“An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language.”

—MARTIN BUBER

saying goodbye to dog

Making Sure the Timing is Right

The most common question that I get is “How do I know it’s time to put my pet to sleep?”  This is the most difficult decision that we as pet owners will make in the lifetime of our pets. We don’t want to do it too soon, but we also don’t want them to suffer. Making this decision is heart-breaking and many times filled with guilt.  Some people believe that a “natural” death is preferable, however, natural deaths are usually filled with pain, suffering, and distress. Alternatively, euthanasia, which literally means “good death” is the opportunity to give our beloved and cherished pets a peaceful transition.

A phenomenon that I have encountered in working with end of life pet care, is that cat and dog owners who have previously experienced the death of a pet euthanize much sooner. They regret having put their pet through needless suffering and don’t want to make that mistake again.

My job, as a veterinarian, is to help families decide when is the right time. This is somewhat subjective, and depending on the physical condition of the pet, may be a period of days, weeks, or even months. My goal is to prevent suffering and my guideline is based on the quality of life. There are also several tools that the family can use to help measure quality of life and pain levels in their pet such as the HHHHMM Scale and Feline and Canine Pain Scales.

The ultimate decision remains with the family.  After all, pet families know their pet better than anyone, even their veterinarian.

If you live in the Cincinnati area and are considering in home euthanasia for your cat or dog, reach out to us now for more information.

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Signs of Pain

Animals, by nature, try to hide signs of pain and suffering. Dogs and cats will try to hide their suffering from their pet family.

An obvious sign of course, is not eating or drinking, however, if your pet is eating and drinking, they may still be having significant pain. More uncommon signs are:

  1. Restlessness, shifting positions continually, or staying in one position for a long time.
  2. Licking certain areas continually, such as legs or abdomen, and sometime biting or closing their teeth around that area.
  3. Panting, especially at night. Panting in cats is definitely a sign of distress.
  4. Shaking, shivering, or trembling.
  5. Vocalizing, whining, whimpering, moaning or groaning.
  6. Wanting to be alone, no longer wanting to interact as before
  7. Hiding, especially in cats.
  8. Aggression (caused by pain), sometimes manifested by biting when touched.
  9. Loss of continence due to not being able to get to the litter box or outside.
pet end of life resources

Resources on Pain

(CLICK LINKS BELOW TO DOWNLOAD)

Pet euthanasia at home honors your pet’s life by offering an opportunity to say goodbye in a loving, peaceful, and comfortable environment. For more information or to speak with Dr. Cionni, call 513-666-1533.