Is my dog with tumors, hip dysplasia, and blindness suffering?

Question

If my Chihuahua has mass cell tumors, hip displasia, and is almost blind.....is she in any pain? Is she suffering? Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 12 years and 8 months old | 7 lbs

Ann Dion, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear that Willow has these conditions. You will be the best judge of whether or not Willow is in pain. Mast cell tumors can be non-painful, or painful, depending on the location. Hip dysplasia can be painful if arthritis is present, but in small breed dogs can be not as concerning as they don't have as much pressure on their joints. Being blind is distressing to some animals, but other animals are blind and cope well. I recommend asking yourself "what does Willow love to do?" After you make this list, then go through it and see if Willow is still doing the things she loves. If her 'good' days are more frequent then her 'bad' days, and she is still doing the things she loves, then she has a good quality of life. If Willow is painful (not moving around when she used to love running around, hiding, crouched, crying, not eating), or she is not doing anything that she used to love doing, then you have to question if her quality of life is good or poor. If you feel her quality of life is poor, or see signs she is painful, then consider euthanasia and discuss with your vet and your family/friends if this is best for Willow. Best of luck with Willow!

Is my dog with tumors, hip dysplasia, and blindness suffering?

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