When to let go of a pet

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angierabbit2012

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**My husband and I “inherited” a puppy approximately 4 months ago.
Our daughter and her friend found the pup by the side of the road and brought her home.
She was very sick and appeared to have been burned.
My daughter took her to the vet and they said that the puppy had DEMODECTIC (red) MANGE.
They started her on the appropriate treatments and she started to improve.
However, every time the medication runs out she gets sick again.
FOUR MONTHS and FOUR treatments later, the medicine is gone and she is almost as bad as she was when the girls found her.
My question to you is this…WHEN do you say “enough is enough” and let go?
We don’t have a lot of money and to continue to spend money treating this poor creature is not an option right now. We simply can’t afford it!
It breaks my heart because I really care about the dog and the thought of having her put to sleep really tears me up inside. But I don’t know how to care for her without incurring more vet bills.
I tried a natural remedy that I found online but it did nothing!
I’ve prayed and cried and I could really use some advice.

THANK YOU in advance for your help and GOD bless!**
 
Are there any animal charities in your area that could help? Maybe you can also search online?
 
DeniseNY said:
Are there any animal charities in your area that could help? Maybe you can also search online?
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I tried the local “no kill” shelter but they never responded to my calls OR emails.
I live in a small town and there just aren’t many options available.

I’ve tried online resources as well, but the places that I’ve come across don’t seem to want to help sick animals, they want animals that are “adoptable.”

I even created a facebook page for her but that went nowhere as well. 😦
 
What do you think is best for the puppy? Have you tried an honest ad on Craigslist or Kijiji? Maybe there is a dog lover out there with a huge heart and a huge wallet who would be willing to take the dog?
 
angierabbit2012 said:
**My husband and I “inherited” a puppy approximately 4 months ago.
Our daughter and her friend found the pup by the side of the road and brought her home.
She was very sick and appeared to have been burned.
My daughter took her to the vet and they said that the puppy had DEMODECTIC (red) MANGE.
They started her on the appropriate treatments and she started to improve.
However, every time the medication runs out she gets sick again.
FOUR MONTHS and FOUR treatments later, the medicine is gone and she is almost as bad as she was when the girls found her.
My question to you is this…WHEN do you say “enough is enough” and let go?
We don’t have a lot of money and to continue to spend money treating this poor creature is not an option right now. We simply can’t afford it!
It breaks my heart because I really care about the dog and the thought of having her put to sleep really tears me up inside. But I don’t know how to care for her without incurring more vet bills.
I tried a natural remedy that I found online but it did nothing!
I’ve prayed and cried and I could really use some advice.

THANK YOU in advance for your help and GOD bless!**
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Two years ago my husband and I discovered a tiny kitten in the bushes outside of our home. We had her put to sleep four months later because she was suffering from kidney failure. But we did not make that decision until she’d had two surgeries, a bunch of lab work done, including an ultrasound, and a four-day-long stay at the vets for behavioral observation. It was a horrendous emotional and financial experience for our family.

Based on my family’s experience, my best advice for you is to lay the following out with your vet:
  • The medicine does not appear to be a permanent cure;
  • Your family simply cannot afford to continue this any more (and be firm about this); and
  • The situation is distressing for you and your children.
Unfortunately, many rescue organizations may be unwilling to step in because the pup has mange, but ask your vet anyway. If that does not appear to be an option, ask your vet for her assessment as to the pup’s quality of life and go from there.

If you cannot afford another office visit, contact your local SPCA for vets who will see you and the puppy on a sliding fee scale.

I’ve had several pets put down over the years, and each time - after the deed is done - I realize that I held on too long. I hope that doesn’t sound coldhearted, because what I mean is that I wasn’t putting my pet’s well-being and quality of life first; I put my selfish attachment my pet before their needs, and my pets ended up suffering more than they needed to.

My heart goes out to you, angierabbit. What you’re facing is the hardest, most gut-wrenching part of pet ownership.

Luna
 
angierabbit2012 said:
**My husband and I “inherited” a puppy approximately 4 months ago.
Our daughter and her friend found the pup by the side of the road and brought her home.
She was very sick and appeared to have been burned.
My daughter took her to the vet and they said that the puppy had DEMODECTIC (red) MANGE.
They started her on the appropriate treatments and she started to improve.
However, every time the medication runs out she gets sick again.
FOUR MONTHS and FOUR treatments later, the medicine is gone and she is almost as bad as she was when the girls found her.
My question to you is this…WHEN do you say “enough is enough” and let go?
We don’t have a lot of money and to continue to spend money treating this poor creature is not an option right now. We simply can’t afford it!
It breaks my heart because I really care about the dog and the thought of having her put to sleep really tears me up inside. But I don’t know how to care for her without incurring more vet bills.
I tried a natural remedy that I found online but it did nothing!
I’ve prayed and cried and I could really use some advice.

THANK YOU in advance for your help and GOD bless!**
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Is there another vet you could get a second opinion from? I read online that this can be treated with dips, antibiotics or ivermectins, and that the dog’s immune system eventually usually overcomes it. It is mites, which is why a dip might help the puppy more than oral antibiotics, but I guess it depends on the strength of the puppy. It is a shame that this pup cannot overcome the problem. How extensive is it?

If she can be saved, I would recommend switching the puppy from any kind of kibble to eating plain raw meat. This is not the cheapest diet but it does help the dog’s immune system because meat is what dogs were made to eat, so it removes any allergens from the dog’s diet and strengthens their immune system. At first it might seem very costly but the savings in dental cleanings and sick visits to the vet more than compensate. Chicken is the cheapest and easiest to start with. PM me if you want more detail.

I don’t know if I can tell you when to give up. Unless the dog was in severe pain and distress, I would keep trying to help her. Since this is not a terminal disease, I would feel that I could keep trying things until something works.
 
Luna_Lovecraft said:
My heart goes out to you, angierabbit. What you’re facing is the hardest, most gut-wrenching part of pet ownership.

Luna
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Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
It truly is difficult!
She is so smart and loving and this is breaking my heart.😦
We have tried another vet and I called MULTIPLE vets on the phone and some said that they can’t say for sure whether she can be cured, while others said this disease is easily cured.
The reports that I read online say that it’s impossible to know which puppy with this disease can be saved and which one can’t.
The reports also say that some dogs NEVER get over this.

Thanks again for your kindness and GOD bless.
 
It is hard to know, I have a terminally ill dog right now myself, and even if I could afford the treatments, they would only give me days, this type of cancer is 100% fatal. I pray every day that God will let me know when it’s time, I don’t want him to be in pain and I don’t want to be selfish and keep him just for me. It is a really hard decision!

One, get another vet’s opinion.

Two, can you id the breed? Look for breed rescue groups on the AKC website: AKC.org alot of people think they’re snobs, but most are not, they’re very interested in helping the animals and the owners. Most of the breed rescues will assist mixes. I have Corgis and our national rescue, local rescues, and national medical charity all assist corgi mixes, no dog turned down, they don’t have to have a pedigree to get help.
 
Perhaps you should pray to St. Francis of Assisi. I already said a prayer to him for you. I hope your’re able to find the puppy or loving home.
 
I love pets. I also love my family. I hate the thought of having to put a dog down. But my advice is: if the pup has a chronic condition that will cause expense you cannot afford, and other problems (fear of infection by neighbours, irritated skin for the pup, low resistance to infections - possible kidney damage later (I’m guessing, but it’ll be something like this) and will be hard to train and be a full part of the family, you should have the dog put don right now. Dogs should be carefully chosen to meet the needs of the family - not the other way around. Your region will have lots of cats, dogs, mice, llamas, everything needing a home. It’s your responsibility to help in the way your family can help - not in a way it cannot. You have done all you can. You have set an example for children, friends and neighbours. You can be proud. You can do the right thing by both the pup and your family. Get the vet to explain to any younger members how it is the right thing to do, and how bad the pups life will be. I imagine if you are christian you will want to talk about your beliefs in the difference between animals and people. (I have trouble on that point!) Some kind vets will come to the house to put the dog down so you can know you did absolutely everything possible to help the animal before it was put to sleep. I have been there and know what you feel. But do the right thing.
 
Not all vets are good vets.

Please get a second opinion as this shouldn’t take rocket science to fix. A skin scraping or two to determine exactly the type of mange, ivermectine to flush out the system, and a topical to clear up the skin mite.

This pup may have a more serious condition along with mange but the mange itself is a no brainer to cure. The correct topical to rid the poor thing of the offending mites and a good wormer to clean the system and he should be on the road to recovery. Once in a long while you may come across one that will not respond to treatment but generally that is one that has other health issues along with mange and their numbers are so low it is almost not worth mentioning. But any good vet will discover this upon exam.

Call the AKC Kennel Club in your nearest big town and ask them to recommend a “good” vet to see the pup. They will be more than happy to help you out and their years of experience and relationships with vets out numbers the private owners experience. They will also help you out if you need to rehome him as the more dog people that know of your plight the more they will know to help you out. It’s a network just like using a network of a lot of people when looking for a new job.

Call the kennel club, find a new vet and then go from there. You have done a good thing though no matter the outcome.
 
angierabbit2012 said:
**My husband and I “inherited” a puppy approximately 4 months ago.
Our daughter and her friend found the pup by the side of the road and brought her home.
She was very sick and appeared to have been burned.
My daughter took her to the vet and they said that the puppy had DEMODECTIC (red) MANGE.
They started her on the appropriate treatments and she started to improve.
However, every time the medication runs out she gets sick again.
FOUR MONTHS and FOUR treatments later, the medicine is gone and she is almost as bad as she was when the girls found her.
My question to you is this…WHEN do you say “enough is enough” and let go?
We don’t have a lot of money and to continue to spend money treating this poor creature is not an option right now. We simply can’t afford it!
It breaks my heart because I really care about the dog and the thought of having her put to sleep really tears me up inside. But I don’t know how to care for her without incurring more vet bills.
I tried a natural remedy that I found online but it did nothing!
I’ve prayed and cried and I could really use some advice.

THANK YOU in advance for your help and GOD bless!**
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My cousin has a dog with demodectic mange. It is curable and herbal remedies can help in conjunction with the drugs.

I do not live any where near you but some have given you some great advice. I feel for you and your family and that poor puppy. Personally, I would do what I can and not put the puppy to sleep unless he is suffering with no cure in sight.

God bless you all.
 
ChibiViolet said:
Perhaps you should pray to St. Francis of Assisi. I already said a prayer to him for you. I hope your’re able to find the puppy or loving home.
Click to expand...
**I’ve been pleading with St. Francis of Assisi for days!
He actually has been a great source of strength for me during this ordeal.
I find myself thinking “what would St. Francis do?”
I even blessed her with Holy Water last night. (I hope that’s not wrong)
I’ve been praying for her every day.

THANK YOU for your prayers…GOD bless you!**🙂
 
I remember Rocky.

We had many dogs and many cats (they get along very well) but the dogs that marked my life forever were Milady (she was a dalmatian with brown spots) and Rocky (he was gold brown, mixed race). Milady died because an attorney who has property near us, ran over her.

Rocky… he was having problems breathing and was like he was tired and needed water, we took him to the vet (first time ever we take an animal to a vet) Rocky had internal cancer. The treatment cost was $ 400.00 for one night treatment (hospitalized) . It was just that to ease the pain or kill him by sleeping (starving, I suppose). Dad wanted the injection and not pay 400.00 but we begged and cried in front of the secretary. In the end, dad paid 400.00 I know he doesn’t regret it. We took Rocky home and the vet said that he can’t play or get tired, and that there will be a day when he will get back to have those breathing problems and will die. Rocky died.
 
horselvr said:
Not all vets are good vets.

Please get a second opinion as this shouldn’t take rocket science to fix. A skin scraping or two to determine exactly the type of mange, ivermectine to flush out the system, and a topical to clear up the skin mite.

This pup may have a more serious condition along with mange but the mange itself is a no brainer to cure. The correct topical to rid the poor thing of the offending mites and a good wormer to clean the system and he should be on the road to recovery. Once in a long while you may come across one that will not respond to treatment but generally that is one that has other health issues along with mange and their numbers are so low it is almost not worth mentioning. But any good vet will discover this upon exam.

Call the AKC Kennel Club in your nearest big town and ask them to recommend a “good” vet to see the pup. They will be more than happy to help you out and their years of experience and relationships with vets out numbers the private owners experience. They will also help you out if you need to rehome him as the more dog people that know of your plight the more they will know to help you out. It’s a network just like using a network of a lot of people when looking for a new job.

Call the kennel club, find a new vet and then go from there. You have done a good thing though no matter the outcome.
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This. Definitely this should not be a life-ending problem.
 
angierabbit2012 said:
**My husband and I “inherited” a puppy approximately 4 months ago.
Our daughter and her friend found the pup by the side of the road and brought her home.
She was very sick and appeared to have been burned.
My daughter took her to the vet and they said that the puppy had DEMODECTIC (red) MANGE.
They started her on the appropriate treatments and she started to improve.
However, every time the medication runs out she gets sick again.
FOUR MONTHS and FOUR treatments later, the medicine is gone and she is almost as bad as she was when the girls found her.
My question to you is this…WHEN do you say “enough is enough” and let go?
We don’t have a lot of money and to continue to spend money treating this poor creature is not an option right now. We simply can’t afford it!
It breaks my heart because I really care about the dog and the thought of having her put to sleep really tears me up inside. But I don’t know how to care for her without incurring more vet bills.
I tried a natural remedy that I found online but it did nothing!
I’ve prayed and cried and I could really use some advice.

THANK YOU in advance for your help and GOD bless!**
Click to expand...
As I understand it Mange is a parasite that never goes away completely. That’s about all I know about it. I feel for you though. I have a cat who has IBD and has occasional UT infections both of which cost me big bucks. Every trip to his vet is usually $150 at least with meds and office expenses. Last fall he was hospitalized because he had stopped eating right before I was going out of town. $650. I got off easy that time the previous hospitalization was $2,250 at least a few years back. I would be honest with your vet and say I don’t have the money to continue with these treatments what are the options and obviously what he is advising isn’t working. I would do some research on Mange and maybe consult another vet. Check with the humane society they usually have a clinic maybe they can give you some advice. If the animal is suffering though and there are not other options I would put the animal to sleep to end it’s suffering. My cat always recovers nicely but he’s getting older and I’m not sure if I’d hospitalize him again. I’ve gotten good at spotting when he on the road to getting sick so I’ve been able to nip it in the bud many times before it gets too bad.
 
Luvz2travel said:
I have a cat who has IBD and has occasional UT infections both of which cost me big bucks. Every trip to his vet is usually $150 at least with meds and office expenses. Last fall he was hospitalized because he had stopped eating right before I was going out of town. $650. I got off easy that time the previous hospitalization was $2,250 at least a few years back. I would be honest with your vet and say I don’t have the money to continue with these treatments what are the options and obviously what he is advising isn’t working.
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👍
 
Luvz2travel said:
**I would be honest with your vet and say I don’t have the money to continue with these treatments what are the options and obviously what he is advising isn’t working. ** I would do some research on Mange and maybe consult another vet. Check with the humane society they usually have a clinic maybe they can give you some advice. If the animal is suffering though and there are not other options I would put the animal to sleep to end it’s suffering. My cat always recovers nicely but he’s getting older and I’m not sure if I’d hospitalize him again. I’ve gotten good at spotting when he on the road to getting sick so I’ve been able to nip it in the bud many times before it gets too bad.
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In a rural area, all she’s going to get is this

🤷

and an offer to put the animal down. That’s pretty much what they offer if you say you can’t afford it. Even that costs some money.
 
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