It’s the conversation every pet parent dreads…end of life and euthanasia for their dearly beloved family member. Unfortunately, pets’ life spans are short enough compared to our own, that it’s almost impossible to avoid this discussion. Let’s talk about some of the points to consider when you are faced with this difficult decision.
Gathering Information
We typically try to collect as much information as possible before making decisions, and the decision about whether euthanasia should be considered for a pet is no different. Dogs and especially cats hide illness very well. I am sometimes shocked at how a pet looks clinically compared to their test results.
Pet parents frequently ask me why it’s necessary to run tests on an older pet that isn’t doing well, knowing that they wouldn’t go to great lengths to extend their lives. My answer is that we need to have enough information to make the best possible decisions for them. If we are only able to guess what is happening with a pet’s health, we may miss things that are easily treatable like infection.
On the other hand, how they look and seem to feel may only be the tip of the iceberg. If testing reveals they are sicker than they’re letting on, we need to know so that we can take measures to make them feel better or discuss if euthanasia is the most compassionate option. By ensuring we have as much information as possible about your pet’s health status, we will feel more confident about one of the most important decisions we make for them.
Assessing Quality of Life
We provide both objective and subjective assessments of many different variables. We need to be able to consider all the bits of information we have, while also looking at the big picture. It’s not an easy task to say the least.
Objective questions focus on aspects such as the pet’s eating and drinking habits, regular eliminations, and their level of pain and discomfort. Subjective questions delve into their emotional well-being, whether they still exhibit their usual personality, and if they still seem to have the will to live. To aid in making this important decision, you can find valuable quality of life assessments online, which can provide specific guidance on what to observe in your pets.
One assessment that I particularly like can be found online here. The site has a downloadable and interactive version of this assessment. There is a section that evaluates how you (the pet parent) is doing as part of the decision. I think this is an often overlooked but important consideration in the decision-making process.
Deciding When to Say Goodbye
Another hard piece of this puzzle is timing. The biggest wish I hear from pet parents is the desire for their pet to pass away peacefully in their sleep, sparing them from having to make the difficult decision. The second biggest wish is to know exactly how much time their pet has left, making the decision of when to let them go a little easier. Sadly, odds are neither of these two wishes will come true.
One thing I encourage pet parents to consider is that dogs and cats don’t have the ability to plan or look forward to things. They only have the present, and if their “present” is mostly suffering or a poor quality of life, then that is all they know.
I don’t view euthanasia as ending a life because that will happen no matter what we do. I see it as ending suffering for our pets, and think it truly is the most precious gift we can give them.
My name is Dr. Heather Smith and I have been a small animal veterinarian in the greater Seattle area for 20 years. I am medical director and veterinarian for Felix&Fido – Issaquah. We are reinventing veterinary care by utilizing technology and leveraging the talents of our DVMs, LVTs and assistants in a way that supports and honors pets, pet parents and the veterinary care team. We look forward to serving you!
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