The Top Ender Magazine October November 2020 Edition

From the Vet
Regular
Regular
When is the right time? –
Making the choice to
euthanise your pet
The decision to euthanise (commonly termed ‘put to
sleep’) your pet is never easy. In most cases the choice
is made because the quality of life of the animal has deteriorated
and it is suffering, and treatment is either unlikely
to change the prognosis or is not financially feasible for
the owner. Unfortunately, not everyone is
lucky enough to have their pet pass away
in their sleep and the kindest thing may
be for the pet owner to intervene and help
them in their final days.
Generally, there are a few situations which
may lead a pet owner to consider euthanasia
of their pet. It could be in an acute or
emergency situation, where perhaps injuries
or disease to the animal are so severe that
treatment is unlikely to bring a positive outcome or will be
too costly for an owner to finance. These situations are very
distressing and confronting for all involved, but it is important
to be realistic and to put the welfare of the
animal before anything else, and make a decision
quickly.
More commonly, the decision to euthanise
a pet is due to old age. Elderly animals
often end up with conditions such as arthritis,
faecal or urinary incontinence, kidney or
liver disease, cancer or heart problems which
cause a gradual decline in their health and
quality of life. If an owner is unsure about
whether their pet is nearing the end of their
life, I ask them to reflect on how their pet may
be now compared to 6 or 12 months ago and have them complete
a quality of life survey, to help them assess any decline in
their pet’s health. This often makes their decision easier when
they realise the animal has more issues than first thought.
Besides severe injuries or diseases, often unforeseen reasons
for euthanising pets may include behavioural problems,
recently diagnosed diseases which require lifelong medication
that the owner may be unable to afford or administer, or the
pet has attacked another animal or person.
it is important to
be realistic and to
put the welfare of
the animal before
anything else,
They should not
feel guilty if they
cannot afford
a treatment, or
cannot fix an
elderly animal’s
condition
Veterinarians have had an
abundance of experience with
guiding their clients in this decisionmaking
process
Whatever the circumstances, it is important that the pet
owner makes the most humane and ethical decision and tries
to be as selfless as possible putting themselves in the animal’s
shoes. They should not feel guilty if they cannot afford a
treatment, or cannot fix an elderly animal’s
condition, because guilt is often the reason
that an owner may delay putting their pet to
sleep, which may cause ongoing suffering to
the animal. Of course, as with any loss of a
loved one, itwill come great sadness but one
thing I’ve learnt, having been in the situation
many times myself, is the relief you feel for
your pet once they have passed and are no
longer in pain.
It is important that pet owners lean on their vet for guidance
and support during this difficult time. Coming to terms
Dr Kate Daymond
Litchfield Vet Hospital
with the fact that your pet is going to be in
a better place when you let them go is difficult.
Veterinarians have had an abundance
of experience with guiding their clients in this
decision-making process.
So, if you are feeling that this decision
may be nearing and you are overwhelmed
by having to make it, book an appointment
with the vet first and have a chat about it.
That’s what we are here for.
1
The information in this article has been
adapted from the Australian Veterinary
Association (AVA) Covid-19 Working Group
client fact sheet. For more information go to
https://www.vetvoice.com.au/articles/advice-to-pet-owners-during-covid-
19-from-the-australian-veterinary-association
October/November 2020 53