End of life for dogs

I’ve had a lot of discussion about end of life for pets, speaking to others and reading much about this on the Internet.

The only thing I am totally certain of is that unless some event takes you by surprise, you are going to have to guess when is the right time to take your dogs life.  There’s no need to wait until he has stopped breathing.

What could be more reassuring for a dog owner than to think his dog is in agreement about it being time to go?  If only.

Do speak to a trusted veterinarian.  He or she will look at factors such as mobility, pain and toileting to name a few.  And if you let them know you specifically want to discuss end of life for your pet as the time approaches you will have more food for thought.  Let them know you really want to hear what they’ve got to say even if you get emotional while they speak.  You do not have to agree with them but let’s face it; they see dogs all year ‘round approaching this predicament.  If you are waiting for a particular day to make the decision based on your dog’s degree of misery, please think again.  It doesn’t have to be either ‘time’ or ‘not time’. Look at it more like a bracket of time or a spectrum of decline.  The occasional tail wag or ability to gobble down a treat may not be reason enough to prop him longer if every other minute of his day is wretched.

This blog has no intention of scolding or judging anyone for his or her timing with such a heartbreaking decision.  The only intention is to share what we’ve found out since having to make this decision ourselves.

You know your own pet.  But in knowing him you will also know that a loving gaze can mean a lot of different things and we attempt to interpret for them all the time.  How accurately we do that is not yet measurable.

One article quoted a saying from the veterinary field “It’s better to be a week too early than a minute too late.”

Leah & Angela OMeara

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