One of the most challenging decisions we will face in our senior dog’s life is when to say that heart-wrenching goodbye.
The question of when to euthanize a dog can be an emotional one.
Sometimes, the answer is very clear-cut. If you’ve seen changes in your dog’s behavior or received test results back and there’s nothing to be done, the only kind thing to do is let them go.
As devastating as it is, allowing our dogs to suffer is never an option.
But what about those times when the answer isn’t as obvious? When is it time to let your dog go?
To help you navigate this difficult time, we will discuss how to assess your dog’s quality of life and how to make this difficult decision.
Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023
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Factors to Consider When Deciding When to Put a Dog Down
It would be easier to identify the right time to put a dog down if it were black and white. Unfortunately, the decision isn’t that easy.
There are several things that could influence your decision-making process.
Here are 4 common factors that will help you decide when you should put your dog down:
Eating and Drinking
How is your dog’s appetite? Are they still eating, “begging,” and looking for treats, or have they recently lost interest in foods they once enjoyed?
There are many reasons why a dog may be a picky eater, or there may be changes to their eating habits.
However, if you have tried encouraging your senior dog to eat and found that the only solution is to force-feed them, it may be time for a serious conversation with your veterinarian.
Pain and Mobility
Is your dog able to stand up, walk, and navigate their space? Can they do so without experiencing significant levels of pain?
While arthritis is common in older dogs, you want to ensure you can manage their pain appropriately.
Our senior girl is currently on a pain management regimen that includes taking Metacam daily. She has regular follow-up appointments with our vet to ensure it is still effective and offers her the best quality of life.
Some dog parents have luck with the use of CBD products for pain relief.
Health-Related Complications
Does your dog have significant health problems or complications?
If your dog is living with a terminal illness, you will need to regularly see your veterinarian to assess how they are coping and if it is advancing.
Hospice care may provide the supportive care they need to keep them feeling comfortable. However, there may come a time when you recognize that it isn’t enough.
Finances
The reality is many of our decisions are based on money, and that’s just the way life is. For some, that includes deciding when to put a dog to sleep.
Veterinary care is expensive, and not everyone has insurance or a plan that covers as much as needed.
Is the financial burden of continued treatment a factor in your decision?
Quality of Life and Knowing When to Euthanize Your Dog
One helpful tool when it comes to deciding when to put a dog down is a Quality-of-Life Assessment.
These are charts, checklists, or quizzes that ask a series of questions relating to your dog’s comfort and overall well-being, making it easier for you to make an objective decision.
Several versions are available online, including “How Do I Know When it’s Time?” – a chart from the Ohio State University’s Honoring the Bond Program.
I recommend completing a chart like this and bringing it to your veterinary appointment.
Are You Involving Your Vet in Your Decision Making?
The people living with an animal are the best ones to identify and recognize any changes in them, but that doesn’t mean your vet’s opinion shouldn’t factor in.
Ultimately, the decision will be yours. But professional advice, particularly from someone who knows your animal and who you trust, may prove invaluable.
Make an appointment to have a chat with them. Let them know that you are looking for guidance on how to know when it’s time to euthanize your dog.
Ask them about your dog’s current health status, what to expect, the treatment options, and success rates. This will help you decide if proceeding with treatment is the best decision for you and your dog.
Ultimately, it is your decision to make. Your vet cannot tell you what you should do.
However, having that conversation may comfort you and help you make an informed decision that you can live with.
Remember: It Isn’t About You Avoiding Pain
Do you know the time has come but are avoiding it because you don’t want to face the pain of losing your best friend?
Are you subjecting your pet to life-extending or even painful treatments because you don’t want to say goodbye?
Are you in denial about the seriousness of your pet’s condition?
When it’s happening to someone else, it’s easy to look at a scenario objectively and know the animal is suffering.
Unfortunately, when it’s happening to us, we’re so close and love that animal so much that we can’t or won’t see the truth.
This is a common struggle faced by many pet parents when faced with the reality of letting go of a pet. But we owe it to our dogs to put our own emotions aside.
Loving your pet means knowing when to end their suffering, even if it means the beginning of yours.
Did I Put My Dog to Sleep Too Soon
If you have recently made this difficult decision and struggled through deciding when it is time to let your dog go, you may now be struggling with the grief that follows.
This often causes us to second-guess our decision.
The most important factor to consider is your dog. You want to ensure that they aren’t suffering from any unnecessary pain or suffering.
For this reason, my veterinarian advised me that it would be better to do it a day too early than a day too late.
This advice has stayed with me as I face this decision with each of the pets that come into my life.
Final Thoughts: Dog Euthanasia, When is it Time to Let Your Dog Go?
When all is said and done, you want to do the best for your dog, and the best is ensuring they are not suffering.
If you do decide that letting go is the kindest thing, be comfortable knowing you considered your options and chose the one that honored them and their peace.
Our pets have been great companions and shown us the true meaning of unconditional love and loyalty.
At the end of their lives, they rely on us to comfort them, care for them, and do what is best for them.
So, when should you put your dog down? There is no easy answer. But when you think about their quality of life and your responsibility to make sure they do not suffer, you will make the “right” choice for them.
I hope this article provides some guidance and direction on how to know when to euthanize your dog. This is a difficult decision for any pet parent. Be patient with yourself. Take care of yourself during and after this emotional time.
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I would say it’s time to let go if you absolutely know your dog is incapable of doing his/her normal functions eating,drinking,walking right etc. It is a very sad feeling knowing that you are putting your dog down, but you also don’t want to see your dog in pain and misery. I think I would put my dog down if it was his/her time I would be more sad to see my dog in pain.
Hi Vince, I appreciate your comment. It is a heartbreaking decision to put your pet down, but you’re right, it’s much worse seeing your dog in pain. I’ve heard too many stories of people keeping their dog alive by any means possible, even if it means they’re suffering, all because they’re not able to say goodbye. It’s devastating, but letting them go is the kindest thing to do.
Hi HIndy
Never mind letting my dog go, I didn’t want to even read this post because of the title!
Losing any pet is really hard, but when you have to go and do the deed yourself it is terrible.
I don’t have any pets at the moment, the last pet I had put down was my old cat and it was terribly sad.
We put 2 of our dogs down too late. The one labrador my mom got when I was born. My mom put him down when he was 15 years old. It was too late, he had been suffering for a while.
It was just hard for my mom, she tried to talk to me and my sisters about it but we wouldn’t listen and gave her such a hard time. She picked us up from school one day and he was gone. She had taken him to the vet and had him put down.
We didn’t take to her for about a week. My poor mom!
Now that I have out animals down myself I feel terrible for my mom having to do that awful deed every time and also deal with us horrible children giving her guilt trips!
This is a terribly sad topic, but I very much needed one so thank you for sharing.
Hi Lynne, appreciate you taking the time to tell your story. I know what you mean – I hated writing it, it’s so depressing, especially with a sick senior dog (and there are a few more posts about this topic coming) but unfortunately it’s just part of what we go through. I’m hoping these articles will help someone going through it. It must have been devastating for you and your sisters to come home and find what your mother had done. I’m sure she understood the anger, but I guess it must have been hard for her as well, wanting to spare all of you the pain. The truth is, it sucks no matter what.
Hi Hindy,
It is amazing how we all grow up to love our dogs only to have to let it go at a point in time. This is a very unpleasant situation to find ourselves considering how important our family dogs mean to us.
But the fact always remain, the inevitable happens and we have to let them go, not because we are cruel, but the fact that we don’t want to see them suffer because we are unable to afford the cost of taking care of them.
If someone else is capable of taking good care of your dog, why not. You could visit once in a while so that you don’t lose touch.
Wonderful post.
Douglas
Hi Douglas, thank you for your comment. Yes we do love our dogs, and consider them part of the family. The inevitable does happen and it gets to a point where our dogs are suffering, and the kind and humane thing to do is to let them go. I know how expensive caring for a dog can be, and it’s unfathomable how people give their dogs away at the end of their lives, just when they need a loving home the most. My recommendation – open a separate bank account to cover the cost of veterinary care. If only vets would offer payment plans when the situation is desperate enough that someone has to give their dog away.
Hi there we had our lovely dog put to sleep a few weeks ago I still cry every day of how dementia slowly took his life away I think we should have done it sooner but we couldn’t bring ourselves to let go in the end we realised we were keeping him alive for our own selfish reasons and that his life had already gone it was the hardest thing we had ever done and miss him so much he was a big part of the family I still beat my myself up every day about all the things I complained about and I wish so much he was here for me to compain about now I am lost without him
I’m so sorry for your loss, and I know how impossible the decision to say goodbye is. I feel guilty at times, getting aggravated because my floors were totally covered in pee pads but we’re human and we do the best we can do. As long as you beat yourself up you will never be able to move forward. That doesn’t mean forgetting the love you shared, and the special place he had in your heart and home, but it does mean honouring that memory by living your life, and perhaps one day you’ll be ready to adopt a dog and welcome a new pup into your family.
hi Hindy
such a tough decision…. I do not think there is any easy way to make the decision to let your pet go. Pets are such an important part of our family. But I think that when a dog is in pain in their day to day life, affecting their well-being and ability to move freely, then it is time to consider letting them go. But that’s not easy as it means you are making that decision for them, and that’s a lot of responsibility to carry.
Hi Emily, thanks for your comment. It’s an absolutely heartbreaking decision to make, but sometimes there’s no choice, the decision is clear cut. Your dog is suffering, there is nothing medicine can do, so the only kind and humane thing is to say goodbye. The tougher decisions involve quality of life. They’re not in pain per se, their conditions are manageable, but how is the quality of their life? I’ve had to make a couple of those decisions, and those were, by far, the most horrific. For me, it still never takes away the joy of sharing my life with animals.
Hi found your blog about your dog Red & was wondering how she was doing ?
I am currently going through hell with my baby Debo who is a male 14 year old chihuahua who has multiple medical problems heartworms treated in 2007 heart murmur fatty liver severe flea dermatitis to the point of most hair scratched off body and now doggie dementia-started months ago with personality changes by barking aggressively at other pets in household thinking they were gonna take his food -& now has progressed to pacing not wanting to be held & dragging hind legs, stumbling & sleeping 20+ hours went from excessive thirst to having low specific urine gravity to barely drinking now -have to water down food in order for him to take in fluids -up & down pacing @ night with incontinence with urine & trying to drink urine & eating feces -I am so afraid I am gonna find him passed that I constantly wake him up & I am literally a basket case -he is like my son I love him so much & cannot bare the thought of my life without him -I am in poor health myself & had to give up my job & now this -I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Well thank you for this blog for me to explain to someone who understands.
I am so sorry to hear all this Betty. I know you joined my group so let’s talk in more detail there. The one thing you haven’t mentioned is what treatment plan your vet has recommended. Heart murmurs can be treated with medications such as Fortekor and Prilactone. Dementia drugs like Anipryl as well as cbd oil and melatonin have definitely helped with symptoms as has omega 3s and a calming supplement. Red has had issues with specific gravity and she’s on Desmopressin for that. Dehydration is extremely dangerous so your vet can administer fluids to rehydrate and a rehydration support from Royal Canin, for example can help at home. I hope some of this advice has helped, and I will post it in my Senior Dog Care Club group as well for others to see. Please let me know how Debo is doing.
Hello I have read your blog and found it very helpful just last night we had to put down our little brownie of 17 years, I am so devastated by this. Our little brownie would have seizures, she was throwing up not able to hold any food down and she was most likely blind in both eyes and her hearing was also going but it seems like the only thing we could do because the last week she was not eating or drinking she was walking around pacing and was dragging her hind legs. I kept trying to fool myself and say she will get better, she will get better because she always seemed to bounce back from any illness she had over her life. But this past week was different! I feel it was the best thing for her because she had been suffering but it still hurts like crazy! This was probably one of the toughest decisions my family and I had to make! Brownie was he cherished family member and she will never be forgotten!
I’m so sorry to read about Brownie, I can tell by your words how hard this has hit. What’s important is not to beat yourself up about letting her go, but instead realise how lucky you all were to have loved someone so much you were able to say goodbye when it was time. They rely on us to take the best care of them that we can, and that includes never allowing them to suffer. In time you will be able to remember your special bond and smile, even if that seems impossible right now. A grief support group, whether local or online can be therapeutic, since you will be surrounded by others who “get it.”
There are so many ways to honour her memory and help with your healing. A few I can mention off the top of my head include – putting together an album of your favourite pictures, creating a memory box of pictures, collar or tag and even a favourite toy, make a donation to a local shelter, plant a tree, volunteer to walk dogs… I hope you find something that will bring you peace.
My German Shepherd ,Keira is not yet 10years old and has DM which is progressing very quickly, she is still interested going for very short walks and has problem keeping up-right , she still loves to find smells and gets excited to see her many friends ,she eats well and enjoys treats , but I fear for her happiness and do not know what to do . Can any one give e me some positive advise. I can’t sleep for worrying about her .
Hi Joan. Only you and your veterinarian will know when it’s the best time to let your dog go. The biggest thing is maintaining quality of life. It sounds like the complications from DM are relatively mild right now and she is enjoying her life. However, DM will eventually make standing impossible and she may lose bowel and bladder control. At that point, or if you see that point is imminent soon, I might at least prepare to say goodbye.
Today I had to make one of the hardest decision of my life. I am a middle- aged married woman with grown up children. I decided to have my “Eric ” ( A Boxer-Lab -mix) put down after 14 yrs. He was fine ,walked everyday with me still greeted me, ate ,toileted and still played with his toys (without limitations) . He suddenly started to lose balance and would collasp when standing /walking during restroom breaks 2days ago; He also began walking in circles with eyes ( pupils dilated) darting from sided to side; After being taken to the Vet and examined yesterday, It was concluded that we should consider having him put down. I was devastated since Ive had him since he was born,saw his eyes open after birth as, I owned his Mom) After discussing with my husband and having to carry him downstairs & outside to relieve himself , we made the decision to have him euthinized. I have been asking myself all day, if we did the right thing. Luckily ,I stumbled on this article by happen stance tonite and It really confirmed that we did indeed do the right thing . Our vet allowed us to say Goodbye with dignity and grace. I now know It clearly would have been an injustice to keep him hanging on. Thank You So much for your plat form!
I’m so sorry for your loss Sonya. Unfortunately, our beloved pets are never around as long as we want them to be. Thank you for doing the last, most caring thing you could and saying goodbye when you knew it was time.
Hi, I’m just need some feedback, please. My Aussie will be 14 y/o on 4/24, she’s had a broken back, broken front leg. later front foot, all from messing with the horses. With excellent vet care & home care, She’s recovered and had some good years. But, now she falls several times a day, (hind end) ~ more so when navigating a couple stairs to get on the porch. however she also falls just walking, turning around several times a day. Sometimes she gets right back up, others it’s a struggle. it’s also a struggle for her to get laid down or to get up from laying down. Yet there’s times when she lopes along or practically bounces to the front door to go outside. She’s still a happy, treat loving ole girl, she eats great most days & seems to still have her witts about her. I realize her usual quality of life is not great as it once was, but I’m at a total loss as to making “That” decision. Any advice, I’m broken hearted to
Her pain meds do seem to help some, mostly with sleeping vs mobility. & I might also add, she has stopped at this age trying to heal the horses and cows. Finally! I even go so far as to occasionally purposfully fall down when she does and we snuggle a while and laugh at how awkward we are.
Hi Debbi. I am not able to check my blog comments often in the summer because we are so busy. So I apologize for the delay. You left this comment a few months ago so you may have made your decision by now. Whatever that was, I hope you are at peace with it.
I’m facing this decision now. Our dog is 16 1/2. He’s had dementia fot about a year. He has good and bad days. Yesterday and last night he paced and spent his time walking in circles. He’s finally decided to go to sleep and is now resting and snoring. He’s eating a lot less, he hasn’t played in ages. He has trouble walking but that’s more indoors when his space is limited. He does have trouble with his hind legs; we often have to hold him when he’s pooping so that he doesn’t fall backwards into it. Occasionally he has a good day and then he’ll even try to run outside. He still wants treats, wants to be near us, it’s so hard. He often has 3-4 good days and then another 3-4 bad days. I don’t want to let him go just because he’s old and dealing with dementia. I keep telling him that we love him and we understand if he’s tired and wants to let go. I really wish he would just make the decision for us.
Our precious, affectionate 14 year old Cocker Spaniel “Sugar Bolt” went blind yesterday with glaucoma. She has already completely lost Her hearing several years ago. She still likes treats and eats and drinks and otherwise is OK. She walks in circles, bumps into things and occasionally, if I am not holding Her She whimpers and howls like she did when She stood at the bottom of the stairs requesting that I carry Her up the steps. It is as if she is now asking me for help that, God help me, I cannot give Her. Even if I had millions of dollars. It would be worth every penny to fix Her sight.After reading the heart-rending postings here on this site I am very hesitantly realizing that the only way I can help is to say good bye. Her quality of life has declined drastically.
She was so happy to see people and run and walk. She constantly watched me so she could follow me wherever I went. I loved that. When I came home she would dance around happily. Now I carry Her with me wherever I go. We are going to see the eye vet and general vet for their opinions. Our eye vet told me when she was originally diagnosed with glaucoma a year and a half ago that She only had 90 days before going blind. She lasted twice as long so we were blessed by that. If you are going through this heartbreak. I wish you peace with your decision. Thank You for the opportunity to share and for any advice no matter how long it has been after I wrote it.