My senior dog is blind, deaf, declining. Is it time for euthanasia?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Leroy. I'm sorry he's not doing well, and deciding if it's time to consider euthanasia is a tough time. I always recommend looking at the dog's quality of life in making this decision. If it's a poor quality of life, then yes, euthanasia would be the kindest option. While I cannot ultimately make this decision for you, based on your description of him currently, it does sound like his quality of life has declined to a point where euthanasia should be considered. I apologize if that is hard to read, or if it upsets you. It's never easy to make this choice, but if it prevents him from having his quality of life decline more, it is truly a blessing for him. 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.

What a hard decision for you to make! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I do face this question all the time with my clients. You need to look at Holly's quality of life. I typically suggest making a list of five things a dog loved to do; when they no longer do at least two of them, then their quality of life has declined to point where euthanasia should be considered. Given that she is incontinent, blind, can't hear well, stands in a corner and stares, and is losing weight, I would say her quality of life has declined quite a bit and it may be time to let her go peacefully. I would have a discussion with your vet about this, and I'm sorry you are in this position. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this issue. The right time to euthanize a pet is based on quality of life. If you feel his quality of life is diminished then it is time. In my opinion, no veterinarian will turn you away or judge you for wanting to euthanize her based on the information you provided here. Quality of life is based on many factors. You can check out this link as it may help you to make a decision. ( https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf ) I hope this helps. Best wishes.

I'm sorry to hear that both you and Valentino have had to deal with these challenges over the past few years. Dogs can usually adapt fairly readily to a loss of either vision or hearing, or a minor decline in both. Complete loss of both hearing and vision can be quite challenging and many dogs can experience a good bit of associated anxiety associated with this dramatic change in their lifestyle. I agree with you in that it sounds as though Valentino's quality of life is likely poor as a result of these changes. Deciding when to euthanize is an exceptionally difficult and personal decision because there are so many factors to consider. If Valentino still seems to enjoy your company and is able to do his normal things (e.g. find the water bowl on his own, play a bit, navigate your home without too much difficulty, etc.), then it may be worthwhile to give him a bit more time. However, if he seems overly anxious, fearful, seems afraid to move around too much, repeatedly bumps into things, or has trouble finding his water bowl, then it's likely in his best interest to consider humane euthanasia. I've included a link to a guide that I personally find quite helpful in helping to decide when it's time to euthanize my own pets, as it helps me to think about things more objectively. I'm really sorry that you and Valentino are in this situation and wish you both the best. https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

Oh no, I'm so sorry that Santeri is so sick! I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face this question all the time with my clients. I suggest making a list of five things Santeri loved to do. If he's not doing at least two of them, then his quality of life has decreased to a point where humane euthanasia should be considered. It's always a hard decision to make, but if he has a poor quality of life, letting him go peacefully would be a great kindness. If you'd like to discuss this further, I'd be happy to consult with you. Just click the "consult online" button under my answer. Otherwise, I hope my answer helps and I'm sorry you are facing this issue :-(

I'm sorry to hear that but according to your description i do believe it is time to have her put to sleep as her quality of life is really not good anymore and this should always be the main concern.