Okay I know there are likely better places to pose this question, but it's one of those 'I know' the answer, I just 'don't like,' the answer and would rather not subject myself to guilt-tripping ignorant masses out on the net.

My parents have a 13 year old Rottweiler/lab mix they got from the pound 12 years ago. She was scheduled to be put down the same night my mom and I adopted her, and technically wasn't for adoption. Not because of aggression or illness, but she had her three strikes. Yes three homes in one year as a puppy. But she ended up being just the sweetest, and best trained dog my parents have ever owned. Who indirectly saved my nephew from a horrible dog bite injury.

When we got her we carefully explained to my nieces and nephew about the hooking of her teeth, if she got her mouth around you 'do not pull away!' Either wait, or push inward and then remove your arm. Explaining pit bulls were the same and dobies. Barely a week later my nephew was bitten by an overly rambunctious pit bull, though the bite was deep and the doctors were sure surgery would be necessary, and set my sister up for all the horrors of mass tissue damage, nerve damage and possible lose of use of his six year old limb, once they put him under, he required only a few stitches and a shot of antibiotics. The doctors couldn't believe it, and when I first saw my nephew after the bite the little boy that he was, beamed a smile and said "I did just what you said! It still hurt though!"

So naturally my parents little rescue became a shining hero! Which makes this so much harder. For the past year her little skin lesions have been growing, in all probability they are cancerous. Six months ago she began urinating in the house, and last night by dint of my being over their house when she had another 'accident' I discovered blood clots in her urine. And on pointing it out to my father discovered that had been going on for about six months, and her one time occurrence of missing a few meals had also become a bit more regular.

She also isn't acting like herself anymore, until last year she was near beside herself in her "welcome!" Especially when I would come to visit. She couldn't get close enough, couldn't be pet enough, couldn't decide between giving me kisses and giving me hugs or just climbing in my back pocket, it would take her at least 30 minutes to calm down her ecstasy and then she was still stuck like glue to me.

But lately she'll sleep through my showing up, and even if she is awake, she'll slowly come over, try to do a bit of a dance, maybe offer a lick and then go lay down again. Sometimes offering little grumbly songs (taught to her by our old husky) to call me over to her since she still wants to be pet and make her greeting. It's like she's saying "sissy, I'm having a bad day, come spoil me, hold my paw and make me feel better, I still love you".

But now I can't let my parents delude themselves that she's 'just getting on in age' blood clots in urine is a serious matter, combine with the skin, age and behaviors of late she is a much sicker 'puppy' than they realize. Or at least much sicker than my father will allow himself to admit. There are treatments for cancer in dogs I realize, but their costs range from minimal to outrageous, I would love to say money is no object when it comes to the health of man or beast, but let's face it, it is.

Then there's still the 'cost' to the animal undergoing treatments, which can likewise range from minimally invasive to aggressively invasive. And at 13 years of age, as a large breed dog what do those 'costs' really buy? Six months? A year? She's already to the age where she could quite probably have a heart attack or massive stroke, her cardiovascular system just can't keep trucking forever it will (probably already is) start breaking down, she's already past her life expectancy even though she's had no previous health concerns short of a broken paw following a particularly rambunctious greeting one day.

But I know my mother is looking to me to decide her 'fate'. That the dog must go to the vet I will not, and cannot budge on, but what will be the fate I really can't say until we go. If she is lucky it will be treatable with minimal cost both financial and for the dog. If that isn't an option to treat her, I imagine I'll be forced to recommend she be out down, but fear I might be swayed in opting for a pain medication bandaid for her. Since she does still eat some, she isn't showing any signs of aggression and really 'loves' her people still.

But is it really in her best interest to be doped up for what little time likely remains to her life? I know if she is to be put down, now probably is the best time, horrible though it may sound, but I still think it's best while she is still 'here' before she is put through much more suffering, before she looses anymore of 'herself'. But when I think of my father... He can't let pets go, and just this past Friday his cat got hit by a car in front of the house. Now I'm to take his dog away too?

Can somebody euthanize me instead?

I hate to ask, but what would y'all do? I mean she's 'the baby', 'the Hero', and 'the Saved!' She's been a great dog, and prior to her failing health 'accidents' hasn't had any other incident of 'bad whittle puppiness' she doesn't chew and destroy things, has gotten off her leash a few times but returns after a bit of fun, stays out of the trash, loved the cat, and my dad's bird, was even instant friends with the existing husky when we got her. (The husky I think gave my dad unrealistic life expectancies in large dogs, making it to 20+ years). I don't want her to suffer to just to make my dad 'keep the faith' that she'll outlive him a bit longer, but I don't want my dad to fall into the depths of despair that all his little buddies are doomed to die.

Even more so since his stroke, he requires animal companionship. And I hate that because the rotty doesn't have a 'voice' she might be put up as the sacrifice, and even more so to know that with such a great dog, she'll likely do so willingly. I guess that's the real crux of the question, do I let her 'willingly' sacrifice herself for his happiness, and wait till either nature takes its course or her 'willingness' seems to ebb, or do I sacrifice my father?

Sorry for the long and somewhat depressing post. I'm just at a loss right now, though writing it out I think I'm further in 'knowing the answer' little much as I might 'like' the answer. Since it goes against my general principles, and defies what I generally believe to be right. Since as of now, I think the poor thing will be made the sacrifice, we'll do all we can to ease her pain short of euthanizing her. And hopefully she can hang in there just a bit longer, until the renovations are done at my parents house and my dad has finished grieving the loss of his cat and my mom and I can hopefully find another hard luck case to bolster my dad's confidence in his ability to 'save' animals from a cruel fate.