Better a day too soon........when to make the decision to euthanase

This is perhaps not so much a heated debate, as an emotive subject, but what are your thoughts on the saying, 'Better a day too soon as a day too late'.

I'm referring to euthanasia.

As Iv'e said before, I feel that the popular trend for pet insurance these days encourages us to perhaps prolong the suffering of our dogs because our purse strings are not being stretched. I'm not thinking of the regular run of the mill stuff here, I'm talking about serious and terminal diseases and major trauma.

I worked in an Intensive Care Unit (human) for 23 years, and there is no option but to try and try to prolong life at any cost. People sometimes die awful deaths because we the medical and nursing professions had to keep going, sometimes for several months. I lost count of the number of times I said that the vets had the best option.

Thank goodness we can relieve our pets of the suffering they endure sometimes. 18 months ago I had to make one of these heartbreaking decisions when one of my Irish had his 3rd episode of Gastric Dilatation with Volvulous. He was successfully treated twice, but that 3rd time I had to realise that I couldn't stop this from happening again no matter how I tried, and boy I tried. The next time could have been in the middle of the night,or any other time when I was not around, and I would have come back to find him dead, having suffered unbearably. Already semi consious, he was put to sleep.

Thankfully I could choose to end his suffering.

Hello this is a subject close to my heart.
My first two beloved Staffords when I was at home.
Sam and Gypsy were together all Gypsy's life with just 12 months between them, Sam was perfectly healthy all his life, and so was Gypsy. Until 11 then she got Irritable Bowel and shortly after was diagnosed with "stomach cancer" she started at 14 to fade quickly and then stabilised and enjoyed life very much.
But when she hardley bothered when we picked up her lead, the descision was made but my younger sister was on holiday abroad and we waited until the next day for Di to come home. Gypsy was like a young dog on Di's homecoming and running round like a pure Staff.
But still we knew she was ill, Sam had never been apart from her longer than half a day when she was spayed. Apaart from once when he was 8 and my brother took him camping leaving Gypsy at home he howled all night my brother (then 17) returned with the dog collected Gypsy and happiness reigned on the camping trip.
On that night Sam had a stroke - never a moments illness nothing, we phoned the vet and he reccomended having both PTS at the same timetogether forever. - makes me cry now just writing it.

So we did and they lay side by side right to the end.aGED 15 & 16.

We knew they could carry on for a few months but my question is why? to watch them become so ill they faded before our eyes - NO.
They knew nothing but love all their lives and gave nothing but love - unquestioning devotion to us and each other.

I have the same thing now with my cats they are 21, and Oscar has been diagnosed with Chronic renal faliure, but he is fine eating, drinking,playing, enjoying life. But when the time comes my love for him and
his sister Cleo will be what makes me decide when enough is enough. I won't stand by and see my animals suffer. So I will make the descision a day early rather than regret a day too late.

Karen

I've always thought that the dog should come first, not the human wanting to selfishly keep them :smt105
Just because we can, doesn't mean that we should! I agree that with insurance the owner tends to try everything possible. As an ex-Veterinary Nurse I know that SOME Vets think of the income rather than the animal! ops:
Having said that I've been late myself!! It's not easy when it the one that you love!

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kazz i was in tears reading your post :smt022 .so sad it also took me back to when i lost zak from mast cell tumours tryed everything but couldnt beat it

I always believe that you know when the time is right, and like you Kazz, I'd rather make the decision a day early than regret it a day to late.

Your right Wolfie, I think you just know, like I do now that the time is coming to an end okay 21 isn't ancient for cats but it isn't young either.

I wouldn't put either of them through what some people suggest. Cats for CRF are reccomended to have "fluids intraveniasly" (soz about spelling) But that means having to be restrained for 4-4 hours a day once or twice a week.
When I homed the cats at 7 weeks from a lady who'd rescued them at 5 weeks, Oscar had cigarette burns all over his body and his whiskers had been pulled out. God he was an ugly kitten
I swore they'd never know "hurt" again. And they haven't. So my descision may be a day early, but it will never be a day late.
Karen

well said kazz,

I agree with everything you said Kazz.

Nursey i understand where your comming from, i watched my nan die of bladder and stomache cancer. I know she would have just wanted to go to sleep and stop all her suffering, instead she had to refuse food and drink, and we had to watch her suffer, till the morphine took over.
I think this is a subject that the public veiws and opinions doesnt seem to get accnowledged
Thank god we can make these decisions for our pets.

ive had to make that choice only once, a young bitch i had who already had a thyroid problem but who i was showing and doing well with-best of breed at crufts etc , she went on to get some sort of immune prob, then just fell to bits, a day short of 4 i had to have her pts due to cancer, -shed had enough, she had taken herself into a corner of the room and didnt want to know anymore., her veins where just about closed down, it was so sad and such a young life, i had her daughter who also was winning well but decided id not want to pass any of these problems on so had her spayed and pet homed,on the opposite end of this was my hubby's old springer who was kenelled out, to me the light had gone out of his eyes, he looked confused and his body was going tinny, lost all its curves and substance, i tried to say hed had enough, but he wouldnt hear it, anyhow we had to do the deed as he started fitting and didnt stop, the poor dog was crashing around its kennel, he never regained his senses, which looking back i think he must of had a few of these that we hadnt seen/heard and that would account for the blankness in his eyes,and i agree that its shocking we can do the final kindness for our animals yet watch a much loved person die in misery and pain, somethings not right :smt102