Putting Pet Down Not An Easy Decision
December 3, 2005
Whether to euthanize a beloved dog or cat is
one of the most heart-wrenching decisions a pet owner can make.
"He was amazing," said dog owner Jerry Breiby.
"I've never seen another dog that was as smart as that dog was."
Breiby was speaking about Bandit, his dog of
14 years.
Bandit had to be put down after battling
months of health problems.
It was a decision Ann Graham agonized over.
"Whatever you do, tell me when," said Graham.
"And he woke up one morning and he couldn't get up. He couldn't
walk. He couldn't do anything. OK, that was a good sign. It was
time."
Veterinarian Sandi Sawchuk said the right time
is not always the same for pets and pet owners.
"Those may be two different things," she said.
Pet owners may be in the midst of their pet's
end-of-life decision, but knowing what's best is not always
clear.
"It was kind of like, some days he'd have bad
days and I'd think 'Oh I'm probably not doing him a service.'
And the next day he'd be fine," said Graham.
"When we're in that situation where we've got
an owner that feels like they're playing God, the best thing we
can do is just sit them down and go through everything medically
that we know," said Sawchuk. "Just present them with the facts
again."
Sawchuk is herself facing the fact that her
three-year-old Bulldog Lydia is on borrowed time with numerous
health problems. So, as a pet owner she knows that the medical
facts don't always tell the complete story and only an owner
really knows his or her pet.
"It's never easy for us," said Sawchuk. "It's
never easy for the family. And as a veterinarian we always have
pets.
We're always in that situation ourselves. So
we know what people are going through."
"The big thing to remember is you cant put
yourself first," said Graham. "Would you want to be the one
suffering?"
Though Graham has new dogs now, helping Bandit
rest in peace helped her learn to trust both her veterinarian
and her relationship with her pet.
"He just went peacefully," said Graham. "I
mean it was just like he went to sleep. It was just pretty and
beautiful."
Veterinarians say there are several things to
consider before making the decision to put a pet down.
- Do you want to be present while the pet
is put down?
- Do you want it done in a clinic or have
the veterinarian come to your home?
- What do you plan to do with your pet's
remains?
You can create an online memorial to your departed pet for free at at
www.ILovedMyPet.com.
For More Information Contact:
ILovedMyPet.com
Email: support@ilovedmypet.com
Internet: http://www.ilovedmypet.com/