I had another open question but people obviously got the wrong idea.
My chihuahua is twelve now, and he’s nearing the end of his lifetime. He used to have multiple problems like his bones have been progressively getting worse. He has arthritis (we have to give him the “elevator treatment” if he wants up on a couch, we sometimes have to lift him even to get in the doorway, and we were forced to change our steps outside to a ramp for him.)
Almost all of his teeth are in bad shape, either rotting or dulled down. Just last month my dad had to gently tug out one of his loose teeth which was rotten. He’s gotten infections that swelled the upper part of his head/eye, in the sinus region, which obviously hurt. (He hasn’t had one since that tooth was removed, so that problem is fixed for now.) Since that 1 bad tooth was removed he hasn’t been whining or seeming at all in pain about his teeth anymore. Although he doesn’t like to eat hard dogfood anymore, and lately he’s been so stingy about his eating that now we even have to put soft dog food chucks on a toothpick and hand feed him. He only eats about half a cup of food a day, but I suppose thats all he needs because he’s eaten that way for about a month now.
About 2 weeks ago, his right eye started closing a little bit when he’d just be sitting there. We didn’t think much of it. Just yesterday his right eye was completely closed — now he’s back to normal, he just looks a little sleepy. He doesn’t seem to have anything in his eye. When we touch it or rub his face, he seems to enjoy it, so it isn’t anything painful. I made a video of him of him and my other dog, if you wanted to see his eye better. It shows a shot of his mouth and his eye up close.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R6FbJDiOZY
We’ve had him all of his life, so it’s hard for us to even think about putting him down anytime soon. He’s not in any obvious pain now so there’s no definite need. He is an old dog, so we’re not sure how far to push him to live on. He’s happy right now, though, he still is alert and has love in his eyes. He doesn’t seem to be stressed/sad/sick at all, despite his previous problems.
We cannot take him to one of those expensive vets – I’m fifteen, my parents are going through a custody battle and my dad can barely afford the bare minimum. We are not willing to give him up, and he’s not in an extreme condition enough to put him down. I am wondering how farther do you think he would live?
ALSO, people on my previous question were saying things like “oh my god if I were your neighbor I would report you for animal abuse and get him put down ASAP!” and crap like that. Yahoo! answers is not a place to be rude or the meanest you possibly can. its to help others find answers.
Does this seem like animal abuse? I’ve seen those animal cop shows on television and they aren’t anything like our situation. He’s no longer in pain from his tooth and only has arthritis, but multiple people said the words “abuse” because we couldn’t bring him ASAP to a vet. >_<;