WWYD? Is it time or not my place to decide?

[*Efjay*]

Our Dog is a white Boxer. She is almost 10. Old for a boxer.

When we moved to Cairns, she really didn't transition well to the new climate & aged a good 5 years before our eyes. She has managed the last 2 years here, arriving in the middle of the summer/wet season & then doing last years summer/wet season.

Now she has a little list of things wrong with her. The main thing being a dodgy rear leg from an old injury. So she no longer can go for walks as it just leaves her lame for days after. She has a few lumps & bumps ( has had nasty ones removed in the past). She has also become rather unsocial with other dogs. Actually aggressive is more suiting then "unsocial". She also attacked the cat one night after I scared her by tossing the cat outside near her while she was asleep. So there is that concern of the kids startling her when she is asleep if she is going to react like that. The vet said its less likely to be associated with Pain (her leg which didn't respond to the treatment) & more that she is old & some dogs just get aggressive when they get old. At this stage I have no concern of her being agressive towards us, but given a fright from her sleep she may react badly before she realises.

She spends most of her days huffying & puffing out the back & now that its warming up with the humidity, she seems hot & uncomfortable. She has never been an inside dog & while I do invite her inside when its hot, she doesn't want to be in here. She is up & outside the moment the door is opened.

I keep saying that I just see how she manages this wet season, but is that mean? Should I just let her go now before she has to struggle though it? If I could go back to when we moved up here, I wouldnt have brought her with us. I feel terrible that we did. But you know she is a member of the family. But she really isn't suited to the humidity.

So do I just continue to keep her comfy as best I can (which once the wet season is in full swing, Im not sure what I can really do for her seems she is not keen on being inside). Or would you bite the bullet & let her go?

(by let her go, I mean put her to sleep )

[LimeSlice]

Based solely on her demeanour, I would have a good long chat to your vet and your local RSPCA and determine if there is any possibility of her being rehomed where there are no children or other pets.
If not, I would put her down.
What a horrible decision to be faced with, I'm sorry.

[Kazzo]

I second talking to the vet. I see it as a quality over quantity of life. I don't know about rehoming her though, if she did not take the move very well then changing her family this late in life would not go well with her.

My DH had a Malamut and he was 15 (old for such a big breed) when I took him to be put to sleep. He was like your dog, not happy at all and just layed around all the time. He had lots of back anf leg pain too. The vet was only a short walk from our house and the day I walked him down there was hard, he really perked up and I walked in to get our old, in pain dog put to rest and instead I walked in with a dog that was all excited and happy. I still knew it was the right time. I don't know, maybe he knew what was up and was ready too.

Anyway, you know your dog best of all and if you feel that it is right then follow that. You are ultimately only ever doing what you feel is best for her.