by Betty Carew

Created on: July 27, 2010

Your dog has been such a big part of your life and you watched him emerge from a ball of fluff to a strong, healthy adult dog and from there he progressed to his senior years. Perhaps periodically you had a fleeting thought of the day he will have to go. Your dog has been your soul mate from the time he was a puppy. He let you know when he wanted to go potty, he let you know when he was thirsty and he let you know when he was hungry. Your dog will let you know when it's time for him to say goodbye and the reality is your dog needs you to make the right decision more than ever before. You will know when it is time to put your dog to sleep he will tell you step by step in his own way and you have to be ready to listen.

Changes in his appetite

At first you may notice small changes in your dog as his appetite decreases and his need for water subsides. He may start losing weight in a short period of time. His treats may not be as enticing as they once were and he may get to a point where he will refuse even these. This is one of the early signs that your dog is getting close to saying goodbye.

Loses interest

The first sign of your dog telling you the time to say goodbye is close may be in the decline of his interest in the things he used to love. You may notice the enthusiasm for his favorite walk is not what it was. He may lose interest in the raggedy ball that saw many hours of play. You may notice that it is with great effort he moves from place to place. These may be all signs of telling you the time is near.

Signs of pain

Your dog may progress as time goes by and present other signs especially if he is experiencing pain. dogs are noted for hiding pain but when they reach their last days or if they have been very sick they may not hide this sign as well as they once did, you may notice your dog is panting heavily most of the time. The pupils of his eyes may become large and somewhat cloudy especially if he is very old.

Medication

Perhaps you have tried medications to make your dog more comfortable but the use of these medications have long worn out their usefulness. There is nothing more that veterinarians can do to help your dog live a good quality life. It is at times like this that some hard decisions have to be made even though you have done everything you possibly can to keep him with you.

Reluctant to move

Your dog may showsigns of reluctance to move when you call him but like the trooper he is he may still try to please you. When he does move he may stagger

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