When to Euthanize

Deciding when to euthanize the beloved dog is a choice that most owners hope they never have to make. Euthanizing or putting a dog to sleep is often the most difficult thing that any dog owner will ever have to face. While it is an extremely difficult decision to make, most Veterinarians agree that in some cases it is the greatest act of kindness an owner can give to their suffering dog. Some have different ideas about when it is appropriate to euthanize a dog, but all seem to agree that it is appropriate when the owner decides that the pet no longer has significant quality of life.

Many owners struggle with the decision because they experience such a wide range of emotions in the process. Many owners experience guilt because they are even considering putting their dog to sleep or guilt because their pain is suffering. They often experience anger as well at the thought of not having their pet by their side. Love and sorrow also play a part in this process. Some owners prolong their pet’s suffering in hopes that they will die in their sleep while others make the decision to prevent the suffering expected by a painful and incurable disease. Financial factors also play a role in the decision as some are terribly sorrowful because they can’t afford the latest state of the art treatment for an advancing disease.

The first step in deciding when to euthanize your dog is a conversation with your Veterinarian. While there is nothing that your Vet can do in some cases there have been some amazing advances in pain management and other Veterinary sciences. There are treatments available that can provide relief for your dog and allow him to enjoy several months to a few years of doggie life. If after speaking with your Vet the two of you agree that such measures are not applicable or that advanced surgery is required with extremely low prognosis then you will have a better idea if there are steps to be taken to avoid euthanization. The main purpose of speaking with your Veterinarian is to find out what the options are and their real life chances of success. This will help you to determine if there are real chances of improvement in your dog’s quality of life or if they will simply prolong your dog’s suffering.

A dog’s quality of life can be very difficult to determine. Dogs often put on a good act to make us think they are doing fine, partly because they are trained to do so to avoid being the weakest member of the pack in the wild and partly because simply being around their humans makes them happy. Pets cannot speak to us, but they do often give us some clues. Is a pet walking well? Movement without pain is always a goal of health care. Is the pet eating normally? Many terminally ill pets lose interest in food, and will stop or reduce eating. Is the pet active when you are not there? These are some of the clues that indicate whether or not your dog has a good quality of life.

Many people differ in opinion on when the right time is. Some say it is when their dog can no longer eat while others argue that it is when the dog can no longer live the life of a dog or when their suffering exceeds their ability to take pleasure in life. To some this means that when dogs lose interest in dog things like interest in people, food and chasing squirrels it is time for him to be humanely put to sleep.

Unfortunately the decision is one we will have to make for our best friends and it will require all of the love, compassion and common sense we can muster.

This article was submitted by the authors from pet super store a site with training collar.