{"id":2509,"date":"2018-08-16T07:33:52","date_gmt":"2018-08-16T12:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/?p=2509"},"modified":"2023-11-02T12:39:14","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T17:39:14","slug":"ethics-saving-sick-aging-pets-know-let-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/lifestages\/ethics-saving-sick-aging-pets-know-let-go\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ethics of \u201cSaving\u201d Sick or Aging Pets: How Do You Know When to Let Go?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sir Walter Scott was not only a prolific poet and novelist, he was also \u201cperhaps the most devoted dog lover that ever was,\u201d according to a New York Times<\/em> article published in 1898. In paintings, he is almost always portrayed with a dog. And his deerhound, Maida, is immortalized in the monument of Scott in Edinburgh, forever curled at his side.<\/p>\n Scott lamented about the brief lives of his canine companions: \u201cI have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a loss that all dog and cat lovers have to face at some point. But how do you know when it\u2019s time to let go of your companion? And when can euthanasia, in fact, be the most kind and loving choice?<\/p>\n Pets are living longer than ever before, thanks to advances in nutrition and veterinary medicine \u2014 and perhaps because more now sleep in our beds<\/a>, rather than outside. And many of the same life-extending procedures available for humans can also be offered for pets. From brain surgery and chemotherapy to hip replacements and kidney transplants, there\u2019s almost nothing you can\u2019t do for your pet (at a price, of course).<\/p>\n But like human medicine, most of these advanced measures rarely come with guarantees of how much life \u2014 or quality<\/em> of life, considering potential drug side effects or hospitalizations \u2014 they\u2019ll buy for our pets.<\/p>\n Even if the pet is simply grey around the muzzle and slowing down from a degenerative disease, a common phenomenon in older pets, at what point is medical poking and prodding helping the pet or hindering comfort and happiness?<\/p>\n While these questions never have black-and-white answers, what makes them even harder is the fact that your pet is a loved family member, bound inexplicably to your heart. But perhaps the kindest thing you can do is to put aside how you<\/em> feel and focus instead on how your pet <\/em>feels. How can you minimize your pet\u2019s suffering and make sure their remaining time is physically and mentally rewarding? To help accomplish this, there are numerous quality-of-life surveys, like this one<\/a>, that help you objectively evaluate whether your pet is enjoying life or having a hard time of it.<\/p>\n You can also keep a daily diary to determine if your pet is having more bad days than good. Or select three of your pet\u2019s favorite activities, whether it\u2019s slurping up peanut butter, chasing a laser or retrieving the squeaky toy, and note when your pet loses the interest or ability to do the things he or she loves.<\/p>\nThe Dilemma of Sick and Old Pets<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Subtract Your Emotions from the Equation<\/strong><\/h2>\n