When is it time to have a pet be put to sleep?

[Guitar]

So sorry, kevinsgirl.

We’re a cat welfare centre here and with pet foods being what they are these days our cats are regularly surviving all the things they used to die of and really are living too long (tumours, senility, the works). We’ve had to make the decision many times and it’s easy to say “you’ll know when” when you’ve been through it this often but for the first few times it’s not really helpful advice, I know.

Whenever I’ve not been sure, I’ve remembered the advice given to me years ago - better to put a suffering animal down a week “too soon” than a day too late.

It sounds like you and the vet made the right decision.

 

[kevinsgirl]

I hate to hijack a perfectly adorable kitten thread, but reading through this thread made me wonder the obvious.

Everyone here makes a perfectly logical case for pet-euthanasia, yet I know that if the same sensible logic and reasoning were applied to human beings, there would be a storm of outrage. Either euthanasia is universally bad or universally acceptable as a means of mercy-killing. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to allow Foo-Foo to be put out of her misery while allowing a man dying of incredibly painful cancer to go on suffering – all due to the idea that you are murdering such a man.

At least on the surface, it seems hypocritical, double-standarded, and plain illogical, and because of this, I’d like an answer (even if this is a pet-thread).

(Oh yes, and please don’t go on with an answer about humans not being animals: both them and us suffer chronic illnesses unto death which aren’t exactly fun)

Thank You.

The difference is because pets are not people. People have a divine purpose for their life and suffering is sometimes a way to accomplish that (i.e. their suffering can be offered up as a sacrifice or can be a way to bring them closer to God). Pets, on the other hand, do not have souls that exist after death and their suffering does not accomplish anything eternally (it cannot be redemptive) therefore using euthanasia in the case of pets is acceptable but not in the case of people.

Oh, and as I know you didn’t mean to hijack this thread…please start a different one for an euthanasia debate. Thanks.

 

[CarrieH]

I’m so sorry for your loss, kevinsgirl, and everyone else who has recently had to make this most difficult decision. :console: A friend of mine is a dog-breeder, and he says that it is better to euthanize a pet one day “too soon” than “too late.” In other words, don’t let them suffer unnecessarily. Dogs and cats are very stoic and won’t let you see that they are suffering until they are really in a bad way. That’s nature’s way of keeping them safer when they are in the wild, so other animals don’t see that they are in a weakened state and then attack them.

I had to put my dearly-beloved cat down back in March just a couple of weeks before his 16th birthday, so this kind of pain is fairly fresh in my mind. The poor old guy’s kidneys were failing and I had almost taken him in on Monday. Tuesday night I noticed that he looked poorly and one of his eyes was drooping, so we think he might have had a stroke. So Wednesday morning we went for the final trip to the vet. I know in my heart that it was time, and if anything, I wish I had taken him on Monday rather than waiting.

People will ask you if you are going to get another pet, and this may seem insensitive as you grieve for your lost kitty. But as one friend explained it, there are few enough good pet owners out there, so if you are a good owner and have room in your home and your heart, do another animal a favor and adopt it. I lasted all of 10 days before I adopted another cat, and I “told” my deceased one that it was because I loved him so much that I wanted another kitty to have a happy home and a good life. And now I have two!

St. Francis, pray for us and our beloved companion animals!

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

Dogs and cats are very stoic and won’t let you see that they are suffering until they are really in a bad way. That’s nature’s way of keeping them safer when they are in the wild, so other animals don’t see that they are in a weakened state and then attack them.

**I have always known this but our old dog Buck proved it so very true. He was about 15 or 16 and didn’t seem to be too bad off. One evening he went off the deck and something was very wrong. We were sure he broke his leg. But then he seemed ok again. The next day things were much worse and we took him to the vet. The x-ray on his leg showed VERY bad bone cancer that was throughout his whole body! The vet was absolutely amazed because most dogs who have cancer that advanced show symptoms way before that. He had to be eauthanized that day:crying:. I still think about how he would whine occasionally for what seemed to be no reason and how much pain he must have been in for so long. It breaks my heart. I wish we could have done better for him…

Malia**

 

[CarrieH]

]**I still think about how he would whine occasionally for what seemed to be no reason and how much pain he must have been in for so long. It breaks my heart. I wish we could have done better for him…

Malia**

Malia, you did the best you could given the knowledge you had. My brother’s Golden retriever did the same thing, acted fine as he was dying inside by inches from cancer. Then one day it snowed and they noticed blood in what was supposed to be “yellow snow.” Within a week he was gone. It does break your heart, but that just goes to show that you were a good, caring “dog-mommy.” Don’t beat yourself up over this. :console:

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

My husband’s cat is 16 years old, has bad arthritis, very bad teeth, and we just noticed she has an infection of some sort on her face. I’m going to call the vet tomorrow to see what they suggest, but my husband and I are leaning towards having our kitty be put to sleep. My question for those of you who have gone through this is when did you know it was time? I had a cat growing up, but she died naturally when she was about 12, so I’ve never had to make this decision. I know our kitty is in pain right now and I don’t think treating the infection is going to solve her inability to eat much and her obvious discomfort. Do you think the humane thing to do is to have her be put down?

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

kevinsgirl

Wow, this is tough

I’ve been through it three times—the first cat died naturally, but I’m not sure that was the kindest thing.

But then I think I’m playing God, and I turn on that spit. The other two were clearly quite ill, and suffering. Even so, I felt like I had killed my best friend.

 

[IrishAm]

My heart hurts for all who have had to put down beloved pets. That is part of having pets, however; sometimes it is the most loving thing we can do.

Animals do not fear death; but they don’t understand pain.

 

[Celeste88]

I had a cat who lived to be 21.He had arthritis and kidney problems. He was getting to the point he couldn’t walk or jump and I had to pick him up and put him on the sofa and feed him baby food. When he just didn’t want to walk and started toppling over I took him to the vet and we decided right there to euthanize him. That was over 10 years ago and I still have his ashes in a box my night stand, along with another cat’s ashes. I imagine I’ll collect many more boxes of cremains and they’ll all be buried with me when I go. :heaven: