How Will I Know When It's Time?
Talk to your veterinarian. He or she is the best-qualified person to help guide you through this difficult process. In some cases, your veterinarian may be able to tell you definitively that it is time to euthanize your pet. In other cases, you may ultimately need to make the decision based on your observations of your pet’s behavior and attitude, especially if your pet...
-
Is experiencing chronic pain that cannot be controlled with medication (your veterinarian can help you determine if your pet is in pain).
-
Has frequent vomiting or diarrhea that is causing dehydration and/or significant weight loss.
-
Has stopped eating or will only eat if you force-feed him.
-
Is incontinent to the degree that he frequently soils himself.
-
Has lost interest in all or most of his favorite activities, such as going for walks, playing with toys or other pets, eating treats or soliciting attention and petting from family members.
-
Cannot stand on his own or falls down when trying to walk.
-
Has chronic labored breathing or coughing.
The following link is to the Honoring The Bond Program developed by The Ohio State University. This link provides more information about making the decision, as well as a quality of life scale that can be used as a guid