When is it time to put my senior cat with breathing problems to sleep?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Mecia is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately as she may require stabilization such as fluids or supplemental oxygen to make her more comfortable. A vet may recommend euthanasia, but no vet will euthanize Mecia without your consent.

This is always a tough question to answer. I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this question all the time with clients. I recommend making a list of five things Coco used to love to do, and if she is no longer doing at least two of them, her quality of life has declined to where euthanasia should be considered. Quality of life is very important in these cases. I would speak with her vet to see what they think about her quality of life. I hope this helps.

I'm sorry you are faced with making this decision. It is always tough. The best thing to do is to assess her quality of life. If her quality of life is poor then you know it's "time". I think these links will help you more. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/ ) ( https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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.

I'm so sorry G is so sick. I work for an home euthanasia service, so I face these kinds of questions frequently with my clients. I would look at G's quality of life in make the decision as to when to euthanize him. If he's in pain, losing weight, having diarrhea, detached, and head pressing, his quality of life isn't very good. When a cat is in constant pain, they will be suffering daily, and in my opinion, that is when it is time to let them go peacefully. It's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet, and they are often ready to go before we are ready to let them go. By letting G go peacefully and without further pain, you will be giving him one last great gift. If you'd like to discuss this further with me, I'd be happy to consult with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Again, I'm sorry he's so ill :-(

Chronic sinusitis can be permanent but there are many potential options to try to minimise and improve symptoms. Steam therapy, extended courses of antibiotics such as doxycycline, mucolytics to loosen the discharge and interferon can all help to improve progress but treatment is likely to be required for relapses. Euthanasia is a very valid option is such cases as the condition is very distressing when they are struggling to breathe in particular

I'm sorry to hear that Midnight is doing so poorly. As Dr. Darvishian mentioned, breathing changes are a medical emergency and should be addressed by an emergency vet right away. It's possible that Midnight's breathing changes, coughing, weight loss, weakness, appetite and drinking changes, and lethargy could be due to congestive heart failure, asthma, cancer, or many other issues. She's likely experiencing restlessness and a loss of appetite because she can't breathe well enough to comfortably lay down or swallow. I strongly recommend taking Midnight to an emergency vet right away. This is not a situation that can be managed at home. I hope that everything goes well.