When is it Time?
There is usually not one perfect moment in time in which to make that ultimate choice of euthanasia, but rather an appropriate window. This time period could be hours, days, weeks, or even months. Euthanasia is often chosen to prevent further physical or mental suffering for your pet and the emotional suffering of your family. The process of making decisions and thinking through end-of-life care for your pet can be overwhelming. This information and worksheet may help make it a bit less.
When you contact Compassionate Pet Vet, our Care Team will explain the entire process to you and answer any questions that you might have. In addition, at the appointment, our veterinarians will also go over the process and answer your questions. However, the decision is always yours to make.
Ask your regular veterinarian for the exact signs of suffering likely to be associated with your pet’s condition or disease. Observing and keeping an accurate record of your pet in his daily activities can help you to decide on appropriate timing. If you observe that moments of discomfort outweigh his capacity to enjoy life, it may be time to euthanize, even if your pet still experiences pleasure in eating or socializing. If your pet is uncomfortable, pain management is important. This information regarding assessing Quality of Life and the Quality of Life Scale may be of help to you.
Dogs & Cats
When cats and dogs are suffering, they may not show outward signs like whimpering or crying. Sometimes an animal will continue to eat or drink in spite of pain. The following is a list of behaviors that may indicate your pet is experiencing pain:
- Avoidance of favorite activities
- Irregular behavior patterns
- A higher than normal anxiety level
- Seeking out unusual places to sleep or hide
- Your pet no longer enjoys or seeks out contact with your family and/or their fur family
- Consistent pacing or circling, restlessness; especially at night
- Excessive panting or gasping for breath
- Reluctance to move
- The muscles in their hindquarters weaken and they can barely stand on all legs or must crawl
- Unable to get to litter
- Severe diarrhea / vomiting / bloody stools
- Refusal to eat. (and if your pet has a terminal illness, this is one of the signs that they are ready to pass on).
In addition these tools might be of value:
- The Quality of Life Scale
- An aid to help determine if your dog is in pain
- An aid to help determine if your cat is in pain. Observe your cat undisturbed for 30 seconds. If you cat is grooming, cleaning, or vocalizing, wait until these activities are finished. If the cat is sleeping, wait until it awakens naturally.
Rabbits
The following is a list of behaviors that may indicate it is time:
- Suffering untreatable pain from a large tumor
- No longer able to eat or drink normally
- Can no longer breathe properly
- Can no longer empty its bowels or bladder without pain or is inconsistent
- Unable to stand and/or move normally
- Is blind and/or deaf and cannot live a fulfilled life
Ferrets
The following is a list of behaviors that may indicate it is time:
- Most ferrets will begin to refuse food. This is different, again, from the temporary anorexia associated with the green virus, the flu, or other lesser illnesses. While force-feeding is necessary - sometimes for weeks - with these diseases, a terminally ill ferret should not be further stressed by forcing food. If they have a terminal illness, not eating is one of the signs they are ready to pass on.
- The muscles in their hindquarters weaken and they can barely stand on all legs and must crawl to their litter pans. (And many will! It's amazing how even the very ill will try not to soil themselves or their bedding.)
- Unable to get to their litter.
- Carefully observe and interpret your ferret's movements and reactions. A healthy ferret enjoys being petted and responds positively to ear scratches, rib rubs, or back massages. Even an ill animal will show signs of comfort being held quietly in your lap. An extremely ill ferret will be unresponsive - will not pick up their head, or may even try to move away as if your touch was too tiring for them.
- When death is rapidly approaching, you may find your ferret collapsed, taking deep breaths. Their body temperature will drop to 97 degrees or less. If they are moaning or wheezing with each breath, they are near to death. If they are comatose, with their back arched and their head stiffly pointing up, the muscle contractions prior to death have begun. There is nothing you or anyone can do to at this point.
- Internal cancers may grow to the point that collapse major organs causing your pet to hemorrhage internally. A sign of this may be a black tarry stool (unless you've been feeding too many raisins).
- A severe loss of blood, either eliminated or vomited.
