One of the most common questions I am asked as a veterinarian is how to tell when it is time to humanely euthanize ("put to sleep") a pet. This is a difficult topic to discuss, but I personally consider humane euthanasia a privilege.  It is a compassionate act to bring peace to a pet when we cannot fix them. 

Many of our elderly patients have chronic diseases that develop over many years. In these cases, we see a slow decline in the quality of life of the pet, rather than a sudden or dramatic change.  How do we know when it is time?  In these situations, I like to use the following questions to get an idea of the pet's quality of life. These guidelines are adapted from Dr. Villalobos' Quality of Life Scale and similar publications.

The first questions to consider to assess a pet's quality of life are "Is the pet painful" and "Can the pet move around easily".  Pain can be difficult to appreciate in pets, especially in "stoic" breeds such as Pit Bulls and German Shepherds.  For tips on how to tell if your pet is in pain, I recommend the pain scale developed by the Colorado State University Veterinary Medical Center available at www.csuanimalcancercenter.org/anesthesia-pain-management. Often when I see a dog that is having difficulty getting up from a sleeping position or going up stairs, the pet owner tells me that the pet is "just getting older".  Difficulty climbing stairs and difficulty standing from a sitting or sleeping position are actually signs of pain.  If a dog no longer greets you at the door when you come home, or doesn't come upstairs at bedtime anymore, your dog may be in pain.  If the pain cannot be controlled, it is time to consider euthanasia.  If your pet is not able to get to the food or water bowls or get to the yard to relieve itself, these are also quality of life concerns.

The second question to ask is "Can the pet eat, drink, urinate, defecate, and breathe without pain or discomfort".  This question may seem obvious, but it can be difficult to assess.  Pets with difficulty breathing due to heart or lung disease can simply pant more than usual or have more abdominal movement while breathing.  Pets with oral pain due to dental disease will still eat but they may turn their head and chew only on one side of the mouth or food might drop out of the mouth while they eat.  Vomiting is uncomfortable so a pet that vomits every time it eats is in pain.  Pets with bladder stones or constipation experience pain when trying to relieve themselves.  If these problems are not treatable, it may be time to consider euthanasia.  

The last and most difficult question to answer is "Is the pet happy".  The pet owner is really the only one who can answer this question.  Some things to consider are - does the pet have more good days than bad days?  Is the pet able to do the things that he or she enjoys the most?  Can that a Jack Russell Terrier or Labrador Retriever still fetch a ball?  Can that Pit Bull or Boxer still enjoy hanging out with the family?  Can the Chihuahua or Dachshund still bark at the mail man and protect the house?  

All of these considerations need to be assessed as a whole to get a picture of the quality of a pet's life.  A pet in a wheelchair may not be able to move easily, but they can still eat, drink, eliminate, play, and live a happy life.  A pet with blindness may not be able to fetch the ball anymore, but they can still play fetch with treats and live a fulfilling life.

If you think your pet has a poor quality of life, talk to your veterinarian about what can be done to help, or if it may be time to consider euthanasia.