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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You probably didn't mean specific advice, but you said ask anything, so if you have a moment....  My beloved foxhound mix is almost 12 years old.  He weighs about 75 lbs.  He has slowed down considerably but he still gets around fine.  He has a bit of incontinence but so far nothing too bad, and he is borderline for Cushing's disease.  We were told not to treat the Cushing's unless it gets really bad.  We have him on a thyroid medication and something that's supposed to help the incontinence.

My DH and kids and I are all so attached to this dog, and lately I've been getting the feeling like he may not have much time left.  It's nothing specific, and the vet wasn't concerned at his checkup 2 months ago (except for the above), but I know dogs of this size don't last forever and he just looks really old.  How long do you think we can expect he will be around?  And "how" does a dog in this situation usually go?  Will we probably end up having to put him down at some point, or will we come home one day and he will be dead?  Ugh, I am dreading this.

Thanks for any advice you can give.[/quote]

How is your dog's quality of life?  Does he seem happy and still enjoy most, if not all, of the things he used to enjoy?  Is he interactive with you and your family?

While the average life span for a medium to large breed dog is about 11-12 years, I have several large-breed dog patients who are doing well at 14 years, and even one wonderful old girl who is very happy at nearly 17.

It is very difficult to predict how the end of life will happen.  Some dogs become acutely ill, and death takes their families by surprise, while for others, death is a much slower process.  Most often, clients are faced with the decision to euthanize when they know that their pet's quality of life is no longer good.

It sounds like your dog is very well cared-for, and that he doesn't have any life-threatening illnesses. I hope that he continues to do well, to engage with your family, and to enjoy his life and his time with you and the rest of your family. Here is a resource that might help with end-of-life questions:  http://aplb.org/index.php

I hope this helps, and wish you well.[/quote]

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