We understand the importance of saying goodbye in the comfort of your own home and we will provide support for you during this time. Making the decision to say goodbye to your pet is the most difficult decision that any of us can make. Often the changes that occur at the end of life are subtle and involve changes in behaviour more than overt signs of pain. It is helpful to keep a journal to record changes in your pet’s behaviors. Even if you find it hard to evaluate pain and suffering in your pet, we can help by providing you with signs to closely monitor.
Record the answers to these questions every so often to help monitor the changes in your pet over time.
- Are there changes in eating or drinking – are they interested in food, or drinking excessively or not enough?
- Has your pet lost weight, are they vomiting?
- Are they interested in activities they used to enjoy (e.g. playing, running or going for a walk)?
- Are they confused, experiencing dementia, circling or having seizures?
- Can they stand on their own or do they have difficulty walking or getting up?
- Have they become incontinent, having accidents in the house or struggling to urinate or defecate normally?
- Is breathing difficult or are they out of breath with gentle activity?
- Are they having fewer ‘good days’ than ‘bad days’?
- Do they pull away when you touch or pet them?
- Are they hiding more, sleeping in unusual places or wanting less contact with you and the family?
- Has your pet been diagnosed and suffering from a terminal illness or disease in which recovery is not possible?
- Is your pet struggling to sleep?
- Does your pet cry out or whimper?
