Pet End of Life Care
Assessing the quality of life for your pet and making end-of-life decisions
Pet End of Life Care
Deciding to euthanize your pet may be one of the most difficult decisions you ever make. Often, well-loved pets are euthanized to minimize unnecessary suffering. An animal’s life is defined by their overall physical and mental well-being, not just one aspect of their life. 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.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- What is the most important thing when considering my pet’s end-of-life treatment?
- What are my thoughts about euthanasia?
- Would I consider euthanasia if the following were true about my pet:
- Feeling pain?
- Can no longer urinate and/or defecate?
- Starts to experience seizures?
- Has become uncontrollably violent or is unsafe to others?
- Has stopped eating?
- Is no longer acting normally?
- Has a condition that will only worsen with time?
- Financial limitations prohibit treatment?
- The veterinary team recommends euthanasia?
How do I know when it’s time?
The following tools may aide 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.
I have chosen euthanasia, what’s next?
Home burial or cremation?
We understand that your pet is a beloved family member, and will ensure this final goodbye is done with integrity and compassion. That’s why we have partnered with Pet Cremation Services of Columbus, OH for over 20 years.
For cremation you have the option of:
- Private Cremation: The cremains will be placed in a wooden urn with name plate or you can opt for the cremains to be put in a velvet bag. This also includes one clay paw print.
- Communal/Mass Cremation: No urn, ashes will be spread at Nature Preserve in Columbus, Ohio.