Knowing When To Euthanize Your Pet; Pain As A Basis For Quality Of Life

Pet owners struggle with assessing the quality of life of their pets with cancer. The level of pain can serve as a guide for owners to decide whether to pursue palliative care or euthanize following the diagnosis of cancer.

Euthanasia is deeply entrenched in the culture of pet keeping in America, and for the vast majority of companion animals, death will be orchestrated by a human caretaker, the time, and date chosen in advance and not, as it were, decided by "nature" or some higher power, according to Jessica Pierce of The New York Times. While euthanasia is often seen as a choice between suffering and death, it can also offer relief from pain.

Pain is most often the barometer used to assess whether an animal should be euthanized or not.  Pain that can no longer be treated can drastically impact a pet's life.

While there will be times when pets will act normal and even wagging their tails, this may not mean they are truly happy, according to Joanna Intile of Pet MD. Animal pain is typically difficult to recognize, as animals may not display pain in ways humans can easily identify.

Assessing a pet's quality life usually revolves around the pet's capability of doing daily activities. Most animals are motivated and interested in food, so when pets are no longer interested in eating, this may be the first sign of problems.

While small tumors will only show subtle symptoms a few times a week, more extreme discomfort may occur over time such as difficulty urinating or defecating. When an animal's life has become poor manifested by major symptoms such as exhaustion, weight loss or breathing difficulties, heroic measures to save a pet's life are not in the pet's best interests.

In some cases, partial paralysis will make it hard for a pet to breathe, as even the slightest exertion will make the animal begin to pant. The most devastating of symptoms is being unable to get up by himself due to exhaustion.

When they are no longer able to eat, drink, play, beg for treats or sleep soundly, there is an immediate decline in a pet's quality of life. The progression of the disease will take a toll, which will force pet owners to determine "when to say when."

Keeping an animal's quality of life should be at the forefront in the decision-making process without allowing the pet to suffer because of cancer. While pet owners bear the huge responsibility of ensuring the need for their animals, euthanasia may sometimes by the best yet devastating option.