I have a 15 year old Pug (dog) who doesn't look good..Can dogs be dying and still have a big appetite?

He is on Dasoquin for arthritus and another drug for pain. He has been urinating in the house lately and really has trouble getting up the 2 stairs from the yard. Tonight he is panting …he’s never good in the heat but it’s only 74 degrees here and he acts like he is starving?! He can’t get enough water or food for that matter. He seems uncomfortable and hot. When is it time to put a dog down? Do they stop eating days before they die? thanks

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6 People have left comments on this post



» Fallon said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:43 }

Keep in mind Pugs rarely turn down food.

» Shelby G said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:56 }

You should take to the vet and ask them for an opinion. Im sooo sorry i wish you the best, they may put him down. He will be in a better place if they do.

» Shana B said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:57 }

In my experience (I’ve had three dogs who died), dogs will ALWAYS stop eating and drinking for a few days before they are ready to die. But your pug is an old guy, so it’s possible he’s on his way :(

If he needs to be put down you’ll know b/c he won’t get out of bed, he’ll barely lift his head up, he won’t eat or drink even if it’s hand fed to him or if treats are offered, and he’ll pee in his bed b/c he won’t have the energy to get up at all… :(

» annette w said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:58 }

If a dog is becoming senile, the part of the brain that tells them to eat and also tells them they are full doesn’t always work right. So he may not be getting the signal from the brain saying he’s full. Panting is also a sign of pain in an animal.

» vantz said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:59 }

This is the hardest decision a dog owner/ dog lover has to make. When is it the humane time to let go of your wanting to hold on to the life of the dog you love so dearly or if it is time to let the little angel from God go back to him. I have had to make that decision too many times in my life. Your dog is 15 years old. That is a pretty good long life for a dog. I told my vet to let me know when my dog was suffering because I would no way want her to suffer than anything in the world. So maybe let your vet decide on Monday. To answer your question, in my experience some dogs will lose their will to eat and others will eat until that last day. I am so sorry you are faced with this decision. Just remember how much love and joy you gave and received from your angel.

Vantz’s wife

» Wolfmanscott said: { Jul 30, 2010 - 07:07:00 }

It seems like your dog might have gotten diabetes also if he is drinking a lot of water and eating more then he normally eats. Is he throwing up at all. You might want to take him to the vet and have the vet check his heart and lungs out, also have the vet check his blood sugar level and urine to see if your dog has any other medical problems. If you dog is looking like he is in pain and uncomfortable then it might be time for you to think about putting him asleep, it is always a good time to put your dog down before they go through too much pain and before you see them go through all that pain and them getting sicker by the day. I never had a dog die on me, but my last dog still had a healthy appetite. We needed to put him to sleep after a month of giving him 2 pills a day to try to getting him better, he was 15 years old and had a bad heart which was causing his lungs to fill with fluids. We decided it was better to say good bye to him and relieve him of the pain then to put him through an heart operation that might have or might not have worked. We even talked about how long he might have lived after the operation if it did work, he was just 2 months short of his 16th birthday and we had him since he was 8 weeks old so it was really hard for us to decide to say good bye to him. We did have his remains cremated and we have his ashes in an urn, I still take to him when I need someone to talk with.