Assessing Your Pet’s Quality of Life

As devoted pet guardians, we develop strong bonds with our animals and can become quite adept at noticing even the slightest changes in their behavior. Though the aging process can certainly take its toll, a marked decrease in the energy level of your cat or dog doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t still have enjoyable years left. At the same time, animals experiencing great pain won’t always make a demonstrable show of their condition.It can be difficult to assess quality of life in sick, injured and aging animals. It’s important to know what to look for, especially if you’re considering euthanasia. Have a veterinary professional assess their overall health and well-being. After that, the determination is largely based on your own intuition and personal understanding of your beloved pet. Closely monitoring these key behaviors can aid your assessment:Eating and Drinking:If your pet is avoiding his/food and water dish, it could be a sign that quality of life is suffering. Monitor their consumption habits closely, as malnutrition can develop quickly when an animal no longer feels compelled to eat.Mobility: Mobility is degenerative in all living things and is to be expected as an animal ages. However, if a lack of mobility is prohibiting your pet from performing basic life activities (e.g. relieving themselves), it could be a strong indicator of low quality of life.Demeanor: Is your pet excited to see you? Do they interact with the world around them? Animals that are in pain will often show a lack of interest in things that once caused happiness.Good vs. Bad Days:Vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and general frustration are all signs of a bad day. When these start to outnumber the good, it could indicate poor quality of life.Accurately assessing your pet’s quality of life is key in deciding how to care for an ailing pet. If you ultimately decide that ending your pet’s suffering is the most compassionate choice, in-home euthanasia is a very humane option. For a free consultation, give Gentle Journey a call at 602-332-7757 and we’ll walk you through the processs. If you’d like to learn more, please visit us online:

Knowing When It’s Time to Let a Pet Go

It’s a simple fact of life; as years wear on, the body breaks down and is no longer able to function as it once did. As the old saying goes, Father Time is undefeated. Just as the years take their toll on our bodies, our pets experience a similar decline, but at much more rapid pace. Though we wish they could remain young and strong forever, we are likely to witness a steady decline in quality of life for our pets as they age. Many pet owners are inevitably faced with the difficult prospect of deciding whether or not to put an animal to sleep.Choosing the best time to end an animal’s life is difficult. Putting an animal down too soon will rob you, and your pet, of precious quality time together. Wait too long and you risk putting your friend through unnecessary pain and suffering. There are no black and white answers when making this choice, but there are several questions that can help guide your decision:

• Is your pet eating and drinking?

A marked change in your pet’s eating habits is often a sign they are experiencing pain. That said, a suffering animal won’t always lose their appetite. In fact, many diseases and medications will actually cause an increase in appetite. Pay attention to any changes in your pet’s eating habits, but be mindful of other variables when assessing their quality of life.

• Is your pet In pain?

Assessing pain levels in animals can be extremely difficult as they’re instinctually predisposed to mask pain in order to protect themselves from predators. However, small behavioral changes can be tell-tale signs that your pet is in pain. E.g., if a typically affectionate animal no longer wants to be touched or grows aggressive this is usually a strong indicator that something is wrong.

• Is your pet able to perform normal activities?

If your pet is having trouble getting up and down, going to the bathroom, or shows limited mobility this could be a sign of a bigger problem.If your pet is experiencing difficulty with any of the factors provided, you may want to schedule an appointment with your vet as these are good indicators of your pet’s quality of life. When deciding whether or not it’s time to put your animal to sleep, there is no right or wrong decision. The human-animal bond can be quite powerful. When things with your little friend just don’t seem right, your gut is often the best judge of what is best for your animal.