Heartbreaking signs your dog is close to death and how you can say goodbye

dailyrecord.co.uk:

No matter how much we want them to, pets unfortunately don't live forever.But they're often a huge part of the family, and so it can really help owners to understand the signs that a beloved dog might be nearing the end of their life, as it can help with the mental preparation.To help with this, leading vet Dr Sean McCormack from tails.com has lifted the lid on some physical signs that your pet may be getting ready to say goodbye, and how you can make them as comfortable as possible.

Dr McCormack told the Mirror : "Often things are put down to 'just old age' when in fact they can be indicators your dog is beginning to suffer or experience a poorer quality of life that we'd like them to have. "Behaviours like becoming more withdrawn, interacting less, sleeping more, not enjoying play or other activities they used to or not wanting to go on long walks."Also physical symptoms like struggling to get up or cover great distances, to get out of the car or going up steps."All of these can be signs of pain but also maybe that they are just not feeling well or enjoying life anymore."The important thing is to work with your vet as soon as you notice these changes and there are very often things that can be done to alleviate pain or tackle any issues and maintain quality of life for much longer than if these things are ignored."Dr McCormack suggests talking to your vet about timescales and when to consider putting your pet to sleep.

The experts will be able to talk you through how to prepare for this, and recommend that you spend a lot of time with them in their final days, keeping them comfortable.

The vet added: "We often say that the most important thing at the end is quality of life, not quantity."I've rarely met an owner who