THE HARDEST DECISION
One of the hardest things you may ever have to do as a pet owner is to make the decision to euthanize your pet. While you may receive the counsel of many people at this time, ultimately the decision rests with you, and it should be a decision that you feel comfortable with. Remember, you are the best judge of your pet's well-being and you will know whether or not the time is right. Consult with your veterinarian and get her feelings on what your pet might be experiencing. Think about quality of life. Sometimes the question might not be "is my pet in pain?". Animals who might not be experiencing pain, may still have a greatly reduced quality of life. Is your pet still able to do the things he enjoys? Does he still interact with the family in the way he used to? If your pet seems to be having fewer "good days" and more "bad days", then it may be time to consider the poption of euthanasia.
The process of euthanizing pet entails injecting the cat intravenously with an overdose of anesthetic. The animal becomes unconscious within seconds and usually within a minute the heart stops. Euthanasia is not painful to the animal. The doctor may choose to lightly sedate prior to the injection.
The process deciding to euthanize an animal is not so simple. If you have made that decision and have the option of spending some time with your pet prior to the appointment, try to make that a time of closure. Spend some special moments with your pet, feed them some special treats, brush them in all of their favorite spots.
If you have children, be up front with them about what is going to happen. There are many resources to help kids deal with the passing of a pet. One book we recommend at Cat Sense is Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant. Be prepared to deal with family members or co-workers who may not understand your grief. To some people it is "just a cat", but the grief over losing a pet (who truly is a member of the family) can be very deep. There are pet grief support groups available.
If you have your pet euthanized at the animal clinic, compassionate staff will make your pet's final moments as peaceful as possible. You are able to be present if you wish, but if you don't feel you can be there, the staff will be supportive in that decision as well. Some may not wish to be present at the time of the euthanasia, but may wish to reenter the room after the pet has passed and spend some time. If you wish to keep some fur as a memento, please ask a staff member to save some for you. Another option is to have a mobile veterinarian come to your home to perform the euthanasia.
There are many options regarding final handling of your pet's body. If you decide to have your pet privately cremated, the ashes will be returned to you in a memorial box. You may also opt to have your pet mass-cremated or to take the remains with you for private burial at home or in a pet cementary. If you take your pet's body for home burial, please leave him wrapped in plastic and bury the coffin at leat 3 feet deep, as the euthanasia drugs would be toxic to any scavenging animal that happened upon the remains.
Your pet has been an important part of your family and the decision to end his life is not one to be taken lightly. You have taken care of him and loved him. Letting him go peacefully is the final gift you can give.
