End of Life Services

Most importantly, you need to ask yourself who you are doing this for. As heartbreaking as losing a pet may be, you must always make sure that you are placing your pet’s welfare ahead of your own emotions.

For humans, palliative care is closely supervised by medical professionals, and the patient himself can indicate his wishes with regard to treatment. Patients often receive care in the hospital; if they are at home, their family members are often supported by special care workers, such as nurses and social workers.

Unfortunately, support networks for people dealing with dying animals tend to be much smaller. While your veterinarian will provide you with veterinary support and guidance, you will likely be your pet's primary caretaker and decision maker. Only you know how much you are capable of handling, and for how long.

In the earlier stages of a terminal illness, or when you are dealing with an animal of a very advanced age, care requirements may be relatively straight-forward. You may be taking your pet to the veterinarian more frequently to have its condition assessed, or you may be administering more pain medication. Your veterinarian can ensure that the treatment your pet is receiving at home continues to be appropriate.

However, as your pet’s illness progresses, the care it requires may become much more complicated, time consuming and costly. You may or will have to:

• Consult with a veterinarian to ensure that your pet's medical needs continue to be met and its health constantly monitored. 
• Continue to provide the ongoing nursing your pet needs, usually by yourself (or with family support).
• Recognize signs of pain or illness in your animal, realizing that animals can be quite good at hiding symptoms — learn to look for changes in behaviour, diet, digestion, posture, temperature and weight.
• Diligently supervise interaction with other animals and children in the home. 
• Provide a special sleeping area that may have to be elevated, or involve extra padding or cushions to regulate body temperature.
• Have someone be home constantly to monitor your pet’s condition and ensure constant supervision.
• Participate in modified playtime (no matter how delicate the animal’s condition) in order to keep your pet alert.
• Groom your pet if they are no longer able to groom themselves, including providing regular baths, nail
  trimming, and removing hair mats and tangles.
• Take your pet outside to defecate or urinate as often as hourly, and clean your animal if they have soiled themselves.
• Ensure that, if your pet is immobile, they are turned regularly to avoid bedsores.
• Hand feed or hydrate your animal as often as every few hours.
• Be prepared to obtain veterinary intervention at any time, day or night, if your pet is in distress.

At any point, you may decide that caring for your pet is no longer an option. Humane euthanasia can often be a very kind decision for an animal, and is certainly a more responsible and compassionate decision for an animal if you are no longer able to meet its care needs. It is important that, no matter what you decide, your animal’s welfare always comes first.

You may also choose to surrender your animal to the Ottawa Humane Society. You may contact us at any time to discuss this choice and what it would mean for you and your animal.

• Make sure you discuss your situation with your veterinarian and that he or she knows what direction you want to go in (e.g., that you want to keep your pet comfortable at home as long as he is comfortable) — but only you know what your limitations are.
• During the initial stages of your pet’s illness, if your veterinarian does not raise the topic of humane euthanasia, it doesn’t mean the topic is off limits. Some veterinarians may not broach the subject first, so make sure you initiate the conversation.
• Deciding to provide palliative care to a pet is something the whole family should agree on. The choice can be a costly one — both emotionally and financially.
• Palliative care is an unpredictable process. You will have to be prepared to make quick decisions if your pet is in pain or if his condition changes suddenly. Remember that your only obligation is to make the best choices for your pet, and that may not always involve continuing with palliative care until the very end.
• Once you have decided to follow the palliative care route, you are responsible for recognizing suffering and acting to alleviate distress. 
• Realize the role of guilt. Don’t avoid or delay humane euthanasia because you feel guilty. Remember that it can be the right decision for your pet in the end.
• Finally, realize that doing nothing is not an option. If you choose to administer palliative care to your animal, remember it doesn’t mean allowing a pet to die at home without proper care and attention. To do so would be neglect and you could be criminally charged for not providing adequate care or for willfully causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal.