Luckily for us, dogs have no clue that they are going to be put down and what happen to them when they are given the injection that puts them to sleep.
When or why should you consider euthanasia, consider Quality of Life Check-List?
Answering these questions might help you make a decision that’s best for your pet.
- How uncomfortable or How much pain is your dog in?
- Can the dog breathe normally?
- Can the dog see and hear normally?
- Are hygiene and grooming needs being met?
- Is the dog able to do its chores like walking and perform any of his favorite activities?
- How easy it for your dog to move around does the dog have control over its body and mobility?
- Is the dog eating and drinking normally?
- Does the dog seem comfortable and content?
- is the dog sleeping all the time?
- Are you both able to sleep?
- Is the dog able isolating himself, or is he visibly anxious or depressed?
- Is the dog able to walk, communicate and behave normally, or do they seem disoriented, confused, or stressed?
Its true Love can’t be measured, but when a dog is obviously suffering because of an illness or old age, certain costs have to be considered before making medical decisions. There might be a solution or test available, but it might not be worth it.
Money isn’t the main focal point here, but about the emotional and physical costs to you and your dog. You might be able to get a couple of months more, but if it doesn’t add to the quality of your lives together, you might regret it.
Losing someone who is closed to you and spent a hefty amount of good memories with you is never easy, and the fact that it’s a pet doesn’t make it any different. Knowing that the days are numbered for your dog, its owner’s worst nightmare, but in some ways, it can be bittersweet too because it gives you time to say goodbye and ease a lingering burden of yourself, your dog, and everyone in the family.
You will probably go through a roller coaster of emotions as you say goodbye to your beloved dog and all of those emotions are understandable and natural.
Coping with Grief and Loss
The process of grief begins as soon as start considering the Euthanasia, not just after your dog dies. It might not even seem real. Guilt, denial or looking for ways to control what’s going on. This is to be expected.
What you may consider before putting down your pet.
Let dog say a Goodbye to the Family members and Live Together in Those Last Days.
List and do Final Things You Want to Do with Your Dog.
How to deal with the grieving process?
- Acknowledge your grief and don’t hesitate to express it with your loved ones.
- Don’t hesitate to reach out to your loved ones who can lend a sympathetic ear.
- Write about your feelings.
You might go through several emotions as you say goodbye to your pet and all of them are understandable and natural.
Explain Things Carefully to Younger Children.
Let Older Children Get Involved.
Use Rituals for Comfort and Plan Ahead.
Mourn your loss at your own pace and try to Find Your Own Ways to Cope with Your Dog’s / pets Death.
- Share your thoughts and feelings to your family or to a professional;
- Discuss if you are thinking about getting a new pet in the future, don’t be hasty take your time.
With the Courtesy of Sarah Vallieres, here I am sharing her grieving story in her own words.
My dog “Frank” was well aware that I was euthanizing him, he forgave the vet who did it.
Frank had a type of anal sac or bladder cancer that had metastasize into his pelvic bone. It was extremely painful.
I took my pet for palliative radiation to reduce the pain of the tumor, but it was unstoppable the tumor grew larger and his pain could no longer be controlled with his pain medicines (and vets don’t typically prescribe opioids). The vet gave me list of criteria as to when to euthanize Frank. The day he met that list I contacted the vet.
I had arranged for a vet specializing in canine end of life to come to my house, so Frank could pass away at my home with his beloved littermate. I wanted to make sure Frank’s brother understood he had died. In some cases, when dogs don’t witness the death of (or see the body of) another dog in their household, they will continue to look for the “missing” dog for years.
On his last day Frank could barely walk, but he managed to make one last trip to the pee pad which I always placed in the other room for him. (That’s what an amazing dog he was.)
Upon the arrival of vet, Frank was lying resting on his dog bed in the living room. He didn’t get up as he was gathering his power for 10 minutes to see who was at the door.
After 10 minutes, Frank came to the foyer, which has chairs and sofas which is a small living room.
He slowly walked over to where the vet was seated and licked her hand! The vet had a very gentle almost spiritual aura. It was like a sign, Frank was telling her he was ready to go and he forgave her for what she was about to do.
He then lay down at her feet.
I didn’t know how Pablo is going to react he was his only brother. The two dogs were very closed and used to sleep curled up together before Frank got sick.
As the vet gave Frank his final injections, I stroked his fur and told him what a good boy he was (the words every dog loves the most). Pablo lay calmly nearby and knew what was going on. Pablo understood what was going on. While sitting there he realized Frank had died and seemed to accept it.
I don’t fully understand any of what I saw that day, but I believe in my heart not just that dogs are smarter than we think, but perhaps that they have an emotional intelligence that we don’t yet understand.
Here is a photo of Frank showing his love to his brother by licking his face he was his littermate Pablo
About five weeks before Frank died. They used to lick and groom each other. Even though Frank was likely in pain, he was comforting and looking after his brother.
Till the very last moment, Frank had one of the purest, kindest, most generous spirits I’ve ever seen in dog or human.
This story was first shared on Quora.
