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How to Euthanize Your Dog at Home

        
          

No dog lover likes to think about saying goodbye the family’s beloved companion. Most don’t even give it thought until the time comes. But, death is a part of life’s cycles, whether we like it or not. Since dogs live much shorter lives than humans, it is something we need to consider when you look to welcoming a dog into your life.

When your dog’s health starts to turn, all we can do is to cherish the moments we have spent together and make the dog’s last days on earth as comfortable and easy as possible. Euthanasia is something you need to consider when you have an ill dog that suffers a lot due to its condition. In spite of the treatment it receives, there can be cases when medication won’t help any longer.

When the dog is old, weak, can barely eat, and is in pain, you need to think about the most humane solution. I know it is hard to say goodbye, but it is selfish to keep letting your sweet pup suffer in pain.

Dogs are good at hiding pain, our last article 13 Signs of Pain in Dogs is points this out. It’s worth a read if you believe something might be up with you pup. Being prepared and having a plan in place can make the process easier, not that it will be easy…

Euthanize at the Vet or at Home

Once you decide it is time to euthanize you pet, you need to decide how you will do it. Most people take their pet to a vet to have this done. There are up and down sides with this. It may be more convenient to some, but think of your dog during this time. If terminally ill, would you rather pass in a hospital, or comfortably at home surrounded by your family?

Euthanizing your dog at home without doing it yourself is an option, we speak about this below. This may not be an ideal situation for everyone, but being home with the ones your dog loves will calm your pup in his last hours.

So, here is what you need to know in order to decide and safely euthanize your dog at home

It is a process more comfortable for your dog?

We all know that most dogs don’t enjoy a trip to the vet too much. So, it would be recommended to avoid causing more stress and discomfort by taking the dog from its favorite spot. This way, you can spend the last moments together, in a familiar and warm environment. Even some vets recommend allowing your pet to pass away quietly at home, instead of making it go through the trip to the vet’s office.

Closely monitor the life quality of your dog in order to pick the right time

It is not an easy task to pick the right time to euthanize your dog, even when you know that it is terminally ill. But, once the condition of your dog severely deteriorates, it will begin to suffer more and more. Most certainly you don’t want your dog to have a cruel and painful death.

So, come up with a checklist concerning your dog’s life quality. Monitor how it is feeling in order to tell when it is starting to be in a lot of pain. When the pain and quality of life has detreated, you must agree on the fact that euthanasia should happen. Here are some good tips on knowing when to say goodbye.

You should have the process assisted by a professional

What you need to know about euthanizing your dog at home is that you don’t have to do it yourself. The moment will be difficult anyhow and you want to make sure you do not cause unneeded pain. So, family members should not do the process themselves, even if qualified. An experienced professional can take care of this aspect, in your home for you. This will also let you give your full attention and love to your dog.

Though some vet clinics will take emergency calls, you will want to schedule a date when you’d like the euthanasia to happen. In order to be able to decide upon the date, you will have to closely monitor the evolution of your dog’s condition and life quality.

Do whatever you can to make your dog as comfortable as possible

The whole idea to have this process done in your home is to make things as comfortable as possible for your dog and to save it from the ordeal to travel to the vet’s office. So, you should allow the dog to sit in it’s bed or favorite place in the house, just like she normally does.

Keep the dog’s favorite toys handy and even have its favorite treats around. There are dog owners that allow their dogs to have special foods for their last meal, like hamburgers or other people food, which are the kind of foods a dog should not have in their diet. With your dog being so sick, these ideas may not be for you. The main point it to love on your pup and make sure they know that they are loved. Spend this time together in a quiet calm place, making sure your pup is relaxed as much as possible.

Having the family close and being in a safe and comfortable environment is the best thing you can do for your dog, during its last minutes. If it helps, you can even transform the entire process into a ritual, as many dog owners choose to do this in a way that will allow them to say goodbye in a manner they feel appropriate.

Beginnings and ends are a part of our lives

While it can be difficult to leave a beloved pet go, it doesn’t mean that you should not enjoy the companionship of a dog, for as long as it lasts. Every pet owner goes through the hardship of accepting that their dog is gone, it is part of life itself and the many years of happiness together makes it worth it.

Once it is done

Once the process is done, the next phase is accepting what happen and deciding when you will do with their remains. Our article on how to cope with your dog’s death is a recommended read. Especially if you have kids.

  • Some bury their pup in their yard. If this is your plan, make sure you look into your local laws before you get to this part.
  • Others have their dog cremated as we did with our Pug Sadie. If this is done, you can keep her in the house with you as we did.
  • Lastly, some have the vet take to dispose of. This is gruesome to think about, but it does happen and usually gets donated to help others learn.

One thing we do not recommend, is go right out and get a new puppy if you are looking to fill the void. Give it some time for everyone to grieve and remember your friend. Once some time has passed and you decide it is time, don’t let the experience stop you from bringing in another dog to love on. Love is love and every child should have a dog throughout their upcoming. It teaches them many things about life. How to love, to be responsible and how to say goodbye.

I know you will never be able to replace your pup that gave so many years of loyalty, but things go on and before you know it, you will be in love with another.

We just ask that you get your new puppy from the shelter or trustable breeder. For instance, the cavapoo puppies at CharlotteDogsClub.com takes good care of their puppies and invite you in to see how things are ran. Their puppies are simply adorable and hard to resist. Their cheerful and lovable characters will make you fall in love instantly and forget about all the negative sides of life.

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