Yesterday afternoon my Dad went out to the back yard and found that our six year old beagle, his name is Bandit, had some massive swelling on his right hind quarter. He was having a little trouble waking but didn't seem to be in too much paid. We took him to the vet and after examination they found that he has a peritoneal hernia, a bad one. His bladder and prostate are getting pushed through the muscle lining, he can't urinate or anything. They pretty much gave us two decisions, surgery or to put him to sleep. The Vet stated that the outcome of Bandit surviving the surgery would be 50/50, and he couldn't promise that the surgery would even work. The only option in our minds was to perform surgery, they put him on a catheter and for us to leave him overnight for them to do x-rays and blood work to see if he was fit to go under surgery in the morning. My Dad stayed home and went to the vet's the first thing in the morning. When I went to work this morning I assumed that they would do the surgery and he either made it or didn't. I asked not to be notified of the out come while I was at work. When I got home this afternoon, I found out that after doing x-rays they found that it was much worse than they even expected. We would need to move him 2.5 hours away to Dallas and have them perform three separate surgeries with at best a 50/50 chance of him surviving each one, each time. Total cost would be over $5000, cost is one of the last things we are considering.

The decision to be made is either have him undergo multiple surgeries or put him to sleep. I don't want my dog to suffer, and I belive that if he has these surgeries done, he will suffer, if he even survives. The veterinarians that we have talked to make the outcome seem very grim with a small sliver of light at the end. Right now, he is not suffering hardly at all, still a happy dog, but with a serious problem. It breaks my heat to put a asleep a dog that otherwise would have many good years and a happy life. The decision is mostly my Dad's with serious consideration and input from my Mom and I. I told my Dad that I just couldn't stand for Bandit to die on an operating table or not be the same happy dog after the surgeries. I don't want him to go through that. We can't try to keep him around for our own selfish needs. I am torn between the possibility that the surgeries could fix him, and the possibility that they could make it worse. I can't decide if putting him to sleep is the right thing to do.

This is a short video of Bandit from not long ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOQNG...e=channel_page

 

First off, I love dogs. I have 2, Jaeger and Bu. I love them with everything i have!

But dogs are temporary. Many breeds dont even live past 10 years. The surgery is 50/50 with a 5,000 price tag, sorry man, my view is it is time to put the poor guy down. Remember the good times you had, love the dog, but the dog is in pain, the surgery will add more pain, is not garaunteed to work, and 5,000 is a LOT of money.

My dog jager has problems with her hind legs from time to time, i think she has althritis and she is a 7 year old shepard mix. I dont know how many years i have left with her, but i love her and i wont want to see her in pain. with ALL dogs eventually you have to put them down.

Dogs dont live nearly long enough for my liking. But the years they have are great years. Celebreate the fact you got to have the guy.

Its not a betrayal to put the dog down, as the dogs master you have to make this decision, he will love you regardless.

A dogs love is truly priceless, unfortunatly we only get to enjoy them for a brief time. its just natural.

sorry man i really feel for you...

 

Cute dog man. These kinda decisions are never easy. If the dog was older I would put it to sleep, but only at 6 years old he's got a lot of life left in him. Hope he gets better, keep us updated.

 

i had to put my first dog down about a month ago, she was 13 years old and was one of my best friend since i was 5 years old.

she had emphysema and arthritis, even in her last hours she try to get up and play but was in to much pain to even stand, i put her down becouse i couldn't watch her be in that kind of pain.

i hope every thing works out for you.

 

Just watched the video, my dog Bu does the same thing after a bath. lol.

Good lookin dog!

 

No question in my mind I would spend the money on the surgery. I love my dogs, and they are my kids basically. I would not think twice if it means they could live I would do it in a heart beat.

 

I would like to do the surgeries but with only a 50/50 at best of surviving and then the surgeries possibly not even working, I question it. It's hard because other than this, he is fine. He would still have a lot of healthy years, but that is only if the surgeries go perfectly and he doesn't have complications after. I would rather put him to sleep than die on an operating table, or put him through the pain and suffering of three surgeries. BUT, if the surgeries fix him and he is fine, what more could I ask for? The money isn't the issue, it's having him suffer just because we want to keep him around. I don't want to put him through it and not come out any better on the other end.

My Dad is going up there tommorow to make the decision. I don't know what he is going to do but I am going to support it no matter what. I really want to see Bandit get better. If he was an older dog it wouldn't be such a hard decision. I had a Rotweiler from when I was 5 until about 16 and the obvious choice was to put him down once he started having problems. With a six year old dog I really feel like I'd be cutting his life short.

 

Good luck man

your poochie will be in my thoughts.

 

I'd pay for the surgery and never think twice. A dogs love is truly unconditional. Can't beat a good dog. Good luck man.

 

Basically, you put your dog to sleep, its dead for sure.
You pay for the surgery, it has a chance.
Not really a hard decision for me.
If you dont have the money for it, however, its very understandable.

 

i agree... if money is not an issue it is worth going for it.

i would drop 1,000 on either of my dogs in a heartbeat, 2,000 is pyushing it, with family and bills and such i couldnt go much futher cause i would dig quite a fat chunk of debt.

if i had the money sitting around, i would go for it and give the dog a shot. The whole 50/50 really gets iffy if the money is a stretch to come up with.

 

I can relate bro. Had to put my dobie down a few years ago from congestive heart disease. We spent a few grand trying to prolong her life, but the bills were adding up and you have to remember, dogs lives aren't very long. My dobie was 7 yrs old when we had her put down.. She could have lived to be 9 or 10, but for a large breed that's old age..

 

i had a purebred Akita that died in 2005, born in 1997, died of bone cancer. 5 grand for a surgery is a bit much. i couldn't afford it, so i would choose to put the dog down. but if i had the money, i would do it.

 

I have to go with putting the poor guy down I know it seems harsh but dogs are not people and that has nothing to do with money. People understand why things are happening to them when they need surgery dogs don't. If it was just one surgery I would consider it but the truth is your dog will be scared out of his mind and have no way of knowing why you are bringing him to those places.

I love my dog and I really feel for you

 

I appreciate everything everyone has said. We don't really care how much it is going to cost, it's the idea of putting him through the surgeries vs what the end outcome would be. If we have him undergo surgery after surgery and it doesn't help him, which would most likely eventually mean to put him down or die durring surgery, then I would hate myself for not putting him to sleep while his world is much better. Right now, I could bring my other beagle to go see him, my girlfriend, we can all love on him for a long time and then have it done. With the surgery, he will have more stress, I won't be able to see him since I wouldn't be able to go to Dallas. And three times he'd have to do everything. I just don't know if it's worth it. My Dad is getting ready to go up there right now and he is bawlling his eyes out. I have to go to work but am probably going to leave to go see him if they decide to put him down.

 

Man, all this has gotta be tuff on you, I wasnt gonna say anything about this thread because pets are so special to families.
We all know going into a relationship with any animal its at best a crapshoot. Its not going to be 20 or 30 years, its 10 tops. You enjoy them and love them and lose them, sounds cold but its just the way it is.

Sounds like you and your family and Bandit have all done your part.

Good Luck

 

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I just got a puppy about 3 weeks ago and in such little time I could never let him go. It's hard to explain how much you fall in love with your animals, they are your kids...a part of the family. This is my first dog since i have moved out and I couldn't imagine going such a thing with him. The best of luck to you and I am so sorry. Hope he gets better.

 

We decided to put him to sleep. After talking to all the vets they made it seem like the surgeries were such a long shot that it almost wasn't worth it to put hin through it all. If I had ever been between a rock and a hard place it was now. I think I will always wonder if we should have done the surgeries, what the outcome would have been. But I don't think I will regret us making the decision to put him to sleep, just feels like it was more the right thing to do. I feel like having him undergo surgery would just be subjecting him to things that would ruin what life he had left at that time. I would have been very unhappy if he had died durring surgery or after. I had a beagle a few years ago that died due to excessive bleeding after being spaded over night while at the vet. We burried him in the back yard, got him a nice plauqe. Our outher beagle is pretty sad, you know how they can kind of sense that something isn't right or that she knows that he's not comming back. Just a hard thing to deal with.

Thanks for everyones comments and advice, it helped.

 

It really sucks to have to make decisions where no outcome is a good one

 

I am sorry man. I don't look forward to the day that I have to make that decission for either of my dogs. Just remember the time you had.

 

Sorry man. I got a beagle right after we had my dobie put down, And she is my baby. She just turned 5 a few month's ago, And you know how hard it is to keep a beagle fit and healthy unless it's a pure hunting dog, which mine ain't, Beagles have voracious appetites and will beg you to no end for something to eat. She can be a pain in the ***, but all you have to do is look into those brown eyes, and the beagle wins.. dam now I'm a little Verclempt..

 

sorry you had to put him down man i feel for you and your family

 

Thanks for all the kind words. We are handling it pretty well. It's sad but I am trying to keep my mind off of it. Although I know dogs don't really go to heaven or anything I'd like to think that he's fine now and doesn't have to worry about anything. I think it's a big weight weight off my Dad's shoulders, he has taken it the hardest but I beleive that he feels like he has made the better choice. It's hard to walk out to the back porch without him running up to you now though.

 

stay strong man, losing a dog really sucks.

 

Who says dogs don't go to heaven? Any thing that can love that unconditionally and heal the soul definitely has a place in heaven. He'll be there waiting on the back porch for you when you get there.

 

I agree, Read on.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together...

Author Unknown....

 

I think it's in the bible somewhere that animals don't have souls, so how could they go to heaven? That's just my techinal/rational thought. I like to think that he would be there. It makes me feel better if I can imagine him being in a better place, just like you do at a person's funeral. Anyways, a damn squirell was messing around on Bandits' grave this morning.