A very touching story, Mason is so lucky to have you as a fur parents and we all know not all pets can experienced to have a caring and loving as you. By the way, I know how you feel,when my dog died with the help of pet euthanasia it was painful and suffer his loss also and the Paws at Peace Pet Hospice did the procedure in our home, please refer to this link: https://pawsatpeacepethospice.com/
What a wonderful article. Thank you for writing this. I feel a lot of people in my life thought I was crazy for giving my English Bulldog home palliative care after he was diagnosed with Cushing's disease. We had two years longer together because I chose this path.
5
I have a 13 year old doxie and we are dreading the day that she goes. She is the sweetest, calmest and most loving dog I've ever known. I will be heart broken for a very long time.
Thank you Annie Pooch for being such a love buddy.
4
I loved the story. Took a chihuahua from a diagnosis of kidney failure (suggested course being euthanasia immediately) through three and a half years of home care and several hospitalizations. On the day of the diagnosis, I held her and asked if she wanted to be let go or wanted me to give her some other chances to stay with me. I asked her to let me know somehow. She had never been one to follow me everywhere but that day she was constantly at my feet. I did spend more time money and energy than most people have to spare. I knew that if I had kids and a non flexible job as I do, I couldn’t have managed it. The author and I seem to have those things in common and I think it’s important to let go in whatever way you can manage.
3
We have and have had many dogs, mainly working dogs. Our 13 yr old husky mutt Dusty tried to die on us 2 months ago. Stopped eating , vomiting generally looking miserable. Out wonderful vet did blood work, X-rays ultrasounds and it looked bad...? cancer or at least partial bowel obstruction.(he also had an ACL repair 6 months prior) We didn't want to subject him to an open laparotomy surgery so we brought him home with iv fluids, pain meds antibiotics, nausea meds (im a nurse) We were doing the funeral dance for 3 days then miraculously he recovered.HEs now out running in the snow acting like a puppy. We are lucky we have the means to pay but its pricey .We will probably get some kind of insurance next puppy. Im continually surprised at dogs resilience.
3
I recommend a wonderful new book by dog lover and author of several books about dogs, Ruth Gordon. The title is Caring for Your Terminally Ill Pet and it may be purchased from Amazon.
1
Lately, I have been overwhelmed by dog losses.My own Airedale terrier,Sky Blue,died just 8 weeks ago.I miss her terribly. She was in her 14th yr & would have celebrated her 14th B-Day on Xmas Eve.Sky was my 1st dog [really I belonged to her].As with many pooches of this breed,Sky was in excellent health[as far as we knew] for yrs until she reached about eleven.Then predictably as happens w/older dogs,she began to have pblms that accelerated in her 12th yr.One thing that I learned from the vet tech at Sky's vet,dogs are stoic animals who do not show pain unless they reach a threshold[whatever that is].It would take to many words to tell you what her specific illnesses were;suffice to say that she did have lip cancer & assorted tumors[thought to be benign].By 14 she was on anti-inflammatory & a pain killer much of time.Adjustment in diet was ltd.Still,I knew she had to be in terrible pain when she would fall down flight of stairs;have back legs collapse when climbing stairs,becoming fearful or in pain when faced with the damn stairs in my bldg in 1st place.When I could I lifted & carried part of her body though she weighed about 62 lbs.This was in last 6-8 mos of life & I well knew that she & I couldn't go on like this;that quality of her life was suffering in last few mos.I started taking about the unthinkable:putting her down. Numerous poops & pees in apt [which I believe were humiliating for her as w/most dogs] Four days before she died she was at vet for yet another eye
1
I love the photo of Mason at the beach! A beautiful moment in time. What a treasure!
9
Reading this reminds me that our culture encourages us to do all we can, spend as much as we can, to prolong lives that are often not worth living. I'm not sure of the statistics, but have seen figures showing the highly skewed lifetime resources we spend to keep us alive in our last few years of life. Are we carrying this attitude over to our pets?
1
@Steve Who are you to say that a life is not worth living? In fact, most dogs are more worthy than the people I come in contact with on a daily basis. I applaud the author.
6
I commend owners who go the extra mile to keep their pets comfortable and who heed the advice of their vets. But too often prolonging the lives of pets are more in the interest of the owner and not the pet. Animals have no concept of mortality and the outcome is inevitable. Perhaps I have been hardened by 16 years in the veterinary profession as a nurse but often I feel relief when an animal is no longer continuing to suffer to no end.
1
I stopped pet insurance for my cat and 2 dogs years ago. After a couple attempts at trying to have smaller injuries covered I realized the insurance would only ever cover catastrophic injuries or health issues. I decided to put the monthly payments I was paying to the insurance company into my on designated pet health account.
3
@RF Yes, I found that my pet insurance company did anything possible, just like human insurance companies, to get out of payment. I also have savings to pay for whatever my dog meat out of pocket.
2
Nice piece. As an MD I’ve always wondered how we can be so liberal with the thought and practice of euthanasia for our pets and hold a different standard for ourselves. Too liberal with animals, too strict with humans.
Quantifying Pain and suffering is hard for those not afflicted. It’s even harder understanding all types of suffering, the intricate situations, desires, beliefs, and fears that exist within someone who is really suffering. Many hear accuse the author for being cruel and selfish in keeping his dog alive. I would suggest that assumption is unfair without knowing firsthand the relationship—the day to day, moment to moment.
7
last post:apart from Sam Simon mobil vet clinic[LA, CAL]; numerous non-profit animal foundations[inclu. ASPCA & area ASPCAs] will pledge lots $ for surgeries in private vet practices.Assistance can be hundreds$. Once again,income based & necess.to substantiate reason for surgery by vet & owner.Ms. Homayoun & not one of posts[that I can see]talk about free vet services.if dog[cat,etc]too old;too sick,etc vet will not recommend, esp.cause they are paying the costs not owner.So at least you get the "truth" whether worthwhile to do surgery. Also,don't recall anyone posting about going out there getting a 2nd opinion.some vets won't charge for a consult.One specialty vet practice [eye] won't charge for initial consult & dog doesn't have to b/c patient there [Irvine,CA]..More options out there that won't cause you to go broke provided you qualify for assistance. Perhaps assumption here is that readers have $ to pay expensive surgeries & insurance. Not necess so. May also be free or sliding scale vet surgery care for particular breeds[which because of in-breeding are prone to certain diseases;specific types of cancers, etc, Also are regional animal foundations which will help with $ if you within their radius. Took me a long time to figure all this out, but for your animal isn't it worth it[without necess breaking the bank]& notion of clinic like Sam Simon [ck on-line] giving bad medical treatment because "free" can be wrong. Good luck!
@Len
I never know the right time to euthanize my pet until the moment comes. Its just a one second decision. Something lets me know it's time and then i waste no time in taking them to the vet and getting it done and i've never regretted it.
1
My Siamese kitty will be 22 next July. She is my baby girl & when she’s ready to say goodbye I know she’ll use her grand vocal capacity to put me in my place and make me do what she demands. She does have chronic kidney failure caught at stage 1- gets prescribed food and takes blood pressure meds- but only in the last four years. I know it’s loving her & taking good care of her that keeps her going. She’s out lived our first cat (born ‘96) and is on her second dog, a Lab- age 3.5. I attribute her clean ears to his good kisses. Thanks for sharing your story.
8
My spouse and I adopted a 7-month old kitten who kept getting passed over at the shelter. A bright yellow sign on her cage informed us that she was born with a severe heart condition which would result in a shorter lifespan and would require daily medication. Our vet warns us to make sure she’s not too stressed. We’ve had a couple health scares in the past 4 years which terrified me but the best advice I received was this: “Give her the best life as possible, for as little or as long as she has on this Earth.” That brought me peace. She’s well loved and every day she makes us laugh with her antics even though we worry about her a lot.
The author’s experience rings true with me - some pets will bounce back from near death. My first cat made two fantastic health recoveries and enjoyed a good life for several more years. Heck, even my mom proved that to be true.
Reading the comments I see that some people feel euthanasia is better for the suffering pet and that it’s wrong to wait too long. The older I get, the less sure I am about that. Watching one you love suffer is torturous and it’s tempting to end the suffering as soon as possible. Who benefits from the euthanasia more? A question I struggle with.
4
@M. SullivanI agree.I believe that some animals will know when it's time. The vet told me that;vet techs;others whose animals had died.I think my dog had had enough & couldn't go on.It's complex & I'm glad she decided for me.Someone talked about how their dog ran away[in the house]when they saw her coming with the meds.Yes,my dog did too.One of overarching offshoots of these posts&even the article itself is omitting other compelling alternatives to shouldering costs alone.In LA,CALIF there is a mobile vet clinic that offers free surgeries to animals if the owner qualifies[lots of seniors use this option].The mobile clinic was set up w/$ from Sam Simon's will [the creator & producer of the Simpsons]Plenty of info on line about this found.Excel. surg.care;followups,meds,biop;24hr hotline post surgery.I took my dog there 2x.Only pblm:van only travels around LA. I live in Orange cty so I had to get transp. up there.the 2nd & last surgery that Sky Blue had was for lip cancer: common in seniors & aggressive.Couldn't afford surgery w/my vet so took that option.The operation would have cost over $3,000 since vet removed benign tumor on eyelid had I paid at dog's vet. No re-growth, though no way of knowing if it metacized to brain,eye, etc. since we were never sure what she died of.She did have large mass abdomen[cancer?]surgery too invasive & $ for older dog.Another very imp.point that none of readers or writer brought up:diseases found in certain breeds. knowing this is important.
We used Trupanion for a while until it became clear that they are corrupt. They override the vet’s opinion with their own “diagnosis” so that they don’t have to pay.
1
Honest question:
Is your bad experience a grating between the European model of pet care and the American one? Or is the Trupanion model truly set on specific procedures and outcomes for coverage?
I had been considering purchasing this insurance for my pup, as our vet recommended pet insurance for every brachycephalic breed, but so far the puppy payment has completely overridden anything we would have paid out of pocket. If we wait much longer, I think he’ll age out of enrollment.
1
@PGHplayball Here's my experience: Trupanion is excellent if your dog has a catastrophic issue that is not a result of a pre-existing condition. They don't cover exams, vaccines, routine stuff, or pre-existing - BUT if your dog gets heart failure, cancer, knee blows out etc (Heaven forbid) it covers 90% after the deductible, and often pays the vet directly so you only pay the difference. In those cases, which can be incredibly pricey, it is fantastic. Other pet insurance - for instance, my friend has Healthy Paws - I think covers more routine care. Hope this helps!
1
The benefit of being a well cared for and loved pet is someone will put you out of your misery.
2
It has been nearly 10 year's since our beloved Kodiak Bear has left us, a magnificent long haired German Shepherd who loved everyone, but hated going to the vet and resisted all medical procedures. Late in his 9th year, in the springtime, he was in our yard playing with a group of 6 other dogs, and Kodi did not appear normal, he was limping, tired, just not himself. We took him in the following Monday for a visit to the vet, who did some bloodwork and asked us to come in again with Kodi on Thursday. The doctor came into the room and said " I have bad news, Kodi has cancer, we can keep him going for a few more months with medications/injections and you will be able to prepare for his passing, say goodbye to him. I'll go and get the first treatment together and be right back ." Kodi laid his head in my lap, and with a slight shudder, took his last breath and passed into eternity. I immediately knew he was telling me "this is how I need to end it."
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@drmichaelpt
Beautiful story. A dog loved and now at peace. Kodi gave you peace of mind.... no prolonged treatments, no questions of what he was truly feeling and if he was hurting. It is a true blessing to love a dog and to provide him shelter and a good life.
I have felt the loss of my own beloved dogs. It is unlike any other loss I have known.
"Over the next year and a half, Mason moved through heart failure, intervertebral disc disease, bladder cancer and kidney failure with awe-inspiring fortitude."
I'm sorry, but you did this for yourself, not for your dog. Dogs do not understand time. They don't know he difference between a week and a year. But they do understand feeling well and not feeling well.
Your dog suffered. Because of you. How sad.
9
@Mike
How dare you judge the author. The author of this essay did whatever was done out of love and desire to keep this dog alive.
How do you know, rather than feel, that dogs "do not understand time." How do you know that Mason was not happy every morning to see his person, and to go to sleep every night thinking that this was a good day, because he had total, absolute love.
Judge less. Love more. THAT is what pets teach us.
3
Jeez, I'm in my 50s and my back hurts all the time. I wouldn't want someone to euthanize me though.
3
@Cassandra that's my point. Time is a human construct. A dog doesn't know one day from one year. They know now and how they feel now. Be kind to your pet - don't make them suffer on your behalf.
4
Firstly, let me say agree that those who can afford it should care for their pets to the best of their physical and financial ability. But they should also consider the pain and suffering these pets endure for the benefit of your happiness.
Reading the massive sympathetic outpouring here, on the same day I read of cheering for the possible demise of the only health care insurance for millions of ordinary Americans, I am appalled that not one comment has suggested an alternative, more HUMANITARIAN use for your money.
I could go on about for pages about how the rest of the developed world treats human medical care as a right, while the richest country in the world has just turned their back on ther poor, mentally handicapped, and physically disabled.
Perhaps you should consider alternate ways of showing love -a donation to the SPCA, or local other pet rescue centre, when the quality of your pets life becomes so poor.
3
My experience with Trupanion was horrible. My dog was covered for 10 years. I never received any payment as everything was considered "routine care". Not only would they not pay for any testing, but they also denied payment for euthanasia when my dear 13 y.o. beagle mix had a hemorrhage in her brain. They called the procedure "routine care" which is excluded from coverage. There is nothing routine about euthanasia.
5
Heartbreaking reading this. I adopted my rescue girl 2.5 years ago and not a day goes by that I don't tell her how much I love her, several times a day actually. I haven't had a dog since I was in grade school and still think about the day we had to let him go. As an adult now and with her being my main companion in this city I can not imagine life without her. Not sure about other pet owners but a night in with my pupper is far better then a night out.
It's not only letting your loved one go but all the memories you've had in their company. When that day does come I'll do everything in my power to send her off peacefully and from the home she loves.
4
Such a beautiful piece - thank you.
4
Sweet, thoughtful article about Mason and his life. We had a rescued Springer named Artie, who had had a very difficult first 7 years, when we adopted him. We knew that he was wonderful and decided to take on an already older dog. After 7 more years, special diets, medications etc, Artie succumbed (not without scares and then rallying, which is common) to his advanced arthritic disease that left his hind end completely crippled, coupled with doggie Alzheimer’s. After not eating, walking or enjoying recognizing us (he would put himself in another room, away, also common at end of life), we knew it was time. We had him euthanized at home and close with us to say goodbye. I still cry when I think of it. To those that say euthanasia is some sort of “easy “ decision, it is absolutely the opposite. Animals are the lucky ones to have that graceful end of life choice provided by their humans, if necessary. It’s been 13 years since Artie and we have had a new, younger adoptee, a silkie terrier, Sparky, for 5 years now. I will never forget Artie, the lessons he taught me in parenting, responsibility, and love. The depth of grief is equal to the love given.
12
I found this article very upsetting. I hate that people will read it and feel guilty for euthanizing pets. My Chihuahua has congestive heart failure (CHF). She also went on pimobendan, Lasix and enalapril, but we had to discontinue the enalapril because she wouldn't eat and she hated the medicine used to increase appetite. Her two drugs cost more than $100 a month. Although they come in a chicken-flavored liquid, she doesn't like getting them. I'm disabled and at home, and so, I can help her throughout the day and night. I'm not sure how someone who worked full-time outside the home could do this. Last night, I got up 5 times to soothe her when she was coughing. She is struggling with fluid build-up and to breathe. If she were a human, she'd be on oxygen. She gets to go on car rides and we take a walk each day in which she can see her doggie friends. She doesn't want to eat, but I make special food for her. I do all this because I love her and value her company. It would be great if she just died in her sleep. If that doesn't happen, however, I'm going to euthanize her, probably sooner rather than later. I'm in remission from metastatic sarcoma (cancer) and I volunteer with other sarcoma patients. Deciding when enough is enough is very difficult, whether for ourselves or our pets. Let's not shame people for their decisions.
27
@Suzie Siegel I am so sorry you are going through this with your beloved dog. It is never easy.
You may have missed the part of the article where the author states that pet hospice is done with the idea that euthanasia is an option if it is the most humane course of treatment (but not the only option. She also wrote that she had a plan in place in case her dog’s condition worsened. I read that to mean she would have put her dog down if it was the most humane course of action, and that the course she took is quite similar to what it sounds like you are doing.
Every situation is different of course, and no one course of action will work for all people (or all pets). In the end, we’re all doing the best we can for our furry friends. My best to you. Our pets mean so much to all of us, and I am so sorry your dog is sick.
7
@NYC Thanks for pointing out what I missed in the article, in my sadness.
4
@Suzie Siegel what a trial by fire you are going through, Suzie. You are in my thoughts today. Your point about being at home with your pooch or kitty is on spot. For the life of my dog I was at home: poor & most of the time glad to be home with her. I truly believe that my being her constant companion & she mine that she prolonged my life & well-being [as an emotional dog] & that I helped her have a longer life....I consider boih of us fortunate that my Sky Blue died at home [not in her sleep] & not having to be put down. I spent her last hrs singing our favorite song, petting her; lifting her floppy ear [once and a while] asking her is she was leaving me. We lay together on the carpet &, although, her beloved vet [Dr. Hall] thought that she was likely unconscious at some point, she must of somehow known that her "love" [me] was beside her...
Our Australian Cattle Dog, Freeway, developed a neural sheath tumor, and at 12 had a front leg amputated. Freeway did well and, despite a vet telling us he should be euthanized, he shared our lives for another 3 great years, finally succumbing to colon cancer at 15. Until then, he was a joy and we still miss him 4 years later.
He received palliative care from a great vet who came to our house when it was time to euthanize him. We have no regrets about his death or his life. I only regret that we don’t treat humans with as much love and respect.
12
Mason died with the one he loved most by his side. His picture has LOVE written all over it.
10
@Muriel you are right about that, Muriel, & that's all that counts. Many, many friends & acquaintances keep insisting that I did the best I could to keep my pooch well; or control a medical situation for her; to manage her pain & discomfort as best I could & to understand & be kind to myself by reassuring myself that I had done the best I could to give my Airedale a happy & loved life. I couldn't do more than that....
Thank you. Beautiful.
6
Our dog in Australia has better and more affordable health insurance than most people in the US. No brag, just fact.
In his 10 years of life, the poor thing has had 2 dog park accidents that could have cost him his back legs, severe periodontal disease, chronic allergies and Addison’s disease. Last month, it seemed he had a malignant tumor that was luckily proved non-malignant upon removal. Prior to his surgery, already a draft radiation/chemo plan had been drawn up, if it had been needed.
I felt guilty that our little doggie had better care than many of my friends back home but that’s our world. I bet that many oncology patients in the US, still being charged for bone marrow transplants as “experimental procedures” don’t know that the reason we have them at all is because of vets who were trying to find ways to treat canine cancers came upon this treatment, between 30-40 years ago. So vet medicine also affects human medicine, and vice versa.
9
While pet insurance is indeed rare in the U.S., this type of care is not. Yes, there are pet owners who cannot do everything for their cat or dog that they might do for a child, but the idea of palliative care, or hospice, is not that uncommon.
Our cat Martha developed kidney problems at around 12. We managed it with special diet and for years, but in the end, at 15, she spent a while in our bathtub "hospice" with me sleeping next to her to comfort her when she awoke crying in the night. She lost a lot of weight, but it was not until after those nights in the tub, and the obvious signs that she was not right mentally, that we had her euthanized. She went very gently.
The dog we had at the time, a Lab X, developed liver disease at 12, but was asymptomatic for most of the rest of her life due to early detection, altered diet, and medication. She died peacefully one evening after having waited all day for us to come home and tell her it was OK to go.
And our third girl, a tabby cat, came in one evening, ate her dinner, and died in her sleep. All three were 15.5 when they left us.
A number of groups have studied the advisability of buying pet insurance in the U.S. In each case, folks came out ahead only if the pet lived a long life and had at least one catastrophic illness. Otherwise, saving money regularly for pet care was just as good.
Insurance for the six we have now would not be affordable, but regular vet care is.
5
I purchased trupanion pet insurance for my dog when she was about 5 years old. While none of the pet policies cover pre-existing conditions I found this company particularly difficult and would not recommend them. After having two cysts removed, and her teeth cleaned at the same time, reimbursement was for the surgery was prorated based on the amount of anesthesia that would have used only for the teeth cleaning (which was nit covered) and each cyst removal was determine to be separate events because they were different types.
I dropped trupanion immediately and after considerable research signed up with ASPCA. My vet has even said trupanion is the most difficult to deal with.
8
@Rachel my alumni association offers medical coverage for our animals. I didn't examine with fine tooth comb but it could potentially be a good policy. If there are such things as "good" policies offered in this country [I didn't know that they differed country by country] then the key is to buy these policies when your dog is young. That is the ideal before "pre-existing" conditions develop. If your dog is a rescue, it becomes a dicier situation since no one may be certain as to the dog's [cat's] exact age. But in former instance, I've learned my lesson with my 1st dog, not to wait til an illness presents itself, act when the pooch or kitty is young.
1
I have two cats and they're both insured under HealthyPaws. All I can say, is thank goodness they have pet insurance! Reba, the older of the two- and an accident prone kitty, jumped off of a high bookshelf and broke his hip. HealthyPaws covered 90% of the cost of his surgery, medications, and even physical therapy(!) I'm fortunate in the fact that I would have found a way to pay for his treatment regardless of insurance status. But having the coverage was such a lifesaver, literally-
6
I’ve always been skeptical of pet health insurance policies. Obviously, the pet health care insurance companies have to make a profit on the average policy or they will go out of business, which means that the average pet owner is going to spend more on premiums than he or she will ever get back in health care reimbursements through the insurance. I can understand the logic of using pet health care insurance (with a good company) to protect against the possibility of unusually high pet health care costs, but I don’t understand the argument that pet health care insurance can lower pet health care costs for the average owner.
Another things that I’m wary about concerning insurance companies in general: it’s always much easier for them to take your money than for them to give you money.
5
What a wonderful, moving and thought provoking piece. Thank you.
We purchased pet health insurance for both our dogs when they were puppies. It's not cheap but it's already proven its worth, paying for dental surgery and an ER visit. I urge everyone with pets to do the same.
4
A nice piece, story of author's love for her dog. The point that pet health insurance may help some avoid euthanizing pets for financial reasons is worth making, although apparently satisfaction with insurance varies in veterinary as it does in human medicine. But the connection between that idea and palliative care is less clear because palliative care generally tends to be relatively low tech and less costly.
Mason looks exactly like my old dog Sammy, who lived a long and - I think - happy life. Back in those days, sadly we did not have such advanced veterinary care, but he was active and engaged to the end. I miss him still 30 years later! May Sammy and Mason frolic as old "relatives" in heaven.
9
I love the picture of Mason on the day he passed. He looks very tired, but also warm, comfy, and loved.
17
I just finished reading “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande. I would never apply Atul Gawande’s concepts to a dog. The major theme is that as we age or become infirm, we still have autonomy to write the story of our lives regardless of circumstances we are in. I placed my Mom in hospice last year and she passed away in December. I also have a 13 year old dog who I have twice taken to the vet to be euthanized over the past 2 months. My pet has intervertebral disc disease and has a difficult time walking. She is close to the end but there is still life in her eyes. A dog never has the autonomy, we must make decisions for him. The decision for my Mom was hers based on her life’s values.
6
Nice that the author had such positive results with insurance. When the insurance company would not cover my 8 month old schipperke for Lyme disease I knew it was useless to me. After that he wasn't insurable with a new company until a certain time with no lyme antibodies in blood. I got a skip because they live long. He loved the beach (seashells to eat) and cost me a lot of money with pica issues ($4,700 at last count), but was smart and very funny. I took him and his brother for a walk -- he was excited but just sat on trail and would not move. By the time we got home he was in middle of a seizure. It was spleen cancer, spread to liver and brain. Took him home and was not even able to give him last walks on beach. Within two weeks, he stopped eating and just looked at me, not sleeping and not engaging. I knew it was time and we went to vets. The last song on the radio on the car ride over was "I Want To Be Sedated" by the Ramones. He died looking into my eyes, on his 13th birthday. His brother did not grieve for him and loves finally getting the big bed to sleep in.
6
We did have pet insurance as well. While pet insurances pay mostly part of routine exams, they pay very little for surgery.
Now we don't have it anymore. Our new puppy tore her knee ligament by having wrestled with another one in a dog park, and the bill for the surgery was quite large.
The biggest joke though is that their prescribed rehab alone cost $120 a pop, putting her on tread mill in a water tank. Filling the tank took at least 10 minutes and emptying it another 10. While her whole "walking" was also only 10 minutes.
We then stopped that "rehab" and took her to a K9 aqua center with 5 lap pools were she swam for 30 minutes with a trainer in the pool twice and later once a week. That exercise helped her to regain strength in her leg very fast, and is also excellent for older dogs with arthritis. And half an hour of swimming is only $30.
Anyone living close to a clean lake should take their dogs swimming as often as possible. One minute of swimming is as much exercise for dog as four minutes of running.
8
@Sarah That depends on the insurance, of course; we do not have health care insurance for our cats that covers *anything* routine, but does cover MRIs, surgery, consults, accidents, acupuncture, prescriptions drugs, and end of life care—80% for our older cat, 90% for our younger one (this was our choice because of the relative costs of the policies). The policies have saved us thousands of dollars. Critical care is less expensive at a teaching hospital, which is not-for-profit, so that's also something to keep in mind.
2
Oh our beloved and fearless Baby O. Our welfare kitty who enriched our lives for 16 years and who slept stretched out beside me at night.
Oscar's illness was slow but then, after a noticeable weight loss, he went blind in one eye. About a month later he lost his sight completely. It was terrible to watch him navigate the house but we thought we were all making a go of things.
Oscar was an indoor/outdoor kitty and his morning routine was to race down the steps to a sassafras tree and scratch his claws on the trunk. After he lost his sight and unbeknownst to each other, my husband and I each took Oscar to that tree and rubbed his kitty paws against the bark. It didn't register. We wanted to keep him alive but he started having tremors. At some point we had to face that our desire to keep him with us was not the best thing for him.
Thanks to a wonderful veterinarian who made house calls - Oscar died in our arms. Afterwards I remember shaking and thinking I was coming down with something. What I had was grief - the sign of love.
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@Michelle Teas
You might want to cut that tree down. Sassafras contains the oil safrol which is toxic. Toxic symptoms according to the NIH are: vomiting, shock, cyanosis, delirium, cyanosis, circulatory collapse, convulsions
He was exposed to the safrol every time he clawed the bark and ingested it when he cleaned his claws. Minute amounts ingested over time could have compromised his liver, heart and kidneys since cats are especially sensitive to chemicals.
@Michelle Teas very touching....
Great article and sharing of such an intimate love story. I often think about my 10 year old dog as she ages and when the time comes for her to pass on. The article confirmed what I have been thinking about when her end of life occurs. I too plan to care for her until she passes on - in her own bed at home. In addition, my experience with Trupanion has been positive. Thank you!
9
Thank you for a beautiful story about Mason. We have a lovely 14 yr. old Yellow Lab named Bella here in NYC. I've seen her slowing down over the past few years and getting more and more fatty tumors under her skin. Fortunately to this point all benign. All in all she's doing very well for an old gal.
I am encouraged by the way you chose to care for Mason at the end of his life. We have insurance through VPI. I hope they cover as much for Bella and we can honor the end of her life, whenever that day comes, as you did for Mason. At her age I am taking each day of our lives as a gift we all share together.
5
I appreciate what the author went through. The HARDEST part of end of life care and euthanasia for pets is WHEN?? One day my cat was up, the next day he was down, he had rallied a hundred times before. He lived past the vets prognosis by five years! I think you get stuck hoping beyond hope they might just make it. I probably waited too long. I hope he didn’t suffer but you know that breaks our hearts to think they did. It’s so hard to let go. Great article.
23
My sweet Lola, a 13-year-old standard poodle, died of cancer this spring.
Three things spring to mind:
One (of about 3) of the vets we worked with was very clear in her explanations (no jargon) and her goals. At one point, she told me she saw part of her job as treating the dog owner and guiding them through the end of their dog's life without leaving them feeling guilty. She also frequently told me, "If Lola was my dog, I would do X." Very helpful.
Second, at least with this vet, the conversation that this cancer was terminal, how much of good-quality life we could give her, how the end would be and how we could make it as pain free as possible was upfront. I suspect things are very different oftentimes when the patient was human.
Third, I used a vet service that came to our home when Lola's end came. I recommend this highly. It was more expensive, by a couple hundred dollars, but well worth it if you can swing it. Lola died in our living room, lying on blankets from each family member (hopefully with their scent) with her head in my lap. Our other dog, Tony, was there and could see what happened to her. Just as these vets said, Tony knew what had happened when they took Lola's body (tucked lovingly into blankets with a pillow under her head out). He wilted in my arms as we watched them take her body away. I think it was helpful for him to know what had happened to his best friend.
33
@Cheryl
Yes, it is important when you have a pet that is going to die soon that another pet or pets in the house are there when it happens. Every good vet will tell you that. Only then do they understand that they will never see their friend again.
Our beautiful Hovawart working class dog died at 13 years when he was with his "daddy" at mountain cabin of ours.
When my husband came back, our 5 year younger Calico cat was waiting at the door to the bedroom for him to come up for weeks. It was clear that she missed him terribly and was upset, even sleeping at the door all night for quite some time. It took her until we got another puppy to get over the loss of her 'big brother'.
7
@Sarah
Depends on the dog. I’ve seen it go both ways and it totally freaked out one of my rescue labs to be there. AND she still looked for her sister for months. Excellent vets will tell you it depends on the dog. Now I decide (I’ve seen 7 all the way through) based on circumstance but I don’t force it. Some animals get over loss rather quickly, others take a very long time. No way to predict it.
4
My dog is 15.
We are just getting through our first health scare; all okay for now, but we don’t have forever.
Thanks for the good cry. What a beautiful story.
2
At age 5, my cat was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and given 6 months to live. She died peacefully 11 years later at age 16. Every day we had her was a gift.
15
Dogs are marvelous animals and have played a large role in human culture. However, they aren't humans, don't have lives like humans have, if they think they don't have the same thoughts, or anything like thoughts that we have. Most dogs in the world live really short lives, not living past a few years. This is normal for them. It may make humans feel good to treat them like humans, but they are not humans, its cruel to prolong the life of a sick or unhealthy animal, that is not the way they normally live in the world. This is inhumane treatment of animals, humane treatment is euthanasia, which can be difficult for the owner, however it doesn't justify prolonging an animal in a state of life for which he is not suited.
15
@wayne griswald Trust me & everyone else I've ever spoken with [regarding when to put my "dog down"]. In the end, my died dog in her own home: in her own time;. in her own place. Everyone, literally everyone I asked, said that my dog would let me know when the time came & I didn't believe them. But in the end we both knew that it was time for her to go. By any measure, if your dog stops enjoying her life, her daily routine, her days in the sun & going on walks & dragging you to that specific pet store that gives her treats, then you know that her quality of life is suffering. And when she no longer goes bonkers & greets you at the front door your know that things are very wrong. In short, you'll know; she will tell you.
I devoted the better part of the last year of my little Maltese Babe's life to my own version of hospice care, breathing treatments and all, much as the author related. It was a gift -- the right thing for me and Babe and he was bright eyed and relatively pain free until his last day. I don't regret one day or one dime (no insurance), but I could never endure that intense emotional experience again. There will be no more animals in my life.Three years later I am still crying.
14
@Denise Gerson
I am so sorry for your loss and for the ordeal you went through. We too lost one of our kitties just about three years ago, she was 16, and just a bit earlier today I was thinking to myself how much I still miss her, and the tears came. We had less than a week to say goodbye to her--she had a very large lung tumor that was discovered during an examination for something else.
After her death, our remaining cat did a 180 transformation, becoming very vocal and very needy of affection. I am glad she is still with us. She is about 14 or 15 (she was a stray who came to stay) in very good health but I know the end of her life is closer than the beginning. When she dies, I hope I will want to have another cat. I hope to remind myself that the time of my cats' illness was only a fraction of their life. If I define their lives solely by their last weeks or months (we also treated another cat with chemo for months), then what of the many good health years we shared? My kitty that died three years ago had a very full life and our lives were so enriched by her sassy presence over several years. We know it is a huge emotional investment to bring another into our lives but giving them a good end is just as important as giving them love and a good home. I hope we'll be up to it.
I hope you will eventually find peace and solace. The bonds we have with our pets can be pretty strong, even when they're no longer with us.
5
Mason looked like a very sweet dog. RIP.
When my feisty, independent, loveable
tabby cat was diagnosed with lymphoma at age six (a curable disease in humans), my first thought was “Well, that’s just too young to die.” The vets told me they could extend his life a year with palliative chemo but there was no cure because “we don’t treat to cure,” the rationale being cats and dogs might not survive the side effects of higher doses of chemo. I never understood that, but plowed ahead. Well, he beat the odds and lived another FIVE years to their amazement. But finally, as promised in the end, the chemo became less effective and he began to lose weight. I had a palliative vet come to the house who really didn’t have that much to offer beyond euthanasia (I wasn’t ready) and appetite stimulants so it was sort of a waste. The night before he died he ate a huge chicken dinner - that guy was always full of surprises. But he died peacefully that night just like Mason did. Out in the backyard where he loved to hang out.
13
My dog will be three in March. My last dog died, at age 15, about a year before I adopted my current one as a 3-month-old puppy.
I was very broke when my last dog died, but I did what I could as she deteriorated from old age in her last few months. I thought briefly about euthanasia, but I couldn't afford to have it done at home, and the idea of bringing her to a fluorescent-lit vet's office to die on a metal table just seemed unimaginable. On top of that, I have very mixed emotions about euthanasia. I would want the option if I were terminally ill, in pain, and a burden to my family, but I don't think I could make that decision on anyone else's behalf--including an animal. On the other hand, if an animal was clearly suffering terribly, I might do it. I have no idea at this point what I would do if the dog I have now got to that point. What the author was able to do for her dog was wonderful, but I wouldn't condemn anyone for making the other choice, if it was humane and necessary.
I haven't heard great things about pet insurance. I remember someone suggesting somewhere that, instead, pet owners start a kind of health savings account early on--just adding what they can on a monthly basis in case things get rough down the road.
11
@NGB: I agree that the decision to euthanize a pet is enormous; anyone who doesn't feel the absolute weight of that decision is not human.
Each of my pets was euthanized at the vet's office; by the time they needed euthanasia, they'd been at the vet's office MANY times, so it was a familiar (if not a favorite) place. And the vet & vet tech have always been very gentle & soft-spoken in dealing with the them.
The table may be made of cold metal, but I wouldn't put my pet onto a cold metal table! Each one was lying on the bedding or folded towel that lined the pet carrier; I gently slide the animal out of the carrier without having to take it off the soft surface it's already resting on.
I've always stayed in the room with my pets for the entire time, from arrival at the vet's office to post-euthanasia; I would never leave my pet alone in its last moments. I owe it to each of them to be with them.
My vet always begins by giving a sedation injection, and then withdraws for about 10 minutes, so you are left to snuggle your pet & say your good-byes while the sedation takes effect. Only when it's clear that the pet is unconscious does the vet return to give the final injection.
I've always talked softly to my pets throughout this process, convinced each one can hear me until after there is no more heartbeat. Then my vet's office allows one to stay with the deceased pet for as much as an hour - to begin grieving & start to absorb the loss, etc.
Grief is the price of love...
6
The author doesn't say what pet insurance might cost.
6
@lindanotes
Our dog has excellent pet insurance for about $300 per year. I get two third of the cost back when I submit vet bills for wellnesss care ( shots, heart worm, flea meds, annual checkup, biannual fecal test,) and any other needed care.
Nationwide purchased one of the top insurers.
8
@lindanotes
The insurance company the author uses Trupanion is excellent however premiums are high. Nationwide is not as good but premiums are less.
2
@lindanotes
Between $50 - $85 depending on the age of the dog. Well worth it!
1
what a gorgeous picture of Mason with his fur blowing in the wind!
21
My Sister had a dog that lived long beyond normal.
22 years, at the end when she finally had him put down.
He was little more than a walking tumor in great pain who ate chocolate every day.
True story
1
That’s wonderful about your sister’s dog living 22 years! I want to just clarify for readers that chocolate is very toxic for dogs. Their systems cannot properly digest it and it’s actually life-threatening to give chocolate to dogs.
4
@Anna R Note: not to be recommended: a large dog who has snagged a piece of milk chocolate [perhaps the size of a piece found in an assortment box] should be OK, i.e. likely won't have to induce vomiting or have their stomach pumped. Several caveats: [1] Be alert & do not leave anything potentially poisonous on hazardous on a counter or table top, bed, etc. whoever your pooch dog can reach, climb up to, jump up to; pull down., lick etc. Bitter sweet chocolate is by far the worst. Obviously the smaller the dog [usually determined by weight] the more potent any of these things are, including plants & numerous other things. But this comment section is not the place to stray too much from the author's article [I would think]. There are plenty of on-line sites, books & magazines to consult to bring everyone up to speed. But a parting point is probably in order: if you haven't already, post a big sign on your frig [or wherever] with the telephone # of POISON CONTROL. They are very knowledgeable & will share info on the phone w/you. If the situation sounds dangerous they will advice an animal URGENT CARE. Good idea to have that posted on frig as well. Their trained staff will be reluctant or refuse to diagnosis & recommend anything over the phone, as well they should. Don't be surprised if Urgent CARE fees are high & an ANIMAL AMBULANCE too. My vet once advised having pertinent info on condition of pooch [i.e., rays or sono] maybe avoiding repeats.
1
That picture of Mason on his final day simultaneously broke and restored my heart.
18
I'm glad the author could afford the cost of insurance on a 12-year old dog. The Times recently ran one of those self help stories on pet insurance, making it sound remarkably inexpensive. But the premiums they quoted were likely for very young animals -- like 1 or 2 years old. When I went to the site of one of the insurers they mentioned and checked the cost for a 10 year old cat, it was astronomical, which is not surprising since everything costs more when you're old and why senior humans spend such a high percentage of their incomes on health care.
4
@ellienyc True, the insurance for my 10-year-old large dog is $100 a month and they always seem to have a reason not to cover an expense. The firm is Trupanion, the same as the author had, but a very different experience here.
3
Three cats-the first, the love of my life, died 12 days after being diagnosed with lymphoma, due to overly aggressive chemotherapy. Spent 10 K in 12 days, and my only regret is that she died alone, in the early morning, at the vet's.
Second cat, greatly loved. Diagnosed with cancer and assorted ills. Spent over $50k (no, that is not a typo) over 3 years, bringing her 3 times a week to what was then a highly regarded but very, very expensive facility.
Third cat, very little expense, died naturally after a short illness.
I am very fortunate that I had the monetary resources for their care. I raided my bank account and retirement savings to do so. I am also fortunate that I have no family to monetarily consider. That simply means that I do not have to consider children's or parents monetary concerns.
People think, and have told me, that I am and was crazy to do so. For me, had I not done so, I could never have purchased a blouse, a phone, or even a cup of coffee without thinking that the cost could have been used for their care.
I do not judge those who have done otherwise, and ask that they do not judge me. Everyone knows their limitations, and unfortunately, all too often, those limits are fiscal.
35
@Cassandra
Thank you for sharing this. You did the right thing!
9
Ms Homayoun, you did great with your dog. But this is really hard to get just right. It can be tough to decide what is a struggle and when there is suffering. A few struggles are fine, but suffering is bad. I wouldn’t criticize anyone who may have made different choices.
8
@G Yes, it can be hard to tell when it's time to let go (and I have seen animals suffer when humans couldn't or wouldn't let them go).
I inherited a 16 year old cat when my mother died. The cat was already declining then and declined more over the next two years. Luckily there were no overnight hospitalizations or extraordinary measures taken (pills, subcutaneous fluids & special diet at home). When the time came and I knew she had to be put down, I was so relieved when I watched what happened after the doc gave her the first shot (to relax her). She relaxed in a way I hadn't seen her relax in weeks, put the side of her little head down on her paws and just went to sleep, without any of the worry or stress she must have been experiencing. I knew then I had made the right decision.
18
Regarding the thought that those caring for their pets are not contributing to the support of humans. I believe the best way to support animals is through spaying and neutering and the best was to support humans is though family planning. We're a long way from either goal but I do what I can to work toward the time when every domestic animal and every human child is wanted and loved. It would do a lot for the survival of the planet too.
20
@Lexie I apologize for my punctuation mistakes and typos.
As much as I love dogs I also am surprised at the large amount of money people will spend on them. An ACL repair for $4,000, failed treatment for a malignancy $14,000, herniated disc repair $4,500. Bluntly stated, this is utterly ridiculous.
10
@Victor
Dogs are worth spending money on - they bring joy.
People destroy the environment and create pain and war.
Money well spent.
27
Why would you think you get to judge what other people value or spend their money on? Not for me is fine, bashing others not so much.
38
@Victor People spend that kind of money on vacations, which may well give less comfort over the long term.
18
Was this an article about pet care or an insurance ad. Taking care of your pet has nothing to do with how you pay for the care. People who don’t take care of them won’t buy insurance anyway.
6
Great article. That picture of your dog on the day he died brought tears to my eyes.
14
What a great story! Your mother is a smart woman.
4
Does the author own stock in a pet insurance company?
My gosh. Those outfits are notorious, and you don't have to be an economist to see why. They prey on emotion while lining their pockets. Vets too often do the same. I recently got a quote to get my dog's teeth cleaned: $1,000. Yes, her breath smells bad and her teeth aren't in the greatest shape, but she's in no pain and doesn't hesitate at the food bowl. She's also 12 years old. Recently paid more than $200 for a round of routine shots that would've cost less than $100 if I'd been in Seattle, where there is a no-frills vet clinic that does basic stuff, teeth cleaning and shots. That's where she once went, and the line was out the door, for obvious reasons.
Frankly, the author sounds like an easy mark. The end is nearing for my own dog. Like a lot of dogs of her breed, she's developed a neurological condition that results in her legs not working and going out from under her. Many days, she can barely walk. Thankfully, it's not arthritis or anything physically painful, but it can't be easy for her from a psychological standpoint. Then again, she's always spent most of her days sleeping, and she can still do that. But on her bad days, when she can't get up at all, the look in her eyes says everything, and those days are becoming more common. On her good days, though, the look in her eyes also says everything--that's the bond one develops with a dog. That's what makes it so hard.
14
@August West, I got a dog's teeth cleaned, x-rays for orthopedic issues with radiologist reads, a large tumor removed, a few small "lumps & bumps" removed, and pathology for the tumor for just over $1000. If you are in a large city, you may find traveling outside the city helps.
On the other hand, if there a lot of removals anticipated, perhaps that is why the quote is high. A good vet will discuss costs and options as appropriate for the age of the animal-- for example, our cat did not receive vaccines other than rabies for the last 5 years of his life. And, if you are comfortable, some are available OTC via livestock stores.
1
@August West - Please note that dogs will eat even if they have severe oral pain, just like people do. Also, please remember that the vast majority of veterinarians choose their profession because they love animals. They go to school for as many years as physicians, yet make generally low salaries, even when they work long hours and are consistently available for both their patients and their clients. The unfortunate view that veterinarians are a bunch of charlatans just out for a quick buck is a major contributing factor to the high suicide rate among veterinarians.
3
Unfortunately expense became a mitigating factor in deciding my pet’s end. I did not have pet insurance, to my regret, and i euthanized my beloved bear-coat shar-pei due to the exorbitant expense of his care at the end of his life. A singular regret.
8
@DENOTE MORDANT-OVER&OVER AGAIN THE COMMENTS REFLECT HIGH INCOMES[SAVINGS] & PRICEY ANIMAL INSURANCE POLICIES. To be blunt: some of the readers of this newspaper can't afford those kinds of things. Does that make them irresponsible owners? Same goes for pricey dog[cat]foods, frozen or otherwise.Sadly or perhaps wisely some of us have to draw the line when it comes to chemo;radiation;complex
surgeries,specialists,more& more detailed blood screens;pricey vitamins&some more natural treatments and maybe that's a "blessing in disguise". The temptation isn't there to take on more&more expensive treatments.Perhaps noncombatant with this is the cautionary & wise advisement by your vet [or some other vet.specialist] that the pre-op bloods & age, overall health advise against further invasive surgeries, chemos,radiations & the like.If your dog[cat]is stable & otherwise in "good" health leave her alone to live her life.How so many contributors to this "Comments" section seem to have known that there animal was in pain is beyond me.Vets can access some of that;palpating the site,nature of disease tells us with"certainty'that our animal must be suffering,but some of that time they might be.Not advocating leaving an animal to suffer, but once again if you can't afford costly treatments you either stop or aggressively seek out non-profits,excellent clinics that can give your dog[cat]that same kind of care for less.
1
Veterinary costs have skyrocketed in the past few years. Is that because a new generation of vets have huge student loans to pay back?
11
@The Poet McTeagle I believe, just like human medication and medical supplies, the companies producing these products are charging exorbitant costs which in turn increases the prices of vet bills.
2
@The Poet McTeagle - That is certainly part of it. Most young vets that I know have monthly student loan payments of $2500 or more.
Our 10 yr old male Bichon was diagnosed with liver cancer and had internal bleeding and was given a transfusion with a $3000 dollar vet bill, payable in advance. So insurance may have helped prolong his life but the vet said he had a month to live. They said they would not give him another transfusion and offered no other treatment. We took him home and he lived another 3 months. It is hard to know if a dog is in pain but he seemed to appreciate life up to the last few days when he stopped eating. Were we selfish in not having him put down, perhaps. His litter mate sister is still with us and doesn't seem to miss him, but who knows what a dog is thinking.
4
Wonderful to read this. We have an ageing dog and one thing on my mind is his quality of life. I now know that there are more palliative care options than I thought.
I'm sorry for your loss and thankful you shared your experience.
9
Ana, so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing your feelings about Mason. Thank you for such a well researched piece to help guide others through the last part of the journey. Very grateful. Thanks.
13
I learned expensive lessons about veterinary care with my last dog, who didn't survive past four years old. He was misdiagnosed with pancreatitis twice and treated for that disease. The treatments, which were outrageously expensive, included hospitalization where the dog was kept in a cage and not allowed food. When the treatments proved ineffective, the vets recommended surgery, and I consented. The surgeon discovered that the mass the vets had seen in the dog's body was cancer, not an infection, even though there had been tests performed that I was told ruled out cancer. The dog spent his last few days on earth with his belly stapled up and in tremendous discomfort. I was out $15,000 to $20,000 and feeling tremendously guilty for putting the dog through all of this when euthanasia would have been a better solution. These decisions are hard, but sometimes euthanasia is the more caring pathway.
37
While pet insurance may be a good idea for some, in the case of our dearly departed Ruby dog, it didn't really work out economically. We paid $70-75 per month for 10 years, which included a cancer rider. It didn't really help cover the costs associated with the Cushing's disease she had for the last few years of her life and, when she collapsed one morning and died that evening after a mass in her abdomen made us decide to let her go, the insurance provided a few hundred dollars (if she'd been diagnosed and treated over a longer period, it would have paid more, I'm sure).
It wasn't a bad economic decision for us to purchase pet insurance for Ruby, but we opted not to get it for our current wild child Cookie, knowing that we'll dip into our savings for her care later on if need be.
I think it's like long-term care insurance for humans - it may pan out for some, but it doesn't always work out as you expect.
6
I went to the Trupanion website, and set up a quote for my own dog. The quote came out to $250 a month or $3000 a year.
This is close to some health insurance policies for HUMANS! It still has a 10% copay and probably some deductibles. I didn't read the whole thing over to see what it excluded, but almost certainly it excludes pre-existing stuff.
If you got this for a puppy....it would be cheaper initially but over the dog's lifetime....I think it could easily run $25,000. Only pretty rare medical conditions in pets cost $25,000, so it is likely not a very good value.
This is consistent to what I've seen in other pet insurance policies. Also, many of them will NOT insure pets past a certain age, sometimes as young as 7 or 8 years old.
17
@Concerned Citizen how old is your dog? What breed? I have ten year old and two year old small dogs insured through Trupanion, and it is $50-70/each. I have a $500 deductible per condition, and no, it doesn’t include pre-existing conditions. They don’t drop them from the policy past a certain age, though.
I absolutely agree that pet insurance (and even having pets!) is an extravagance not easily justified in rationale, but we all do things that work for us. To each their own.
2
@Concerned Citizen Similar experience wiht Trupanion, it is $110.month with a $1,000 deductible for three years now, and they have yet to pay for anything. There is always a reason why something is not covered, even though the policy leads you to believe that they will reimburse.
2
Agreed! So frustrating. (Maybe it’s an Oakland thing.)
I want to keep my pets happy and healthy as long as possible. But I have options with them I don't have with humans. I have no issue spending the money to care for them, but to extend their lives when we really have no idea how much they are suffering is absurd. We punish them for our neediness. We have already nearly doubled their lives by domesticating them and we still, in our selfishness won't let go.
In the US we have this idea that loving something or someone means doing everything we can to continue their life. That's not always true.
I had a very old cat I adopted from a shelter and I realize that I should have had him put down long before I did. In my blindness I was catering to my feelings, not his. I waited too long. He was suffering. It was very difficult but on the other side I could see clearly what I'd done.
I hope not to make that mistake with my current pets. And I wish I was able to help the humans in my life when they decide it's time for them to go.
49
SO many things wrong with this article!
First of all, the main reason that most pet owners in the US do not have pet health insurance is that the companies offering it have a very bad track record of going out of business. Way too many things are excluded. Better to just save the cost of the insurance each month in a "pet medical account".
Second, congestive heart failure in a dog is one of the most treatable conditions there is . Yes, Lasix, enalapril and now pimobendan are the standard treatments for this condition. Pimobendan has been a game changer - it can extend a dog's life for multiple years - GOOD years. A vet saying that improving this condition is rare must not read his vet journal as this is actually very common. Any owner of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel knows this!
Kidney failure is easy to treat in dogs and cats. Dr Nagode wrote a paper in 1996 about his experience using calcitriol to treat this disease. It works and can extend a pet's life for a year or two - GOOD life. Only rarely are sub Q fluids needed.
Most good vets have been providing palliative care for aging pets for many years now. They may not call it that, but it's what they do when they cannot "fix" the problem, but the pet is still enjoying life. They keep the pet comfortable and pain-free with non-invasive treatments.
One must also remember that pets are stoic animals and we must never keep them alive just for us. Their need for freedom from suffering is paramount.
85
I did subcutaneous fluids for two years with one of my cats. She did well for those two years.
6
@B. I did sub Q fluids 35 years ago with a cat and I can't say that Junior was very happy. I did it for about 5-6 months and then he screamed for food one day, gobbled it down, and went outside, under the fence into my neighbor's yard, and laid down and died. Geeze, I loved that cat! No one knew about Calcitriol then. It's in the form of drops so it's very easy to give, even to a cat.
7
@India To dismiss the CHF and kidney disease as easy to treat is inappropriate, especially since you have no idea of the dog’s medical history or how far along the CHF was when the dog was initially diagnosed, and kidney failure coupled with other issues can be fatal.
Re pet savings accounts: great idea if your dog has most of the issues in old age and you’ve saved money. My vet offers pet insurance to his staff as a benefit, so clearly not all vets disapprove of all pet insurance.
3
What a wonderful essay. Mason was lucky to have you. I have been through something very similar with my first cat. He first fell ill with kidney disease at about 15 years of age. With the help of a great veterinarian and lots of fluids, he lived until almost his 20th birthday. Ironically, I dare say that those were the best 5 years of his life. He was happy and comfortable. When the medicine could no longer keep him going, saying goodbye was tough. However, I knew he was ready. As the vet said to you, they never live long enough.
13
Thank you for your wonderful article. We have several aging dogs, one with a serious medical condition (but also covered by insurance!), and your piece was heartwarming.
6
It seems cruel and selfish to put a dog that has no say in the matter through severe treatments like chemotherapy. Unlike people, pets can be easily replaced.
When a dog or cat gets to the point where severe interventions like chemotherapy are being suggested, it’s time to put selfishness aside and do the right thing by meeting your responsibilities as a human being: Have the pet euthanized in a vet’s office or animal hospital and get on with your life.
8
@Mark "Unlike people, pets can be easily replaced"? I am stunned by your comment. I sincerely hope that you are not a pet owner. It's perfectly reasonable to disagree on whether those kind of medical interventions are advisable or if they are in fact creating greater suffering for the pet; it's crass and plainly wrong to say that someone's pet can just be swapped out. I grew up with two family dogs and now have a dog of my own, and I can tell you that the latter two were not mere "replacements" for the first.
31
@Mark If you think pets can be easily replaced, you have never truly loved an animal. None of my animals nor the people I have loved has been easily replaced. Your "get on with your life" ending is particularly cold. You do imply you have different feelings for humans but based on your lack of feeling and loyalty to animals, I wonder how different your relationships with humans really are.
33
No, a beloved pet cannot be "easily replaced."
30
When we got a dog breed that is known to be susceptible to a certain kind of cancer, we got pet insurance. Thankfully, he never got cancer but it was nice to know it was there. Medical choices are hard enough without money being a factor.
9
Love your dear dog every day with extra belly rubs, good walks, cool water, tasty food and treats. They're precious and don't live forever.
33
My mother said to me in her final humiliating days, why can't you just put me down like Tink, her beloved poodle. Maybe this over investment in our pets literally and figuratively is directly related to our loneliness.
9
It isn’t “over investment”! We love our cats and dogs and it’s worth doing all we can for them.
1
Far too often a dog or cat is left suffering far too long because the person who owns them can't bear to let them "go".
The now common belief that the pet will "tell you when its time" is nonsense. If you couldn't tell by the pet's changed behavior, lack of appetite, sleeping more and so on that something was wrong, just what do you think and HOW will the animal suddenly "tell you" he's suffering?
I've had both dogs and cats all my life and have had to help most of them "go".....via the vet's ability to release them with little or no pain at all.
The dog in the article didn't have cancer, which always gives pain, so maybe he was able to live the additional time pain free. If so, good.
And let me add both my mother and mother in law spent their final days helped by Hospice, without the constant interventions (painful AND expensive) of being in a hospital and undergoing medical tests and procedures.
I am a believer in Hospice care. And I know there are pet foster care groups that provide "hospice care" for very old pets which are not suffering, and that may be another article?
8
Each day, more than 1,000 children in America need emergency medical care because they were bitten by a dog.
Each year, more than 5,000 mail carriers are bitten by someone's dog.
This year, 34 Americans were killed by dogs, including 15 children under the age of 10.
Dog ownership should be illegal. One day, it will be. When Americans stop worshiping these animals and our government stops catering to the pet care industry, this outdated 19th century practice of breeding dogs and keeping them as pets will finally end.
$69.51 billion spent on pets. We have approximately 550,000 homeless people in America. That works out to more than $125,000 per homeless person spent on pets.
Ridiculous.
7
@Mark
I shouldn’t reply but I can’t help myself. In 2016 over 37,000 people were killed in car accidents. No telling how much those cars cost and no one considers making cars illegal, despite how much pollution goes into the air. Sharing one’s home with a dog is a great joy and I am sorry you are missing out.
31
I have never heard this attitude expressed about"man's best friend" before. I guess it does take all kinds. I do hope that this person spends his time helping other people as we do taking care of our pets.
13
@Mark: I like my dog more than most people. How about that?
17
Scuse me all to-brast, but how many kids could you have saved with what this beloved dog cost? How much of the forest, the ocean, the coral?
3
@Robert If that is your opinion, perhaps you should spend your time volunteering and helping to save the forest, the ocean, the coral, rather than reading and commenting on articles. The idea that caring for your pet and giving to other causes are two things that are mutually exclusive is myopic.
18
@Robert - I’ve spent a fair amount on my pets over the years. I’ve also donated thousands of dollars to charities, such as St Jude’s Children’s Hospital. I’m also a literacy volunteer at my local library. Oh, and I also donate blood or platelets to the Red Cross every 6 weeks. What do you do?
4
And "outdoor cats" kill huge numbers of rapidly disappearing songbirds. Shame on cat owners who allow their beloved pets to roam, preying upon these beautiful innocent creatures. You want a cat? Keep them indoors or create an outdoor space for them where they are leashed or enclosed.
3
Two aging rescue dogs in house, 3 feral neutered cats outside, an ailing post polio husband in his 70s who requires equipment not covered by my generous medical insurance. I treated myself with long-term care insurance 3 years ago (I am 75), and that is becoming ever more expensive. So far I have spent several thousands on my rescues for veterinary care, one of whom has chronic pancreatitis that requires prescription food as well as cancer. The other has CHF, which is more than $100/month in medicine. I give my animals as much as they need for as long as I can, but in the end my species must win out for finite resources. My animals live a good life and when the time comes, they will have a good painless death. We need not get into moral recriminations about this. Be as responsible as one can be for as long as possible. Give love, get love. Nature does not require more. If greater resources are available, consider human rescue charities too.
8
I think being open about this is a kind of a breakthrough. Cat, dogs, rabbits and so on are not horses --we have the option of allowing them to die natural deaths, if that does not involve agony. Humans anthropomorphizing about pets losing "dignity" or having to avoid all "pain" is just that --and often a way for humans to hurry themselves out of prolonged emotional suffering by just ending it all quickly.
What do animals really want? Their message is clear enough if humans will just get their own self-protection out of the way. In the wild, an injured or weakened animal does not just lie down and let itself be eaten by wolves. They try to appear strong, and carry on. Because they want to live. Anybody who has nursed a sick pet has seen the joy and self-congratulation of a pet who wakes up each day and realizes he or she can enjoy food, water, sunlight, and physical closeness with their companions. When an animal is ready to go, it stops eating. Not for a day, but forever. Most deaths from old age or kidney disease even heart disease do not involve the kind of pain that animals find daunting.
The end of a pet's life should be not only when but how. If it requires some tedious and anxiety and prolonged sadness for humans, but gives the loving pet more of the only thing it really owns --life-- that may be the best we can do.
11
I got health insurance for my dog the day I adopted him. Now, very many years later, I discussed with his vet that at his very old age that if anything went wrong with him I would spare him any medical intervention other than euthanasia. She agreed. I cancelled his policy, which had gotten very expensive as he got very old.
Dogs don't know that they may miss out on anything. But they surely know when they are suffering. My dog will have a peaceful, pain-free passing as soon his quality of life seems to make his life no longer worth living. I think that would be the best thing that I could do for him.
11
When a dog is mortally ill, beyond sustainability by veterinary means, and the dog is suffering, trying to keep the dog alive to the last possible viable minute is not about the dog. It's about an owner who can't bear to say good-bye to a beloved friend.
If you really love your dog, discuss options with your vet well before those last few days. And make a plan. With luck, your dog can be kept comfortable, and euthanized at home when that is no longer possible.
After witnessing too many traumatic Last Days for the dogs of friends and family, I promised my old dog that would not happen to her, if I could possibly manage it. When her Last Day came, she had a gentle, peaceful end at home on a blanket in the sunshine - her last moments enhanced by her favourite cheese. Yes, I lost a few hours with her...but it was worth it.
10
I'm dealing with this right now with my 15 yr old Abyssinian cat. He's dying of lymphoma.
I'm in the unfortunate position of not liking my vet. There are 2 vets in the practice and the one I don't like has been managing his treatment (because the nicer one is insanely overbooked) and I've come to ignore her. My cat's illness came as a surprise, being quickly end stage before I could assess the vet situation and make other arrangements.
Hotspur won't be the first of my companions to die but he may be the first one who will die peacefully at home rather than be euthanized. I've worried a lot about when is the right time to take him in - it's not as obvious as it was with previous animals who had less fluid symptoms. He's maintaining well on his RX and lately, as his time runs out, I've been hoping he'll die in his bed. He spends a lot of time sleeping. Hopefully one day he won't wake up.
The vet told me he'd only live a month but now, 2 months in, he followed me into the kitchen today demanding his breakfast.
We'll see.
Thank you to Ana Homayoun for this wonderful article that landed in my life at exactly the right moment. Thanks also from Hotspur.
22
@fast/furious
I have had my share of less than stellar vets too. The good ones are always in such high demand for obvious reasons.
Usually when a gravely ill cat or dog stops eating, their time with us begins to lessen . . . quickly. I would simply keep observing Hotspur for other signs which are non-characteristic of his behavior. He will lead you to the decision of knowing when it's time to say that final good bye. I will keep positive and loving thoughts for you, hoping Hotspur will pass away in his sleep. That road has always been the best final gift any pet of mine can give me for they departed on their own timeline and terms. Take care.
13
@fast/furious:
Are there no other vets in your area? I for one would not stay with any vet I disliked and didn't trust 100%
5
@fast/furious My love to you and Hotspur.
8
Thank you for this article. My 13-year old toy poodle has CHF and is on a similar regimen. It is expensive, no question about it. My vet tries to get me to stop worrying and take one day at a time. It’s not easy. But I have treasured her every single day since I got her at 8 weeks old and will miss her terribly when she is gone. I’m sorry for your loss. My next puppy (if I can even go there) will have pet insurance.
8
I am devoted to my German Shepherd and vice versa. But, dogs are not people. We need to keep that in mind when making decisions and talking about them in our culture. People without pet insurance feel pressured to make emotional decisions to spend on a pet vet costs instead putting money aside for the inevitable rainy day or their child’s education. I also think people need to consider whether the life extending treatment and care are for the people or the dogs. When people tell me about the invasive and painful treatments their dog received to “give him another year”, I wonder what the dog thought about that.
18
I agree. Our vet told us that our 12 year old rescue needed an expensive invasive procedure. Without she would only live for 6 months. We asked him how long she would live after the procedure and he said, "6 months".
9
@NYT Reader:
not sure why you say "dogs are not people"....well, of course they are not, but they are sentient beings who can feel pain and fear.
I read the article differently. I don't think the author "prolonged" the dog's life; he just didn't euthanize him the minute the diagnosis was made....a big difference.
I do agree with you in that I'd never put a dog or cat of mine through the painful cancer treatments to prolong their life. They can't agree to it and they have no way to understand the pain/ nausea etc is to "help" them, MAYBE.
15
A great idea, but not everyone can afford the prescriptions. When I had pet insurance for my aging lab, it cost almost $100 a month, just for the insurance.
Also, many people do not work from home. The thought of leaving one of my dogs, when that ill, alone for 9 hours a day is untenable.
I currently have 2 14 year old rescues, one in much better shape than the other. When the little Rat Terrier starts feeling more effects from his kidney disease, we'll be going to the vet's for the final easing of his pain.
My previous two dogs taught me a month too early is better than a day too late. YMMV and good luck.
15
I wanted to read all of the comments, but I couldn’t do it. May we meet our beloved pets again in the afterlife that I hope exists.
14
Ana, thank you for writing this article. I didn’t want to read it because I knew it would make me cry. I had dogs my whole life until the last one who passed in 2005 and broke my heart. Our first family dog, a salt and pepper poodle lived to 18, battled cancer and...I still can’t tell the whole story, 26 years after she passed. Now I have two cats, but pet insurance for two pets is too expensive.
10
A comment nearly off the point of this touching article: Pet insurance was a great investment for me. One night I came home to find that my young, and very active, cat had somehow broken one of his canine teeth. That dental bill was in the low thousands. Thank goodness I had insurance! I would otherwise have had not only a budgeting crisis, but a crisis of confidence as a first-time pet owner.
4
@Singpretty So you got the cat's tooth fixed? What if you'd just had it filed down, or pulled?
My family had always been a pet family while I was growing up, to the point that my brother and I considered our many cats and dogs siblings. My mother had always tried to keep our pets happy at home until their final moments. Pet insurance wasn't something we had, but it never stopped my mother from doing everything possible to provide them the longest, most comfortable life possible. The vet recommended euthanasia to my mother for several of our pets, and once she agreed to it, but she felt bullied into that decision and still regrets it tearfully to this day. Her feeling is that euthanasia is meant to make it easier for the person, not the pet, that it is a selfish decision, and I agree. Many people have tried to convince my mother and me that we had made the wrong decisions, and long relationships have ended over those attempts. It feels good to know that there are other people who feel the same. We would have made the same choices, and we grieve with you. Thank you for sharing your experience.
5
@Steve G I understand your viewpoint, but respectfully disagree. Too many owners keep their pets alive because the person is selfish.
Every dog I've had euthanized was in pain. Euthanization can be the last, best, loving thing we can do for them. My aunt wished we could do it for her.
13
@Kate:
If your aunt is still alive, ask her to have her MD file the paperwork for Hospice care.
They do NO invasive testing or procedures, do not make you enter the hospital and their goal is to make the patient comfortable and pain free.
My mother and mother in law both benefited greatly from this in their final months.
3
I wish I could afford pet insurance. But with the cost of our monthly premium for health insurance being over $1000 a month, carrying pet insurance for a dog and 4 cats is not possible. I'm grateful that my animals are healthy. I've lost animals to cancer and renal failure. I am well familiar with palliative and comfort end of life care. As long as the good days outweigh the bad days as my animals reach the end of life, I will continue to do palliative and comfort care for each one until they're ready to cross the rainbow bridge, even if that means euthanasia while I hold them one last time.
15
Sorry, it’s bad enough that we spend the majority of a lifetime of healthcare costs in the last six weeks of a human’s life and now you want to go to extreme measures to try to extend a dog’s natural life? No, just no.
Each of my beloved dogs had their lives ended by a caring vet while wrapped in my arms. Each were old by any definition based on breed. Two were emergency situations. My almost 16 year-old mutt was in severe pain due to a twisting of her stomach, something that was fixed one time by manipulation which was unsuccessful the second time it happened. By your logic, I should have had surgery performed so that what, after recovering from painful surgery, it would happen a third time? My first Golden Retriever clearly had cancer, a disease that disproportionately strikes Goldens. At age 13.5, she had lost a dramatic amount of weight and, over the course of a week had gone from eating normally, to only eating her favorite treats, to refusing to eat or drink anything for days. My second Golden had survived a completely ruptured bladder due to an accident as a nine-year old, thanks to $5000 surgery. Now 13.5 years old, he was greatly suffering some unknown crisis, which could not be diagnosed by a country vet who suggested the only option to euthanasia was a frantic drive to a big city for exploratory surgery.
In each case, I asked the vet a simple question; what would you do if this were your dog?
I only wish this method of ending life were available to me.
66
@Kayemtee:
I read the article differently. I don't think the author "prolonged" the dog's life; she just didn't euthanize him the minute the diagnosis was made....a big difference.
I do agree with you in that I'd never put a dog or cat of mine through the painful cancer treatments to prolong their life. They can't agree to it and they have no way to understand the pain/ nausea etc is to "help" them, MAYBE.
7
@Kayemtee so don't do it. but don't begrudge the owners whose pets would benefit. I used to be a vet tech and cannot tell you how many pets were euthanized because the owners couldn't afford a particular procedure which would have given them a *good* quality of life and years more with the family. pet insurance isn't always exorbitant - and often is affordable. health insurance for either pets or people isn't an "either/or" situation - any more than "milk and cookies" is. reducing it to that is not just bad logic, but cruel.
5
My husband and I would have spent every dime and dollar in our collective mattresses to save and spare our beloved Abby from her cancer. But her particular cancer, like most cancers that cats and dogs get, did not respond positively to the treatment protocol. As a matter of fact, her cancer accelerated and spread to her brain. She endured additional discomfort and zero relief. The moment she started having brain tremors, we knew it was time to say good bye.
Hindsight is always 20-20 as they say. I wish we had listened to hearts rather than the oncologist's "most dogs respond extremely well with this protocol" sales pitch. Abby's final 10 days were horrific and I will always feel guilty for not protecting my girl.
While palliative and hospice care may not be an option for many pet parents, I think it's imperative to never lose sight of what is best for the pet rather than the pet parent. I realize that every household is different with unique circumstances and often times finances are a paramount concern, but sometimes the kindest and most loving gift one can give to their pet is to help usher them gently and lovingly from this world to their next journey. Some illnesses simply don't fit into the hospice paradigm.
It's been almost 20 years since we said good bye to our sweet Abby and we still grieve for her. Apologies for any typing errors - can't seem to never not have tears in my eyes when I write about my girl.
Condolences Ms. Homayoun on the passing of Mason.
92
My cat is 17 years old. He is taking medication for a thyroid condition which my vet said is very common in cats. He said a common symptom of a thyroid condition is kidney failure. I asked him if my cat will experience pain when his kidneys start to fail. He said "No." If my cat, who I love dearly and have had since he was one year old, ever had a condition that was terminal and caused him pain, I would have him euthanized. I'm more concerned with his quality of life, not his quantity of life.
19
@susan,
I too had a cat with kidney failure. Vet recommended essentially kitty dialysis which I could not afford and which I was sure my cat would hate. Like your vet, mine said my cat would not be in discomfort. I asked when I would know if he was not feeling well; the answer was, when he stops eating. When he got to when he wouldn’t even eat the gelatinous stuff in canned food, I took him to the vet to be euthanized. He was such a good cat, and I loved him very much. And I felt I did the best thing for him.
20
@tkandrb
You can learn to do subcutaneous transfusions (i.e. kitty dialysis) at home. I takes a few minutes a day and the results are wonderful. Your vet and/or a vet tech can show you how to do this.
5
@Cynthia
My comment about learning to to subcutaneous fluids is in no way a criticism of anyone--not everyone is comfortable doing this, others may not have know about this option. I just mention this as a point of information for anyone reading this.
6
Nearly a decade ago our dog Sky had cancer. The malignancy was incredibly aggressive and the scans showed the huge mass in his abdomen had grown so quickly it was larger than both kidneys. He was in so much pain that none of the vets could touch him without him screaming and trying to bite them.
It was advised that he be put down. Despite no one else being able to touch him in the office, and him even striking out at my wife, I insisted on carrying him to the room. To the amazement of everyone he jump out of the pen straight into my arms, put his paws around my neck, and started licking my face. He was telling me: "I've had a terrible day, I'm in pain and they keep doing things to me, take me home." I became hysterical. There was no way he was being put down that day.
We went through the options with the vets. Chemo would do nothing but increase his suffering; surgery was impossible. We settled on palliative care; pain-killers, steroids, and a Chinese herbal formula shown to be very promising in inhibiting the progression of that particular kind of cancer.
Sky lived for a year. Up until the last two days, he was pain-free with excellent quality of life. I worked at home, arranging things so I could care for him. There were also constant visits to the vet to modify his meds.
Time is really all we have in the end. Time with those we love is most precious. As long as you can maintain a good quality of life for those you love, do it, everything else pales by comparison.
62
You’ve written a beautiful story too, but this isn’t an option for most people.
You had the flexibility to rearrange your work schedule, along with the financial means to pay for palliative care. But people often leave sick dogs to the shelter, abandon them somewhere, or out in rural areas simply shoot them.
I’m as sentimental as anyone, but when my dogs have shown me it’s the end, they are euthanized with me hugging them. No use in prolonging misery.
5
@David G Thanks for the kind words. However, I should clarify that I didn't have the financial means to pay for palliative care.
The vet was very compassionate. Understanding our predicament, they worked out an arrangement where they charged a bit less for services, then everything went on a few interest free or low-interest credit cards I at that point made sure to have on hand because my financial situation had become profoundly precarious. Further, I was only able to rearrange my work schedule, such as it is, because I was rendered disabled shortly before my wife and I decided to get Sky.
The reason we got Sky was because I was rendered disabled by what is an incurable illness. It means I look at illness and mortality differently than many people. I could still do some primary tasks, but I had to totally abandon what had been my life, including my regular work. Sky was not a service dog in any traditional sense. He did no tasks for me, in fact the very idea of that little ten pound wonder, who one of my childhood friends referred to a cross between a ballerina and a feather duster, doing any worthwhile tasks makes me laugh and cry.
Many people may never face what I've written of. Though Sky was meant to take care of me, and he did since his companionship was invaluable, the greatest gift he ever gave me was absolute trust, even when in terrible pain, that I would take care of him too. When you think you've lost everything, what is trust like that worth? Everything.
21
@Robert B
I lost it when I read this part "To the amazement of everyone he jump out of the pen straight into my arms, put his paws around my neck, and started licking my face. He was telling me: "I've had a terrible day, I'm in pain and they keep doing things to me, take me home."
Pets know who to trust. They know this person(s) will protect them and keep them safe. Your bond with Sky is priceless and one for the books. Not sure who was more fortunate to have in their life - you or Sky.
All I know is that incredible people like you and other wonderful commenters continue to enrich, save and love many a dog or cat that would in many instances be in a worse place if you had not come along.
Deepest condolences of the passing of Sky. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt and compassionate story. Your comment has touched more lives than you may realize. Thank you ever so much for your kind, caring actions and words.
10
A beautiful story, but I’m not convinced that it’s a solution for most people.
I’ve had many dogs over the decades, and each one has left an indelible mark in my heart.
But even overlooking the huge cost involved for palliative and hospice care, is this how you want a dear friend to end his days? With constant visits to the vet, innumerable meds, incontinence, pain?
Dogs are our dear loyal friends, but they only enter our lives for a short time. That is a fact that has to be faced — they are simply not going to live past their natural lifespan.
104
i had to put my beloved Snowy down on May 17. She would have been 16 at the end of the year. She was an American Eskimo. She was the most beautiful dog in the world Tears are rolling down my eyes as I write this. Her kidneys were falling and they thought she might have cancer though the test that she just took. She bounced back several times with many issues like pancreatitis and thyroid issues. I had cats and dogs for over 40 years. In the end I begged God for the strength to be with her at the end. I sang to her and prayed as she left this world.I honorer all my animals at the end with pictures and other ways. With snowy I had to do something different, because she was different. I decided to get a tattoo that said snowy and my encircled with a heart. Until we meet again my love rest in peace.
45
@steven schneck: Snowy was your "heart dog". Not every dog or pet is such, and when you find one….it is incredibly special, like a great love in your life.
Cherish that memory; may it be a blessing for you.
14
Thank you so much for this article. About eight years ago, my wife and I took over the care of our neighbors' dog. Neither of us had ever had pets.
Our BFF (Best Furry Friend) is 18. He's slower walking uphill now, but he still runs (runs!) a half-mile on the return leg home.
He taught us we're dog people. We wish he could be with us forever, but we know that can't happen. Thanks for giving us your experience and thoughts.
45
Former vet tech and owner of many diverse pets. In my experience palliative care is only a good choice when the treatments are non invasive . You cannot explain to an animal why you must hurt them every single day or why they feel sick all the time. Animals instinctively hide symptoms of illness or pain so the average pet owner may not notice until the pain is extreme. The constant stress of being forced to take medication that makes them feel unwell or to be restrained and have their trusted human cause them pain can change an animals temperament. I learned this lesson the hard way with a cat that I loved dearly that needed daily fluids,then twice daily fluids. I euthanized her when I realized that she had begun to run or flinch when I came towards her. The trust of an animal is a precious, fragile thing. I have never regretted not waiting to euthanize but I have regretted not doing it soon enough.
190
@J
I had a different experience with my Tonkinese, Mikki. Working with the NC State Vet School, I gave Mikki subcutaneous fluids daily for six years. He had long jumped up into my lap for a nap in the evenings. I kept the fluid in it bag hanging over my chair and when he settled down, I slipped the 20ga needle. Into the subcutaneous space between his scapulae. He never flinched and Just continued his nap. We also gave him oral meds daily. He never ran from us.
We were very lucky.
13
@J: I agree. It is a mistake to judge an animals discomfort by human standards (meaning reading "Being Mortal"may be fine but it may not apply completely to PETS.)
Animals can't tell you when they are in pain, nor when their quality of life -- not being able to run or go for walks -- has taken away all the joy of living for them.
I had a cat who in old age, had failing kidneys and needed saline fluids given several times a week. It does help, but at the cost of trust and affection between you and the cat -- they HATE the treatments, which involve sticking a wide bore needle in their skin -- and long periods of time immobile while they get the fluids. After a few treatments, my cat learned to runaway from me and hide! not a very nice set of final memories.
I promised my other cats "never again". If their kidneys fail….I will give them palliative care until they are dying or in pain, then put them down.
8
@Concerned Citizen My husband and I have given fluids to a number of our cats. We have not seen a negative reaction in any of them. The most significant factor is we know we have to be calm as we're doing it. We were taught to do it correctly and easily so we would feel at ease. Perhaps, as a result of that, the cats have been equally calm. In some cases, we've known it was time to stop and just give palliative medication. They slip away quietly usually within a day. We treat our animals as we hope we will be treated.
3
"Hospice and palliative care can prolong a pet’s life with the option of euthanasia if it is determined to be the humane course of action."
I'm happy we take this attitude with our pets, but it makes me sad and angry we legally deny a "humane" course of action to humans in the same situation. I won't let the law deny me a humane death if it comes to that and am grateful we see the value of ending suffering for *some* life forms.
23
@e w My sentiments exactly.
2
Thank you so much for doing this for Mason in a culture that so easily puts a pet down when it's no longer performing to expectations.
I know your pain, and I suspect many of the commenters here have also gone through the agonizing heartache that accompanies the experience of losing one's best friend, baby and faithful companion. It's brutal and plain awful. My heart goes out to you.
13
Mason was lucky to have you as his person. My Emmy, a 12-year-old border/chow mix, is heading into her twilight years. While she is mostly very healthy, she recently has been diagnosed with a cruciate ligament tear - her second. Her first was five years ago, and we did a big, traumatic surgery then. This time, we are going a different route to spare her the trauma and increase her quality of life, through hydrotherapy and doggie rehab, pain meds, and CBD. She's having a blast in her weekly trips to the "gym" - Water4Dogs in lower Manhattan - and our at-home exercises are just more playtime for her. Unfortunately, my pet insurance- which I secured 6 years ago - does not cover alternative therapies, and this is a good question to ask when exploring policies. Regardless, the renewed energy and confidence from Emmy is worth the investment, and I'm grateful to be able to foot this bill. Thank you for sharing your story - it will help many an aging pup out there - and their owners.
11
Heartbreaking, but so wonderfully expressed.
10
We have had two wonderful dogs we loved very much. When each neared the end of his and her life ill beyond remedy, we put each to sleep with sad and grateful hearts. It never occurred to us to give either of these beautiful, loving beings palliative care, which would have been more about our egos and not their peace and well-being.
20
I cannot imagine spending that much money on prolonging the dogs life, however beloved it might be, if that money could have been used to save the life of a human being, however stranger to us. But I do know that for some people the life of a beloved bed is indeed worth more than the life of the
7
Given that we live in a society where numerous billionaires spend their money on hijacking the political system so they can further increase their own wealth, I don’t feel any guilt whatsoever about spending thousands of dollars to keep my dog alive for as long as possible with as much quality of life as possible after he was diagnosed with a serious autoimmune disease. My dog was a faithful and loving companion who helped me immensely during a time when I was struggling with major depression. He also spread happiness wherever he went, and never met a human he didn’t like.
Due to the nature of his illness, a time came when the compassionate decision was to euthanize him. Part of what entered the decision to euthanize him was that that I absolutely did not want him to die alone. We were fortunate to find a service that provided in-home euthanasia he was able to die peacefully in the arms of me and my husband after a final walk and a steak lunch.
Ironically we had had pet insurance for years and gave it up about a month before his diagnosis. I don’t think the policy would have covered very much of his care though. For anyone considering pet insurance, I would look before you leap and make sure you know what you are paying for.
32
What is the chance that you’re going to use the money not spent on a pet to save a human being? Zero.
6
I cannot make sense of why we are more concerned about the family pet and so little bothered about the human fetus being torn, scraped or suctioned from its mother’s womb. I’m no Bible thumping, pro-life activist, but I still find the double standard glaringly apparent. Perhaps we should have “rescue babies” the way we have “rescued dogs” or “run-away-cats.” Then, and only then, can we claim true compassion for all of God’s creatures.
When I previously had pets, I was unable to afford pet insurance, which led to having to put down a much-beloved cat. These days, I don't have a pet but if I did, I would definitely buy pet insurance for all the reasons cited here. I'm so glad that Mason had a happy and comfortable end of life experience, one which his owner could feel proud of.
10
I love how you honored Mason. Beautifully shared, as well.
27
I'm not convinced that pet insurance (at least based on what's available to purchase on today's market) makes financial sense. And frankly I think we should take the opposite lesson than this article presents - that we, as humans, should consider fewer medical interventions and death with dignity when it makes sense, the same gift that we give our beloved pets.
42
@Sunshine: I've looked into pet insurance. Notice the author here gives no actual costs!!!
It can run hundred a month, or thousands a year. And it often excludes many treatments or has a yearly cap on payouts.
Many of the policies I saw were ONLY for younger dogs, and would not pay for such costly care for an ELDERLY dog.
You cannot TAKE OUT a policy on an elderly dog in the first place, not unless you've had the policy since the dog was very young -- a puppy -- so you'd have to pay into that policy for at least 10 years or more -- or tens of thousands of dollars.
You must weight that against any claims you get paid for at the end of that pet's life! if you get back $5000 in vet costs -- but paid $25,000 for that policy over 12 years of the dog's life -- it is not a good value AT ALL.
@Concerned Citizen but surely each individual owner gets to make that decision? "good value" is in the eye of the beholder, as it were. for me, paying a small monthly amount with a large deductible is good value, since the DM that my dog's breed is prone to is covered.
3
@Judy Hill: I did not say the insurance should be banned or prohibited. I said in most cases it is not a good value, and that for most people....it is completely unaffordable.
If you must insure the dog from puppyhood to old age -- about 13 years -- and only really use the insurance in the last 2 years of life -- you need to look at the cost over the dog's lifetime.
Only you can make that decision, in light of your own personal finances.
1
In every shelter across our nation and on our streets, cats prevail in numbers that are almost or double the amount of dogs that will surely meet their deaths without love. And, yet, articles about dogs and their care are double that of cats. Why couldn't this article have been titled The End of a Pet's Life and include information regarding cats end of life options? They will be different. Perhaps, in all good conscience, you could have a follow-up article for us cat parents who go through the same pains of care and loss after devastating illnesses such as Chronic Renal Failure or Cancer or any other diseases that take emotional toll from the humans who love them.
39
@Madeleine
I have owned cats and dogs and dogs are just different.
Cats tolerate people and are generally not social animals while dogs are very social and generally love people.
The problem with cats is that irresponsible pet owners do not get them spayed or neutered. Most dogs can easily be kept inside a fenced yard, but almost any cat can top any fence with little effort. My last cat- a Siamese named Mocha- was climbing trees and lounging on the roofs of neighbors houses at 14-15 years old in an effortless fashion.
I am all for giving quality care to our pets but wonder about the growing practice of taking extreme medical interventions for a pet when well over a Billion humans survive on less than $1.25 a day. Not making a case for diminishing the care and love we have for our pets, but many of our pets live much better lives than countless fellow humans.
I write this with an 8 month old Standard Poodle laying on my bed a couple of feet from my Bedroom desk. May he live a long, healthy and very happy life.
8
@David Gregory I am troubled by the comparison between "extreme medical interventions" for a pet and caring for humans on the planet. This is an especially relevant topic as many of us still tackle end of the year charitable giving appeals (despite the Trump tax change which may affect charitable giving by US citizens with ordinary incomes).
Many people give up unnecessary pleasures to afford giving to charities. Taking care of the medical needs of our animal companions is not in the same category as dining out, the routine coffee stop, the expensive clothing or jewelry or cars or trips.
I wish you and your 8 month old Standard Poodle a long and happy life. Our two year old Standard came into our lives as an adoption of a Show dog rejected due to Addisons, a result of ignorant breeding. Expensive monthly care made it possible for her to live with us until she was 12. One or two bottles of expensive wine or a dinner out monthly was easy to give up to cover her care as well as still giving to human charities. We were lucky to do both, but her care was never a choice between that and giving to human charities. I know many people who donate time instead of money to keep up equitable charitable giving obligations.
Expensive insulin for diabetic animals is as much a problem as it is for humans. The cost of medicines used by both animals and humans is so outrageous due to greed in the US that something needs to be done.
14
This isn’t an article; it’s her own personal story about one individual pet. You can certainly use the same premise with regard to your cat.
7
This is an interesting approach and deserves to be talked about more. Absolutely love the why it is written. RIP Mason.
10
An article reviewing pet insurance would be interesting. Searching online, consumer experience with Trupanion seems very mixed. Trupanion provides no wellness coverage and many conditions are denied as related to pre-existing conditions. I’m also curious how often premium costs increase over the lifetime of the pet.
3
@LeftCoast Trupanion is awesome. Premiums do increase a bit every year, but during the dog's last couple years or so, the premium is nothing compared to the cost savings vs. having no insurance.
1
@idnar
Maybe. I paid almost $100/month for 8 years. My last lab's medical bills for her last 2 weeks were $2500.
1
@LeftCoast The Times did do a story on pet insurance earlier this year. I think it was a sort of personal finance slanted article in the Saturday personal finance area of the business section. I was quite surprised by some of the figures I saw in it and went online to the websites of some of the insurance companies they mentioned. FIrst, each company offers at least 3 or so levels of coverage -- sort of bronze to gold. Then, the premiums increase with age. The figures quoted in the Times article must have been for very young animals, because when I entered 10 as the age of my hypothetical cat, I got a much larger premium. So I can imagine by the time an animal is 15 or 16, it would be really high. I highly recommend that anyone thinking of buying this type of insurance do their research.
As I was doing this I couldn't help but think of something the vet who took care of the cat I inherited from my mother said. She told me that pets, especially in the city, were starting to get all sorts of things that humans get and that animals didn't usually get -- asthma and all sorts of chronic conditions. It is one of the reaons I have not gotten a cat of my own following the death of the one I inherited. Just don't think I could afford it in New York, whether I had insurance or not.
1
I'm going through this now with my golden. I have to drag his memory foam pad outside and help him up to relieve himself, but every time I think he's ready to leave he perks up. I have him on a medicine regimen and he is in no pain. At the moment he is snoozing at my feet. After being my loyal companion for 14 years I refuse to dispose of him for my convenience. When he's ready is up to him.
Imagine all the nursing home money that could be saved if people treated their parents like their pets, granny is looking kind of sick, let's bump her off.
20
@Paulie
My heart goes out to you. We let out dog make the call.
She knew and we followed her lead.
8
@Paulie
This is an ideal situation for people and pets. But people have jobs and employers who are not in the position of being able to grant time off and extended leave in order for us to properly provide end of life care. Whether we would choose to do this if we could is another story.
8
@Paulie
While I was crying reading your heart wrenching scenario about your golden, I burst out laughing through my tears at your closing line about bumping off granny because she is "looking kind of sick."
Many commenters can identify with your emotional pain for they have been down a similar path. I think your philosophy and attitude towards him is spot on and one in which I share. These scenarios never get any easier, only more familiar.
I am proud of you for listening, watching and taking your cues from your golden as to what to do. As the Chief from Cali stated, all pet parents have to do is follow their lead - they will let you know when it's time to say good bye.
Thank you for you loving comment. I wish you continued inner strength with your loyal companion of 14 years.
3
We just lost our 2 beloved 17.5 and 18.5 year old cats. One of our cats had chronic urinary tract infections from the time he was a year old. I have no idea what the vet bill totals were for him but it was significant. His sister had pancreatitis at the age of 10. She was not eating or drinking. The young substitute vet at the clinic we went to gave her fluids three days in a row and she didn’t get better. I got online to ask a vet who said to get her emergency care ASAP because if cats don’t eat for several days it is a death sentence. We went an emergency clinic and $5000 later, she recovered. Again her end of life vet bills were hearty. We now have 2 7 month old cats and I wonder about vet insurance for them. Fortunately we can afford the vet bills. Does the monthly outlay really pay for itself? Would we be better off putting $60-70 per month away? The responses have been a mixed bag. What good is insurance that won’t cover a pet over 10 which is when the bills become hefty?
Will look for responses. Thank you.
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@Michele Missner:
The article mentions Trupanion as the author’s pet insurance choice. I just looked up. It looks like they cover quite a lot and very reasonable. There is no age limit and the deductible to premium is flexible.
We have an 18 month Golden Retriever and will soon have a Golden Retriever pup. So we are seriously considering this policy for them.
1
@Claudia Rodriguez: it is "reasonable" for a puppy or kitten.
I ran the numbers for my 11 year old border collie -- it's $250 a month.
That's $3000 a year, PLUS a 10% copay on everything.
Whether or not that is "reasonable" depends on your person finances. For the average American, with a family income of roughly $50,000….and maybe owns 2-3 pets….NO IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE.
Two dogs over age 8 would run $500 a month!!!!!
1
@Claudia Rodriguez I just had a very positive experience with Trupanion. Our dog had a $5,000 bill and Trupanion pair $4500. I'll stay with this company.
2
It sounds like you took wonderful care of your beloved canine companion Mason. Pet insurance is something I tried several years ago when one of my dogs entered her senior years. However, it did not help at all in terms of defraying the costs of her medical care. I still miss her dearly as she was my most faithful friend and my favorite walking partner.
“To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace.” — Milan Kundera
41
Thank you for sharing.
6
I have pet insurance through Nationwide for my dog who is now 6. However, when Rosie turns 10 she will no longer be insurable.
5
@Betty Edwards double-check... usually if your dog is insured before he/she is ten years old, you are fine! At least mine have been. Most insurance companies just don’t let you insure a dog older than ten years old... but they don’t drop coverage.
9
@Betty Edwards Why? I got Trupanion for my dogs when they were 8, and they were insured until their passing at 12 and 13.
2
@Betty Edwards
I agree with NYC, check your policy. We insure through Healthy Paws. There's an upper age limit on issuing a first-time policy, but there's no age limit for pets that are insured.
3
Thank you for a beautiful article. Thank you.
7
I can't help but feel dissonance at the notion that Americans spend billions on pet healthcare, when we lack universal healthcare for humans. And this coming from a longtime vegetarian and animal rights proponent.
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@Joel. I'm not sure why you feel dissonance. We spend billions on pet health care because we can. There is no powerful set of lobbyists fighting against individuals' rights to buy pet insurance or pay for veterinary procedures. Unless you are proposing that we spend the money we'd spent on pet care on campaign donations to pro-universal health care candidates?
8
@Joel As someone living abroad for many years now, I know exactly what you mean. When I come home and see all the luxury items in the stores for pets I just cant believe it. I was thinking of buying one of these luxury pet foods to bring home for my cats and then I had a second thought that was shame because I think that there are plenty of people, including children, in the US that cannot even afford to eat so well.
2
@Joel, Americans also spend billions on golf, fast fashion, housekeepers, and yard service. They even have silly hobbies like group exercise classes, running marathons, needlework, woodworking, and even playing poker. For years, my answer to what my hobby was included dogs (hiking with my dog! training my dog!). And I spend money and time on it. For a middle aged large dog, it's roughly $200/mo including multiple vet visits per year, the occasional toy, and a few dog walks. An older dog costs more, and a smaller one less.
We just lost our Doberman a few weeks ago and still feel the void in our family. I am hesitant to get another pet right away, partly because we still miss our pup terribly and partly because of the high cost of veterinary care. It seems that health care is outrageously expensive - for humans and pets. Every time we took our dog to the vet for any little thing the bill was several hundred dollars. We are semi-retired and the cost to properly take care if a pet is prohibitive. We will get another pet some day, but we are going to take a break and let the heartbreak and the wallet recover a little first.
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@Phil Dunkle
We're semi-retired also. Our old dog is 18 and still happy to be alive.
Looking ahead to when he'll be gone, we decided to take on a young rescue dog. She's about 1&1/2. Our old dog loves her, and she's reversed his behavioral age by at least four years.
We got insurance for our youngster. With luck, we'll be able to pay the premiums for as long as she's with us.
Our oldie was too old for insurance coverage when we got him. When he gets seriously ill, we won't be able to pay for care, which - we agree with you - is very costly. Not looking forward to that time at all.
I hope you reach a place where you can take on another friend.
13
@Phil Dunkle: it is worth having a discussion on the high costs of vet care, which has gone to the moon in the last 10-15 years.
I used to have a few older vets, but they retired. They generally had small, simple practices, in tiny vet offices, and charged modest rates.
But as they retired, the businesses were taken over by young vets -- who aggressively remodeled and turned once small, simple practices into "health spas" and spend much of their time hawking expensive prescription dog & cat chow, and procedures like "laser treatments" or "hydro-therapy".
It all feels a LOT like a scam, and yes, the cost of taking my dog in for annual checkup & shots has soared from about $65 to about $225!!! in just a few years!
My best friend's daughter is today in veterinary college. I can tell you very accurately, therefore, the cost is $73,000 PER YEAR for FOUR YEARS -- or about $285,000 to get her degree. Her family has some money, but she will likely graduate with $200K in college debts and therefore, the costs at her future vet clinic will reflect her need to pay this enormous bill off.
8
We have pet insurance on our two Danes and there has been only one year when it did not pay for itself in covered vet fees. Giant breed dogs are particularly fragile and we have never regretted buying it.
16
Pet insurance is an investment, but a worthwhile one from my point of view.
When I adopted my little dog from the local shelter, I bought a pet insurance policy for her, (mostly because she had an odd gait, and the vet who examined her said, rather casually, that perhaps it was due to an old injury, and although it wasn't bothering her at the time, maybe it might someday). I set it up as a "catastrophic" kind of policy with a large deductible, and paid the everyday issues myself, to keep the payments low. She was about a year old then.
This past spring, when she was 5, she suddenly started having significant trouble walking. Our vet recommended a neurologist, and an MRI. The diagnosis was a rare birth defect called a tethered spinal cord.
After the MRI came major surgery and several days in the hospital. The price tag for all this would have been at least two months' take-home pay for me, except for the health insurance (also Trupanion). Because of the insurance, it was only my deductible plus 10% of the rest; affordable. If it weren't for that insurance, I wouldn't have been able to do it. I'd have had to watch her deteriorate, and maybe put her down in the prime of her life, rather than see her thrive as she is now.
45
@anonymous
You're lucky your vet told you instead of telling you and putting it in her chart.
If it had been in her chart, it would have been a preexisting condition.
2
My dog Katie was a rescue 16 years ago. She was the best thing to come into my life. She made me a more responsible guy
She’s been gone six months, I’m reminded by friends how she
would love and protect her family. She taught me love and respect, humility and empathy. She gave to me her devotion and
unrequited love from her heart. Her nose prints still mark the
backseat windows.
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@The Chief from Cali
Beautiful image of the nose prints. How I love that.
Thank you
35
@Manderine
Thanks
7
@The Chief from Cali
My heart breaks for you and your family. I'll bet those six months feel more like 6 minutes. Katie sounds like a one in a million kind of girl, especially when you feel like you received the larger lion's share in the deal. There's something about a rescue that ultimately changes a person's life. I think because the dog or cat knows you saved their life, they instinctively live their life saving yours. At least that's what I've experienced with every rescue that has graced my life. Sincerest condolences on the passing of your Katie.
11
Hmmm. Generally palliative care and especially hospice care are about making the patient comfortable rather than treatments. My experience with pet insurance was that it was expensive and didn’t cover much. I’d definitely recommend reading the details. Dying is difficult because often treatments and procedures - including euthanasia - are done to make the survivors more comfortable rather than the being who is dying. In my experience medications that create confusion can create pain that is worse than the physical pain.
12
@LeftCoast: I've looked into it many times, and found the same thing.
It is VERY EXPENSIVE, and almost as much as real insurance for a human being. There is no "single payer" for dogs & cats!
The cost runs from about $80 a month for a young puppy or kitten to over $300 a month for a senior dog. And that is without considering deductibles and co-pays.
Some insurers will only insure dogs under age 7 or 8 and cats under age 12….meaning they cut and run as soon as the animal reaches an age where it needs the most health care!
I feel that Ms.Homayoun is very deceptive her win pushing Trupanion but NOT DISCUSSING THE COSTS….which can easily exceed $25,000 per pet over a lifetime.
Now imagine doing that with 3 or 4 pets -- a dog and 2 cats, a common household! -- or anyone who is not upper class.
I struggle to pay for MY OWN lousy worthless Obamacare with high deductibles! the idea of adding pet insurance to that mix is insanely out of the question.
1
I appreciated this article and the perspective of the writer. We had 2 of our cats die in the last couple of years and each one triggered reflections on life and death for them and us.
I have read Atul Gawande's book and what struck for me was the questioning of our focus on diagnosis and treatment rather than the experience of the sick pet/human and their loved ones. Death is a powerful experience for all concerned and Lila and BooBoo gave us lessons in suffering and letting go.
25
Dealing with this right now, with my 8 1/2 year old Airedale. He was hospitalized for 48 hours last week at a cost of over $1,000 for what appears to be acute kidney failure, with two different strains of bacterial infections, and he was already diagnosed with chronic kidney failure last winter. No pet insurance. I have been in tears but am providing comfort care for him. We are still taking our daily walks.
73
My Airedale Mick was six when he died from a rare blood cancer. He had surgery followed by chemotherapy. He died less than a week after his last treatment and I wonder if the chemo took him sooner than the cancer would have. They are the sweetest, funniest, most expressive dogs. I’m sorry for your loss.
5
My dog is only 4 right now. This story gives me strength and hope for his future. I purchased health insurance when he was just a pup, hoping it will be as useful as it was in Masons case. Beautiful story, Ana. Thank you for sharing!
14
Pet insurance merely drives up fees for veterinarian services. If you don't like your dog confused with your kids and $1000 vet bills, go to a rural vet.
35
Good on you Ana, best biff
4
We started with pet insurance with our first dog. Our kids were young, we had seen several neighbors go through situations where they had big vet bills for cherished dogs that were no where near end of life. And our lab puppy put everything in her mouth as they are wont to do.
In the end she lived a good long life until her hips went and any further intervention would have only prolonged pain. She suddenly couldn't stand so palliative care would not have worked. We never really needed the insurance.
We still have the insurance for our 5 yr old but it is like most insurance; for emergencies or catastrophic. I would try palliative maybe but only so long as she were enjoying life. Owners can go too far for too long and prolong suffering. I wouldn't want that for myself or for her.
22
Kudos to kind, compassionate vets and vet techs everywhere! We've been so fortunate to find outstanding animal care in our region.
Pet health insurance sounds like a sensible idea. Luckily, we've been able to afford our vet's reasonable fees, but we haven't had to look down the barrel of hip replacements or dialysis for our fur babies.
End of life care for our four-pawed family members has always been an emotional roller coaster. What is the tipping point between their quality of life and ours, as the messes they can't help but make cover the floor?
Our amazing vet made a house call on our darling dog's final day, and spent most of the hour counseling our distraught teenager about what our dog was going through, physically and mentally. It was an incredible experience, as we all had our hands on our beloved animal as she took her final breath, a beautiful ceremonial blanket wrapped around her.
Our vet made such a heartwrenching time an important emotional milestone in our family's journey.
91
@One Moment: that is very nice, but almost no vets make house calls. It is rare, and can be costly.
Just like human doctors do not make house calls, not even for dying patients.
I've had a couple of pets who died naturally at home, in their sleep -- and a couple who had to be taken to the vet to be put down. It's incredibly hard and sad, either way.
Things like hip replacements and dialysis are worthwhile FOR HUMANS, because we can intellectually understand what is happening, and process the trade-off of some discomfort and disability NOW to extend our lives or get better.
A dog or cat CANNOT MAKE that evaluation or choice. We choose FOR them, because they are animals. They have no concept of "the future" and live entirely in "the now".
I really question if dialysis is the right choice for most pets, especially elderly ones. I have never seen pets who got QUALITY OF LIFE from such procedures.
Hip replacements are harder to evaluate. In a young dog with congenital hip dysplasia, who can look forward to years of healthy activity -- maybe. In an elderly senior dog, where the surgery will cause pain and disability, maybe arthritis -- and involve six months of being crated until they heal -- it might be a waste of thousands of dollars, and only cause the dog misery.
4
The article is more about advocating for quality pet health insurance coverage than anything to do with hospice or euthanasia. I’m glad your dog had some more quality of life time after aggressive medical interventions that were covered by pet health insurance.
33
@Chandler: but not every dog DOES get more quality of life. And yes this reads like a paid ad for a costly insurance policy!!! The author does not even mention the very high cost of this -- up to $300 and more per month PER PET (not counting deductibles and copays!).
I had a friend who had pet insurance, and it paid for part of the cost of TWO hip replacements on her 8 year old Great Pyrenees. However….the surgery was very debilitating to the dog (and cost $6000 PER HIP or about $12,000 total!). Yes, insurance defrayed about half this cost (but had its OWN monthly costs).
I saw her dog go from a cheerful, active big bear of a creature, to a miserable shell of himself, restricted for more than year to "heal" the two surgeries.
By the end, the dog was as crippled from the surgeries (scarring, pain,etc.) as he was from the original hip dysplasia. After all that money spent….she had to put him down the next year anyways.
Was it really worth doing?
1
@Concerned Citizen, it's the question we ask. But we are not all-knowing, so sometimes we make an imperfect call.
My beautiful geriatric German Shepherd did have surgery 18 months before I euthanized her. She healed fabulously. However, when she presented with GDV (not something my semi-rural area can handle locally), I chose to euthanize because of age/frailty/severe pain/distance to care/likelihood of successful treatment (and my fears about recovery even if she did survive the initial post-surgical period). Both of those were almost certainly the correct call for the dog.
A younger dog-- I might have transported. Even that year earlier. I still question myself occasionally.
I have a dog with IBD who has had some rather expensive tests to rule out other potential issues. The vet did not push them, so I chose to do them when it seemed we weren't managing it well. Were they needed? Perhaps only for my peace of mind (and knowing it is safer to give steroids if needed emergently.)
Huge regrets that I didn’t get pet insurance. It’s too late now for my nearly 13 year old Cockapoo. He’s in good health but I dread the day something happens. Dread. Get pet insurance!
6
@RC: a thirteen year old dog is very close to the end of his natural life, with or without health insurance.
Love him and give the best care you can afford, and then if he is at the end….let him go mercifully. Your vet can give you advice and suggestions.
Insurance is no guarantee your dog will live longer, and it might tempt you into useless, painful treatments that do not extend your dog's quality of life.
1
Such a beautiful and touching article and revelation about how we care for dogs in the US. We ourselves have had health insurance on our dog LIly when we first got her as a puppy and continued this until she was out of the woods in terms of "getting into puppy trouble". The feature about health insurance for pets that the author failed to highlight is that, for many folks health insurance for their loved companion can, in some cases, actually end up paying for itself AND actually saving tons of money while at the same time enhancing pet quality of life overall. Lily was such an active dog and injuries and assorted sicknesses (puppy mange for instance) so frequent, that having her covered saved literally thousands of dollars. Indeed, in light of the author's article I find myself now thinking that perhaps it would be wise for us to get Lily (and her two sisters) health coverage again. Thank you so much Ana for sharing your experience with Mason.
9
We had a very wise cat sitter who said that our pets let us know when it is time for them to go. Our 22 year old white cat Pookie, who adored being outside and "managing" our property, had not been out of our bedroom with his special heating pad for almost two weeks due to stage 4 kidney disease. On the 4th of July he staggered downstairs, wen to the back door, meowed to be let out and did a circuit of our backyard. I followed him , crying of course. He entered the house and went back to his heating pad. We then took him to the veterinarian to be put to sleep. Pookie seemed to say to us, "I checked things and everything is fine. I can leave now." He comforted us in our sadness. And we still miss him.
226
@beth reese
The exact same happened to my suffering Airedale on his last morning. He walked thru the backyard surveying everything. Took deep breaths of the garden air, paused with a long and deliberate look about, picked up his favorite toy for a bit, then went into the house. We knew it was time. It hasn’t been a year since his passing and I still feel that unique morning each time I’m in the garden. Part deep sorrow, part gratitude for this memory.
79
@RF,
My beautiful dog, Max, did the same thing. He had liver cancer. After our morning walk, my husband left for work. I was working at home. A couple of hours after my husband left, Max had a seizure. I called my husband and the vet, but there was nothing to be done. It was over in a minute. I was glad that I was there in his last moments, but I had PTSD of sorts for a long time. I’m assured by medical friends that the end was too fast for Max to feel much, if any pain. And I think Max would not have traded his last morning of hunting in the bushes for lost tennis balls to have avoided that last minute of life. Anyway, I say all this because the end is not always peaceful. Each of us has to think about what is best for our pets and ourselves.
4
@beth reese That was one of the most heartfelt comments I have ever read on the NYT. Thank you.
9