Becky, the owner of a 15 year old domestic short hair cat, asks: “When will I now when it is time to say goodbye to my cat – what are the signs?”

When Will I Know Doc?

As veterinarians we dedicate our lives to saving the lives of our companion pets but there are some days when there is nothing more that we can do and we as pet owners and veterinarians must face the inevitable – humane euthanasia.  The difficulty is knowing “when” this times comes and it is a question we as veterinarians are asked frequently when clients come to visit us with old and very ill pets. It is a question that we as veterinarians cannot answer for our clients but it is an opportunity where we can provide much support and guidance. But before I take you through the “clinical” checklist all vets use to help their clients make this very difficult decision let me briefly tell how my husband and I dealt with this very situation a few years ago.

Shortly after arriving in Oregon in 1992 my husband and I welcomed the newest additional to our family (me, my husband and our Rotweiller ALF) an 8 week old Australian Shepherd name Sydney. She was the apple of daddy’s eye, they bonded quickly and formed a warm and trusting relationship that would lasted for over 13 years. When Sydney was only four we realized that she had juvenile cataracts that required very expensive surgery. Shortly thereafter we decided to forgo our own Christmas gifts and give her the gift of sight once again.  We took her to a veterinary opthalmologist to perform bilateral lens replacement in November of 1996. After eight long weeks with an elizabethan collar Sydney emerged with two new lens and much improved vision. Sydney went on to live a wonderful, happy and frisbee chasing life for the next 9 years. But then suddenly in 2005 her hearing started to faded as her eye sight finally betrayed her. It broke my husband heart to see her struggle in the house and then with diminishing hearing she started to withdraw from the world and the very close relationship they had together for over 13 years. While her “health” was fine her quality of life suddenly ceased to exist. She became frighten easily and was for the first time in her life weary of everyone but me and my husband. For Sydney, life was no longer a playful afternoon in the park chasing the frisbee but one filled with fear and uncertainty. When that day arrived we knew it was time but it was oh so difficult for my husband to let go. I performed the euthanasia as my husband held Sydney in his arms for the last time. It brings tears to my eyes now just remembering how wonderful a dog Sydney was and how distraught my husband was that day. So yes, as a veterinarian we deal with the death of our clients pets almost daily but we also deal with it ourselves on a personal basis so we too know the difficulties involved with euthanasia.

But what do I tell my clients when they ask, “How will I know when?”  The answer for me was quality of life for Sydney. Although her health was otherwise ok, her quality of life was almost none existent. WHile there is a “checklist” of questions we ask client the bottom line is truly quality of life. For my clients I tell them if their pet can no longer experience the things it once enjoyed (chasing the frisbee), cannot respond to them in its usual ways, or appears to be experiencing more pain than pleasure, more bad days than good days, then they may need to consider euthanasia. With terminally ill or critically  injured pets, as veterinarians we can evaluate a pet’s condition and provide a prognosis but only an owner can determine quality of life as they know their pet better than anyone -for me quality of life is the most critical factor in making this most difficult of decisions.

Plan Ahead

No one wants to think about euthanasia, but  thinking about it once our pets do get older is wise as most of us need to prepare emotionally for that day. Preparing probably won’t make the decision any easier but it probably will help make it a better one for both ourselves and our pet. We must work out in our our minds “when” the time will be right. Many clients ask me if their pet will give them a “sign” to let them know the time is right. That I cannot answer but what I do know is that it is in our pet’s nature to endure and to sustain the “norm” at all costs – show no weakness in the “wild.” Our pets are much tougher than us so we must assume that the discomfort we see is much less than the discomfort they are really feeling.

Our Pets Trust Us to Make the Right Decision

Our pets love us unconditionally, they are not emotionally selfish and the trust they have in us as pack leaders to make the right decisions on their behave is unwavering. They know our decision to finally let them rest is in their best interest. As pet owners we must understand that with ill or critically injured pets we are not artificially ending life but determining when to cease artificially extending life.  Trust me, I know this can be a gut wrenching decision but planning for that day will help both you and your pet make the right decision when the time comes. Our pets know that despite the fear and sadness that cripples us as we make this decision, in their brave hearts they know we will have the courage to make the right decision on their behalf when the time is right and lay them peacefully to rest.

I will leave with links to numerous other sites that will provide you with more information of pet euthanasia and this poem “The Rainbow Bridge” a poem that  brings tears to my eyes ever time I read it.

Rainbow Bridge 

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown…

Other great sites that you may find helpful:

http://www.pet-loss.net/euthanasia.shtml

American Veterinary Medical Association:

http://www.avma.org/animal_health/brochures/euthanasia/pet/pet_euth_brochure.asp

http://www.specialneedspets.org/euthanasia.htm

Pet Loss and Grief Support

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement – a comprehensive clearinghouse for information and resources on pet loss.

The Changes Program at the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine offers a very good packet of information about pet loss and bereavement, plus other information and resources.

Petloss.com is a wonderful web site that has the Rainbow Bridge story in several languages, the Monday Night Candle Ceremony, a chat room, discussion board, stories, poetry, and other resources.

The Rainbow Bridge Grief Support List

Great site for cat lovers to review when deciding about euthanasia

http://www.messybeast.com/euth.htm

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/pet-euthanasia.html

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/pet_euthanasia_a_difficult_decision#ixzz0TYAcjfLW

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