This isn't actually my dog, but its someone I knows dog. This is a question she asked elsewhere and I asked her if I could put it here. This one will really make you think.
They were advised by a vet on this one.
The dog in question is a 5 year old Papillon
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First of all we know our dogs chances of living a long life aren't as great as most dogs. We've known that since he was a puppy.
He has had a lot of health problems since the day we brought him home, but he has always overcome all of them.
But now we are faced with a bigger choice. I have learned with this dog that sometimes medical intervention isn't always the answer. Sometimes the vet isn't always right. If I had listened to my previous vet, the vet we had when he was very ill, this dog would be dead now.
Anyways we think he has developed a condition with his heart. We don't know what it is. His heartrate is very irregular, its more than just a murmer.
The vet said looking at his past history we have two options....we can put him through all sorts of tests, bloodwork, ekgs, etc and then once we know what it is figure out what is going on and we could operate if needed but most likely he would have to be put on medication the rest of his life, medication with some rather nasty side effects........
Or....
We can treat it as it comes and just let him live out the rest of his days (however short or long they may be) without anymore real medical intervention, he doesn't appear to be in any pain as of now. He is still his happy self. He doesn't act sick.
This dog spent the first 3 years of his life in and out of the pet hospital, he almost died on 3 occasions.
He is a real fighter. He is still young and he still has a lot of life left in him. We know he could have another 4 or 5 years left in him (with or without treatment) or he could have a week. All we know for sure is regardless if we treat him or not, his little heart is going to just wear out and stop beating.
But I am wondering, is it really right to keep pumping his veins full of medication? Is it really right to keep putting him through all those tests and hospital stays?
I guess my question is: Is it better to keep treating him and preventing all these things atleast for now or is it better to just let him live his life and treat him for pain as it comes and let him go when his time comes (possibly put him down if he ends up in too much pain if he doesnt go on his own).
What would you do?
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What would you do?
Continue to medically intervene or let nature take its course? (Ofcourse by letting nature take its course treating him for pain and being willing to make the decision to let him go when the pain was too much)
Thanks
By the way at this point they do know what the dogs problem is: its the beginning stages of congestive heart failure
So the issue at hand is the dog has been in the hospital on and off for most of his life....is it better to just say no more hospitals and let him live whats left in peace or go ahead and do everything possible to keep him alive
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