End of Life Care for Pets

Discussing a topic such as euthanasia is something we all know is important, yet most of us are completely unprepared when the moment is upon us.  The life of our pets is precious, and the unconditional love and companionship they give us is likely why we avoid discussing the topic. Though we know we are responsible for their well-being and it would crush our hearts to know they suffered as a result of our own selfishness, it pains us dearly to think about living life without them. It truly is a struggle of "Head" and "Heart".

Sometimes the most loving acts are the most difficult.

Discussing a topic such as euthanasia is something we all know is important, yet most of us are completely unprepared when the moment is upon us.  The life of our pets is precious, and the unconditional love and companionship they give us is likely why we avoid discussing the topic.

Assessing Your Pet's Quality of Life

When we are counseling clients about the Quality of Life (QOL) of their dog or cat, we think it is helpful to consider living/ life in two categories: “Essentials for living” and “Factors that influence quality of life”. The essentials are Eating, Drinking, Pooping, Peeing and all processes involved with executing those activities such as hygiene, mobility, etc.  These are the necessary functions of living, but do not indicate activities that bring joy, social fulfilment/ love, security, or comfort. We consider these first, because these can be the most challenging for us as caregivers to provide and often it is difficult to have QOL without first having the essentials met. If these needs are not being met, something must change to sustain life.

Once we get past the “essentials,” what we have left are the factors that, in sum, define who your pet is. Are they doing the activities and behaviors that they did when they were healthy? Consider their level of social “connectedness”. If they are gregarious and highly socially interactive, but now, most of the time, you find them by themselves, we would begin to consider their QOL poor.

What defines your pet’s character? Has that changed? Consider the times you have experienced an illness such as a bad case of the flu. When you have a fever, aches, and chills, do you behave the same as you do when you are feeling well? The major change is your level of “connectedness”.  Albeit temporarily, but during that phase, you disconnect from family, friends, and society and retreat to your bedroom until a time when you can reconnect. There is an eventual end of your suffering with the resolution of the illness. If you remained in that state, you would consider your QOL to be poor, and if it went on long enough, one might even question continuing. Life is difficult and sometimes painful. There is always suffering, but the difference is whether there is an end to that pain. As pet guardians, it is our job to be aware of their state (Physical health, emotional health, Quality of life) and to the best of our ability prevent and end needless suffering.

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Pet's Quality of Life Scale

The reason this is so difficult is that one cannot quantify, give it a hard number, when considering their quality of life. It is a factor of our heart and soul, of our perceptions and our values: all of which are different for every individual. We think so many of our clients struggle because they are looking for a clear-cut, well-defined line that, when crossed, they will know without doubt that it is now time to let their beloved go. All of that is OK. To struggle and search indicates that you love them deeply; that you are considering another’s soul before your own is proof of the depth and expanse of that love. We will never know with certainty when the right time will be, but the good news is that as long as you are searching and doing your best for your pet with love in your heart, whatever and whenever it is, it is the right thing to do for them.

We are always here to listen, to share, and to help.

Celebrating Your Pet’s Final Days

Create a "bucket list" for your dog or cat. This can help get the whole family involved and make these last days as memorable as possible for everyone. 

What is End of Life Care?

End of Life care for your dog or cat is about giving them and their caregivers control, dignity, and comfort during the time they have remaining. Dedication to serving the needs and wants of the dog and cat and their family is a key aspect of End of Life care. Veterinary End of Life care is a family-centered service dedicated to maintaining comfort and quality-of-life for the terminally ill pet until natural death is achieved or the family elects euthanasia. Our goal is to assist clients with the palliative care of their dog or cat in a home environment, providing comfort for the pet and support for the family.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliation is defined as relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder at any stage of an illness. Palliative care can be provided through medications, fluid therapy, nutritional support, as well as various devices used to assist with mobility and care are just a few of the services provided by the veterinary health care team.

Why End of Life Care?

End-of-life care is a way to provide the best comfort and palliative care possible for a terminally ill pet so that their caregivers can make use of every modality available to provide for a level of comfort that allows the pet to live out the remainder of their life as comfortably as possible.

End-of-life care aims to provide quality, meaningful time between the pet and their family, respecting the depth of the human-animal bond, as well as comprehending the extraordinary importance of the strong spiritual, psychosocial, and emotional needs of both the Pet and the caregiver. This means honoring the pet’s will to live and understanding that it transitions in its own time and at its own pace, with death being neither hastened nor postponed. It means embracing the pet’s final journey as a moment of transcendence and growth and recognizing that, ultimately, our pets want us to be there when they depart.

End-of-life care means being willing to fully understand the stages of the dying process, recognizing its importance as the final stage of living, and making a commitment to both the pet and their family to be with them during each step of the journey.

End-of-life care is a way of seeing through the veil and viewing death not as an enemy to be feared, but as a doorway to the next phase of life. It means accepting that we have done our best with what we have been given during a specific moment in time, but never feeling regret. We must be willing to give death a chance, without allowing fear, apprehension, or our own discomfort to guide our decision, but rather, accepting death as a moment of grace and coming to realize that we are still learning every step of the way. It means allowing our pets to teach us what they know about death: far more than we can ever hope to know.

When Is the Right Time for Euthanasia?

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Pet’s Quality of Life Scale

When considering euthanasia for your dog or cat, this questionnaire is one of the best tools that a pet parent can utilize. 

Where Should Euthanasia Take Place?

We provide both in-office and in-home euthanasia appointments to accommodate our clients' needs. If you choose to bring your dog or cat to our office, we provide a spacious, quiet room away from the busy exam areas, designed to offer a more comfortable, home-like atmosphere for your dog or cat. We typically schedule these appointments at the end of the day when our clinic is at its quietest. However, we are happy to work with you to find a time that best suits you, your family, and your pet. If you choose to have one of our veterinarians come to your home, we will accommodate you and ensure the setting is most comfortable for your dog, cat, and family. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to where this should take place. We recommend selecting the option that feels most comfortable for you, your family, and your dog or cat, whether that's at home or here in our office. 

When making preparations, please consider your aftercare options. We partner with Legacy Pet's of Charleston for our cremation services to provide respectful and compassionate care for your dog or cat. 

Children and Pet Loss

Encourage children to express their grief by drawing pictures of their dog or cat and sharing what the pictures mean to them. Always listen to what they have to say and praise them for their thoughts. If a child would like the picture to put in his/her room, then honor that wish. It could keep the pet closer to the child at bedtime until the grief has subsided.

  • Make a scrapbook with photos as well as drawn pictures of the pet and family members. Write memories beneath or beside them. Humorous instances should be included on the pages - which can help develop associations with happiness each time the book is opened. Other small items such as a dog tag, or small toy, can be included, as well as sympathy cards, and letters. You can find some very nice packages on the market, for making scrapbooks.
  • If a pet has been cremated, a special place can be arranged in the home for the urn - as well as just a few pictures and mementos of the pet. Some people keep those things on the mantle of a fireplace or utilize a special part of a bookshelf. In choosing and designing this, make sure that children are allowed to participate in the decision-making process. But wherever that place of honor is, it is important that it never be turned into some kind of shrine to the pet’s memory. That can be destructive to bereavement and healing.
  • If the ashes are to be scattered let the child feel he or she was part of the decision-making. It will be more meaningful if this is done at a place where the pet loved to go. Ask for suggestions about this. It is important that a child be made to feel that his or her thoughts and feelings are important to you.
  • If a pet is to be buried, wrap the body in a shroud or casket that (preferably) a family member has made. That can also have an effect of closer bonding with the parents and family.
  • Planting a living memorial, such as a tree or bush in memory of a pet, can feel very satisfying. Making a small flower bed in a spot that was favored by the pet can also be a fine memorial that brings some closure to the grief.
  • Some people have a ritual of lighting candles on anniversaries, and reminiscing about their life with their pets. This offers them a special sense of comfort and respect. Let the children participate in this.
  • It is good to invite friends to talk about their own positive experiences regarding the death of a beloved pet. It is usually a bittersweet time of laughing and crying with one another, but that is part of the healing process. It is good for children to learn about the joys that pets bring into other people’s lives. An exchange of memories helps to broaden their personal perspective of the human/animal bond, and their role in this.

Helping Other Pets Cope with Loss

Online Support

Personal Care – at home, virtual, groups

Phone Support

  • Chicago Veterinary Medical Association – 630-325-1600
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine – 607-253-3932
  • Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine – 508-839-7966
  • PetFriends – 800-404-7387
  • Utah State University Hotline – 435-757-4540

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please reach out to either 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 800-273-8255

At Advanced Animal Care of Mt. Pleasant, we are here to support you and your family through every step of this difficult process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance making end-of-life decisions for your beloved pet.