Thoughts on Euthanasia

Hopefully this does not cause argument as it is a sensitive topic but really would like to get thoughts and beliefs on whether you feel it is right or wrong.
To me- I get it. They are at the end of their lives or have a terminal illness that causes pain and suffering. But I feel when they know, they know. That should be their decision..not our choice to make.
Look at terminally ill cancer patients..we don’t go around euthanizing people, despite their death sentence..yet I ask myself, if I was in that much pain, what would I really want if I was told there is nothing left anyone could do..that I reached the age where I lived my life and came to terms with everything.
Never have I euthanized my pets. And don’t think I ever will. Yet I was always told I have been wrong to do so. But I feel they are capable of going on their own when they are ready. For that, I stand by my choice that euthanasia is wrong.

 
We euthanize animals bc we cannot explain to them that they're going to be in horrible pain for the rest of their lives otherwise. Humans have the ability to comprehend our own mortality & health. Other species do not. If there's nothing that can be done to keep an animal out of pain them keeping them alive is sadistic. Also humans should have the option to end their lives too when terminally ill. Euthanasia in the right context is ethical & merciful.
 
while it still is the most painful decision i made in my life, it saved my boy from dying in horrible pain from gastric torsion. when the torsion itself happened it was apparent he wanted it to end. he did the thing pack animals do when they know it's over, he tried to find a secluded place to die alone. that "please help" look with death in his eyes he gave me when i found him hidden in a bush with a bloated stomach will haunt me for the rest of my life. the only thing i could do for him was to make it as painless and quick as possible and if i could change anything it would be the vet who did it. for some reason he didn't even take us into his office and my boy's last moments with me where on a fucking sidewalk like he was some hobo....



ps: it's kinda odd that it's almost always the ppl with the need to use "special" fonts and colors who have the most outlandish opinions. i mean, would you really never ease the pain of your loved one? that sounds very sadistic.
 
I asked our vet to euthanize my companion when I was sure that life had nothing nice to offer to him anymore, when he himself knew this and was ready to go. In the end he didn't accept any food and did not even attempt to stand when I put him on his feet anymore. He had chosen to die. Without euthanisia he would have done so on the same spot in our home within few days. Euthanesia helpd him go the way he had accepted for himself.
 
That’s a tough subject in all honesty.
Do I support it? Yes. An animal will never understand why or what’s going on in terms of pain and overall what’s wrong with them. And since animals don’t have a medical insurance like people do it gets very expensive very quickly. On average dogs only live 14 years. Would you have the beans to pay for a cancer treatment or the heart to see them go through that kind of hell just for a few more years?
 
That’s a tough subject in all honesty.
Do I support it? Yes. An animal will never understand why or what’s going on in terms of pain and overall what’s wrong with them. And since animals don’t have a medical insurance like people do it gets very expensive very quickly. On average dogs only live 14 years. Would you have the beans to pay for a cancer treatment or the heart to see them go through that kind of hell just for a few more years?
Can’t disagree with any of that no matter how heartbreaking it is
 
I support it, even with humans. my grandpa had cancer and no hope of recovery, the doc gave him a overdose of morphine to end his suffering early. My wife is a amputee and often in screaming pain when she feels her leg in weird positions, sometimes twisted through her body, she has not much to look out for in life and i made the promise to help her end it when she wants out. My great dane is nearly 8, she had mammary lumps removed last year, i won't put her through that again. If she needs to be put down i am not allowed to be there at the vets. If needed i will ask for the syringes and she will be on her blanket at home, whilst i do the most difficult thing in my life.
 
I support it, even with humans. my grandpa had cancer and no hope of recovery, the doc gave him a overdose of morphine to end his suffering early. My wife is a amputee and often in screaming pain when she feels her leg in weird positions, sometimes twisted through her body, she has not much to look out for in life and i made the promise to help her end it when she wants out. My great dane is nearly 8, she had mammary lumps removed last year, i won't put her through that again. If she needs to be put down i am not allowed to be there at the vets. If needed i will ask for the syringes and she will be on her blanket at home, whilst i do the most difficult thing in my life.
There is a method too help amputation victims with fantom limb syndrome. All you need is a Mirror.
 
Euthanasia is often one of the hardest decisions we have to make. But it's sometimes necessary so that our animal love ones aren't living a horrifyingly painful existence. It would be selfish to try and prolong their misery so that you may try and get 1-3 more weeks out of your animal, all the while watching the life slowly drain out of their eyes. It's more humane to put a bullet in its head, or pump them full of drugs.

If I'm ever forced to euthanize my girls I've promised them that I will be there, in the same operating room, holding their paw until their last breath on earth. It will be very hard, and since they are my first girls, it is going to irreversibly change me and my personality for the rest of my life. But it's what my girls deserve; they deserve to spend their last moments on earth with the person they love the most. But my girls, if in pain and at the very end of their life, deserve to pass with dignity. Otherwise I would be selfish.

Now, some animals don't need to be necessarily euthanized, some animals do pass on their own without pain. I know of two cases myself. My father's friend had a rough collie mix that was around 12/13 years old. He still seemed pretty healthy, but just slowing down from age. They woke up one morning and he passed in his sleep with no warning signs. The other case was a family cat. Same thing, she was old and slowing down with age, one day we found her stiff on the floor. She too passed in her sleep. But if your animal is dying a slow and painful death, it's better to end their misery.
 
How exactly do you propose to implement that?

Do you have any idea how stoically they can put up with intense pain, because appearing weak/vulnerable is not a "good thing" to be showing in the natural world?

Well like for example, my family member’s shih tzu that passed was very old(17 yes). She could barely walk during the end and you can tell she was nearing the end. Of course I paid a visit as I wanted to see her one last time. Even spent the night. Next morning, she was gone..in that sense I feel she let go on her own . I felt she only held on with purpose to see me one last time. After that, she was ready and passed away peacefully.
I feel sometimes they are holding on a bit longer not because they are “incompetent” or “incapable” of realizing sickness or that they are dying but do so for various other reasons, sometimes not in the way we may understand.
In the very least, I feel they do have an understanding of sickness in some way or may hold on for reasons as we humans do.

Whereas it is true animals in the wild hide pain for obvious reasons and to not feel weak and domesticated animals can do the same, I feel in it comes to a point when they know they are dying. This is why they go off to hide in bushes or secluded areas like they do. They know something is about to happen. And don’t want you to see it.
 
Euthanasia is often one of the hardest decisions we have to make. But it's sometimes necessary so that our animal love ones aren't living a horrifyingly painful existence. It would be selfish to try and prolong their misery so that you may try and get 1-3 more weeks out of your animal, all the while watching the life slowly drain out of their eyes. It's more humane to put a bullet in its head, or pump them full of drugs.
A bullet in the head is more "humane" if they have no reason to associate that with death because, unfortunately, many humans are (perhaps understandably) incapable of not transmitting upsetting emotions when it comes to the chemical option which also usually has a long preamble.

A week too soon is better than a week too late in many cases, for those "fortunate" enough to be in such scenarios.

If I'm ever forced to euthanize my girls I've promised them that I will be there, in the same operating room, holding their paw until their last breath on earth. It will be very hard, and since they are my first girls, it is going to irreversibly change me and my personality for the rest of my life. But it's what my girls deserve; they deserve to spend their last moments on earth with the person they love the most. But my girls, if in pain and at the very end of their life, deserve to pass with dignity. Otherwise I would be selfish.
Good for you... Trying to keep everything as "normal" as possible is difficult, far less focusing onto happier thoughts of time shared together when what's remaining is so short.
 
I do think there is a difference if they die from an older age or if they are in a lot of pain.. Each situation (or in this case, animal) should have their own solution.
 
I definitely believe it’s a power that should be used responsibly, and as a last resort.

If there’s no other possible way to relieve the animal’s pain, then it should be done. That’s only if there’s absolutely no other way, and the animal’s quality of life would be significantly worse if they were to go on living.

If it were to happen to my boy, I’d be there every second he’s still here, as that’s the most I can do for him at that point.
 
I'm definitely for euthanization if the suffering becomes too much without any sort of positive outcome. In pets as well as people. I've had a few family members that made the choice to end their own life on their own terms. I guess i'm lucky to live in a country that gives you that option.

But especially with animals it should be done with the utmost care. I had a mare in the past that had to be rushed to the hospital with severe colic. I had a long and deep conversation with the surgeon and we came to the conclusion that, either she comes through with minimal problems afterwards or she shouldn't wake up at all. Luckily the surgery went ok and we had plenty of memorable years afterwards. The surgery itself cost me a nice high end car, but that's the risk you take with any partner.


If she needs to be put down i am not allowed to be there at the vets. If needed i will ask for the syringes and she will be on her blanket at home, whilst i do the most difficult thing in my life.

Strange to read that the vet wouldn't allow you to be there. Mine encourages the owner to be there, because the animal really looks around for reassurance of the owner in their last moments. And all my partners here can count on me being right next besides them when their time comes.
 
I think euthanasia is a better alternative to "natural causes" in many cases. Particularly for our pets, but I think that's also why there's such a large movement towards people having the right to die with whatever dignity and comfort they have left. As frustrating as it is, It's also often better then just letting the pet suffer when the care they require is out of reach (too expensive, not offered within traveling distance, etc).

Also, "at home" euthanasia is a service that's more and more accessible. People are often surprised to hear that it's possible.
 
I've had to go down this road, 3 times in my life, and it was because they were dying and in pain and had become completely infirm and I stood there and kissed them and held their paw all the way to the very end, and even after I was there to pick their ashes up

It is not something to be done lightly but as the very last resort, but make no mistake as much as it hurts, it is a mercy when they are in pain and their quality of life is no longer to a standard that they and you can be happy with.
 
I'm definitely for euthanization if the suffering becomes too much without any sort of positive outcome. In pets as well as people. I've had a few family members that made the choice to end their own life on their own terms. I guess i'm lucky to live in a country that gives you that option.

But especially with animals it should be done with the utmost care. I had a mare in the past that had to be rushed to the hospital with severe colic. I had a long and deep conversation with the surgeon and we came to the conclusion that, either she comes through with minimal problems afterwards or she shouldn't wake up at all. Luckily the surgery went ok and we had plenty of memorable years afterwards. The surgery itself cost me a nice high end car, but that's the risk you take with any partner.




Strange to read that the vet wouldn't allow you to be there. Mine encourages the owner to be there, because the animal really looks around for reassurance of the owner in their last moments. And all my partners here can count on me being right next besides them when their time comes.
covid19 restrictions, with her yearly check i could wait outside in the rain.
 
Like others have noted, it's no fun, but the kindest thing that can be done in some cases. Being "horsey" for as long as I have, that's more or less my perspective on things, but it applies just as much to a dog, cat, or even a person - I've had to be the trigger-man for too damned many over the years (partly, it seems, because I'm the only one with the equipment (and at least as important, the know-how to do it right) to perform the task, and partly because I'm also frequently the only one that's got his shit together enough to be ABLE to do it) and I hate the livin' shit out of it, but it's something that MUST be done, and must be done *RIGHT* when the time comes. Sometimes, the only correct treatment is a high-speed lead injection to the brain.

(I think back on one case of a mare that found a gopher hole and broke her front leg in at least three places, complete with bone-chunks protruding. Absolutely guaranteed 100% death sentence - not even a specialty horse-vet would have done anything more than offer "the pink stuff". The horse's connections didn't want to spend the $$$ for the vet to handle the deed, and were setting up to open up on her with a shotgun (loaded with skeet rounds, ferfucksake! Talk about fucking CLUELESS!) to the chest... <shakes head> Thank god I had my .38 on my hip, or that poor girl would have gone out about as ugly as it's possible, short of being pulled down and eaten alive. Fortunately, I managed to convince them they were going about the process entirely wrong, and ended up doing the deed. She was gone before she hit the ground, which is as it should be. If she'd gone down with less than half a dozen rounds from the shotgun, it would have been a miracle - and an outrage.)
 
Like @UR20Z I am a horseman and have been for a long time, and there have been times where waiting for a vet would have been cruel in the extreme, sometimes the ultimate act of love is ending their suffering.
 
This is all about quality of life, pain and suffering, and nothing more. I have always found it odd we give animals the respect of euthanizing them, when we don't give it to people. Fortunately euthanasia or "assisted suicide" is becoming more mainstream and legal in more places as time goes on.

To anyone who is against it, I invite you to go work in a nursing home and see what it's like. I invite you to volunteer with dementia patients and see the suffering these people go through daily. They cry and they scream because every single day they live in fear, sadness, and confusion and then some strange nurse comes in and needs to put them in an even more vulnerable position by bathing them or changing their diaper.. Or to see how sick and horrible cancer patients and patients of other terminal ailments feel in the last long months of their lives.

I dont believe you will ever meet someone that has worked in a nursing home that doesnt support assisted suicide. You will never meet someone that has worked with these patients that wants to live long enough to be in their place.

So long story short yes I support euthanasia as a last resort, for both humans and animals. No innocent animal deserves pain and suffering for weeks on end, people don't either. I have a family member that keeps small animals as pets.. I don't want to get too specific, but we have had many pass away naturally of old age. And we have had one develop cancer, and one develop heart/lung issues. For the cancer we did opt for euthanasia, and every day I wish we had euthanized the one with lung issues. We tried antibiotics and all we could to nurse him back to health and it wasn't enough, and he suffered immensely in his last day or two on earth and even though it wasn't my personal pet I still feel so horribly about it. He didn't deserve to go out like that. He deserved a quick shot to just take the pain away. As for the one with cancer, we waited as long as we could and didn't do it until his quality of life truly began to disintegrate. The tumor quickly became the size of his body and was developing scratches from being dragged around.

Sorry this was a lot longer than I meant it to be. I normally don't post and prefer lurking but this is something I'm pretty passionate about.
 
Pro.
Quick or slow, So long as it's painless it's a better and more dignified end. Not something done out of malice, but out of love and kindness. You fight as long as you can, but sometimes you have to accept the end and if you can make it easier, You should be able to.
 
You can often tell when your pet loses his or her will to live. They stop eating, dont want to go for walks anymore, barely get happy to see you anymore. Thats the hardest moment, making that decision and sticking by it, because usually its a slow decline, with good days and bad ones. But yeah, euthanising seems more humane then leaving them to suffer and in pain. This way they go to sleep, with you petting them and hugging them, and just dont wake up. No pain, no sadness for them, just a quick jab followed by release. Goddamn now I'm all teary eyed remembering my previous pets and how they went to their final sleep :(
 
Euthanasia is the most kind, compassionate thing you can do for a companion who no longer has quality of life.

I hope I will be able to pass away the way my dogs have also passed (euthanasia when the time is right), not the way my uncles and grandparents passed (bedridden and suffering for months.) Fortunately, I live in a state where we can make this choice.


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I lost two of my boys to cancer last year. Each passed within a month of each other. When they stopped eating and going outside I knew it was time to say good bye. Both euthanized. They were brave and strong to the end.
 
I agree with it in certain instances. I know if I got permantly blinded, made incontinent or turned into a vegetable id want someone to end me. Dont let someone suffer for your own freedom but I feel like its used to much with animals and not enough woth humans
 
I've put down a pet myself once (a fish, but that was still mentally difficult and sad, sure not like a dog but you get what I mean). I think your views on euthanasia depends on your view on death. If you see death as an inherently bad thing you may be against euthanasia.

But death can be a good thing! Why would you make your loved ones suffer, if you can just make them die in peace?

Imagine you have this suffering dog, you take care of it, leave the house once and they die in that time. Id be so heartbroken! But of course we all have different views there
 
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