Pet Euthanasia

As a veterinarian, I have noted with interest that during a single human lifetime a number of pet lifetimes may pass, and as we recall each pet that shared our time, it seems that they never stayed with us quite long enough.

Euthanasia...What To Expect

You pick up that new kitten or puppy for the very first time. Your imagination races years ahead and uncomfortable, fleeting thoughts pass through your mind. "I hope this little rascal lives a long time" or "I can't imagine this cute little puppy as an old dog" or "Someday this little furry kitten will be old and unhealthy" are quite typical of those thoughts we don't care to entertain at any time. But those thoughts do come. And that time does come. And we pet owners simply have to face our dear pet's mortality. I have often thought how wonderful it would have been if my Golden Retrievers and dear feline friends would have had life spans of sixty or seventy years!

Every individual pet owner faces that day slightly differently from every other pet owner. I have seen totally objective, and even outrightly callous, pet owners simply drop off their pet for euthanasia with no more respect or empathy than a robot. I have never been able to understand this type of pet owner who seems to be saying "When you're dead, you're dead". They can still comfort or simply be with their pet at the time of euthanasia; but for their own reasons they choose to separate themselves from the final moments of their pet's life. Maybe we humans are so close to our pets that we somehow project our own humanity and mortality into them and we actually see ourselves at our own last moments. Do some pet owners act out how they think they would view their own passing?

On the other hand I have witnessed seemingly strong, objective and matter-of-fact individuals who even seem to be somewhat cold and distant who completely fall apart at the time of their pet's passing. The theme to keep in mind, then, as you contemplate how YOU will act at your pet's final moments is to remember that it is a completely personal experience. You have to decide what is best for you and your pet.

I have had people actually say to me "I am sorry, Doctor, but I don't know how to act right now". My response usually would be "Act like you. Your pet has been a huge part of your life for a long time and this is not an easy thing for you to do."

I often sensed that people really had no guidelines to follow, had no firm ground on which to stand while partaking in their pet's final time. For those of you who have had no experience with euthanasia of a pet, I would like to offer a few guidelines so that you will have some firmer ground to stand on when "that time" does come.

The preceding article has been added to our resources with the kind cooperation and permission from T. J. Dunn, Jr. DVM www.thepetcenter.com and www.petfooddirect.com