San Jose mom worried her daughter isn’t being realistic about dog’s quality of life

DEAR JOAN: My daughter has a dog that has been suffering with Cushing’s disease for several years now. She cannot get up on her own, cries when she wants to go out, wants to endlessly drink water and seriously can’t do anything.

If she is not careful going down the step to the yard, she falls and needs to be helped up again. Her body is deteriorating in front of us, and yet my daughter and her vet say, if (the dog) looks happy, leave her be.

Just because a dog wags its tail when people enter a room, doesn’t mean she is happy. She is up on her feet for maybe 10 minutes a day on her yard excursions and can’t walk very far if taken for a walk. It is very sad to watch her struggle.

Is my daughter being irresponsible to this dog? Seems like the dog’s life is miserable and filled with sadness. Why won’t vets these days tell owners when it is time to put an animal out of its misery?

— Carol B., San Jose

DEAR CAROL: Knowing when it’s time to say goodbye to a beloved pet is, without question, the most difficult decision for any pet owner.

The key has always been to put aside our own feelings and focus on what’s best for the pet. A decision to euthanize is always easier – but not easy – when we know the pet is suffering. When it’s not clear, then the decision becomes cloudier.

Cushing’s is not a fatal disease, and a pet usually is in no pain. The disease, especially if untreated, can lead to kidney disease and infections, which can lead to death, but the risks are greatly reduced when the disease is diagnosed early and treated. The average lifespan of a dog with Cushing’s is only two years, so if your daughter’s dog has had the diagnosis for many years, that’s a sign she is being well cared for.

So the debate becomes over quality of life, and while her life is definitely different, it seems she still is happy. I mean, I can’t do the things I used to, but I’m still pretty content.

I don’t think your daughter is being irresponsible at all. It might hurt our hearts to see the dog as she is now, but I would trust your daughter to know if the dog is miserable.

I’ve often wished a vet would make the decision for me, but that’s not their choice to make. They can be honest with us about a prognosis, but in the end, they trust us to know our pet, and that we will do what’s right, either way, for the animal’s well-being.

Support your daughter in her choices and be there for her when the time does come.

DEAR JOAN: We enjoy watching hummingbirds all year at our home. We do not have a hummingbird feeder but have a variety of blooming plants that the hummingbirds feed off.

My question is whether natural food is better for the health and well being of the birds versus sugar water from a feeder? Also, do hummingbird feeders reduce the birds’ natural pollinating activities?

— J.P., Oakland

DEAR J.P.: Natural food is best for the hummingbirds, and it also is their primary source for nourishment. The feeders provide supplemental food and represent only a small percentage of their daily intake, so no, they don’t impact pollination.

Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.