My old dog won't move or eat. Is it his time or can he be helped?

I'm sorry your dog isn't doing well! I would be concerned that she may be in pain, and she could have a neurological problem causing her inability to walk. It's quite serious that she hasn't eaten for four days and can't get up. I work for a home euthanasia service, so I frequently encounter the question of when to put an animal to sleep. I always recommend looking at the dog's quality of life. When a dog can't stand up and isn't eating, their quality of life has declined to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. She will be starving from not eating, and that will be painful to her. It's also probably distressing she can't get up. In this case, I personally don't think it would be fair to wait it out. You can have her seen by a vet tomorrow to see if there are pain medications to give her to see if that helps her get up and medications to stimulate her to eat. If those don't work, then letting her go peacefully is the most kind option for her. I'm sure that's not something you want to hear, and I'm very sorry that she is doing so poorly.

I am very concerned about your dog's condition and highly recommend a veterinary visit. There are a few general categories that fit with what your dog is showing at home. One would be weakness due to a nerve problem in the back end. This can happen if a disc has moved out of place in the spine and is pressing on the spinal cord. This can cause dogs to have trouble walking and placing their feet in an appropriate way. Some have the appearance of walking on their toes. Otherwise they are able to place weight on the back legs but stagger or sway when walking. This can be an emergency situation if the disc slips more into the spinal cord and causes paralysis. Another type of weakness that causes trouble getting up is if there is a lack of proper blood circulation. The lower level of blood in the body causes them to be lethargic due to the decreased oxygen circulating throughout the body. In an older dog, the most common cause of this is with a tumor or mass on the spleen that has ruptured. The spleen holds a large amount of blood and if it has a rupture, the blood leaks out into the abdomen. In addition to the lethargy, we often see pale gums and a pot belly appearance due to the pooling blood. An x-ray or ultrasound would help determine if this is occurring. These are the two most common reasons for such a dramatic change in her appearance. There is also the chance of her eating something she shouldn't. The best thing for her would be to have an exam as soon as you are able to determine what is causing her signs. The vet may recommend bloodwork or an x-ray. Unfortunately. older large breed dogs can lose nerve function in their back legs due to age changes. There is little we can do to help this aside from keeping them comfortable. Due to how sudden the signs showed up, this is less likely, as it is often a more gradual change.

The decision to euthanize is extremely difficult and there is no right or wrong answer. I advise my clients to consider euthanasia when they feel like their pet is suffering so much that they don't seem themselves anymore; or just don't seem to enjoy life anymore. You will be the best judge of this. From what you are describing with Toto, I would consider euthanasia an option, because he has signs of pain (not eating and wobbling) and is not able to be a normal dog. A fifteen year old dog is quite old; which tells me that he has definitely had a good, long life. It will be worth taking him in for an exam by a vet, before making a final decision, because they may be able to help him. Either way, it's a personal decision and I'm sure your vet will be OK with whatever option prevents any unnecessary pain. I hope that helps and wish you the best during this very difficult time.

Unfortunately these are very general signs of being unwell and it is not possible to tell you what might be wrong with your dog. However, the reluctance to walk and the fact that Ryder is nearly 13 years old, is a good indication that he may be suffering from serious arthritis which now is paining him so much that he cannot hide the pain anymore. This, of course, may also be the cause for not eating. You should make an appointment with your vet for an exam of his hips and legs, a small NSAIDs panel (blood work) and pain medication.

This is an emergency. If you suspect a pesticide you should call the pet poison control helpline. Otherwise, when I see older animals present this way through the ER I am very worried about abdominal bleeding from a tumor. I would not wait. He should be see by a vet ASAP.

The first recommendation would be to have Storm physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may be possible and feasible to make him comfortable. If not, as difficult as it may be, you may need to think about euthanasia to prevent pain or poor quality of life. These decisions are never easy or simple, especially when you have a very senior pet who is ill.

I would be very concerned this lump could be cancerous, and it's very serious that Riley will not get out of his bed and will not eat. I think he needs to see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.