Was Euthanizing My Dog the Right Choice?

We recently put our 12-year-old Maltese-Bichon mix to sleep, as he was diagnosed with pancreatitis. His white and red blood cell counts were way off, and blood tests showed he had diabetes.

We hadn’t really noticed anything except he was losing weight, and then he started vomiting.

I’ve been beating myself up over this, wondering if I made the right decision. Would there have been signs before this? If we had tried to treat the pancreatitis, would it have cost a lot of money? I just need to know for peace of mind.

– Betsy

Hi Betsy,

I am sorry for your loss. It is always hard to lose a beloved pet to illness, old age or trauma.

It’s hard to say what the right or wrong decision is for your pet. The most important thing is that you made a determination to not pursue further treatment and to elect euthanasia based on his quality of life (QOL).

If a pet’s QOL is compromised and it is unlikely he will recover to a better QOL, then you will be relieving much suffering.

From having experienced this issue firsthand, you now realize how vital it is that any health conditions are immediately addressed. Especially with a juvenile or senior pet, weight loss is always a cause for concern.

I suggest that pet parents pursue a veterinary examination at least every 12 months (every six months or more for pets having illnesses), including baseline diagnostics (blood, urine, fecal testing, etc.) to start to evaluate their dog’s body for trends of illness.

So, be at peace with your decision if it was made in the interest of your dog’s best quality of life.

– Dr. Mahaney

PHOTO: Edufertar

Dr. Mahaney

Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA has a thriving veterinary practice in Los Angeles. His clients respond favorably to his combination of Eastern and Western medicine, including acupuncture. In addition to making house calls, Mahaney makes himself available via social media outlets such as his blog and Twitter. He is dog dad to i Love Dogs canine ambassador Cardiff.