Deciding whether and when to euthanise one's pet is one of the most difficult decisions a pet owner has to make. A common reason for euthanasia is the desire to limit unnecessary suffering.
The overall picture of physical and mental well-being determines the quality of life of every living creature. One should therefore take a very differentiated look at the various aspects that make up the individual quality of life of one's animal.
It is important to remember that all pets are different. What is considered a poor quality of life for one may be different for another.
I would like to give you a few aids here that can support you in such a difficult time under certain circumstances.
1) What did your animal look like before the disease? How did it behave?
Sometimes the changes are gradual,
and therefore difficult to recognise. Take regular photos or small video sequences that you watch from time to time. This can help you to see crucial changes for yourself.
2) Start a calendar in which you mark good and bad days, possibly even divided into morning, afternoon and night. You can easily do this with different colours, for example. This way you can see relatively quickly when the "bad" days start to outweigh the good ones.
3) Write a concrete list of three to five things your pet enjoys doing. If your pet is no longer able to enjoy these things, its quality of life may be significantly reduced.
4) Talk to your vet about your observations, thoughts, concerns and fears. Your vet cannot take this difficult decision off your hands. However, he or she will work for the well-being of your pet and help to improve its quality of life as long as possible. And when that is no longer possible, we have the opportunity with our animals to save them from unnecessary suffering. It is, so to speak, the last gift, the last thank you to our faithful companions.
