When is the Right Time to Put Down (Euthanise) My Dog?
I have just had a rather heartbreaking chat with my friend. She rang me to help her make the painful decision about whether or not it was the right time to put her old husky to sleep. Chances are, if you are reading this post, you may be in a similar situation.
There is no right or wrong answer. Its always going to be a difficult decision. But there are some questions you can ask yourself to help you come to that decision.
I would think about the quality of your dog’s life rather than the length of it.
The key question
Is your dog still enjoying life, or just enduring it? Do they have more good days than bad days? If the answer is no, its probably time to start thinking about saying goodbye- for your dog’s sake.
Signs to look out for
Your dog is off his food.
They no longer want to go out.
Walking and getting up is a real struggle.
You think they might be in pain, despite any medication they might be on.
They have lost bladder and /or bowel control- often when they are asleep.
They seem more withdrawn than usual.
They seem confused or distressed. May indicate cognitive decline.
Relaxing and settling are difficult.
It is kinder to allow your dog to die with dignity, than to keep them alive for a few more weeks or even days, hoping they’ll get better, because they’ve recently had one good day. There is no guilt to be had in ending your dog’s suffering. I have never heard of anyone regretting that they euthanised their dog too early, but I have heard some people say they wished they had done it sooner. Instinctively you will know. If you are asking yourself the question, the answer is probably yes.
My sweet old dog Willa, lived until she was 15, which is pretty good for a labrador. She had been on daily painkillers for the last three years of her life, for her arthritis. She never went off her food (hey, she’s a lab!) and always enjoyed her walks. I say walks, it was more standing around and sniffing. I took her out of the house in a dog buggy, as the park was too far for her to walk, and when we got to the park, she would get out and I would amble about in large circles around her and she generally stayed in the middle. She was completely deaf by 14 and so slept very soundly when at home. But when she woke, it was often in a pool of urine, and she struggled to get up and move herself away. When her bowels become incontinent we knew that despite her loving her food and her outings, there was no dignity any more for her. Dogs are very clean animals, and this must have been upsetting for her. I think she suffered the pain of her joints in silence. Dogs are very accepting of what life throws at them. To let her live on and let nature take its course would have been more cruel than kind. The vet visited her at home at the end of what was a lovely day for her, swimming in the lake. I was present as was our 1 year old spaniel. My spaniel didn’t seem to pine for her afterwards, as i think she understood the finality of it, having sniffed her lifeless body. I did struggle with some guilt afterwards. I think that’s human nature. But now I just take pleasure knowing she had the best life a dog could get. I gave her that.
When the time comes
You can choose whether to be present or not and whether you want it done at home or at the vet’s. Some people will find it too painful to be there watching their lifelong friend pass away. And here’s an important thing- it is better not to show the dog how distressed you are, as this will stress them out. You want them to be as relaxed as possible. If you can’t save your tears until after they have died, then not being present might be the better option. I would try and act as if you are just snuggling your dog, as you would do watching tv or winding down after a long day.
My advice if you have any other resident dogs, is that I would have them present and allow them some time afterwards to sniff the body, to help them understand. Try not to act too differently with the dog/dogs that remain. They will be reading your energy, and although of course you will be sad, they will still require direction and leadership. I would try not to lean too heavily on my other dog/dogs for emotional support, as it can be stressful for them. In my line of work, the dogs’ feelings come before my own.
Need any help?
