Euthanasia and Your Pet
Making the decision to euthanase a pet is never easy, even when your pet is old or very sick.
As pet owners, we have a responsibility to maintain a good quality of life for our pets, and sometimes euthanasia is the last caring act we can do for them.
One of the frequently asked questions we receive, is “How do I know it is time?” Well; you are certainly the best person to make that judgement as you are in a uniquely close relationship with your animal. To assist in making the decision at the right time, a Quality of life scale can be used.
Quality of Life Scale1 | |
Pet caregivers can use this Quality of Life Scale to determine the success of pawspice care. Score patients using a scale of 1 to 10. | |
Score | Criterion |
H: 0 - 10 | HURT - Adequate pain control, including breathing ability, is first and foremost on the scale. Is the pet's pain successfully managed? Is oxygen necessary? |
H: 0 - 10 | HUNGER - Is the pet eating enough? Does hand feeding help? Does the patient require a feeding tube? |
H: 0 - 10 | HYDRATION - Is the patient dehydrated? For patients not drinking enough, use subcutaneous fluids once or twice daily to supplement fluid intake. |
H: 0 - 10 | HYGIENE - The patient should be brushed and cleaned, particularly after elimination. Avoid pressure sores and keep all wounds clean. |
H: 0 - 10 | HAPPINESS - Does the pet express joy and interest? Is the pet responsive to things around him or her (family, toys, etc.)? Is the pet depressed, lonely, anxious, bored or afraid? Can the pet's bed be close to the family activities and not be isolated? |
M: 0 - 10 | MOBILITY - Can the patient get up without assistance? Does the pet need human or mechanical help (e.g. a cart)? Does the pet feel like going for a walk? Is the pet having seizures or stumbling? (Some caregivers feel euthanasia is preferable to amputation, yet an animal who has limited mobility but is still alert and responsive can have a good quality of life as long as caregivers are committed to helping the pet.) |
M: 0 - 10 | MORE GOOD DAYS THAN BAD - When bad days outnumber good days, quality of life might be compromised. When a healthy human-animal bond is no longer possible, the caregiver must be made aware the end is near. The decision needs to be made if the pet is suffering. If death comes peacefully and painlessly, that is okay. |
*TOTAL= | *A total >35 points is acceptable for a good pawspice |
- Adapted by Villalobos, A.E., Quality of Life Scale Helps Make Final Call, VPN, 09/2004, for Canine and Feline Geriatric Oncology Honoring the Human-Animal Bond, by Blackwell Publishing, Table 10.1, released 2006.
We are always happy to help you with this decision. By making an appointment with one of our veterinarians they can examine your pet, discuss possible diagnoses for their problems, and give you an idea of their chances of recovery. While we cannot make this serious decision for you, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Once you have decided to have your pet put to sleep, you may like to arrange for family and friends to say goodbye. Depending on the seriousness of your pet’s condition, this could be through a final night at home, or by having them meet you at the veterinary clinic. Please feel free to ask us if you would like to arrange this. With prior notice we can usually arrange an extended visit. Every person is different when it comes to saying goodbye and expressing grief. You may prefer to remember your pet when they were healthy and not be there for the procedure. This is absolutely fine too.
It is usually best to decide beforehand what you would like to do with your pet’s body afterwards. There are several options available. You can:
- Take your pet home for burial - be aware the council discourages burying them in your backyard due to groundwater contamination concerns. There are pet cemeteries in operation however. Euthanased animals must be buried deep to prevent other animals potentially being exposed to the anaesthetic drug also.
- Leave them with us for group cremation (i.e.. you do not receive their ashes back).
- Arrange for a pet cremation service such as ‘Finowen’ or ‘Lawnswood’ to pick your pets body up from the clinic and return their ashes to you (a separate fee is involved).
If you would like to be with your pet for the euthanasia, it helps to know exactly what to expect. In the case of dogs and cats, an overdose of an anaesthetic drug is usually given into the front leg vein and shortly thereafter (within a minute or so) your pet will fall asleep and stop breathing. The vet will then check that their heart has stopped. In older, frailer animals, or very sick animals, it can be difficult for us to find a vein. In some cases a catheter may need to be placed in the leg or your pet may need to be sedated and have the anaesthetic injected into an organ where it is quickly absorbed. Most commonly this is the kidney. Even once the heart has stopped, sometimes they will appear to be taking deep breaths or twitching – these are due to nerve impulses and can be disturbing to see, but rest assured your pet is already gone and is not suffering.
For smaller animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats and birds getting access to a vein is harder and the injection is usually given into an organ. We will endeavour to allow you to be present for the procedure but as gaseous anaesthesia is sometimes required to handle them, this may not always be possible.
While the process of euthanasia can be stressful for some animals, apart from the small pain of injection, this is a quick and pain free procedure. While it is happening we usually prefer and allow you to touch and talk to your pet to reassure them.
Once your pet has been euthanased, it may then take some time to come to terms with your loss. Talking with friends and family can certainly help to deal with this, but if you feel you need further counselling we can provide you with numbers to contact. The process of grieving is an individual one and while getting a new pet straight away may help some people; this should only be done after careful consideration.
Some helpful links for you during this time:
http://www.veterinarytrust.murdoch.edu.au/memoriam.html
http://www.finowenpetcremations.com.au/