Euthanasia

Euthanasia is when an injection is given that causes a quick death and prevents needless suffering. Euthanasia is also a subject that some dog owners would prefer not to talk about. Unfortunately it is a decision that anyone who owns a dog may eventually have to deal with.

I guess I have been thinking about this alot lately because my Lulu Bell is reaching the end of her road. I got her from the local dog pound in 1996. At the time the pound and the vet guessed her age to be between 6-8 years old. This would make her almost 18 years old now. Anyway about a year and a half ago I noticed a very small nodule on her breast. It actually started as a little scratch mark. It grew to be about the size of a small walnut within the next few months. The vet said it was very likely cancer but I decided not to have any kind of surgery done do to her age and prognosis. I did decide that if her tumors grew and became large enough to impede her in any way we would then revisit the idea of surgery. Other than that as long as she was happy and comfortable we would not do anything invasive.

The tumors spread across her stomach but never got very large. Recently she has lost some weight and sleeps a little more but overall has been happy and active dog. But I did noticed about 3 weeks ago she stopped asking to play fetch. That may not sound like a big deal to most but not playing fetch is a very serious problem in Luluville. Every day now for over 17 years Lulu  has asked to play fetch. Each night she would bring a toy over and nudge me with it . She would bring it I would throw it over and over. It has been her evening ritual.

Now each day since then I feel myself watching her. Constantly watching her health and weighing her happiness. Hoping that I won’t have to decide her fate today. Hoping that we will have a little longer to enjoy her companionship.Some dogs go quietly on their own  which is sad but also a relief on some level. It can be stressful watching an ailing dog day after day. Each day  wondering if today will be the day you have to take the ride over to the vets office to be euthanized. If you have gone through this yourself I know you understand exactly what I am talking about.

Years ago I had a dog named Balki. I had Balki from a pup that I adopted from the local pound in N.Y. He was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma at age 7 . The vet said that as his illness progressed he would have more and more difficulty breathing. He explained that the tumors in the lymph nodes on his next would keep growing and put more and more pressure on his throat. Each day towards the end his breathing got worse and worse until one day I decided it was too much . I took him back to the vet and stayed with him and talked to my friend while the vet gave him his last injection. Was it hard to go in there? Absolutely. I know some people can not go in but for me it is not even a choice. I know in my heart that it is less stressful for him if I am in there with him rather than leaving him with strangers.

Sometimes the decision to euthanize has to be made due to a dog being seriously injured or sometimes for aggression. These situations can sometimes be even more gut wrenching for the owners because these dogs are often not old nor terminally ill. I have seen families forced to euthanize their injured dog due to lack of funds. Often these are young dogs that could have alot or years left if their injuries were repaired. In situations like these euthanasia is really the only viable choice to end the dog’s suffering. Although it was the right decision it is not a decision that can bring any comfort to the owner . You can only feel the guilt and shame that the owner is dealing with . Sadly I am sure that some owners  never really come to terms with it either.

The aggressive dog is another situation where euthanasia has to be considered. I suggest that anyone in this position get the dog evaluated by an experienced dog behaviorist. They can tell you if it is a problem that can be fixed or if you have a truly aggressive dog. A very small percentage of dogs are truly aggressive or mentally not stable. Listen to the behaviorist advice maybe even get a second opinion. Usually aggressive dogs have bonded with some of the family members making the decision to euthanize extremely hard to make. Unfortunately if you give the dog away and it bites someone you could be held liable if they claim that you did not disclose the fact that your dog was aggressive. As hard as the decision is to euthanize your dog is. It will be much harder to deal with your child getting bit in the face or perhaps someone being mauled. You could choose to confine or tie him up but I don’t think it is a good option. You still have to worry if he gets loose and hurts someone. plus do you really think he will be happy living  a life in solitude after living with his family. I feel alot of compassion for anyone who has to go through this. I watched my friend go through this and it was absolutely heart breaking.

I don’t have all the answers but I hope I can help by suggesting some guidelines. I have used these guidelines in the past myself. The guidelines below are intended for failing elderly dogs or terminal dogs near the end. It might be time to euthanize…………..

If a dog has not eaten in 3 days. Dogs like their food.

If a dog is in constant pain with no relief in sight.

If a dog routinely messes on himself and lays in it.

When the quantity of life exceeds to quality of life. Out of love you will know when this is.

This last one I am undecided about. When your dog starts having accidents routinely. Now I chose not to euthanize my doberman for this. But I also could see that it did cause him some distress when he did have an accident. So as I said I am not sure about this situation. You will have to decide for yourselves on this one.

Making the decision to euthanize your dog is a very emotional one. No one can make it for you. Your vet will guide you with information about your dog’s illness. He can tell you is it is a terminal disease. He can also tell you if he is in pain. He can explain to you the signs to look for in the end. Ultimately the vet will usually not tell you what to do. They will usually support whatever decision you make regardless of what they think you should do. After all you love your dog the most and you can best tell if he is suffering too much or still has a few more days to enjoy. Just remember if you were suffering he would do it for you.