[Mlhot]

My dear old Chow is 12 years old. We have noticed bumps on his back. I'm assuming these are the typical basset fatty cysts? Chow also is slower these days. He has a hard time with stairs and climbing into bed. Most of his day is sun bathing and laying in his dog bed in the living room.
How will I know when it is time to let him go? What types of signs should I look for? How old is old for a basset?

 

[MomosMum]

Well he's up there in years although we have had some who lived on well beyond 12. We didn't allow 'lingering' and felt we knew when the time was right to let them go. It was mainly when the down days outnumbered the up days and when they didn't really want to eat. I like to believe it was there in their eyes to be honest. How well I remember one particular beloved bitch who came back to the UK from Canada with the others (and took a UK title). On her final day, after a terrible night with her - that morning she was up on the sofa and I knelt in front of her - she licked my nose and I absolutely knew she was telling me it was ok to let her go, to give her peace. She had cancer and had had enough. And I freely admit I may have kept her going for longer than I should have.

You will, I believe, know when enough is enough (and for sure, one of those fatty cysts could be a nasty) and, with the help of a trusted vet, make the decision we so often have to make. Talk to your vet - he may have things to offer to keep your elderly boy going for that bit longer.

 

[Bullet & Pippin's Ma]

My dear old Chow is 12 years old. We have noticed bumps on his back. I'm assuming these are the typical basset fatty cysts? Chow also is slower these days. He has a hard time with stairs and climbing into bed. Most of his day is sun bathing and laying in his dog bed in the living room.
How will I know when it is time to let him go? What types of signs should I look for? How old is old for a basset?

My old guy is 13 years old. He also sleeps more these days and has had some other issues. He doesnt have lumps on his back but has gotten little worts as he has aged. He just has started having issues with his back legs the past few months. Everything before then seemed like usual old age aches. I go by quality of life, or try to as best I can. As long as he wants to eat and wants to go for his walks he seems happy. When the day comes he doesnt want to go for his walks I think I'll know. So idk if yours has any favorite activities or treats you could judge by. They are prone to getting cysts and that's what mine has also had. But I've still gotten them checked by a vet to make sure it's not more. Mostly just so I know how to care for him if it was worse news.

 

[Mikey T]

But I've still gotten them checked by a vet to make sure it's not more. Mostly just so I know how to care for him if it was worse news.

A needle biopsy is you friend Needle biopsy - Mayo Clinic.

 

[Wworm]

good to ask the vet about lumps. i've had 25-30 lumps and a lot of them needle biopsied like Mr. Mikey says. most were sebaceous cysts and benign. one was a cancer and was fortunately thoroughly removed we think. i had to get another surgeree recently for suspicious lumps, and it came back as the benign version of my cancerous lump (different location). I am a 12 year old basset. i'm still kicking and my face is all white. Worm.

 

[Robin smith]

My old guy, who is 13 years old, has been steadily getting more and more achey over the past year. His back legs are not as mobile as they used to be, though they still function; he cannot use the bathroom by himself anymore and is having some other issues with a possible urinary tract infection and Recently, I used puppington dog treat supplements.