How to Know When You Need to Put Your Pet To Sleep

Deciding when it is time to put your pet to sleep is one of the hardest things you will ever have to do as a pet owner. What you must understand is that there are sometimes when a pet is injured there is no way to improve the situation and for that reason it is very important to understand that some situations are beyond repair. In that circumstance sometimes you have no choice. Since you took your pet into your home, your pet has become a member of the family. As a member of the family you would not want to think of the pet as any different from any other member of the family. That means that if you had a living relative who was beyond repair, would you fight to keep them alive against their own wishes?

Sometimes when you look at your pet you must realize that animals do not have a voice like people and for that reason it is very hard sometimes to know what they want. However, as their owner it is your responsibility to care for your pet as you would care for a member of your family. Here are a few things you must consider:

1. If the pet were to survive what would his quality of life be? If your pet can be spared how much upkeep would this mean on your behalf? Would the animal require constant shots as well as maintenance? Would he or she be uncomfortable in their own skin?
2. Would the pet be in pain? Again since animals cannot speak it is very hard for us to know if they are in pain that means that we want to ensure that we are able to know when it is time for us to put the animal to sleep. If your favorite furry friend is in pain and there is no way to help them, then it may be time to consider Euthanasia.

While it is never an easy thing to decide it is very important to realize that it is the humane and the nice thing to do for the animal. It is very common to feel sad and even to be very disappointed for a long period of time after the animal is put to sleep. That dog or cat was a member of your family and almost as long as it takes you to mourn a member of your family, it will also take you to mourn the loss of your pet. With that in mind take it slow if it is not easy for you in the beginning, things will get easier. But what you need to know is that you made the right decision in putting the animal to sleep.

Lean on Your Vet

More than anyone else your vet will know what the right thing is for you and for your animal. If you are not sure what it is that you should be doing, ask your pet for advice? Find out what the estimated costs would be to care for your dog, what the long term prognosis for your dog or cat is as well. If your animal on its own will not last another few months, it might be the safer and more humane thing to do to consider putting him or her to sleep.

Only you and your vet can make that decision and it is one that cannot be entered into lightly. As you made the decision to care for the animal when you adopted it you are now making the decision to care for it until it passes or is too ill to be a pet anymore.

Pets are members of our families and deserve to be treated just like you would treat any other family member, remember that when you are planning what you want to do with your pet. You will be very glad that you spent the time that was required making a slow and deliberate decision. That way you will be able to have your time with your pet and will be able to know that you made the right decision.

When you are making this decision to not ever ask to hastily, make sure you take your time and you will be able to make the right decision. There is nothing more important than making this once in a lifetime decision in the right way, this will change your life.