One of the most difficult parts of loving a pet is knowing that one day you may need to say goodbye. In this video, Dr Ebeneze talks honestly about how to assess quality of life, how pain and comfort shape these decisions, and why euthanasia is sometimes the most compassionate choice.
00:00 The hardest part of loving a pet
00:22 Focusing on quality of life
00:48 The role of pain and comfort
01:22 When pain is temporary versus progressive
01:42 Tracking good days and bad days
02:02 The reality of long-term illness and cost
02:42 Honest, judgement-free conversations
03:00 Why earlier is often kinder
One of the hardest parts of loving a pet is knowing that one day you may need to say goodbye. Owners often ask how to know when the time is right, but there is no single test that gives that answer. Instead, the focus should be on quality of life.
Simple questions can guide this decision. Is your pet still eating and drinking, moving around, comfortable, and finding some joy in life? For older pets that joy may not look like it used to. It might be sitting in the sun, grooming, or coming over for a cuddle.
Pain is a major part of this discussion. If pain can be controlled and the condition is temporary, it may be worth continuing treatment using medications, hydrotherapy or physiotherapy. But if pain comes from a progressive condition such as arthritis or cancer and cannot be controlled, quality of life may be severely compromised.
A helpful tool is keeping a diary of good days versus bad days. When the bad days begin to outweigh the good, it may be time to start thinking about saying goodbye.
Some conditions are manageable but require significant financial commitment, such as diabetes, Cushing’s disease, hyperthyroidism or chronic kidney disease in cats. When treatment is not financially possible, quality of life may decline and suffering can occur. In these situations, euthanasia may be kinder than allowing a pet to live with ongoing pain.
One of the most important roles of a vet is to have these conversations honestly and without judgement, removing guilt from the process. Most owners do not wish they had waited longer. They often say they wish they had acted sooner, because euthanasia allows us to end suffering and give our pets a dignified, peaceful goodbye.
Talk to us about quality of life and end-of-life decisions
If you are worried your pet may be reaching the end of life, or you are struggling to know whether euthanasia needs to be considered, our team can help you talk it through carefully and compassionately.
Learn more about how we approach euthanasia at Takurua Vets and what the process involves.
Learn more about quality of life, good days and bad days, and the questions owners often ask when making this decision.
Learn how our calm clinic approach supports pets and owners during difficult appointments.
Learn why calm handling, clinical judgment, and honest communication matter most when decisions are difficult.
