Deciding whether or not a pet needs to be euthanized is the most difficult choice an owner must make, according to Kathy L. Kitchener, DVM, writing in a past issue of Companion Animal Practice.  Euthanasia is derived from the Greek words eu and thanatos.  It means ‘death and peace’.  For the caring owner, however, the process of making the decision is far from peaceful.

If your pet’s health has seriously deteriorated and you are facing a euthanasia decision, Dr. Kitchener advises that you ask yourself the following questions:

• Can my pet do the things it once enjoyed?

• Is your pet eating regularly?

• Does your pet seem to experience more pain than pleasure?

• Can it respond to me and to its surroundings in the usual ways?

• Has illness or decrepitude made my pet more snappish or ill-tempered?

• Can my pet control its bodily functions?

• Am I able to provide the necessary care for my pet?

• Will the cost of caring for my pet become too expensive for me to afford?

No amount of preparation can erase the grief when a beloved pet is seriously ill or dying.  Asking yourself the questions that Dr. Kitchener has outlined, however, can help you evaluate the degree of your pet’s suffering and enable you to make a careful decision at a difficult time.

Reprinted with permission.