When to say goodbye? How to assess your senior dog's quality of life.

Making the decision to euthanize your pet is never easy. I usually recommend owners make a list of all the things their pet loved/loves to do. For instance, did she used to love to eat, go on walks, play with a special toy, get tummy rubs, go on car rides, etc. Now you make a check mark on the day she does that. As well as noting her appetite and if she can go out to go potty and not have accidents. When she starts to have more bad days than good days it is a sign that her quality of life is poor. You know her best. While her blood work isn't showing any problems there could be medical problems that won't. Just know that this is an extremely difficult decision but know that you have Cheyennes best interest at heart. I hope this helps. Kisses to Cheyenne!

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 If however he is lethargic, sleeps most of the day, and is grumpy or withdrawn from the family members, then his quality-of-life may not be as good.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.

You need to assess Trudy's quality of life. If her quality of life is decreased from what is "normal" for her then I would say it is time. These articles may help you better. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/ ) ( https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/ ) Hope this helps. So sorry you are having to make this decision. Best wishes.

This is always a hard decision as our loved ones get older. My rule of thumb is to look for when they have more bad days than good days or they quit eating or quit getting excited about things that ALWAYS use to make them excited. From what you're telling me it doesn't sound like she is ready to be euthanized BUT you know her better than anyone and with her age and all of her problems, whenever you make that decision it will be be The Right time for her and you. She is so lucky to have such a loving family and to have lived such a LONG life. I hope this helps!

I work for a home euthanasia service, so I often get asked this question from my clients. I recommend making a list of five things your dog loves to do, and if he no longer does at least two of them, then his quality of life has declined to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. This could include eating as well, as dogs do love to eat. Oftentimes, dogs are ready to go before we are ready to let them go, and they tend to hang on for the owner. I would make this list for your Corgi, and use that to help gauge his quality of life. If you'd like, I'd be glad to consult with you on this issue to give you more in depth help. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. I hope this helps!

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 hate to hear Tyson is struggling. The best person to advise you on his quality of life is the veterinarian who is most familiar with Tyson. Also, I recommend to keep a calendar at home. At the end of each day, mark if Tyson had a good day, bad day or mediocre day. This helps you to track the over-all trend. Here is a link with some good questions to ask yourself daily about Tyson: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-decision-of-euthanizing-your-pet/ You may also speak with your vet if other medications could also be beneficial for Tyson like Gabapentin, Tramadol and a general joint supplement. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.