Making Hard Decisions, our personal experience

  One of our cats, Jasper, has been very ill and needed to go for surgery today to remove an eye that had cancer and we were not sure how he would recover from such a major procedure. It is incredibly difficult to see our furry friends getting old so much faster than we do. Even for us, working at a pet cemetery, helping thousands of families to go through that, it is still hard to talk about that big question:     How to decide the right time to Euthanize your pet? Being direct and simple as possible: when your pet cannot enjoy life and it is clear that their condition will only worsen it is time to let them go. It is never an easy subject, nevertheless to talk about death is important to prepare ourselves and our families to couple with these difficult moments in life. Euthanasia is about avoiding unnecessary suffering and is an act of kindness towards our beloved best friends. It is about them, not about us. The decision has to be made with the pet’s quality of life in mind, the judgment when they are no longer enjoying life usually has to come from those who know them best. There are some common signs that can be observed as an indication that the pet might be suffering, and it is always good to talk to your vet about them to find if an alternative solution can be found. Is there any pain? Constant pain can be silent - no crying or whining - and generate different behavior on pets. Resting in awkward positions, excessive grooming, or licking of a specific area sometimes leaving a bald patch can be indicative of pain. Old age-related diseases, like arthritis, can also affect your pet, which prevents them from being as active as their usual self. Is your pet eating properly? Pets in pain can be suddenly not interested in feeding or drinking as they used to. These changes should be carefully observed. What is their happiness level? Excitement along the day, enjoyment of family activities, mobility, energy. Make an overall evaluation if they are living a full and happy life. Don't be afraid of talking to your vet! We found that some people delay speaking to their vet afraid of them having to put their dog to sleep right away, which usually does not happen. In fact, talking to the vet sooner than later can extend the pet’s life with quality and happiness We want our pets to live as long as possible, but it is better to say goodbye a day sooner than one second too late. Whilst working in the pet after death care business for 30 years we have witnessed literally thousands of stories and strong bonds between people and their beloved pets. The many tributes, statues, plaques, benches, and headstones that can be found on our grounds are a clear example that love and care do not end with them passing away. The memories we share with our pets stay with us to rejoice, and the grief is the price we pay for that love.

  After observing that Jasper was very active over the weekend, eating well, purring with our cuddles, and generally acting normally, we decided to go ahead with the surgery (which thankfully was successful), he is back home with us recovering well, and hopefully, we can enjoy his company for a little longer. He is over 12 years old now, so his time will come in the not too distant future but, for now, we have more time to spoil him and make his autumn years as pleasant as possible.