08/25/2026
๐พ๐ง ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒโ? ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐
I was reading through Dr. Steve Marsdenโs Facebook group and came across a post from someone caring for a 16ยฝ-year-old dog with dementia who was also blind and deaf.
The owner was struggling with one of the hardest questions we eventually face with many of our senior animals:
How do you know when itโs time?
Karen Marsden gave such a thoughtful response that I wanted to share it here, because I think there are some incredibly important points in it for anyone living with a very senior dog or cat โค๏ธ
Karen Marsden wrote:
I know this is a really tough time and it must have been hard to even type this post out to us. I also know that many members of this site will have their own thoughts to share, but in the end this is a highly personal decision and also a very hard one to navigate. Dr Steve and I can only offer guidance on what may help her quality of living. Iโm so sorry youโre going through this โ these decisions are never easy, especially when youโve been caring for her so thoughtfully.
Dr. Steve and I do not usually see dementia alone as a reason to euthanize, especially if the dog isnโt in obvious pain and still has moments of calm or connection. But again, you are the best judge of this. What I tend to watch for instead are signs that the dog has lost all quality of life โ things like constant distress, inability to settle, refusal to eat despite trying everything, or clear signs of suffering that canโt be managed.
From what youโre describing, it sounds like your girl is still eating (even if it needs to be easier food), and you havenโt mentioned constant pacing, vocalization, or panic โ which are often the signs that dementia has crossed into unmanageable territory.
That said, I also acknowledge that blindness and deafness can amplify confusion and isolation in dogs with cognitive decline. If she seems withdrawn, disoriented to the point of distress, or no longer responds to your presence or touch in any meaningful way, thatโs worth weighing carefully. Sometimes the hardest part is distinguishing between a dog who is quiet and content versus one who has emotionally shut down.
A few things that might help you assess where she is:
Does she still have any orienting behaviors? Even blind and deaf dogs often turn toward familiar scents, settle when you sit near them, or show recognition of routine (like perking up slightly at mealtime). If those are gone, it may mean sheโs lost her anchors.
Is she able to rest? Dogs with severe dementia often pace, vocalize, or seem unable to settle โ even at night. If sheโs able to sleep or rest calmly for stretches, thatโs usually a sign sheโs not in constant distress.
Does she still engage with food or water? You mentioned sheโs eating the KOHA pate with water added, which is great. If sheโs still willing to eat and seems to enjoy it (even if itโs just going through the motions), thatโs often a sign thereโs still some drive left.
How is her body responding? If sheโs still mobile enough to move around (even if unsteadily), and her body isnโt breaking down in other ways (severe weight loss, incontinence she canโt manage, labored breathing), that usually means her system is still holding up.
Dr. Steve and I have seen dogs at 16+ who are blind, deaf, and cognitively declined but still content in their routines โ especially when they have a calm, familiar environment and someone who knows how to read their cues. We have also seen cases where the dog has clearly checked out emotionally, and in those situations, we support the decision to let them go.
It sounds like youโre doing everything you can to support her โ the Halscion, Lumbrex, Voltrex, Lionโs Mane, MCT oil, and omega-3s are all things I use in my similar cases to support brain function and circulation. The fact that sheโs tolerating the food change and still eating is a positive sign. But if youโre seeing her withdraw further, or if she seems more distressed than calm, it may be time to have a conversation with your vet about what her baseline comfort level really is.
One thing Dr. Steve and I sometimes suggest in cases like this: give it a week or two on the current plan and watch closely for any small shifts โ either toward more engagement or toward more distress. Sometimes just observing without changing anything can help clarify whether sheโs stable or declining. If sheโs stable, you can continue supporting her. If sheโs slipping, youโll have more clarity about the right time.
You know her best. If her days feel more like endurance than living, thatโs worth honoring. But if sheโs still calm, still eating, and still seems to have some sense of you โ even if itโs just your scent or your touch โ she may still be okay for now.
Most of all, please know youโre not alone in this โค๏ธ
โ Karen Marsden
I think there is so much wisdom in this response.
๐ข๐น๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ถ๐๐ปโ๐, ๐ฏ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐น๐ณ, ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ.
Neither is blindness.
Neither is deafness.
And even cognitive decline exists on a spectrum.
A senior animalโs world may become much smaller than it once was, but that doesnโt necessarily mean that world no longer has value to them. Food, a favourite bed, familiar smells, lying in the sunshine, wandering around the yard, resting beside their person, or simply relaxing when they feel a familiar hand can still be meaningful experiences.
At the same time, we also have to be willing to look at the whole picture.
Are there still things they enjoy?
Can they comfortably rest?
Can pain, nausea, anxiety and other medical problems be adequately controlled?
Do they seek food, affection, smells, routines or familiar places?
Are there still more comfortable moments than distressed ones?
And perhaps most importantly: does it still look like theyโre living their life, rather than simply enduring it?
โค๏ธ This is also where I think quality-of-life appointments with your veterinarian can be incredibly valuable.
When weโve loved an animal for 10, 15 or even 20 years, objectivity is understandably difficult. We see them every single day, adapt to their decline little by little, and desperately want more time with them.
Sometimes love can make it difficult to see what is happening clearly.
Having a veterinarian assess pain, mobility, hydration, body condition, breathing, neurological changes, cognitive decline and overall comfort can give us another perspective. It doesnโt mean the veterinarian makes the decision for you. It means you have another set of experienced eyes helping you determine whether your pet is still doing reasonably well for their age and condition.
There isnโt always one dramatic moment when it suddenly becomes obvious.
Sometimes quality of life is found in the little things.
And sometimes recognizing that those little things have disappeared is how we realize that the kindest decision may also be the hardest one โค๏ธ๐พ
