A Veterinarian’s Guide to Letting Go
Letting Go
Euthanasia - Humane death. Sometimes it feels anything but that. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility and duty to decide when to end your years-long relationship. This may be a nearly impossible decision to make, and a scenario veterinarians see every day. It is a deeply personal moment that somehow we, in a set amount of time, have to go over the decision, decide whether or not to proceed, go over the process, and then go through with the euthanasia. That is unfair to many, and I would agree. Many times, I wish I had all the time in the world to spend with owners and their pets.
I decided to write a guide for owners to use to organize their thoughts before bringing their pets to the vet. There are many resources available to anyone going through all of this that are absolutely fantastic, and I encourage anyone to use all the information at their disposal.
Below is an assessment for your pet. It is a way to put subjective thoughts into an objective score. It is not something I created, and more thorough assessments are available, but it is a good place to start. There is a link to my book/journal sales if you think it will be a helpful resource. It has information on geriatric care, daily/weekly/monthly logs, and information for your veterinarian. At the end, there is information about the euthanasia process and even what to plan for afterwards. I hope, in some way, to help you through these difficult times, and I genuinely wish you and your pet the best.
This does not replace a discussion/consultation with your veterinarian and is not meant to be a diagnosis, but a guide to support you. Please use this and any other resources to assist in a conversation with your veterinarian.
