Making the Difficult Decision: When to Say Goodbye to Your Pet
One of the hardest and most personal decisions as a pet owner is knowing when to say goodbye. Whether it’s due to an emergency or a quality of life issue, this decision can be heart-wrenching and difficult to prepare for. Planning in advance can help ease the anguish.
Emergency Situations
In emergencies, such as severe colic, financial considerations might lead to choosing euthanasia over expensive surgery. Not everyone can afford a surgery that costs thousands of dollars, and post-surgery care requires the right environment for recovery. Consider factors like the animal’s age, overall health, financial strength, pet insurance, aftercare environment, and your availability as a caregiver.
Quality of Life Considerations
Assessing an animal’s quality of life involves determining if their health issue can be treated and if there’s a good prognosis. Consider if the animal is deteriorating due to illness or age and if they are in pain or distress. Animals often mask discomfort, but they may show signs like lameness, fatigue, not eating, or personality changes. Keeping a daily diary of your pet’s quality of life can help in making the final decision. Your veterinarian can provide guidance, but ultimately, the decision is yours and your family’s.
Disposal of Deceased Animals
Recent changes in laws regarding the disposal of dead animals were prompted by the detection of euthanasia drugs in pet food. Rendering livestock, such as horses, now has limitations. Understanding your options is crucial.
Euthanasia and Cremation Services
Euthanasia can be performed in our clinic, or at home by a veterinarian. We recommend:
- Full Circle Pet Hospice & Euthanasia: fullcirclepet.com
- Journeys Home Pet Euthanasia: ourneyspet.com
Your pet's body can picked up or delivered for cremation. Costs vary based on the level of service. In south-central Wisconsin, options include:
- Midwest Cremation Services: mcsofwi.com
- Saint Francis Pet Cremation: sfpcweb.com/equestrian-cremation (uses Brierhill for pick-up)
For rendering, bodies must be free of euthanasia drugs. Horses and livestock can be euthanized with a gun or bolt to the skull. Veterinarians can administer this form of euthanasia. Rendering pick-up services include:
- Marshall Livestock Removal: 549 Karem Dr, Marshall, WI 53559, Phone: (608) 655-3439
- Roy Kittinger/Brierhill: Cell: 847-652-4839, Office: 847-683-4743 (also provides cremation services)
Composting as an Alternative
Composting animal carcasses is becoming more popular. The State of Wisconsin provides guidelines on how to compost animal carcasses. Ensure you have the right equipment and supplies for the task. You can find more information on their website: Carcass Disposal.
Coping with Grief
Coping with the decision to euthanize a pet can be very stressful. Plan in advance and talk to those who will assist you. Grief can come in many forms and last for days, weeks, or even months. There are resources available to help you cope:
- Midwest Cremation Services: Grief Support
- Humane Society: How to Cope with the Death of Your Pet
As animal lovers, we are a community that supports each other through these difficult times.