How to know when is the time to say goodbye to his pet – 03/22/2019

By Tara Parker-Pope

Almost fourteen years ago, my daughter and I were mourning the death of my mother and it seemed that nothing could lift our spirits. We then had Fluffy, a gray and white puppy, and everything changed.

Fluffy kept us busy with rugs and noisy toys. It made us laugh despite our sadness and the gray clouds of grief began to subside.

Over the years, our 4.5kg hairy ball has been a constant in our lives. We dressed her with party sweaters, celebrated her birthday and scolded her for stealing food from the cat's plate. But in recent weeks, as our marches slowed down and our naps were getting longer, it became clear that our time together would be over. She hoped that in the end, Fluffy would die a natural death and fall asleep forever on his favorite pillow.

A natural death is what many of us wish our pets. They are part of our family and part of our life. For many of us, the idea of ​​euthanasia seems inconceivable. We therefore hold the idea that a natural death is desirable.

However, my veterinarian told me that my theory of the end of his life it was not realistic. In most cases, a natural death, he says, involves prolonged suffering that we do not always see, because dogs and cats are more stoic than humans when it comes to pain.

Alice Villalobos, a veterinarian Beautiful beach, California, specializing in oncology, said that many pet owners idealize a "natural" death without thinking about what it really means. A fragile animal, he stressed, does not last long in nature.

"When the animals were domesticated, they gave up the freedom to put themselves under a bush and wait to die," said Villalobos. "Very quickly, they are part of Mother Nature's master plan because of predators or the weather, but at home we protect them from everything so that they can live for a long time. sometimes too much"

Villalobos has dedicated his career to helping pet owners solve end-of-life problems. He created an animal hospice that calls Hospatitas. He coined the term because he does not want to confuse animal terminal care with the decisions we make in a human hospice.

His program is focused on extending the quality of life of the animal. It could mean treating cancer "in a gentle and gentle way," he said. This may involve compbadionate care, such as the administration of fluids, oxygen, or painkillers. In some cases, it may be to feed the weak pets by hand or to hold an animal in his arms and carry him in a container filled with water or a tray. sand. Finally, he says, this implies a "worthy death"

Villalobos defended what he calls "Euthanasia focuses on the link", Which allows the pet owner to be present and play a comforting role during the procedure.He also advocated euthanasia through sedation, which allows the Animal to sleep well before applying a deadly medication.

To help pet owners make decisions about end-of-life care, Villalobos has developed a decision tool based on seven indicators. On a scale of zero to ten, where zero is the worst situation and ten the best, the owner is asked to rate the following categories: • Pain: Is the pain of the animal successfully regulated? ? Do you breathe easily or do you have difficult moments?

• Hunger: does the animal eat enough? Does it help to feed him with his hand?

• Hydration: are you dehydrated?

• Hygiene: Can the animal stay clean? Do you suffer from ulcers caused by lying down?

• Happiness: Does the animal express joy and interest?

• Mobility: Can you get up without help? It stumbles?

• More: Does the animal have more good days than bad days? Is it still possible to have a healthy link between man and the animal?

Villalobos says pet owners should discuss with their veterinarian ways to improve the life of an animal in each category. When pet owners approach the end of life in this way, they are often surprised at how much they can do to improve the animal's quality of life, he said.

By regularly reviewing the scale, pet owners can badess the quality of hospital care provided to this animal and measure the decline in its quality of life. The goal should be to keep a total of 35 points or more. When the number begins to fall below 35, the scale can be used to help the pet owner make a decision regarding euthanasia.

"Natural death, even if many people wish, may not be gentle, easy or peaceful," added Villalobos. "Most people prefer to ensure a peaceful death to their pets.You simply help the animal to part with its group, as it would have done in the wild."

I discovered the size of Villalobos while I was looking for answers for Fluffy during his last weeks. When she got up, she stumbled often and seemed confused. Sometimes at night I heard him complain.

I had contacted two veterinary home services, Vetted.com and Instavet.com, who offered me compbadionate advice and confirmed my fears about the lack of treatments to improve their condition. . Fluffy was a very old bitch and they suspected that her decline was the result of a combination of kidney and liver failurebut we were not informed by exhaustive tests because the physical symptoms were obvious. A veterinarian who visited us gave Fluffy subcutaneous fluids to help with dehydration and make it more comfortable.

I had confidence in his judgment, but my tears and the fact that Fluffy was still eating a little and wagging his tail when I stroked it troubled my mind. I used the magnitude of the end of life and I could see how bad it was, despite the fact that he was wagging his tail. I accepted the advice of my vet and spent a quiet day with Fluffy. I gave him the cat food that he loved so much, without reprimanding him. I came back several times, just to remind myself that I was doing what I needed. The scale allowed me to carry out a more impartial evaluation of Fluffy and was an important source of relief during a very difficult time.

It was not an easy or pleasant decision, but it was the right decision. In the end, Fluffy left the world lying on his favorite cushion, as I expected.

c.2019 New York Times News Service