Making the Decision for Euthanizing a Beloved Pet

I can still hear those words as clear as when my veterinarian spoke them so many years ago. I was unemployed and had racked up a thousand dollar bill with an emergency veterinary clinic. Spice was an older sled dog I owned who had suddenly started bleeding out after an operation. I had just managed to get her to an emergency vet who barely kept her alive through the night. I was now faced with thousands of dollars more in veterinary bills, but I had no money. Back then, there was little financial help for pet owners facing these difficult decisions.

At some point in pet ownership, you're going to have to make the heart-wrenching decision to euthanize your pet. Seldom is it clear-cut - there's no obvious right or wrong choice at the moment. There's only you, your emotions and your very sick animal.

Deciding On What You Should Do

If you're truly in a similar situation to what I've described, take a deep breath and look at your options. It's time to talk to the veterinarian or maybe several different veterinarians and get a candid answer to whether what you're doing is going to save your pet, or if it's a long shot. Some veterinarians will go as far as you want to keep an animal alive, even if it's only for a few hours or days. Those heroic efforts are very expensive and in the end, all you may have is a dead pet and a bill you can't afford.

Not all veterinarians do this, but in the thick of a crisis, it's easy to go along with tests and treatments, regardless of the expense and regardless of whether it is necessary or not. As hard as it sounds, you'll need to keep your cool and ask the veterinarian what the prognosis is, if the veterinarian did everything he or she wanted to do. The numbers may be good or may be sobering - if the veterinarian is unable to give you a good idea how likely your pet will recover fully, you need to talk to other veterinarians to get second opinions.

Limit the Costs

As cold as it sounds, if you're having trouble purchasing food for yourself and your family, chances are you can't afford a $5000 veterinary bill. Have a number in mind when you talk to your veterinarian about expenses and tell the vet that you need to be consulted when the cost is about to go over that number. This does two things. First, it lets the veterinarian know that you have a budget and he or she may look for ways to stay within that budget to help your pet. Second, it keeps the cost to the point where once it is reached, you can then make a decision as to whether the treatment is working or not.

There are ways to limit veterinary costs. Six Ways to Save on Veterinary Costs discusses how to save money on your bills. While you may not think about getting the best bargain in an emergency, simple questions such as asking if certain pharmacies with generic plans can save you more money than you think.

Get Financial Help

There are organizations out there to help pet owners with sick pets who can't pay their bills. In How to Pay Your Dog or Cat's Veterinary Bills when You Can't Afford to Pay, I talk about organizations that can help you if you're in financial straits. Only don't rely on them as an easy out. These organizations are swamped with requests and may not be able to help you in an emergency.

Don't Hold Onto False Hope

If the veterinarian gives you a poor prognosis or a low percentage of survivability, don't hold onto that number as if your pet is the one who will make it. I know I have and have been sorely disappointed. Yes, I've had animals pull through, but more often than not, it's a rarity. The pet doesn't understand what's happening to it. All it understands is that it is in pain. Even when we humans know what causes the pain, we still may not fight to survive it.

When you can't alleviate the pain and there's a poor prognosis, ask yourself why you're putting the animal through this. Is it for you or for the animal's welfare? Will the pet have a good quality of life? If the answer is no, then consider euthanasia.

Choosing Euthanasia

When a veterinarian performs euthanasia properly, there is no pain. Request that your pet be sedated and given pain medications to ensure that it is as comfortable as possible and that it can leave the world peacefully. Euthanasia is very fast.

For pet owners, the worst thing is euthanizing a pet. It hurts so badly and you feel so awful that by the end, you're filled with terrible grief. And yet, it is the last act of kindness we pet owners can provide to our sick animals. You'll grieve, especially if you were close to the animal - and this is very normal. There are dozens of pet loss support groups and hotlines, most free, available at Petloss.com.

Reference

Cancer and Your Pet, Debra Eldredge DVM and Margaret H. Bonham, Capital Books, 2005.

Petloss.com

How to Pay Your Dog or Cat's Veterinary Bills when You Can't Afford to Pay

Six Ways to Save on Veterinary Costs