September 15, 2013
Every week I have at least one consultation with an elderly
animal where their person is trying to determine if it is time for them to go.
Whether it’s a dog, cat, horse, or something else, I never know what to expect
in these conversations. I meet each animal from a neutral place and put aside
any left-brain ideas about what should happen. I have been surprised so many
times that I know better than to have a personal opinion.
As animals age, they go through a process similar to humans
– they have good days and bad days. I often caution clients that if we talk to
their pet on a bad day, it may want help to leave its body. If we talk to the
same animal on a good day, they may say that everything is fine. So, it’s a
delicate balance of understanding how the animal feels both physically and
emotionally and then asking for a clear sign from them if and when they want
help from the vet.
Last week I talked to a horse that is losing weight and
going downhill at 29. The vet was recommending that he be put down before he
gets too bad, but he wasn’t ready yet. He said that he was still content and
enjoying his days looking at the scenery and that he would trust his caretakers
to know when it was REALLY time for him to go.
A few days ago, I spoke to an elderly dog that has pretty
severe episodes of breathing difficulties. There is nothing else that the vets
can do, so when it happened again, the dog’s person wondered if he’d had
enough. The old guy said that he didn’t feel this was it and that he was
going to come through this one too, and that’s exactly what he did.
I recently had a consultation with a very old rottweiler
that was having trouble getting up. This sweet old guy said that his body was
painful and that life just wasn’t worth living anymore. He hated to leave his
people, but he had done and experienced all he wanted to do in this life and wanted
help leaving his failing body.
Each animal is a unique individual. Only they can determine
their quality of life, pain level, purpose and timing. We always want what’s
best for our pets, and usually what’s best is asking them what they want.
