Is your dog nearing the end of its life?
Owning a dog that is sick, elderly, debilitated, or diagnosed with a chronic disease or cancer is fraught with concern. As an owner, you definitely want your dog to recover smoothly and live happily every day. This is the so-called "good quality of life".
About the dog's quality of life
"Quality of life", also known as quality of life or quality of life, is a concept that can be used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of life. Everyone's perception of "quality of life" is different, mainly influenced by personal experience, cultural and social background, outlook on life and values, that is, what one person defines as acceptable quality of life is another person's Saying that might be unacceptable.
When evaluating a dog's quality of life, you should first find out the root cause of the "low quality", and then discuss the exact countermeasures based on the underlying problems. Some problems can be treated, but some problems are difficult to solve. Example: A dog hit by a car can be distressing and have a poor quality of life, but with prompt treatment, the prognosis can be good. Conversely, an elderly dog with cancer who also has anorexia, sudden weight loss, and difficulty walking has a poor prognosis and is unlikely to improve quality of life.
What are the hallmarks of a good quality of life?
When evaluating a dog's quality of life, factors to consider are the following:
Can your dog eat, drink and sleep normally?
Is your dog interested in what's going on around him?
Can your dog do light exercise?
Can your dog control their urination and defecation? (For example: some elderly dogs will show symptoms of urinary incontinence)
Does your dog seem comfortable? Do you have moderate or severe pain?
Has your dog been diagnosed with rabies and has not recovered even after receiving treatment?
Does your dog suffer from chronic diseases? In general, if your dog has been diagnosed with cancer, even though they are being treated, but they are unable to do the things they love to do every day, that is not a good quality of life.
Symptoms of a Sick or Dying Dog
Symptoms in a sick dog can vary depending on the underlying disease. Example: Dogs with heart disease often have difficulty breathing, lethargy, and weakness. General symptoms of a sick or dying dog include:
Bleeding
Cough
Decreased urine output
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing
Irregular heartbeat
Difficulty or inability to walk
Trembling
Drowsiness
Low-grade fever
Anorexia
Pain
Pale gums
Vomiting
Weakness
Weight Loss
NOTE: The symptoms listed above are approximate only. Generally, a dying or sick dog will exhibit multiple symptoms at the same time. And some dogs occasionally show only one symptom, which may indicate that there is nothing serious about them. Example: Some dogs shake when they are afraid, but stop shaking when the stress is removed. But if you notice that your dog is weak, not eating, throwing up, losing weight, etc. at the same time, something is wrong.
signs of a dog's imminent death
At some point, you may realize that your dog's quality of life can no longer be improved. In this case, the dog's symptoms will be obvious, such as: not walking at all or breathing very hard.
Signs that a dog is about to die include:
Your dog always looks tired and seems to be exhausted after even a little exercise or exercise. Example: Your dog has great difficulty walking from one room to another.
Inability to stand or walk without external support.
Despite your best efforts to get your dog to eat, he is still losing weight.
Your dog cannot control urination and defecation.
Your dog has been sleeping and seems unwell.
Your dog is having trouble breathing.
She doesn't eat well despite you offering her favorite foods and treats.
Frequent crying or howling.
Uncontrolled spasms.
Various bleeding disorders, such as: urine bleeding, intestinal bleeding, skin bleeding or vomiting bleeding.
Uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhea.
If your dog has the above symptoms, please consult your veterinarian in time. Medication may help a little, but this is a senior dog and he will pass away one day, so you need to prepare for the worst. Rather than letting it live in pain longer, it is better to let it go early. In fact, when it has many symptoms of dying, you can start to consider euthanasia for it.
Is the dog about to leave? What should you do if you are not sure about the answer to this question?
If you're unsure about your dog's current quality of life, then you need to see a veterinarian. They can help you assess your pet's condition and provide advice on quality of life. The decision to euthanize is yours, but if you do not consider the prognosis or condition, a professional evaluation by your veterinarian may be helpful. If you have any questions or concerns about the diagnosis or treatment of a disease in your pet, please consult your veterinarian promptly.