5. August 2026

How do I know it's time to euthanize?

“I’m not sure if she’s lonely or about to die.”

This is what a friend text me about her dog the other day. Have you ever wondered that? Sometimes you just don’t know and you need some help understanding where your pet is at (find out what happened at the end). Pets often don’t act the same when you take them into the vet clinic either, which makes things even trickier. Once, I saw a dog in the clinic who was unwell but didn’t seem at the brink of death. But I got a call in the morning that she had passed that night. Under stress, animals can hide their illnesses quite well, especially if they are a cat.

So what are you to do when trying to make the call to euthanize?

I have two suggestions:

1. Evaluate your pet on an objective quality of life scale. You can do this multiple times over a week or even a month to see if they are in a decline or if their quality of life is downright unacceptable. If it is unacceptable, take that as instruction that something needs to be done, whether it is a change in their palliative care plan or considering euthanasia.
2. Schedule a virtual consultation for a quality of life assessment. This includes a review of available records and a 45-minute zoom call. You’ll come away with a better understanding of if it is time to say goodbye or not yet. All from home, in your pets natural environment so that there is no stress hiding their true quality of life.

Finally as promised, was my friend’s dog lonely or dying? This dog had just come to live with my friend after her dad was no longer able to care for his dog in his nursing home. We knew this dog had a serious, life-threatening condition, but had been stable for years. I was able to assess her virtually and confirm that she was indeed dying, and (because she lived nearby) I was about to provide end of life care that spared her what would have otherwise been a slow and painful death.

I would love to support you and your pet through such a difficult time. If this resonates with you, email me at consultaholisticvet@gmail.com for help.