[kryan1108]

hi everyone! my 14.5 year old golden was diagnosed with bone cancer in mid december. he has been taking tramadol for pain every 4-6 hours since then. he will still eat, get up himself, manages the stairs very slowly etc. he doesnt like to be alone, lifts his head constantly when he is laying on his side, etc but doesnt seem to cry from pain. he has developed a bad hotspot on the bad cancer leg that is covered but bleeds.
since early this morning he has been very restless, standing up every few minutes. now he has been laying down with me on the floor for about 20 minutes without getting up. has anyone's dog become very restless and that was your sign to put him down? i always read that people put their dogs down when they will no longer get up themselves. my dog has been the upset but i feel like this restlessness could be from pain
thank you so much for the help!! i just want to do the right thing for him.

 

[LibertyME]

trust your gut....you know him best....but for what it is worth, what you describe sure sounds like he is in pain to me...
Call your vet...tell him you need help evaluating your dogs pain level and describe what is going on.....
Im sorry that you and your dear one have to walk this walk...

 

[Penny & Maggie's Mom]

So agree with Mary. Talk to your vet. It may be that he needs stronger pain meds or a pain patch. I'm so sorry you all are going thru this.

 

[BayBeams]

Bone cancer pain can be very severe for your dog. It sounds like the pain meds are no longer controlling the pain enough. Pleas consult with your vet to see if you can get better pain control or if it is time to say good-bye.

 

[kryan1108]

my vet said it does not sound good and that it needs to be done tmw, fri or sat at the latest. i am just curious if anyone else had the restlessness experience
thank you all so much!

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

trust your gut....you know him best....but for what it is worth, what you describe sure sounds like he is in pain to me...
Call your vet...tell him you need help evaluating your dogs pain level and describe what is going on.....
Im sorry that you and your dear one have to walk this walk...

I completely agree.

I was where you're at right now a year ago-my thoughts are with you.

 

[CAROLINA MOM]

my vet said it does not sound good and that it needs to be done tmw, fri or sat at the latest. i am just curious if anyone else had the restlessness experience
thank you all so much!

Yes, the restlessness is an indication your dog is in pain, at least it was in my boy's case.

 

[rob1]

I suspect it's pain from the cancer as well. But restlessness at night in an older dog could also be doggie dementia (basically Alzheimer’s). My dad's dog was diagnosed with it- he'd have trouble sleeping at night, pace around, get confused, pant, etc. Like I say- I don't think that's the case here, but in an otherwise healthy older dog, it's a definite possibility.

 

[Sweet Girl]

Agree with the others. Restlessness to me equals pain. Definitely worth talking to your vet about upping the painkillers.

Thinking of you. It's so hard to see them suffer.

 

[C's Mom]

You know your dog best but it sounds to me like its time. Sending you both strength.

 

[aerolor]

my vet said it does not sound good and that it needs to be done tmw, fri or sat at the latest. i am just curious if anyone else had the restlessness experience
thank you all so much!

Yes, restlessness is a sign of quite severe pain. One of my flatcoated retrievers had bone cancer and was very restless at the end and his pain was very difficult to control. On his last night he went out to the bottom of the garden in the rain and laid down. I went out and stayed with him until I could persuade him to get up and back into the house. I knew he could suffer no more so I got him to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. Bone cancer is very painful and when it gets near the end I think it is better to act a bit sooner than later. So if it were my dog, I would let the vet put him out of his misery. It's very hard, but I think we owe it to our dogs not to let them suffer. We must do the best for them at the end of their lives and this final act is the bravest and kindest thing we can do for them.

 

[boomers_dawn]

I noticed you said the dog had some hotspots or sores?? My dog gets extremely restless when he has hotspots because they are itchy. He knows he's not supposed to lick them but wants to. He gets up and paces around, panting.

Maybe if you can make sure the hotspot and all it's symptoms are being treated in addition to the pain, maybe some benadryl or prednisone might help comfort the dog.

I'm sorry, what you are going sounds very difficult. I hope this helps.

 

[janababy]

I had that restlessness with our dog Buddy two days before New Year. I had been sleeping on the couch for awhile just to keep an eye on him. He had had a growth removed form his jaw in October. They told us that it was cancer. They removed it flush to his jaw. They warned us it would come back because it had rooted itself in his gum line. At 4:15 in the morning he started to roam the house. I let him outside where he preceded to lie down. I worried about him getting cold, so I brought him in. He would lie down and then get up. He just could not settle, this was so unlike him. I thought eventually he would get tired and settle, he just couldn't. At one point he put his head on my lap. Buddy and I had had those "heart to heart" talks. I had always "asked" him to let me know when it was time to go. I figured this was it. We got an appointment that afternoon. I knew in my heart he was not coming home. The vet said that golden retrievers are like "plough horses" they have such incredible energy and temperment, they hide pain and discomfort very well. We were told that it was the right decision. I know your heart will guide you in whatever decision you make. I wish you both peace.

 

[Claire's Friend]

With both my bone cancer girls, nights were always the hardest. I think when we were up during the day and active, it would distract them from the pain. But at night they would get restless and whimper. We started with Morphine and quickly moved to the Fentanyl patch. With no hope for recovery, their pain was pretty much a deal breaker for me and I let them go pretty soon after that. I am so sorry you are going though this. Take care

 

[Sally's Mom]

I have found nights the hardest for various cancers. There are other drugs you could add o the tramadol: NSAIDS, gabapentin, amantidine....

 

[kryan1108]

thank you all so much! he settled down but i know it is his time soon

 

[SandyK]

I am so sorry you are going through this with your boy. It is such a difficult time. Enjoy, spoil and love him for the time you have left. You have had a wonderful 14.5 years of unconditional love!!! My heart goes out to you and your boy!! (what is his name so I can light a candle for him?)

 

[Willow52]

Sending you cyber hugs and strength.

 

[nursnis]

I have a 15 yr old Golden who is very restless especially in the evenings. She pants and walks around and just can't settle. She is beginning to be like this more during the days too - Does that mean she is getting close?

 

[iansgran]

So sorry. I went through the same with my Subiaco two years ago. On his last night he began being restless during the afternoon while we were watching the Kentucky Derby, and when we went upstairs to go to bed later he could not settle down. That night we went to the E vet for euthanasia. I will never forget that night. I had hoped he could make it to Monday so we could take him to his regular vet, but I just couldn't wait 36 hours with him in so much pain. He had really been pretty normal until that last night except for the limp.