Fish (& other animals) know when its time to go

[OliveFish05]

They do. What is difficult though for people is the ability to read those signs. I have seen many animals in their last moments, more times than not, long past due. They look so miserable and are often in poor condition. Quality of life involves more good days than bad, older animals will have bad days but they should not be consistent. Ability to move about their space, even if it is not as energetically as before. Eating and drinking without GI Upset. Interest in their people and things they love. Ability to go out to potty( Obviously cats/dogs/mammals). If one or more of these areas is compromised for an extended length of time, quality of life is drastically impaired. No one looks more defeated than a dog who can no longer go out to potty, making a mess in the house when they know they need to go out, just as they have been taught and expected to their whole life because that doggo is the bestest girl or boy. The saddest eyes belong to kidney failure cats, they are so sunken, their bodies very frail. I love animals, I understand their owners love them too, but the most loving thing anyone can do is let them go before they begin to suffer.

I love that assessment.

Last December, our little 11 year old Biewer Terrier passed away. She couldn’t do the stairs on her own, and if she got too excited she would have some trouble catching her breath. She was slowing down and a bit more sensitive than she was in her younger years. It was never anything that we felt like decreased her quality of life. Like you said, she was having so many more good days than bad days. She would come kayaking with us on the lake, she was beg for little treats at the dinner table, and she would snuggle up in bed with one of us at night. One day she was a bit slower than usual, her breathing was a bit different, a bit more forced and labored. We noticed. We all knew she was getting ready to go. She wasn’t in any pain, she was acting normal, just like every step took a bit more effort. We decided to keep her comfortable until Monday, so we could take her to our vet. The next morning, she slipped out the door with one of the other dogs. A couple hours later we found her laying on the outside patio in a warm patch of sun. We had family tell us we neglected her and let her go too long, that she shouldn’t have had to die on her own or whatever. People who don’t know your dog don’t get to say (unless they are a professional or you are actually neglecting your dog) but we weren’t neglecting her and these people had never had a dog before.

 

[FranciscoB]

How often, I really get annoyed with these 20+, 30+ figures quoted on this site it is not the norm. The normal life span of any fish in your tank is around five years.

Any fish? Sorry but no. Some, perhaps most often, yes. Some Cory’s (not all as there are so many, and so different) do have decade or more long lives. Three of my silver dollars (Metynnis) are a documented 22 year old age. My flagtail Prochilodus has been with me for 5 years and was probably at least 2 when it came to me, at the same time as an Stripped Anostomus. So both may be 7 years with no sign of slowing down. So, no generalizing to all aquarium fish. Guppy’s, platys, swordtails and the like….much shorter life spans. Neons (shorter life span) often reach 5 years if healthy.

Three of my silver dollars are 22 years old (documented). My flagtail Prochilodus has been with me for 5 years and may have been 2years when it came to me. Brochis spp. (and other Cory types, but probably not all) have been documented to have decade long lives or more. On the other hand, guppy’s, platys, swordtails and the like will certainly have much shorter lifespans.

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

I love that assessment.

Last December, our little 11 year old Biewer Terrier passed away. She couldn’t do the stairs on her own, and if she got too excited she would have some trouble catching her breath. She was slowing down and a bit more sensitive than she was in her younger years. It was never anything that we felt like decreased her quality of life. Like you said, she was having so many more good days than bad days. She would come kayaking with us on the lake, she was beg for little treats at the dinner table, and she would snuggle up in bed with one of us at night. One day she was a bit slower than usual, her breathing was a bit different, a bit more forced and labored. We noticed. We all knew she was getting ready to go. She wasn’t in any pain, she was acting normal, just like every step took a bit more effort. We decided to keep her comfortable until Monday, so we could take her to our vet. The next morning, she slipped out the door with one of the other dogs. A couple hours later we found her laying on the outside patio in a warm patch of sun. We had family tell us we neglected her and let her go too long, that she shouldn’t have had to die on her own or whatever. People who don’t know your dog don’t get to say (unless they are a professional or you are actually neglecting your dog) but we weren’t neglecting her and these people had never had a dog before.

It sounds like she had a very good life and was lucky to pass at home without any intervention. She was much loved and it would be one of the best ways to go, to fall asleep in the sun.

I believe a lot of people hope that pets pass in their sleep, but like with people, that is not always the case for pets. I am not fond of Euthanasia in regards to healthy pets to control population, but Euthanasia for the chronically ill is a god send. I have seen and been with pets who are beyond what you would expect. Open sores from urine scald, overgrown cancerous tumors that have ruptured, sloughing skin from dragging limbs, crippling thin bodies...the list goes on. You can see it in the people, they did not want to let go. I get it, I do, saying goodbye terribly hard. However, why would any prefer to see their pet suffer over letting them go is beyond me.

I have many older animals currently, in the back of my mind I dread when their time comes as I have a feeling it will be a cascade of loss. I have little kids who grew with these pets, which will make it all the harder. We had the majority of the animals before we had children, and yet, in spite of never living with a baby or children before, each animal has been so sweet and loving with each of the kids. The boys keep telling me our oldest Doberman (12y) is not really old at all, not until he is 18y. In truth, he is pretty old for a large breed, as well as old for a puppy mill rescue.