories in the dog's diary in the app can be a comfort later.
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