The bonds and relationships we form with our pets are special—welcoming an animal into our homes and making them an important part of the family can be a heartwarming experience. As your pet’s owner and caretaker, you are responsible for their well-being and happiness. Unfortunately, part of providing that care is understanding when it’s time to euthanize your pet and allow them to rest. Let’s talk about the right time to say goodbye to a pet to ensure neither you nor your pet has to suffer.
Quality of Life
The most important consideration is your pet’s quality of life. The point of euthanasia is to prevent undue suffering, so you’ll want to look for abnormalities in your pet’s typical behavior or habits. For example, if your pet struggles to do things they once enjoyed or has trouble responding to your call, these are obvious signs that your pet’s quality of life has decreased.
While making the call for euthanasia is difficult, it’s always a better solution than allowing your pet to live in pain. Similarly, if they struggle to function because their body has become too weak or their mind has become too muddled, it may be time to consider euthanasia.
Signs To Look For
When considering your pet’s quality of life, a good way to gauge their condition is by paying attention to their physical condition, mental condition, and changes in their habits or behavior. As we mentioned, failure to respond to your call is one sign to look out for, but other examples of behavior abnormalities include sudden aggression or constant whining. This may indicate that your pet is agitated or in pain in some way.
As with people, old age can atrophy your pet’s body. You might see your pet experience sudden weight loss because they refuse to eat or struggle to climb the stairs. In worse scenarios, your pet may even struggle to coordinate their balance and motor skills, appearing wobbly or disoriented as they try to move around. In the worst-case scenario, your pet may struggle to breathe or lose control of its bowels. This is particularly hard to come to terms with because it’s often a sign that their body is beginning to shut down, making simple bodily tasks incredibly difficult for your pet.
As your pet nears the end of their life, they may experience mental struggles that will tip you off to their suffering. Dementia is not uncommon in older pets but is a bit more difficult to recognize than physical changes in your pet. They may experience moments where they seem to “space out” or become confused. They may also develop new fears or anxieties about noises or objects they didn’t have before, such as an irrational fear of the dishwasher or laundry machine. On the more extreme side of things, your pet may experience bouts of aggression toward anyone or anything that gets too close.
Preparing Your Family
Once you’ve observed these signs in your pet and conclude they’re in far too much pain to enjoy life, you’ll know it’s the right time to say goodbye to your pet. Naturally, even if you’ve come to this conclusion and steeled yourself for what’s to come, you want to ensure the rest of your family is on the same page. It’s a good idea to spend one last night at home with your pet so that everyone can spend a bit more time saying goodbye. This helps everyone find a bit of closure and prepare themselves for when the time comes.
If one of your family members wants to spend some time alone with your pet, you should allow them to do so. Saying goodbye is difficult, and some people need to come to terms with their grief on their own.
The Euthanasia Process
First and foremost, you should know that euthanasia is completely painless. This process is almost always accomplished with a death-inducing drug, and the veterinarian may also administer a tranquilizer to help your pet feel calm and relaxed. As the drug is administered, your pet will fall into a quiet and deep unconsciousness before finally passing away peacefully.
How To Face Your Loss
After the process is complete, it’s very natural for you to feel the sharp pangs of grief and sorrow. You’ll have to accept the reality of your loss before you can begin coming to terms with it.
A good way to face this loss is to talk with your veterinarian. They can help you arrange a pet cremation so that you and your family can personally send off your faithful companion. Once the cremation is complete, you can request the ashes be returned to you. Many people find closure and acceptance in having a physical memento of their pet, whether they choose to spread their ashes in a special place or keep them close by placing the ashes in an urn. There is no right or wrong way to face the loss of your pet, but it can be helpful to seek out the advice of your veterinarian for tips on healthy coping methods that have proven helpful to others in the past.
The Mourning Process
After your pet has been euthanized, you and your family may go through the various stages of grief. There is no shame in this, nor is it irrational to feel these emotions. Your pet was a big part of your family, even if they weren’t human. Don’t discourage yourself or others from taking time to manage their grief. While you may not experience every stage of grief, keep in mind that you and your family may experience the following emotions.
- Denial – A sense of regret may wash over you as your mind second-guesses your pet’s condition. Maybe they weren’t as sick as they seemed, maybe they could have recovered, maybe you were just imagining things. It can be easy to get caught up in these thoughts and feel like you’ve made a grave mistake. Rest assured you made the right choice and have done your best for your pet.
- Anger – You may lash out at the people you love and become irrationally angry as you blame yourself or others for not recognizing your pet’s suffering sooner.
- Depression – This is the period where you may feel the greatest sense of loss, but it’s also a step toward acceptance. You may feel like you’re spiraling, and day-to-day tasks may feel difficult. It’s especially important to reach out to your loved ones for support if you feel yourself becoming hopeless. You will heal and be able to move on.
- Acceptance – Finally, you and your family will find a resolution to your feelings and come to terms with the loss of your pet. This does not mean that you no longer care; it means you’ve come to understand that what you did was for the best and is not yours or anyone else’s fault.
Keep in mind that coping with the loss of a pet is a process. Find solace in others and take time to yourself as you see fit to help you come to terms with the loss of your pet.
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