Your pet can’t tell you when they’re ready to pass on. While they may mentally be ready, their body is still performing the necessary life functions. However, they may be silently suffering from a terminal disease or condition that treatment can no longer help. As a devoted pet owner, it’s up to you to determine if your furry companion is uncomfortable, in pain, and ready to end their suffering. Fortunately, you don’t have to make this difficult decision alone—our Lap of Love veterinarians are well-versed in guiding pet owners trying to judge their pet’s quality of life and when to end their suffering.
An objective scale is one of the best tools for determining your pet’s quality of life. The following two pet quality of life scales, developed by Lap of Love co-founders Drs. Gardner and McVety, highlight different ways to evaluate quality of life and address your family concerns:
Overall, you can evaluate your pet’s quality of life based on the following factors, simplifying your decision to end your cherished companion’s suffering:
Pain
Pain from osteoarthritis, cancer, or other diseases is a major deciding factor in choosing to end your pet’s suffering. Limping, increased respiratory and heart rates, whining, whimpering, and lack of appetite can be pain indicators. If your pet’s pain can no longer be managed with pharmaceutical or alternative therapies, consider ending their suffering.
Mobility
Keeping a large pet active and mobile can be a significant challenge when confronted with painful or degenerative conditions, because the inability to move means your pet cannot stand to eat, drink, urinate, defecate, or engage in their favorite activities. While a small pet is easier because you can carry them from place to place, close monitoring is necessary to prevent decubitus ulcers (i.e., bedsores), urine scald, and stiffness, and to ensure they remain properly hydrated and fed while they are unable to walk.
Nutrition
Many pets suffering from a terminal illness lose their appetite, because of pain, nausea, or the inability to chew or swallow properly. Without proper nutrition, your pet will become weak and unable to fight off infection and cope with their current medical conditions. Essential vitamins, minerals, and other key nutritional needs must be met to keep your pet strong, healthy, and thriving. You may need to try a variety of diets, invest in a prescription food, or syringe- or tube-feed your pet to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.
Hydration
Similar to nutrition, adequate hydration may be difficult for painful or nauseous pets, or for those who suffer from a condition that makes swallowing difficult. A prime example of a pet requiring proper hydration to remain healthy is a cat with chronic kidney disease. As toxins build up in the bloodstream because the damaged kidneys cannot flush them out, the cat becomes nauseous and refuses to drink. As the cat vomits, they experience greater water deficits that must be replaced for many bodily functions to occur. Owners who have cats with kidney disease typically administer fluids under the skin to help bolster kidney function. Critical cases are often hospitalized with an intravenous (IV) catheter for fluid administration.
Elimination
Many pets with terminal illnesses find normal urination and defecation difficult. Getting into the appropriate position to eliminate may be painful, or they may experience repeated bouts of diarrhea or constipation. Urinary or fecal incontinence are common in older pets or those who suffer from chronic diseases, making good hygiene difficult, but it’s essential for warding off skin and urinary tract infections.
Behavior
If your pet fails to enjoy their favorite activities or shuns family interactions, they are clearly suffering. For pets who hide, display unusual behaviors, or appear listless, dull, uninterested, and no longer take pleasure in day-to-day life, helping them pass on may be kinder.
In general, you may consider ending your pet’s suffering if they are experiencing more bad days than good, displaying pain, have anorexia or difficulty eliminating or walking, are behaving unusually, or simply seem to no longer enjoy life.
Deciding on the best time to end your pet’s suffering is tough, but you can rely on your family veterinarian for guidance, or contact a Lap of Love veterinarian in your area. Contact our Support Center to learn more about veterinary hospice care, in-home euthanasia, and our aftercare options and telehospice services. Our team is dedicated to making this difficult decision easier for pet families—reach out for our support and advice.
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