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I've always agreed with that concept regarding euthanizing animals, but now that I'm faced with making a decision, I'm feeling very guilty about it.
Long story short, my 17 year old medium sized terrier mix, Queenie, has been having really ugly grand mal seizures since, I think, last February. The usual prescription meds had too many side effects, so we took her off those, but since I put her on CBD they've been less frequent and less severe - she went over a month without having one (that I know of) - but she's just had four bad seizures in three days. Bloodwork and physical exam was normal. Vet says the most likely explanation is a tumor affecting her CNS but didn't think it made sense to do imaging, given her age, since any care would be palliative no matter what we found out. When she has a seizure she voids her bowels and bladder and has painful-looking convulsions. It takes her days to get back to normal behavior after even one seizure. She's also developed some sundowning behaviors regardless of whether she's recently had a seizure.
But the thing is, she doesn't seem to be in pain ordinarily, other than some stiffness after a seizure. She still enjoys her food, is still playful. She doesn't even have noticeable arthritis.
On the other hand, the seizures are clearly frying her brain. She's never going to get better, only worse.
I'm thinking about making an appointment to put her to sleep soon. But I feel really guilty about it. I feel like I'm only doing it because I'm tired of my own missed sleep and extra stress. A while ago I had to drop her at the boarding kennel Friday night for a trip I was leaving on early Saturday morning, and it was...a vacation. I just don't know what to do. I wish my motivation were just about sparing her suffering, but part of it is just that I'm tired. But I can also just see the next seizure being the one that doesn't stop, or where something ruptures, or...I think it's justifiable, I just don't know if it's right.
I know it has to be my decision, but if you have any advice based on your own experiences, or just as someone who can see the situation more objectively, I'd really appreciate it.
Long story short, my 17 year old medium sized terrier mix, Queenie, has been having really ugly grand mal seizures since, I think, last February. The usual prescription meds had too many side effects, so we took her off those, but since I put her on CBD they've been less frequent and less severe - she went over a month without having one (that I know of) - but she's just had four bad seizures in three days. Bloodwork and physical exam was normal. Vet says the most likely explanation is a tumor affecting her CNS but didn't think it made sense to do imaging, given her age, since any care would be palliative no matter what we found out. When she has a seizure she voids her bowels and bladder and has painful-looking convulsions. It takes her days to get back to normal behavior after even one seizure. She's also developed some sundowning behaviors regardless of whether she's recently had a seizure.
But the thing is, she doesn't seem to be in pain ordinarily, other than some stiffness after a seizure. She still enjoys her food, is still playful. She doesn't even have noticeable arthritis.
On the other hand, the seizures are clearly frying her brain. She's never going to get better, only worse.
I'm thinking about making an appointment to put her to sleep soon. But I feel really guilty about it. I feel like I'm only doing it because I'm tired of my own missed sleep and extra stress. A while ago I had to drop her at the boarding kennel Friday night for a trip I was leaving on early Saturday morning, and it was...a vacation. I just don't know what to do. I wish my motivation were just about sparing her suffering, but part of it is just that I'm tired. But I can also just see the next seizure being the one that doesn't stop, or where something ruptures, or...I think it's justifiable, I just don't know if it's right.
I know it has to be my decision, but if you have any advice based on your own experiences, or just as someone who can see the situation more objectively, I'd really appreciate it.