It is the hardest decision you will ever make...but I think that a good rule of thumb (at least for me, personally), is that when you're finally willing to consider that it might be time, it might be time.

Now there are certainly times when they seem in helplessly terrible shape, but can get better. I am a huge advocate of trying treatment first. When I first got Vanna, she had such severe pneumonia that the vet was sure she wouldn't make it more than 2 weeks, even with meds. But that little girl gave me over 3 fantastic, mostly healthy years after that. And she was my best friend ever, so I am so glad that I did that...but it was that much harder then to finally be able to admit when it was time to make the final appointment.

It still eats me up, and I still feel like I gave up on her sometimes. But deep down, I knew that she was not going to make it and that she was in immense pain. She had tumors that got so bad that she became too weak to eat, but she refused to give up. She wouldn't even fall asleep unless she was literally holding my hand. It was then that I knew that she was only holding on to keep me happy. And as much as that made me flattered and proud, I knew it was time to let her rest. It's been over a year and a half since that day, but the pain is still sharp as ever...But I know I did the right thing.

Good luck, OP. I know it's hard, but you just have to try to consider her suffering. Is she suffering because she knows she can get through this, or because she doesn't want to hurt/leave you? If it's the latter, you might want to start really considering your options and trying to find peace with a decision. I hope you both are finally relieved of this pain very soon. And if it is her time, I hope your little one meets up with Vanna (and her sisters, Alice and Volta) in awesome rattie Heaven, and that they all have tasty chocolate chips and treats to munch on all day long, and a huge jungle gym to climb on and explore for the rest of forever.