How do you know when it's time to decide whether to euthanize a 13-year old pup who has been a dear friend?
Max, my Beagle, isn't eating the food I've prepared for him. He has kidney disease, pancreatic problems and thyroid issues. Twice each day, I give him medication for the thyroid. It's covered in a clever "pill pocket" so he eagerly gobbles it and then wants more of THAT.
But the expensive kidney formula dog food I purchased is... well, like dog food, and he doesn't want it. I've mixed it in the food processor with veggies he likes as well as chicken broth. And when I feed it to him, I add more chicken broth. He still won't eat it!
This is a dog who will beg for meat -- which he now isn't supposed to have because of the kidney issues. So I sneak him dried chicken strips. The vet isn't going to be happy, though, when I take him this week to have bloodwork drawn.
You'd think he'd be mopey and depressed. He's not. He's been playful with my other dog, Emma. He's willing to go for walks -- although they're not nearly as far as what we used to do.
The hard part has been putting him in a kennel while I'm gone during the day. He hates going in, so I have to entice him in with... yup, you guessed it, chicken strips!
Emma loves being in the kennel, so I had to train her NOT to go in when I was trying to get Max in there.
I leave the food bowl inside the kennel when I put Max in, with hopes that he'll eat. Some days he does. Yesterday he didn't. I'm not sure what happened today because I worked late and Donna, the wonderful woman who stops in to take care of my animals on my long work days, fed and walked the dogs. She didn't say anything or leave a note -- and she's good about keeping me informed.
So how DO you know when it's time? I sure don't.
I'm asking for a miracle here.
Suzan
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