The toughest part of being a pet owner is facing the time when your beloved pet’s life is coming to and end. To many people, pets are members of the family, and the thought of losing our pet is unbearable. So when your pet is dying, you want to make sure that

• Your pet suffers as little as possible.
• You don’t let your pet down by making the wrong decisions about his or her end of life care, so that you will be tormented by guilt and regret after your pet has died.

If you consider your pet your best friend and companion, more than anything else, you will want to give your pet the best possible care, and you will want your pet to pass on peacefully at the right time with you by his or her side.

Three things you can do to help your pet – and yourself

When your pet’s end of life is getting close, you want to make sure that your pet doesn’t die prematurely or the opposite: that your pet’s life and suffering doesn’t get prolonged beyond what is reasonable and fair to the pet. Based on my experiences with the recent death of my cat Kia, there are three things that come to mind right away that can help ensure a peaceful death for your pet. These suggestions can help you get peace of mind knowing you have done the best you can for your beloved pet, and the fond moments you had with your pet will not drown in unbearable feelings of guilt and regret.

1. Do research on your local veterinarians beforehand, so you can find a vet you feel comfortable with and who has the equipment necessary to diagnose and care for your pet. Maybe even find someone who specializes in end of life care for pets.
2. When you take your pet to the vet (esp. when you’re trying to determine whether it is NOW your pet is dying), it can be a good idea to get at least two veterinary opinions. And make sure to tell them all the symptoms (such as for example if he/she has been barely eating or drinking.).
3. When your pet is dying, don’t make impulsive decisions based on fear. Make sure you carefully weigh the pros and cons of the various options you have at each moment, as every decision you make can mean the difference between not just life or death for your pet but also whether your pet gets a peaceful death or not.

When the moment of death is close

Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine when the time has come for you to stop trying to find cures and treatments and instead let your pet get peace to rest. At this point when death is imminent, your main ‘job’ will be to just be with him or her, making your pet as comfortable as possible, and holding a sacred space of peace and love for your beloved animal companion.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t always go according to a nicely made plan like this, but the better prepared you are, the better chance you have to make your pet’s passing a peaceful and graceful one.

PS: The photo of Kia you see on this page, is actually the last photo I took of her. Kia was not doing well at the time, but I was with her outside in the garden, and for a moment she perked up as she was looking at some birds, and I was so lucky to get this magical photo of her. Her last photo is her best, and it captures some of her angelic essence.