Quality of Life and Hospice Care
Quality of Life and Hospice Care
At Neighborhood Vet Care we recognize that saying goodbye to a cherished pet is a difficult thing. When the time comes, we will help guide you through your furry friend’s final chapters with grace and tenderness, ensuring they are comfortable and treated with dignity to the end.
Deciding to euthanize your companion animal may be one of the most difficult decisions you ever make. The quality of animals’ lives is defined by their overall physical and mental well-being. It is important to remember that all pets are different. What may be considered a poor quality of life for one may be different for another. We are here for you and your beloved pet every step of the way.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Is my pet in pain?
- Is my pet no longer able to urinate and/or defecate?
- Has my pet started to experience seizures?
- Has my pet become uncontrollably violent or is unsafe to others?
- Has my pet stopped eating?
- Is my pet no longer acting normally?
- Does my pet have a condition that will only worsen with time?
- Are there financial limitations prohibiting treatment?
- Has palliative (hospice) care has been exhausted or is not an option?
- Does the veterinary team recommend euthanasia?
How do I know when it’s time?
The following tools may aid you in making the decision to euthanize:
- Enlist the help of your veterinarian. While your veterinarian cannot make the decision for you, it is helpful for him/her to know that you are considering euthanasia.
- Remember how your pet looked and behaved prior to the illness. Sometimes changes are gradual, and therefore hard to recognize. Look at photos or videos of your pet from before the illness.
- Mark good and bad days on a calendar. (Some may choose to distinguish morning from evening.) This could be as simple as a happy or sad face for good or bad. If the bad days start to outweigh the good, it may be time to discuss euthanasia.
- Write a concrete list of three to five things your pet likes to do. When your pet is no longer able to enjoy these things, it may be time to discuss euthanasia.
