So sad for you Kathy. Maybe she will make it through the night with you. Hope you both get some sleep. 19 is impressive!

Maybe take her to the vet?

Prayers for Emily, for her peaceful passing. (((Kathsgrdn))))

My heart goes out to you. We faced this last week. Not rubbing eyes during a pandemic is so hard. Continued palliative care at home or going to the vet when there is no further hope is a very personal choice. No matter which route you decide, it will be the right route for you based out of love. Sending hugs.

With a lab at 19 or thereabouts, there is nothing a vet can do. This is just advanced old age and everything is starting to shut down. She has outlived her normal lifespan by a good many years, so you have obviously been taking excellent care of her. Just keep her as calm and comfortable as you can manage. She will know you are there.

Sometimes this happens fast and sometimes it is a slower process. My previous Cocker was 18 and she went downhill over a period of weeks. I had her euthanized when it was apparent there was no real quality of life left for her, even though she seemed determined to hang on longer. But my cat, at the ripe old age of 20?, seemed to decide overnight that he had reached the end of life #9. One day he seemed fine; the next I was digging a hole in the backyard just as you intend to do.

You have my heartfelt sympathies. It is so hard to lose one of our furry companions. I think it is one of life's biggest cruelties that their lives are so short compared to ours.

I'm so sorry to hear about Emily; and that you're going through this. She must have felt very loved and well cared for to have made it to 19. Dr. Warren Eckstein, the radio "pet doctor" says that rescues understand what you've done and appreciate you for it every day. Lucky Emily and lucky you for having had her in your life.

I'm tearing up, sorry. I also think 19yrs. is a good age for a Lab. What good care she's had.

" I think it is one of life's biggest cruelties that their lives are so short compared to ours."

Something I've always said. Their years just fly by.

Kath, please know you have lots of heartfelt sympathy with this. We're right there with you.

I dug the hole, only about 8 inches deep. I had to take a break. Came in and there was a wasp in my room, unable to kill it with a fly swatter so I had to get the wasp spray. What a mess. I think all my attempts at killing the wasp has disturbed Emily's rest. She's still laying in the bed but is wide awake. I wiped down all the walls that got sprayed, floor, furniture but now I have to wash all my bedding.

Sephia, I'm not going to take her to the vet. She was pretty terrified the last vet visit to get a bath and her nails clipped a few weeks ago. I don't want her last hours spent in a scary place, if that is what is happening.

If she is in PAIN or discomfort, I would not prolong her misery or at the very least medicate her. I would have her humanely put down. Or "hospice" at home with comfort care of medications. Call your vet.

Your vet will help you if they know her situation, and you can pick meds for you to give her without bringing her in. Let her die at home pain free. I totally agree.

Bless her heart and yours.

My vet closed 2 hours ago, Judy.

Oh, Kathleen, so sad for you and your kids.

Emily knows she is loved. And she will go when it is her time.

Cyber hugs for you.

Kath, thinking of you. 19 years old, that shows great care you have taken with Emily. So sad when our best friends leave us. Know we care.

She ate some banana, when I left the livingroom to wash my banana hands and walked back by she had gotten up and walked to the baby gate. I started to move the gate to see if she wanted out and she walked right back to the bed and laid down, all by herself. So now not sure what's going on.

I am thinking of you, your kids, and Emily.

Well, maybe she just didn't feel good. It happens sometimes. A couple of months ago, my dog was not acting right, then she went outside and threw up and was good to go after that. I think she had eaten some bad grass...HAHA!

My sympathies to you.

What a sweet face she has. Does she take arthritis meds? Maybe she just twisted something. Wow-I've never had any dog live to nearly that age!!! SO IMPRESSED! Its so stressful when they aren't acting right. There are vets that do end of life services at home. I thought my dog was gravely injured or sick when she could not walk at all one morning, She was carried into the vet during lockdown on a stretcher. It turned out to be vestibular disease and she recovered. But she couldn't walk for a couple of days. She's about 50 lbs and it was backbreaking taking her outside for potty breaks. Something to think about. I bet you could fine a mobile vet if you think she has something nonfatal going on. If its just her time to go, at least she hasn't suffered a long time.

So, she seems to have fully recovered from whatever was going on. She came out of the living room about an hour ago. I went to wash dishes a few minutes ago and she came in there so I gave her and the other 2 dogs a dog biscuit. Then the other 2 dogs wanted outside so I let them out and she walked into the sunroom with them but then didn't want to go out. She does this all the time at night. I think it's because she can't see much anymore. She went out with my help and when I let them back in, all 3 ran inside. Yep, she ran inside.

Thanks for all your posts for her and us. I now have a half dug grave in my backyard for no reason. I'm glad she's okay but now will have a hole with chip board over it for a while. I hope.

Wow, 19 is really a long lifetime for a lab. Sweet Emily is a pretty dog. My sympathies are with you. FYI, there are some vets here who will come to your home if needed so you don’t have to take your pet to them when it’s time. We had to make that decision with our lab about a year and a half ago. I could never have picked him up to get him to the vet by myself. Do consider cremation if you haven’t already. It was so much easier.

You have been blessed to have had her for so long.

This is so hard. Very sorry. Lots of animal lovers here, Kathsgrdn, so we know how this hurts.

It’s the hardest thing about loving our 4 legged family members-seeing them get old and frail. I have 2 seniors myself. You must have taken amazing care of Emily, she’s lived a long and good life. I’m glad she seems to be doing better tonight

I think a call to your vet to ask about what happened would be wise. When you mentioned she ate the banana it reminded me of a friends dog who apparently developed hypoglycemia/low blood sugar.

Depending on the length of the hole if you can find one of those black mixing tubs at some place like HD or Lowes you can put holes in it. Fill with potting mix or the soil you removed. Place in hole. Plant it with something until the time comes that the place is needed. I did that with one of my cats when I thought she was at life's end and lingered for another two years. Less likely to walk on a board and slip. So sorry you are going through this but give her the treats and hugs as many as she will accept.

So glad to read she is better, now you can spoil the heck out of her longer. We have an almost 20 year old cat and we've been expecting her to go for the past couple of years because she seems to decline from time to time, but she always rallies again.

I'm glad that she's feeling better. Best wishes that she has more good days ahead.

Over the last year or so when I've gotten up to let the dogs out, I wondered if she was still alive. Usually she's the one wanting outside first thing in the morning, but when Chewie wakes me whining, she is usually still asleep and I wonder "is this the day?" She will be sound asleep and I have to actually go up close to see if she's still breathing. She can't hear or see that great so doesn't hear Chewie get up and doesn't hear me get up to check on her either. She has lived a good long life and am glad she gets around so good most of the time.

I am so sorry to hear this. Hugs.

Sue

Given my age I know that I will never again willingly adopt an animal, unless it is understood that my daughters family is on board with it and willing to step in.

Also, the pain of losing them is just too much. Have been there and done that too many times.

I'm sorry. I hope she rallies and gets better. It is never easy to let a beloved pet go.

Edited to add: some vets will come to the house to euthanize a pet.

What a sweet girl. Hang in there, both of you, and enjoy each day as it comes.

This is soooooooooooo hard, watching them age so quickly. Best friends are hard to come by.....I feel your pain. Hang in there. Hopefully the hot weather is making her tired. (((hugs)))

She is back to her old self this morning. I really thought she was ready to go yesterday. I mean, she never turns down a treat, ever, and she couldn't walk for a time. I wonder if she had a TIA?

You haven't changed her diet recently, have you? I ask because a friend lost her otherwise healthy young adult dog to a sudden heart problem. Her vet said it might have been caused by the dog food she was using, which was heavy on legumes and potatoes instead of corn & grains. At 19, not likely, but thought I'd mention it

Is it particularly hot where you live? I have a 15+ year old lab/shepherd mix and her behavior definitely changes in the heat. She can be lethargic and not have the appetite she normally does. I got some "Rebound" fluid from my vet that I can give her as a supplement if she goes a day or two without eating too much.

No, Nickel, same old Pedigree. Smhinnb, it is hot but she doesn't stay outside long enough to get overheated. Late last night she seemed totally normal again, looking for food, running back inside after she went out to use the bathroom.

When the thing started she drooled a little bit onto the floor and laid down in the hall. My daughter had to pick her up to put her on the bed in the livingroom. I later had to help her back into it because she acted like she could get back in. Later in the evening she was walking almost normal and then perfectly normal really late.

I was just checking back in to see how she is. I’m glad to see she seems to overcome whatever it was I put my dog on joint supplements a month ago and can the difference on our walks. I got highly rated chewable ones

Lisa, I'll look into those supplements. Chewie could probably use them too, he's getting on in years too.

Perhaps she had a little tummy upset that bloated her tummy. So glad to read she's feeling better!

I doubt this is it because it passed so quickly, but my dog has had two bouts with vestibular syndrome. Just a thought.

"Vestibular disease refers to a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance. It is more common in older dogs. It is also referred to as old dog vestibular syndrome and canine idiopathic vestibular syndrome. "

"Vestibular syndrome refers to a group of diseases that affect the balance system (also known as the vestibular system). Common signs of vestibular syndrome in dogs and cats include loss of balance, falling, rolling over, abnormal flickering of the eyes and general wobbliness."

"While the signs can be severe for 48 to 72 hours, those with old dog vestibular syndrome often improve gradually over the next few days to weeks. ... With prompt veterinary attention, most dogs with old dog vestibular syndrome — and strokes — eventually recover."

My dog doesn't spend too much time outside either, she's mostly in an air conditioned house. But extreme heat still seems to throw her off her game. Maybe it's the barometric pressure or something.

I’m glad your girl is doing better, she looks like she’s a very sweet and very loved girl. :c)

I had thought of vestibular disease at first , but she recovered so quickly. If it happens again, look at her eyes and see if they are darting around. That’s what I was referencing about the emergency vet visit. Smhinnb-your dog had it twice? Luckily they do recover. The vet gave her dizziness meds.