Euthanasia is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. You can drive yourself crazy weighing the pros and cons, suffering the guilt that comes with not knowing whether you made the right decision, and sleepless nights wondering whether or not it’s time. Clients routinely ask their veterinary staff “what would you do if this were your pet?”. Believe me, your veterinary staff suffers the same guilt and confusion when it’s their own pets. My husband and I found ourselves saying goodbye to three animals in 2023. Oftentimes, clients expect a direct answer to this question, but it’s impossible to answer this question the right way. No one can assess your pets quality of life better than you.
What does a “good quality of life” mean?
To me, a good quality of life is a combination of many different things. A pet not able to do one thing anymore but can still do everything else, probably still has a good quality of life. A good quality of life is when your pet is happy, pain free, and able to do the things they love. They may be slower and require medications to keep them comfortable, but as long as the pros outweigh the cons, then I consider this a good quality of life. Some people assume their pet has a good quality of life because they are still eating, having the false notion that a good appetite means they aren’t ready yet.
Euthanasia’s are never easy on your vet staff, but the hardest ones are those happy-go-lucky love-everyone pets that are still excited about treats. I still remember assisting with the euthanasia of a cat with a large necrotic mammary mass. This cat was unbelievably friendly and happy to see everyone, but her cancer was eating away at her. She was skin and bones and her organs were beginning to fail her. It was time. If you only considered her attitude and appetite to assess her quality of life, you would have considered it good. To step back and look at the entire picture is the hard part.
What to ask yourself.
If you have an older pet in your home, maybe they have a laundry list of medical conditions, you will start to notice changes in their daily habits. They may sleep longer and deeper, they may be up all hours of the night, their appetite may decrease, they may show no interest in playing or walking, they may even pull away from the family and spend more time on their own. These are very typical changes for an aging pet.
So what exactly should you be asking yourself to help make the decision to euthanize? First and foremost, is your pet comfortable? A life in pain is miserable. Have you discussed your pets issues with your veterinarian to try to make them more comfortable? Do medications help? Have you tried alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractics?
Is your pet still eating on their own? If your pet is not eating, has your veterinarian prescribed an appetite stimulant? If so, does it help?
Does your pet still interact with the family? Does your pet still engage in play or walks? When an animal is in pain and they don’t know how to tell us, they may refuse normal activity or become aggressive. Is your pet showing any signs of aggression? When you pick them up or touch them in specific areas, so they try to nip or bite? I have met dozens of older pets that the owners state have started to nip or bite seemingly “out of nowhere”. This is your pet telling you they are uncomfortable.
There are dozens of questions that you can ask yourself to help determine your pets quality of life. If your answers are overwhelmingly negative, then it may be time. If you find, after consulting your veterinarian, that there are no solutions to your concerns, then you may need to consider euthanasia.
Every Pet Owner Understands Your Pain
I, like most pet owners, have suffered the guilt of euthanasia decisions. Did we make the decision too soon? Did we try hard enough? Did we give them enough time? Could we have done more? There are so many factors at play, that the right decision for one pet may not be the right decision for another.
My husband once said to me, “we keep looking at him, expecting it to be his last day. We need to look at him as though him being here tomorrow isn’t in question.” That may not be a word-for-word quote, but you get the point. Instead of looking at your aging pet with tears in your eyes and the thought of losing them, smile and encourage them throughout the day.
Sox is our last old dog from the original pack, and while she is finding it harder and harder to get moving in the morning, we still encourage her and help her along the way. Sox is still enthusiastic about our morning walks, which have become unbearably slow for me, so I still encourage her to go with us. She may not like the type of treats that I offer the other dogs, but she still wants to sniff the bag and give me her opinion on the matter, so I let her. Some days she even plays with the other dogs and chews on the toys. At the moment, medications are keeping her pain free and helping her appetite. I know, without a doubt, that it’s not her time yet.
Some pets will let you know. Others will keep trucking along like nothing is wrong as they crumble before your eyes and leave you questioning your decision.
Below are a few resources to help you make and cope with your decision.
Comments
One response to “Quality of Life: When is it time? How do you know?”
Sox is such a good ol girl. She and I have turned gray together. I hope you’ll not need to make this choice for her, but if you do, I’m also confident it will be done with love and at the time when it’s right. Choosing to put down a pet is the hardest and most loving thing we are tasked to do, you’ve presented this important topic well.