Living with a pet can be wonderful – except for the fact that generally we live longer than our canine companions do. That, plus our ability to end our pets’ suffering through humane euthanasia, puts enormous power into our hands: the power of life or death over our companion animals. Having that power is an enormous responsibility – a responsibility that any loving owner wants to live up to.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. If your pet’s been with you a long time, you may have a hard time imagining life without him or her. If they haven’t been with you for very long, you nevertheless may have bonded tightly with them – which makes the idea of losing your pet almost as difficult to contemplate as it would be had you lived with him or her for many years.
Either way, determining when to end your pet’s life can be extremely difficult. But by answering the following questions honestly, you’ll have a better chance of figuring out whether or not the time is now.
How is my pet doing?
Ask yourself whether your pet is acting as though there’s still some life left in them. Is he or she eating? Is he or she at least interested in the world around them, if not physically active? Does your pet still enjoy being with you, or appear to not recognize you or anyone else in the household? An animal who is still enjoying life may not be ready to go, while one who’s clearly miserable may be ready to say goodbye.
How am I doing?
Although your pet’s welfare is important, your feelings matter, too. If you’ve been nursing your pet through a terminal illness, you may be worn out with all the care that’s involved, particularly since your efforts cannot bring about a positive outcome. If you’re feeling emotionally drained – or even financially drained – from caring for your animal companion, the time may be right to say goodbye.
What does my family think?
Unless you and your pet are a pack of two, it’s important to consider the feelings of other family members about when it’s time to say goodbye. If there’s significant disagreement within your household as to whether now’s the right time to euthanize your pet, be open to the possibility that other family members’ may have viewpoints worth considering. For intractable disagreements, a family visit to your veterinarian to discuss your pet’s condition may help break the stalemate.
What should I expect?
If a veterinarian has been caring for your pet, ask him how the animal’s condition will progress and what you should expect to see as time goes on. By knowing when your pet’s condition will cause their suffering, you’ll be better able to determine when it’s time to say goodbye.
Answering these questions can help you reach a decision about your pet’s future. And by saying goodbye at the right time, you’ll know that you did everything you could to help your animal companion – and that when nothing more can be done, you will have given her the gift of a painless release.
Award-winning writer Susan McCullough's books include Housetraining For Dummies, Senior Dogs For Dummies and Beagles For Dummies (all, Wiley). She lives with her husband, daughter and Golden Retriever in Vienna, Virginia. Visit her website at www.susanmc.com.
Saying goodbye to your pet is one of the hardest things to do. Do you have advice you can give to help others? Do you have a personal story you would like to share? Go to my.petside.com and post a message.
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