Can you request to have your dog put down? Tips and Tricks

When Is It Time to Put a Dog Down?

When your dog is suffering, euthanasia is a gift. It may be very difficult to think of it this way, but it is the kindest thing you can do for your pet. But how do you know when it’s the right time to say goodbye?

Have an open and honest discussion with your veterinarian about your dog’s health and quality of life. They are uniquely qualified to offer some objective guidance based on their knowledge of your pet’s condition.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself and your veterinarian:

Does my dog have a good quality of life? Are they eating and drinking? Are they able to urinate/defecate? Do they enjoy human interaction?

Does my dog have more good days than bad?

Is it possible for my dog to recover with a treatment plan that I can commit to both financially and personally?

Your veterinarian may be able to provide you with medications, treatment options, and changes that you can make at home that may help improve your dogs quality of life.

However, it may be that there are no additional medical or home interventions that will cause enough improvement to bring your dog back to an acceptable level of comfort. If that is the case and you answer “no” to one or more of these questions, it’s time to talk about euthanasia with your veterinarian.

To make the process easier on pet parents and to provide a clear structure for how to evaluate your dog’s current life experience, veterinary oncologist Dr. Alice Villalobos created a Quality of Life scale.

Her scale is also called the HHHHHMM or H5M2 scale. These letters stand for categories that you can use to assess your pet’s quality of life. Each section is to be given points on a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being ideal. If the total is less than 35, it may mean that your dog’s quality of life is suffering.

HHHHHMM includes:

Hurt – This relates to a pets ability to breathe easily without distress and assesses whether their overall pain is well-controlled.

Hunger – Is your pet able to safely and comfortably take in adequate nutrition to maintain their body condition?

Hydration – Can your dog take in enough water on their own or with help from subcutaneous fluids to maintain their hydration?

Hygiene – Can your dog be kept clean without getting sores from lying in one place too long?

Happiness – This is more than just guessing whether your dog seems happy. Are they engaging with people and toys that they have enjoyed in the past, or do they seem withdrawn, sad, less social, or depressed?

Mobility – Is your dog able to get up and move about freely on their own, are they at risk of stumbling or harming themselves when walking?

More good days than bad – Does your dog have more overall good days than bad (keeping a calendar or diary can help you answer this question).

Lap of Love, a nationwide network of veterinarians dedicated to end-of-life care, also has several important resources that can help you determine your pet’s quality of life:

Veterinarians are the only providers of euthanasia services. Your veterinarian will help you to finalize any decisions that are left to be made and will walk you through the process to try to make this time as peaceful for you and your pup as possible.

You can elect in-home pet euthanasia services, or you may bring your pet to the vet’s office. Alternatively, your local ASPCA/Humane Society may offer low-cost euthanasia options.

The cost of euthanasia varies widely depending on the size of your pet, your location, the services provided, including aftercare, and where the procedure is performed.

Reasons To Euthanise A Healthy Animal

There are many reasons that a pet would come to a veterinarian for euthanasia.

Most of the time, the pet is sick or injured and can no longer be helped.

Sometimes, however, a healthy dog may be put down because:

Attacked or killed another animal.

Attacked or hurt a person.

The owner no longer wants the animal.

The owner is moving and cannot take the pet with them.

A person is moving into an assisted living and cannot take the animal.

The owner has passed away, and no one in the family wants the animal.

Animal hoarding.

Too many unwanted animals in a shelter.

Can A Vet Euthanize At Home?

Yes, there are many veterinarians that will make house calls. There are also services that are for the end of life care and at-home euthanasia.

Call your veterinarian to see if they can make a house call for euthanasia or if they know of an at-home euthanasia service.

This is a great service that some veterinarians provide.

Some dogs are very large and cannot be lifted into the car for a trip to the veterinary office. Some dogs hate car rides or the vet’s office. By offering at-home euthanasia, your pet’s last memories can be happy and not of things they hate.