How to know when my pet's quality of life means it's time?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your pet. I recommend euthanasia based on several factors. If there is an incurable or painful disease present, I do not want the pet to suffer. I want the pet to be willing to eat and drink on its own. I want the pet to have the mobility to make it to the litterbox or outside to be able to go to the bathroom. I want the animal to still experience joy in its life. This could be short walks, playing with toys or just happy to be with you. If these criteria are not being met, I will discuss euthanasia with the family. If you are still unsure, you can schedule a quality of life consultation with your veterinarian. I hope this information helps.

It is such a hard decision to make! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this question with my clients all the time. I recommend looking at Pete's quality of life in order to make this decision. When a cat stops eating, is very lethargic, has trouble breathing, or just wants to sleep all the time, that is a sign their quality of life has decreased to a point where letting them go should be considered. I'm sorry you are facing this, but I hope this helps.

I am very sorry that Toby is not feeling well. It is always hard to make that tough decision. I would recommend taking a hard look at his quality of life. I feel that a patient not being in pain, eating well, maintaining body weight and being happy is how I judge quality of life. If you feel that his quality is low it most likely is time to make that tough decision. I hope that helps.

I’m sorry to hear that you were going through this with your old boy Maxx. It’s going to be a tough time for him and for you as you try to navigate his geriatric years. The most important thing to consider when making a decision like this is Maxx’s quality-of-life. If he is still mostly acting like himself, happy, enjoying going on walks, eating, and doing the things that he has always loved to do, then I would say his quality of life is good. If however he is lethargic, sleeps most of the day, and is grumpy or withdrawn from the family members, then his quality-of-life may not be as good. Based on your description of Max it sounds like he is not in pain which is a good thing. If Max is having more good days in a week then bad I would consider this a good quality of life. When you start to notice the good days are becoming further apart or he stops acting like himself it may be time to let him go. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

When making the decision if it is time to say goodbye to a loved pet, I suggest making a list of 5 things Willie loves to do. If he is no longer able to do at least 3 of them, his quality of life has declined to a point where it may be time to say goodbye. It is never an easy decision to euthanize an animal, but it is in the best interest of that animal to do it when their quality of life declines significantly. Making these kind of decisions is something I help people with frequently, and I would be glad to consult with you further if that would help. You can press the "consult online" button under my answer if you would like to talk further with me.

I am so sorry to hear about Sunny. I know how difficult this decision is. It sounds like Sunny may have chronic rhinitis - which is notoriously difficult to treat. He also has some other “old kitty” problems like kidney disease. When I discuss quality of life with my clients, I remind them that no one knows their pet better and therefore you are the only person qualified to make that decision. We talk about “measuring” quality of life with markers such as: is he still eating and drinking? Is he comfortable? Is he pain free? Can he walk? Does he interact with his humans? Or, we use the good day/bad day system. When Sunny is having more bad days than good, it is time to think seriously about humane euthanasia. Finally, it is never wrong to seek a “quality of life” exam with your vet to talk about any end of life treatments meant to buy comfort and the best quality time you can have with Sunny. I hope that you can find peace and clarity for yourself and Sunny. I wish you all the best in the time ahead- no matter what you choose.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jake. Your question is one that is frequently asked. I try to counsel clients that once a pet stops eating, drinking, and just basically lays around, it's time to start thinking about one of several courses of action. These would be a diagnostic workup or start considering euthanasia. You said that you don't want to do a workup so I guess you should start considering euthanasia. It is possible that Jake has something that is very treatable like hyperthyroidism, but of course, that would involve a diagnostic workup. There are many things that it could be and some of them are treatable, and of course, some are not. Liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or even cancer are just some of the possible causes. The problem with vomiting is that unless you intervene, he will just continue to get weaker and weaker from fluid/electrolyte losses. This will lead to extreme lethargy, shock, and even death. I learned over the years that this experience is different for everyone. Some people can not under any circumstances, make the irreversible call of ending their pets life. I counsel clients but never push them unless I truly think that the pet is suffering. I would just say go with your heart and remember, sometimes euthanasia is the last gift of love that pet owners can give their beloved companions. Please know that whatever you decide, it is the right decision. Again, I'm sorry that you are going through this with Jake.