My dog is always lying down and seems in pain. Should I put him down?

I think you should schedule an appointment with your vet for an exam. It may be possible that the pain your dog is suffering from is arthritis pain which can be easily addressed. Old dogs sleep a lot, but sleep is also a way to pass thee time when Buffy is in pain and does not want to walk. From what you describe, I would not say it is time yet, especially not without an exam by a veterinarian first.

Buster may be in pain as shaking and panting is often a sign of pain. Excessive panting is also often a sign of Cushing's disease. I suggest you take Buster to a veterinarian for an exam. Dachshunds are prone to intervertebrate disk disease due to their long back and short legs, and that would be very painful. An x-ray can rule this out. Cushing's disease can be ruled out with a blood test. Please find a way to schedule an appointment with your vet for Buster.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry that you are in this position. I would recommend that you consider going to your veterinarian before making this decision. They would be able to gather more information, examine him and determine what would be best to proceed with always considering his quality of life. They may decide to recommend something that may improve his quality of life and buy you both some quality time to spend together. Best of luck!

I’m sorry to hear this is going on with Buddy. I would recommend having him checked out by your vet because several different things could be going on and causing his pain. Your vet may want to run labs and may want to do X-rays as well. If you want to post another question with some more information regarding Buddy’s exact behavior we may be able to help you further. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I recommend to have Buster examined by the veterinarian. Changes in behavior like this could indicate dementia, hypothyroidism or cushings disease. The doctor will ask you many questions and Buster will need some blood tests. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Buster evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dexter. When discussing quality of life with owners, I like to have objective questions that you can answer to guide the decision making process. When a dog is elderly with a chronic condition, you can expect the pet to have bad days. However, the good days should outnumber the bad. The pet needs to have enough mobility to get to his food and water independently and to be able to go to the bathroom. He needs to still have the desire to eat and drink. His pain to be reasonably well controlled. Finally, he needs to have some joy in his life. It may be different from in his younger years, but he should still enjoy things. I know this is an extremely difficult decision, but I hope this gives you some information to consider. I cannot say without evaluating him myself, but I suspect the time is near based on what you have described. I hope this gives you some peace.