Love for our pets can be so strong sometimes. We see our pets grow from small little fur balls to loving and cuddling animals with greying hair.  We go through trials and tribulations, growth, learning and celebrations.  They share our sorrows and offer their undivided attention.  They greet us happily as we come home after a long day with wagging tails, purrs and kisses.  So it’s not surprising that we find it so difficult to say goodbye.  This is never an easy decision to make (and it shouldn’t be) but we want to make sure we make the RIGHT decision.  As an animal that we have taken on we must be willing to make difficult decisions to ensure that they never suffer just as we are responsible for their care during their life.

When? The best way to know if it is time, is to talk with your veterinarian.  Regular veterinary visits help us to maintain and optimize your pets health and life.  Physical exams and monitoring blood work helps to pick up disease quickly and to act accordingly.  As our pets age they become more and more susceptible to the effects of time: arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, senility, the list goes on.  Eventually to make sure they don’t suffer we have to say goodbye through humane euthanasia.

Euthanasia (Greek for a good death) is a way to end life without causing suffering.  In the small animal veterinary clinic this involves the use of various injectable drugs.  The procedure starts often with an injection to help ease any anxiety and help your pet relax.  The next step is placing an intravenous catheter, this step ensures the final step goes quickly and smoothly.  The last part of the procedure is the intravenous injection (through the catheter) of a barbituate called pentobarbital. Essentially it is a death by overdose of a barbituate/anaesthetic, the pet loses consciousness and the respiratory system ceases to function and they pass away, this happens within a few seconds.  Occasionally we can see the pet gasp for air or twitch or sometimes vocalize. This can be upsetting but what it is is a simple reflex the body has when the respiratory centre stops, there is no pain involved.

It can be a cut and dry decision, the pet has ruptured a mass on the spleen and is bleeding out rapidly, the animal is not ambulatory and can’t move itself, the pet has intractable grand mal seizures. Sometimes however it will be not as easy, an old cat with failing kidneys is a prime example. Often as they age disease waxes and wanes, they will have ok or so-so days and then they will have terrible days.  As owners we get caught in the trap of worrying if we are jumping the gun so to speak.  The few days we see them suffering makes us certain we need to make the call and then the day of the appointment they seem back to their semi normal selves.  The best way to help us ensure we are making the right decision is to assess QOL or Quality of Life.  There are a few handouts I give to my clients so they can be sure that it is the right decision but it is best to talk with your vet to ask them how to make an objective assessment.

To be objective a simple method would be to keep a calendar. A smiley face for good days and a sad face for bad days that way when you look at the calendar you can see in the grand scheme how your furry friend is doing.  Are there more bad days then good?  If so we can make the argument that quality of life is not good.  As I said at the start this isn’t an easy decision, it never is an EASY decision and it shouldn’t be.  Ending a life and saying goodbye is difficult, very very difficult and it should be, especially for someone you love.  For an animal that has been a part of your life, your bond and your dedication to their care and well being is paramount and ensuring that they do not suffer is the final responsibility you have as their human care giver.