I have a Irish Setter/Lab mix. He is 14yrs old and has always had seizures and shaking.. We don't currently have a vet and last week my dog fell and had a seizure we never seen before he could not get up then when he got up his backside was crooked he acts like he can't stand up long and keeps falling like his back legs don't hold up anymore... He don't cry or anything when I brush him so I don't think he is in pain but he is losing weight and not eating as much as he did before the seizure. We can't afford to have him put down but we don't want him to be suffering what do we do? Is there someplace we could take him before he dies and they will handle the situation when he dies?

What an amazing post, you want us to recommend someone who can handle your dogs demise before he dies because you can't afford a vet.

You are keeping your poor pet around way past his time, he sounds like he is suffering and how do you take him to do his business? I have been where you are and it wasn't pleasant and I absolutely did not keep my lovely girl around any longer then absolutely necessary after I realized she could not handle being alive with us any longer.

Scrape the money together and take him to a vet if you don't want him to suffer. Don't you know that they know a lot more then we do, don't you think is suffering even thinking that he can't take care of himself any longer, don't you think its time to give him the peace he needs.

You are fickle.

I don't know why you refuse to comment. These lovely animals who we have as pets for so many years, give us unconditonal love, but in some cases we don't give it back. Think about it giggles (what a name for this situation, so inappropriate). Are you giggling?

Okay, you didn't answer my question about how he was getting out to do his business: you have to carry him out, right ? Yes, I did that too and my old girl really didn't like it because she realized, it wasn't supposed to be this way.

You didn't find it helpful. Well, what kind of comment would you find helpful. Take him out in the back and shoot him ? Let him waste away while you watch him? WATCH him crawl around the floor while you watch him?

You find this answer not helpful as well because I really think your kind of people despicable.

Your original question was 'is there someplace we can take him before he dies, and they will handle the situation when he dies?'

I was with my girl when I had her put under, she knew I was there and her passing was a lot better for it.

You are still a cop out lady

Tick

You have a few options. Take him to shelter (there will be a charge for relinquishing your pet), let him live his last few days in a cage until they determine that he's unadoptable and put him to sleep. That could take months depending on the shelter.

Or you can take him to the back woods and put a bullet in his brain.

Or you could take him to the vet and have him euthanized.

Those are your options.

I know that money is tight. I completely understand that, but your dog is suffering. Many vets will do a payment plan, so call around. What's best for your pet is a quick painless death. Please, try to make that happen so he doesn't have to suffer any longer then he has.

I will probably get a reddie for this but if you can afford a computer and internet connection you have some money so don't tell us you have no option. Your dog is suffering and from what you describe is not going to live more than a month or two. The dog will suffer and will not ever act as well as he acts today. Call a vet for his help. Some may do this for little or nothing at all.

Bullet to the brain? I know many that have gone with this option, and if done right it is quick and painless. I myself can't do it. I can't look my dog in the eye and then shoot him. I just don't have it in me, nor does my husband.

No option is easy. No matter what you choose you're losing a pet that you love. A part of your life. The thing is, you do have options. I've asked many vets about euthanizing, and most offer a payment plan. If you can't take the gun and hold it to your pets head, there are other options. Yes, that option is the cheapest, but in my opinion it's the hardest.

Call vets in your area. Tell them what's going on. Ask if they are willing to do a payment plan. It can't hurt to try, and I know many vets will agree to a payment plan because they realize that most people can't afford a large fee to ease their pets pain.

No matter what, don't leave this be. The dog is in pain. He's old. He deserves to be released from the pain. If that means shutting off the internet, or selling something, well that's what we do for those we love.

You need to find the money.

Garage sale, e-bay, newspaper, sell some possessions and GET the money.

It is not fair on the poor dog to leave it in this condition.

No-one here is being mean or harsh, try and see from our point of view.
If you read your original post as if it were someone else's dog you would be begging for that person to find the money and have the dog put the sleep as well.

Giggles,

Almost everyone who has commented on your problem is telling you, basically, what they would do if in your position, in varying degrees of compassion ranging from: embarrassingly little, to understanding, to slightly empathetic. All of us have had to face this same dilemma, but it's one we all should have been preparing for when we first got a pet... we will likely outlive our pet, so what will we do when it's time has come? Sometimes the winds of fate are at our backs, sometimes in our faces, so we should be generous, at least when approached for advice.

A 14 year old Setter is nearing the end of it's natural life... things happen and go to pot rapidly, which is what you are seeing. Age produces spinal cord problems that lead to just what you are seeing, or a stroke hits with similar results. No worthwhile treatment for either. Losing weight is often a sign that the digestive system isn't working up to full capacity. Usually not productively treatable, as it's just wearing out. This isn't my simply giving up, were I the vet, it's either facing reality, or giving you false hope and charging you for 'making the effort'.

Not having the available money at this time is understandable, and it certainly is not our place to be critical of why you find yourself there. Money and compassion for your situation are the two factors at odds here. I doubt you will find an answer without reaching a compromise between the two. Your biggest need, I think, is some way to have your dog humanely put to sleep. Next is care for the remains. You can't do the first, might you be able to take care of the latter? Most vets would ordinarily charge about $100 to put an animal down, and another $100 to care for the remains. Compassion reduces the charges, mainly on the euthanasia end I would think. I hope you can find it in your means to find some cash to meet your end of the compromise.

Best wishes and I'm sorry we have no happier answers.

Whatever you do, don't get another dog to "replace" this one.

Other than that - I'm speechless.

Altenweg, I saw option #2 as reading "Or you could take him to the vet and have him euthanized"

Hi paleo, you will get use to us eventually. There wasn't one of us who thought the OP had any excuses not to find the money for have their lovely pet put to sleep. What bothered myself and some others was her question about alternative measures. Many of us have been through this and it isn't pleasant and I for one don't seek any other alternative but that which I find necessary in a case like this. I can't see me keeping my elderly loved one around if it is unbearable for the dog or me. And I don't doubt the pet find his/her situation intolerable. They seem to have their pride too.

However, It is great to have your knowledge here.

Tick

I find no reason for you (or anyone else) to be "embarrassed" by the responses here. We've seen this question (in varying forms) a thousand times. This dog is suffering, the owner (for 14 years, apparently) can't seem to figure out what to do next BUT has the time as well as computer access to go on line for advice.

Alternative means? Such as.. I've been in these shoes. I BEGGED my Vet to take payments. He did. If he had not I would have gone to the next Vet and the next and the Vet and every animal shelter and/or rescue. I would have pawned my jewelry (had I had any left!), taken on a side job, begged my relatives. I would not have watched MY dog suffer and wondered... "Gee, what should I do next?" That's just me, of course, and I find no embarrassment there - either in where I've been or what I've said. I don't know where a Vet will euthanize a dog for $100 - certainly not in my area, but I don't know where OP is. Maybe that's the "going rate" there.

I do disagree with the "disposal of the remains" part. OP shouldn't be looking at how to raise $100 to euthanize the dog and another $100 to "dispose of the remains." How about $100 to euthanize the dog and then come to the realization that things are what they are, the Vet will have to dispose of the remains, as sad and painful as that may be. As I said - been there, done that. Sad, painful, horrifying - but it's reality and this family pet is suffering.

Again, have seen this question a thousand times. Everyone who answered came from experience and compassion (whether or not you believe it) and experience on AMHD. No need to criticize the volunteers who care enough to come on here over and over and over and bat their heads against walls trying to help people.

I trust you saw the comment Giggles posted for my colleague, Tickle? And, for the record, I read this the same way my colleague, Altenweg, did. I think OP is looking for someone else to handle this. I'm not saying there is a right and wrong way. You do what you can do to the extent you can do it - but the post doesn't read very well.

I'm far more outspoken than my colleagues - your comment "... so we should be generous, at least when approached for advice" is WAY out of line. Together "we've" posted in excess of 84,500 times. You've posted 130. Maybe "we" know how to respond to questions honestly and to the best of our ability and don't need coaching.

< clunk> Off my high horse.

Thank you everyone for your replys I appriciate them.. I just want to say I never said I have zero money LOL I only can't afford to put him to sleep because I hear its very expensive so I was looking for alternate options that may be less expensive but of course if I can't find any soon I will put him down. Everyone has there own opinion and I appriciate everyone's input Thank You..

Thank you for explaining giggles, unfortunately there aren't many other options.
Even if you took him to a shelter most charge a hefty fee to drop off a dog there... more than the cost of euthanizing.

A bullet as Altenweg suggested... I have seen it done a few times. It is quick, and painless, although you would have to be careful of the laws where you live, I know you "can't" do it here in Aus.
Any other methods are too risky, I have read about ways people have "disposed" of their dogs on the internet before and heard some horror stories.

I hope you understand why we were so shocked by your original post and am thankful you will take the dog to the vet.

You will put him down? How?

At any rate - how many Vets/rescues/shelters have you called? If you keep getting high prices, keep calling. There is one Vet in my area who will euthanize for free - his explanation? He gets paid to save animals, not kill them - his exact words.

Keep calling around. You'll find someone who will help you.

And let us know how you are doing. After 14 years, no matter how sick your pet is, your house is going to be very empty without him/her. My dogs are getting older and I cherish every day and worry about losing them.

Let us know -

On a side note, we have never paid for a vet to "dispose of remains" is this when you leave the body of the animals at the vets?
We have always taken ours home and buried them in the garden.
The last animal I had put to sleep was my rabbit Jack, he came home with me in my arms.

Hmm - I don't know. I've had all my dogs cremated and buried. I guess you could take the remains with you if you wanted to.

Obviously there's a cremation charge, but I don't know if there's a "disposal" charge if the Vet disposes of the remains.

I've also been there when it's been time for every one of my dogs to go on - that way I know they weren't afraid. I supposed if you shoot them it's the same. I don't want to think about it - honestly, I don't.

I am the same Judy, there is no way I could do it.
My mother thinks I am a bit strange because I was looking into the process of turning the dogs ashes into diamonds, I thought it was a nice thought, she leaned to the side of creepy.

LifeGem - Memorial Diamonds created from a lock of hair or cremated remains / ashes / cremation

I have just found a local shelter that will take my dog he will spend his last days there and it's a great place the animals seem happy although we will miss him its what needs to be done . Thanks again everyone who replied :) My dog has been a treasured part of my family and will be missed...

Then, you don't want to be with him when he passes ? I really couldn't handle that, giggles, not being there at the last.
Tick