InfoBarrel > Technology > Science > Biology > Animals

How to know when to euthanize your pet?

1 Comments | Rating: 1 | |

Love and Look after your Wonderful Pets

Euthanasia is not a word anyone wants to hear. Pet lovers live in dread at the thought of not having their wonderful loving pet with them. Pets become a vital part of any family. In fact, they are like one of own children; we even talk and treat them like one.

When your lovable pet no longer, enjoys the good quality of life, then you need to think about what is best for him/her.

Your vet is the best person to speak to; he will advise you when your pet no longer has a good quality of life.

Some of these conditions can be treated:

A pet suffering from arthritis with medication can still enjoy life
Pets with poor sight or blind can still enjoy life.
Three legged cats and dogs can still get about comfortably
Urinating all over the home
An overweight animal is not healthy

It is when a dog is suffering, and you know in your heart that you would not like to linger if it was you hurting that way. Be guided by your vet. Even then he will leave that final decision up to you.

Things to watch out for

The amount of pain an animal is suffering needs to be considered. Unable to breathe properly, is a serious problem
Not able to eat or drink is serious.
Is your pet able to play and communicate with it owners without pain.
If he is immobilized in any way, not able to go to the toilet himself.

If your pet is having any of the above problems then you should consult with your vet.

Personal experiences

From personal experience; I understand what any person goes through. Our Siamese cat Ninja was sixteen and very seldom had a sick day during that time. One night he came out of the bedroom and flopped on the floor, with a mournful wail. We rushed him to the vet, it turned out that he had an aneurism.

There was no blood flow to his back legs. We left him overnight as they tried to help him. The next day they rang with the bad news. We went to see him, took a photo of my husband cuddling him. We made the choice of letting him go to sleep. We said our goodbye's and agreed to pick him up the next day and take him home. This was even harder than leaving him at the vets.

We brought him home wrapped by them in a nice covering. We walked around with him in my husband's arms, talking to him. We sat with him in the sun just where he used to sit. We found it so really hard to let him go. Eventually, we laid him to rest, next to the fish pond in a sunny spot in our front garden. He gave us 16 beautiful years of memories and that has what kept us going.

We now have a Blue Heeler dog that is ten years old. He has been poisoned twice. Had a lump cut out of his neck, right on the jugular vein and is still enjoying his life. This is part of owning and loving a pet, looking after them through the good and bad times, sometimes we are given more years of enjoyment than we expect. Make the most of those years.

Before buying anyone a pet make sure they will love and cherish it. Never buy a pet for a friend as a christmas gift as too many of these become unwanted and have to be euthanised because the no longer wants or cares about it.

This is why Pets are not good Birthday and Christmas presents

When you have lived with your pet for several years you come to know what is normal and what is not. This is a hard time to contemplate for anyone. So make the right decision and do what is best for your beloved friend.