Hi there,

I'm really sorry to hear about your dilema.

I too would probably listen to the vets advice. Any surgery at that kind of age is not without risk and the recovery would also be slow and probably painful and probably stressful for your baby.

I guess that you need to try and balance the pain that your dog would suffer without the surgery against the pain that would be suffered with the surgery.

If the pain can be managed without surgery and you can both enjoy each others company for a bit longer without all the stress of surgery and recovery.

As another poster said, I too very much believe in the "better a day too early than a day too late".

I really do feel for you.
Hugs xxx

Listen to your vets advice, each dog is different. i had a very old fox hound cross who had a number of operations in his old age.

He was a rescue dog and we didn't get him until he was ten years old. He died at 20 years old and had undergone a number of ops under general anaesthetic, including castration, dental doings and emergency surgery when he impaled himself on a spiked iron railing at the grand old age of 15!!

He was incredibly fit but and the only draw back of having the anaesthetics as he got older was that he used to take longer to come round. Think he had his last general anaesthetic at 18 and the vet then decided he shouldn't have another one as he took a very very long time to come round.

You can pay extra to have an anaesthetic that they can give an antidote to so they come round quicker.

Hope all goes well for you and your little dog.

The consultation is to examine Cinder & let us know if surgery is an option,

Why don't you have the consultation and see if she actually is a candidate for surgery? If she is not, then you have your answer - and you will rest easy knowing you did everything you could.

If she is a candidate I am sure the surgeon will spell out all the pros and cons to you, so you can make a more informed choice.

Good luck to you and Cinder.

I had to make a similar decision two months ago.

My old dog had stomach tumour. The vet said in a younger dog, there was a chance that the operation would be successful, but with my dog, even if he got through the actual op, the chances of him recouperating after the op were exceedingly slim.

I think it depends how fit and healthy your dog is. Some dogs are physically much younger than their age, others not. We didn't know exactly how old Kip was because he was a rescue, but his body was weak and and we knew that the Vet was right.

The one peace of advice I would give, is to put your dog first in your decision - do what you feel is right for him, even if it is the most painful choice for you.

My thoughts are very much with you. (((hugs)))

What a horrible dilema for you - one of the worst things about being a pet owner

I think Miss E is right, why not have the consultation and find out what the opinion is. Only you know how fit and otherwise healthy your dog is. You say when she "knuckles" it is painful to watch, is she actually in pain? Is the "knuckling caused by the pinched nerve? If she's not in great pain can it be managed. Is it possible for you to get a second opinion. There was someone(I'm sorry can't remember who)on the forums recently whos dog was given very little chance of pulling through from an illness but gradually got there.

Its a horrible decision to make, but unfortunately only you can make it. You obviously love her very much and I am sure that guided by the experts you will do what is best for her.

Thinking of you

x

we went thru this with buck, the surgeon said he wouldnt make it thru the surgery he also had a heart murmur,3 years we have bought him so far he is now 18 I do have to say it was very expensive and no way to know it it would work,I think it depends on the dogs will to live xx

My heart goes out to you too in your sad situation. All I can say is, this is similar to what happened with my beloved girl 8 months ago. She had a cancerous tumour that was grabbing hold of her spine, and quite honestly, I just couldn't bear to see her in pain (coz I knew she was, she was just being brave for me) even though the surgeon said he COULD operate on it, he said it would be such a nightmare because of the way it was grabbing on the spine, but he was prepared to go ahead if we let him, but we didn't let him, and he said how very wise we were too On the other hand, I have also had a 13 yr. old bitch with pyometra who was in a terrible state and one vet wanted to put her down there and then, whilst another one where I took her for a 2nd opinion decided he would operate and hope for the best. Turned out we had 3 more glorious years with that dog! So you see, you never can tell. For me the decision was made because I just wasn't prepared to let her go on the operating table where I wouldn't have the chance of saying my goodbyes holding her in my arms like I did, so perhaps I was being selfish, I really don't know, but then the vet did agree with our decision saying it really was the kindest thing we could have done. It's just a tragic, tragic saga of us having to be the decision maker isn't it? Only you can tell the look in your dog's eyes, the way she is compared to how she was say, 3 months ago, does she still have a quality of life? Are you yourself prepared to take the risk of losing her on the operating table, would you ever be able to forgive yourself for not being there with her for her final goodbye? I can't say, I only know what I felt at the time having listened to 3 vets and their opinions, all of which were the same, there really was no hope. Perhaps you can read between their lines like I had to and just come straight out with it, and ask for their really honest opinion? The thing is, when they're suffering with something like this, even when they do operate, like your vet has already said, you might still have more problems, more pain for her plus the convalescence of an op. We all have to say goodbye sometime and for me it was far better to let her go when she still had some dignity and quality of life, let alone some pain relief from her agony. Look deep into your heart, there will be an answer there. I am so, so sorry, this has got to be the very worst time for us true animal lovers and I wouldn't want to be in your shoes again even though I know I will.

I am so sorry to read this. I hope you manage to make the decision that is right for you and your dog, I'm sure you will. If you do the right thing for your dog, you will be happy with it in the end.
We have an almost 12 year old x breed and the vet thinks he may have some sort of tumour near his spine because of the neurological symptoms he presents with. He also has numerous lipomas. We have decided we will not operate, or x ray if any lipomas become problematic or the possible tumour on his spine creates more problems. We lost a dog in the summer to a nasal tumour and we had to ask to have him PTS when he was already under a GA. It was awful and i have no intention of putting an elderly dog or myself through that again,better you can hold them.

Big hugs, it is not a nice dilemma to have, but put your dog first and you will know you have done the right thing. Only you know your dog well and how much your dog can cope with, or would want to cope with. Hugs.

I am very sorry to hear this. What a dreadful situation to be faced with and one no dog owner ever wants to face.

You can only do what is right in your heart for you and your dog. If your vet truly thinks that the operation itself is too much for her and even if successful she would still be ill, I would have to let her go if it were me.

It is desperately sad, my heart goes out to you. xxx

Thanks to everyone who responded to my difficult time. I have decided to go at least one step more. I have decided that I am going to go for the consultation at the Specialist Hospital. It's only an hour away, & I'm sure they know more than the Vets in my area. If they cannot give me definate answers about the outcome with surgery, then I am going to go no further.

I keep thinking that maybe it's not as bad as it looks, & maybe I will get good news. I will not put her through any surgery, unless the outlook is good. I will have to accept it, if they tell me there is nothing they can do, or the chances of her being normal again is slim. Please say a prayer for her. Cinder would give you a loving lick, if she could.

Thanks again to everyone here. Thanks for being here when I needed a friend(s)to talk to.
Patti~