Saying Goodbye: Knowing When Euthanasia is Right for Your Pet

I wanted to tackle a topic that my family and I have become a bit too familiar with over the last few months: making the decision to say goodbye to a pet.

We were blessed to have a beautiful cat named Flip for 18 years and a sweet pup named Sadie for 12.5 years. Flip was an indoor-outdoor cat who ruled our neighborhood, enjoyed laying on my dad’s lap each night before bed, had the most adorable meow, and loved Temptations treats. Sadie was a pup with a mind of her own who had my parents wrapped around her little paws, enjoyed playing with tennis balls, never turned down the opportunity to go for a walk, and loved In-n-Out french fries. They were a huge part of our family and we loved them very much. Sadly, we said goodbye to Flip on July 7th of this year and Sadie just over a week ago on October 10th. The wounds these losses have left are still very fresh.

Early days with Flip and Sadie

For those of you who have lost a pet, you know how difficult these losses can be so it should come as no surprise when I say that letting Flip and Sadie go was devastating. We had always hoped that both our furry family members would pass peacefully in their sleep in our home. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen with Flip or Sadie and we had to make the heartbreaking decision to put them to sleep.

So how do you make the decision to say goodbye to your pet? If you are at all like me, you start by scouring the Internet to find any information you can to help you make your decision. Here are some things we learned about knowing euthanasia is the right decision for your pet:

1. Make a list – I read about this many times when we were trying to make the best choice for Flip and Sadie. Make a list of 5-10 things your pet loves to do and decide how many things on that list they need to stop doing in order for you to make the decision to let them go. As they start deteriorating, make notes of which things they are no longer doing and do your best to stick to the number you decided on when it becomes time to make that final call.
2. Have a vet you trust – It would have been much more difficult to make decisions for Flip and Sadie without the guidance of wonderful, trustworthy veterinarians. Be sure you have a backup vet you can go to if your regular vet is out of town. Bonus points if your vet is more than a few years into his or her career. After a couple missteps when making the decision for Flip, we learned vets with more experience are better in guiding you with end of life decisions.
3. Get Educated – As your pet gets older, know what to watch out for that indicates substantial declines in health. Loss of appetite, weakness, and inability or refusal to drink are key signs, but if your pet has additional health issues (for example Flip had thyroid issues and Sadie had heart problems) talk to your vet and learn about what you should keep an eye out for that may indicate that it would be in their best interest to let them go peacefully.
4. Exhaust your options… – The biggest confidence builder for me was knowing we exhausted all treatment options for Flip and Sadie and that there was nothing more we could do. Before we put them to sleep, I made sure to thoroughly question our vet to ensure there wasn’t anything more we could try. Knowing we had done everything we could made the decision a little easier.
5. …But remember to choose quality over quantity – Sometimes your vet can offer treatments that will prolong your pet’s life but not provide a quality life. It can be tempting pursue life-prolonging treatments because it is devastating to say goodbye, but you have to remember to do what is in your pet’s best interest.
6. Be confident in your decision – As difficult as it is, remember you did everything you could, you helped your pet pass peacefully, and you helped end their suffering or pain. You made the right decision and did what you did throughout your pet’s life: you took care of them in the exact way they needed you to.
7. Find comfort in faith – Some people may disagree with this, but it brings me comfort and I hope it will do the same for you: I believe that when a pet passes they are in a better place, they are whole and healed, and they can’t wait for you to join them one day. There is no doubt in my mind that our pets will be in heaven with us. If you haven’t read the Rainbow Bridge poem, it’s worth a read. You can check it out here.

My mom and I decided to be with both Flip and Sadie when the time came to say goodbye. As excruciating as it was to be there when they passed, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. They brought us such joy and took care of us for many years, so it was a privilege to be there for them as they took their final journey. For those of you debating whether or not to be in the room with your pet when they take their last breath, I’d strongly encourage you to be there. You won’t regret it.

Have you ever had to make the decision to put your pet to sleep? What helped you find peace when making that decision? Leave a comment and let us know.

In loving memory of Flip and Sadie. We miss and love you both immensely.