Another doggy chapter

It is a sad fact indeed that most times we outlive our pets.  As we have an elderly dog I spoke to the vet recently for their opinion on the matter.  Because there can be no set time for this it is open to much emotion and in some cases deliberation.  If you as owners are a ‘couple’ there may be a strong difference of opinion about if and when your dog should be euthanized.  For some folks ‘the day’ of making that decision will never actually arrive.

Two vets from the same surgery had the same sentiment. The younger one said they would not delay and the mature age vet with years more  experience agreed that a dog passing away peacefully was a rarity compared with the amount of animals having some type of ‘event’ e.g. seizure, stroke, fracture, internal bleeding (the list goes on) resulting in death.

Dogs are very, very good at hiding their discomforts and no person can claim an animal is not in pain simply because they are still eating or finding some enjoyment.  The only way to know for sure what they are really going through is for them to tell us.  The downfall of animals (for the animals sake) is that they cannot talk and are totally at our mercy.

If your pooch passes away at home or otherwise there is still the question of what you will do with his body.  Vets or Pet Funeral businesses can give you a few options.  Others want to bury their pet at home. Please consider the size and weight of your dog if making this decision.  A neighbour once told me of his distress on returning home from the vet with his beautiful (large breed) deceased pet. They were going to bury him in their yard.  To their horror the beloved dog was extremely difficult to handle once he was a still weight and with them already emotionally wrung out.  Then his poor body dropped off the edge of the ute as they tried to maneuver him, compounding their distress.

I would encourage anyone with a dog to make some type of arrangements as to how their dog would be cared for should they depart this planet leaving their dog behind.  Discuss your plans with friends or relatives and leave some instructions in your will.

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)