The Hardest Decision a Pet Owner May Ever Face - Choosing Euthanasia for Your Pet
by B. O’Connor
Pet Euthanasia is a difficult issue for many people to come to grips with. For most of us, confronting this issue as a responsible pet owner is clouded with emotions, invoking fear, grief and guilt. Inadvertently, we sign up for the possibility of having to make this decision the moment we make the lifelong commitment of having a pet as a companion.
Being informed. Talk to your veterinarian about pet euthanasia long before you are potentially faced with the issue. Find out your options, while making important decisions ahead of time. Then be sure to ask your veterinarian to add this information to your pet’s chart.
Some key points to consider are:
Under what circumstances should you and your vet consider pet euthanasia?
What will your deciding criteria be if and when the time comes?
What method(s) and/or drug(s) does your veterinarian use for pet euthanasia?
Do you or other family members want to be present if your pet is euthanized?
Would you prefer a home euthanasia? Is your veterinarian willing to come to your home to euthanize your pet? If not, can s/he refer you to a vet who makes house calls?
In the event of an emergency, is there a mobile vet who would be available to make a house call after hours ?
How do you prefer to deal with your pet’s remains – burial, cremation, other?
What other aftercare options are available? ie. Personalized urns, paw prints, picture frames etc…who is the company that supplies the products, and are they reputable?
Don’t put off asking these questions until you are in the middle of a crisis. This will leave you forced to make decisions under distraught conditions. Waiting won’t serve you or your pet.
Knowing when it’s time to let go:
When it is the unfortunate time to make the decision of euthanasia for your best friend, emotionally speaking, all the preparation in the world may not help you make this decision any easier.
The decision to euthanize is one of the most personal, and perhaps most difficult decisions a caregiver can make. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to suggest a “correct” way to make such a decision. This is a choice that each individual should make for his or her own self while consulting the advice of a professional.
I referred to Dr. Goldie Rosen on the subject. Dr. Rosen has been operating “Halton Veterinary House Call Services ” for almost a decade, while serving Milton and the surrounding areas. During this time she has come across almost every imaginable scenario while assisting responsible pet owners make palliative related decisions.
There may come a point, when a pet is fighting a terminal disease, where the cost of treatment can become more than its benefit. Dr. Rosen elaborates “In the advanced stages of diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, or neurological disorders, sometimes treatments can actually cause your pets pain to increase and/or make them ill, without any hope of curing their disease… at this point, caring owners need to make a decision about which is more important for their pet: quality of life or quantity of life.”
Dr. Rosen points out that pet owners have the option of stopping aggressive treatments, while letting their pets end their life comfortably in the intimate, caring surroundings of their own home through mobile hospice care services.
Growing Demand:
More and more informed pet owners are realizing that long waits in crowded clinics while potentially being surrounded by a number of misbehaving pets only adds to their pet’s level of nervousness and intensity… while not exactly offering the preferred, stress free environment to say final goodbyes in.
As Ontario demographics expand and as more pet owners become increasingly empathetic towards their pets’ needs, there has been a continuous growing demand for reliable mobile vet practices. However this increasing demand may make it more difficult for pet owners to get the service they require, exactly when they require it.
Hospice Care Services – Euthanasia at Home
Some pet owners may feel that home service is not suitable for them or their family. For example, in some cases having young children present may not be advisable. However, a growing amount of pet owners and family members insist on being present.
Although unforeseen occurrences may arise, an experienced veterinarian will make the procedure as quick and pain free as possible.
Dr. Rosen has performed several home euthanasia’s for loving pet owners during her 14 years of practice and states that each case is as unique as the pet and/or individual who cares for it.
Many factors are involved which include the animal, owner, and environment. It takes more than just a skilled veterinarian to master all three components while having the gift to make the owner and patient feel at ease. Rosen emphasizes the importance that respect plays during the final moment of a pet’s life. She advocates other animal companions being present to allow closure and peace.
Having the flexibility of a home euthanasia has allowed Dr. Rosen to perform the procedure in less than normal environments, for example, outdoors in the backyard, under a favorite tree, in a favorite spot on the couch or owners bed, in front of the family room fireplace, or downstairs in a cool basement.
Being Prepared:
I suggest not to wait for an emergency before you take the time to contact and familiarize yourself with a good mobile vet practice. Find a reliable local mobile service, and keep their phone number in an available place, just as you would a local hospital or ambulance service. In the event of an emergency, the less time a pet has to suffer, the better.
Take the time to perform your due diligence on the veterinarian in advance , comparing pricing, while checking references. You will not have time to do this in the event of an emergency. Exclusive mobile services do not have the overhead expenses most clinics have who also offer mobile services on the side. Availability may also be a contributing factor. A veterinarian working in practice may not have the time to service your pet after clinic hours, leaving you with the sole choice of a veterinary emergency clinic.
Closure:
Making the choice to put your dog or cat to sleep will never be an easy decision for any loving pet owner. Whether you choose a home euthanasia or clinic euthanasia, the ultimate goal is to offer your pet the most humane and stress free option, while knowing you made the best possible decision. Your pet deserves it!
