My mom and I made the decision to put our (almost 13yo) shih-tzu to sleep.
We still aren’t sure about our decision and we could use some support.

Over the past couple of months he lost quite a bit of weight. But the difference between last week and yesterday was huge. You could literally feel all of his bones.

He still ate normally and seemed happy. He didn’t appear to be in pain of any sort. But he started to sleep a lot and only wanted to cuddle. Last monday he fell over while trying to pee and mucus started to come out of his nose.

We went to the vet and with how fast he was deteriorating he likely wouldn’t have made it to Christmas.

Since he was still his happy self, the decision was hard. We were scared that we might put him to sleep too soon. On the other hand the last thing we wanted for him was to suffer. The vet said we were on time.

He was such an incredibly gentle and sweet pup. We wanted him to have a gentle end.

We went on a walk with him, gave him lots of treats and cuddles.

And in the end I held him while the vet gave the injection. less

This is my 12 year old boy scout. About a month post pp of his spleenectomy. He has a spotted liver and will be tested for cushing’s disease hopefully soon. Before his surgery vet said with a non cancerous mass, the surgery is currative but most masses are cancerous and she believes it was cancerous ( I couldn’t afford the pathology test ) malignant diagnosis she said 6-9month life expectancy.

Guy im just scared. Im broken. I get worried and take him to the vet for every little things cuz im terrified. I have no idea what normal because he is my first ever senior pet. I love him so much. Im just terrified.

Since my post nine days ago my dogs combined health issues caused her to completely lose the strength of her back legs and she became unable to stand.

I spent a day spoiling her with the favourite treats, gave her a tonne of love and then let her go 5 hours ago.

She now can be returned to my mother who I inherited her from.

My apartment now feels so silent without her breathing or snoring in another room.

RIP old girl. You were loved so much

We are so happy with the weather. So many smells in the leaves on the ground. (Last photo is her yelling at me because she hates stopping for photos)

The 2nd and 3rd pics are right after we got him at 3 months in 2010, and the last photo I ever took of him at age 16. I've had him in my family since I was 9 years old, and I'm 26 now. Nearly 2/3s of my life was with him, and I'd been expecting to lose him for a while now, but it doesn't make it any easier. It at least comforts me to know that a good boy like him no longer has to live in pain, and he can receive all the treats and pets he wants in the next life.

At the beginning of september, I made a post about how I had a german shepherd name Frog and I was worried about her health because she looked to be in pain and she wasnt eating and couldn’t sit.

Since then, I have moved away for college and received updates about her from my parents periodically.

From what I’ve been told, she has been on medication, gaining weight, and showing interest in her old activities.

This past friday, my mom sent me a text saying that Frog has something called “Degenerative Spinal Disease” and everyday, it was requiring more medication to suppress her pain.

On Sunday, my parents took her in to be euthanized. My dad says that he took her on one final walk in the regional park, a place that she enjoyed going, though I still wish that she was able to go to the beach one last time. That was her favorite place.

Heres a few pictures of her that I had from before I left, and what my sister sent me a few days ago

His name is Avery and he’s 13 years old. I have him booked in to see his Vet on Friday.

Dementia & I are old friends. It’s been the one illness I’ve never been able to escape, in both humans and dogs. My previous dog, Milo, was also diagnosed with CCD, but his was a very slow decline. Back around May, Avery started barking in the middle of the night and peeing inside which he’s never done before. He was also eating and drinking more. July he started to slow right down with his walking, struggling with steps, bumping his head into me when I stopped walking, or if he needed to turn around. It’s October, he’s bumping in the tables and chairs, starts walking then stops and doesn’t move. A few nights back, I put a little bit of chicken in front of his face and he just stared right through it. Took 5/6 seconds for his nose to pick up the scent and take it from me. He had his grooming appointment and she noticed immediately. She said he was just staring blankly as she clipped him when he’s usually a happy dog.

This is how Milo declined but not this fast. If the vet confirms my fears, I’m again going to have to make a decision and I’m not ready. Even if I leave it until he gets really bad (which I will not do. He will not suffer), I still won’t be ready. I have a lot of stress going on in my life and he’s my smiling face. He calms me. He loves me unconditionally and now this horrible pathetic illness will take him away from me.

He’s my best friend & he taught me how to love & be loved. I’ve never been deserving of his love and compassion. His patience and his overwhelming ability to “slap” the depression out of me. Literally, he would punch me or jump on me if I was crying or feeling down. Hard days at work melted away when I was greeted at the door. I promised him a house with a yard, after being an apt dog for the 1st 6 years of his life. We lived up to that promise & he has two technically. Lol. He’s never met a stranger and loves everyone regardless of who they may be.
He was diagnosed with bone cancer Last Friday, and the hospice vet is coming tomorrow for an evaluation. He has so many stories and so many embarrassing/funny moments these last 12 years. When discussing on the phone, I had to try not to cry. I’m sure I’ll be tossed into the bag of “hysterical crying white women,” and that fine. Cause the world deserves to know about Mr. Tidus von Fluffybottoms the 3rd.

No, I don’t want ‘sorry to hear that’ or words of compassion. Tell me your favorite Senior stories or show photos. Let’s make this a happy post.

My husband and I made the decision to send our dog across the rainbow bridge, he turns 17 on Friday but his dementia has gotten so bad. He’s on trazodone and gabapentin but even then paces for nights on end. We take turns staying up with him but it’s so exhausting. We have tried so hard to keep him comfortable the past 2 years but it’s time, as he seems to have more bad days than good days. I think I’m just having an extremely hard time with the grief and the caregiver fatigue.

Context: on the 26th of October, I was on holiday with my family and my dog was with my grandparents. He wasn’t eating, drinking, urinating for 4 days. They brought him to the vet per my instructions. They called me, to tell me my Max was slowly passing. The vet administered sedation, my dad rubbed his face while I called to him through the phone and in this moment he passed away, without euthanasia. I’ll miss you forever my boy. He lived a good 18 years.( the pic is from when he was still young and lively, how I want to remember him.)
As you can imagine, this loss is incredibly painful for me. I am 18, in my final year of school and have lot to deal with.
What can I do to make the pain less? I’ve regretted ever leaving him as I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I’m scared to leave vacation and go home, as there it will be full of reminders. He’s been with me since I was born. Please help!

Mi hermosa niña, hoy, 26 de octubre de 2026, a las 10:00, tu pequeño corazón dejó de latir. Luchaste con todas tus fuerzas: tuviste problemas estomacales en 2022, problemas hepáticos en 2025, una infección del tracto urinario a principios de 2026, una lesión en tus patas traseras causada por una inyección mal administrada a mediados de 2026 y dos tumores mamarios en agosto de 2026. Tu pequeño corazón simplemente no pudo resistir más. Desde el 10 de octubre de 2026, las cosas se complicaron; el 14 de octubre, te llevé de urgencia al veterinario para tu inyección de artritis, y lo primero que dije fue: "Doctor, estoy perdiendo a mi niña". Comenzamos el tratamiento con fluidos intravenosos y realizamos pruebas, pero el día 20, el veterinario notó algo inusual en tu respiración: habías desarrollado un derrame pleural. Comenzamos un nuevo tratamiento, pero no puedo dejar de preguntarme: ¿podría haber hecho algo mejor? ¿Pude haber cambiado algo, mi dulce niña? Al despedirme hoy, te pido perdón. Nunca quise perderte después de todos estos años. A veces, me despertaba llorando porque había soñado que algo te sucedía, pero al menos entonces podía abrazarte. Esta noche es la primera noche que esta pesadilla se ha hecho realidad, solo que ahora ya no puedo abrazarte.

Me despido de ti mientras derramo esta lágrima; porque aunque te tomé fotografías durante nuestros últimos años juntos, hubo un largo período al principio del que no me queda nada, salvo las imágenes que guardo en mi memoria. ¿Por qué no aproveché al máximo el tiempo que pasamos juntos? ¿Por qué no tenía una cámara a mano? Aunque sé que nos volveremos a encontrar pronto, permíteme cumplir mi propósito —compartir amor aquí— antes de reunirme contigo una vez más. Por favor, visítame cuando puedas; me encantaría.

Me disculpo con la comunidad; Estoy buscando la "fotografía del año" que llegó a mis manos. Les pido paciencia unos días mientras la encuentro; es de alrededor de 2009 o 2010, pero quiero estar seguro.

I’ve posted a bit of our English Setter, Archie, who passed earlier this year. It would seem he has passed the torch of being near the fire to his younger sister, Mya. She’s currently 8.5, and honestly, bittersweet seeing her lay by the fireplace.

My 10 year old husky shepherd mix has a hard oblong lump on his rear right leg. Limps after resting, but good on walks and nothing has changed appetite-wise or energy-wise.

I think it’s a bone spur but I have a vet appt for Friday for x-rays.

Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, any advice?

Thank you in advance! Pic for doggy tax

Hi everyone! ❤️
I have an 8-year-old Bullmastiff mixed with an American Bully, and I’m hoping to get advice from people who have experience caring for senior dogs, especially large breeds.
My dogs aren’t just pets to me. They’re my babies, my family, and honestly, they’ve helped me through some of the hardest moments of my life. They’ve given me comfort when I needed it most, and I can’t imagine my life without them. I know they’re getting older, and the thought of losing them someday breaks my heart. I just want to do everything I can to help them live longer, healthier and happier lives.
We live on a farm in the Philippines. They’re indoor dogs with access to a yard, where they can enjoy the outdoors and move around.
Here’s what I currently provide for them:
Holistic dog food
Vegetables, meat and fish
Fish oil
Nefrotec for kidney support
Glucosamine for joint health
A comfortable indoor living environment with access to our yard
Now that they’re 8 years old, I want to be more proactive about their health and make sure I’m doing everything right.
I’d really appreciate advice on these questions:
What has helped your Bullmastiffs, Mastiffs or other large-breed dogs live longer?
What routine vet checks and blood tests should I prioritise?
What kind of exercise is best for an 8-year-old large-breed dog?
Are there any dietary changes or supplements that genuinely helped your senior dogs?
Since we live on a farm in the Philippines, what should I know about ticks, heartworm and other local health risks?
What signs of ageing or illness should I watch for?
I understand that we can’t stop time, and I’m not expecting a miracle. I just want to give my babies the best chance of having more good years with us.
They’ve helped me through life in ways I can’t fully explain, and now I want to make sure I give them the best life possible in return. ❤️
If you’ve had a large-breed dog live to 10, 12 or even older, I would love to hear your experiences and anything you wish you had known sooner.
Thank you so much. Every bit of advice means a lot to me. 🐾❤️

Today we unexpectedly lost our sweet baby Krypto today.

If the shelter is to be believed he was a bit over 14 but we think he was younger (and the vet agree but we’ll never know)

He joined our family on August 7th 2025 after he was taken into the shelter as a stray and not reclaimed.

With his handsome face and big personality we couldn’t resist bringing him home even though it was less than a year after losing Riley who weld had for 14 years.

Krypto aka Cryptography aka Cryptography Jones aka Krypto Bipto aka Bipto, our sweet lovey boy. How could anyone lose you and not turn the world over looking for you.

We’ll never know that either but we’re thankful for it and for the honor of having you spend you last 14 months with us.

We’ll miss you big smile and how you’d bound onto the couch for snuggles. How you looked at me and mom, your alarming appetite.

We’ll miss you forever sweet boy.

Thank you for loving with us.

Love to to the moon.

Dogs truly change lives. They support you no matter how bad a day is going. When no one is there to give you a hand they willingly give you two paws. They are truly a gift and I am so thankful for the years I got to spend with Stanley. My heart aches but I am at ease knowing that he carried out his duty with unwavering love. 14 years of love. Rest easy little man.

First, let me just say that my dog does have her annual coming up in 2 weeks and our vet knows about my concerns already. So, she's getting all the testing done. Please don't think I'm a negligent parent. She's very loved.

I have a 15 year old who is showing some signs of cognitive decline. I think. It could be cognitive + kidney, but won't know til bloodwork.

In the evenings, she's doing this loop of behavior. She will drink water and want to go back outside. We could have literally gone for a walk 10 minutes ago. She will come stare at me til we go outside. She does go. She's not straining or dribbling - nothing that would make me think a UTI. She's just consuming water repeatedly over the evenings and then wanting to go back out - over and over.

I'm noticing this is worse during the week days versus the weekends. And if we are in the living room watching TV versus in the bedroom. She settles down in her bed to sleep much easier in the bedroom.

Has anyone dealt with a similar looping behavior? Any tips would be appreciated too.

This community was suggested as a x-post. This is a new one for me. Love senior dogs!

The appointment to give him the peace he deserves is a few days away. But for now, one last road trip and as much quality time as possible.

The cancer is in his lungs. He's struggling to breathe. He's barely eating and sleeping more often than not.

It's not fair. I'm not ready. But I know it's not about me.

God, I'll miss him.

My girl Yuki who got diagnosed with mitral valve disease a few months ago is turning 11 on the 4th Nov. After speaking with the vet today, I am reminded that we are only buying her time right now. It’s crazy to think that she will no longer be part of our lives.

I remember years ago when she was only 5 years old, I would tell her “you cannot pass away before me!” I know, it’s silly to say but she means the world to me and we’ve been there for each other.

It’s crazy to think that this little pupper, who is still full of energy, no issues with eating or drinking, taking her meds right, and craves for those treats and demands pats is somehow, not okay.

Today, I am forced to start thinking about how and when we will know it’s time; and what to do thereafter the time comes. I feel so heartbroken. As I secretly bawl my eyes out right now with her sleeping on lap; I only know that I’ll never let her feel alone and will give her as much love as I possibly can.

Happy birthday Yuki; the love of my life. Thank you for accepting me.