Euthenasia questions

[Anonymous]

How do you know when it's time? How do you explain it to the kids (10-12 age range)? How do you get yourself ready to say goodbye when you just aren't ready??

[Anonymous]

I just did this last week. In hindsight, I think I waited too long. Next time I will try to make it more about the pet and less about me. I used Lap of Love and it was a peaceful, positive experience. Their website is good because it has quality of life checklists that can help you make your decision.

[Anonymous]

Our kids knew that our dog was sick. Over the weekend she stopped eating. We bought prescription "cancer dog food", gave her chicken and yogurt and anything we thought she might enjoy, and she turned all of it down. We told them about the vet appointment and took her in while they were at school.

Our 4 year old was pretty upset and had crying outbursts for weeks.

[Anonymous]

12:50 here: I was very blunt with my kids before the fact. I told them that the cat was very old and very sick and was going to die soon. My kids are little though. They were not there for the process and I did not give them details, just that his body stopped working and he died and the vet took his body away.

[Anonymous]

My dog kept going to the farthest end of our property to hide behind our large thick green giant trees. He started to refuse to come inside even at the end of the day (and he was very much always an "inside dog"). He basically was telling me it was time, only not in words.

[Anonymous]

It's time when the animal can't enjoy life. When they can't eat, can't control bladder/bowels, find enjoyment in life. On the day our dog was put to sleep, she spent the whole day sleeping, minus coming out from underneath the dresser a couple of times for a sip or two of water and to say goodbye to each of us.

[Anonymous]

OP, very sorry.

Please stay in the room with your animal when the euthanasia is administered. They look for their people at the end. It will be a comfort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, very sorry.

Please stay in the room with your animal when the euthanasia is administered. They look for their people at the end. It will be a comfort.

Oh, we would definitely do it at home, with the adults present/holding him. He hates being in the car, and I’m not putting him through that again.

[Anonymous]

When they wander around because they are looking for a place where their bodies won’t hurt. When they won’t make it through another winter/summer etc. without huge measures by you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When they wander around because they are looking for a place where their bodies won’t hurt. When they won’t make it through another winter/summer etc. without huge measures by you.

I never realized that is something they do - on the day we put one of our cats to sleep, she went to each room - rooms that she hadn't been in for a week as she got sicker - and we found her in an upstairs bedroom when the vet arrived. We figured she was saying goodbye to each room, but of course she could have been wandering to try to get comfortable.

I think we waited too long with one of our cats, which is why we were very careful with this most recent cat. It's a hard decision - but it honestly will NOT get any easier with each passing day. If you know your animal is in pain, or isn't eating or drinking, or incontinent (which animals hate just as much as we do), then it's time.

It's a gift we can give to our animals - but it's hard, hard, hard.

To explain to children: the animal has gotten very old and isn't happy or comfortable any longer, so she will die soon. We can help her along, which we believe is a gift to her, although it's hard for us. So we will take her to the vet to put her to sleep - do you want to come or not? (with younger kids you may just say "she's going to die soon" and then take to the vet and put her to sleep, saying she died - not telling them that you had her put to sleep. But at some point, I do think children should learn your morals - that you do this, and it's for these reasons, and why you believe it's important. Not sure when that would be - I think each parent needs to make that decision based on their child's age, developmental stage, maturity, etc.

[Anonymous]

Everyone seems to feel like they waited too long. So, OP, if you are starting to question it, it is probably time! Like the PP said, give that gift to your pet.

[Anonymous]

If you can afford it Lap of Love will come to your home and do a pre-euthanasia evaluation, if it will give you more peace that you are making the right decision. I'm so sorry.