When a pet, be it a dog, cat, ferret or whatever, gets sick, his/her owner/ loving parent has choices that he/she must make. There are a number of factors that need to be considered. How old is your pet? What is his illness? What is the prognosis? If your pet is young and has a small infection, it is easy to decide to give him antibiotics. In a week or so, he will be a happy camper again.
If, however, your pet has cancer or some other life-threatening disease, the choices become more complicated. Among the factors that must be taken into account are age, the nature of the disease, appropriate treatment(s) and prognosis.
If your pet has cancer or kidney disease, is it operable or susceptible to medication? If it is cancer, is the cancer encapsulated? What are the risks of metastasis? If surgery is indicated, will the tumor be completely removed? If it is not, what further treatment is possible and is that treatment worth the cost in terms of money and/or benefit to your pet?
In this instance, it is vital to listen to your vet - not just the words themselves, but what lies behind the words. No vet will tell you that it is time to put your pet to sleep. That decision is yours and yours alone.
If your vet tells you that an operation has a good chance of success, that is worth considering. But what if your vet tells you that the tumor has "dirty edges?" That means that the tumor has not been and cannot be totally excised. What treatments thereafter might be administered? Are they ultimately going to help your pet or just prolong his life and add to his pain? What are the side effects? Will your pet become incontinent? Will he become sick to his stomach - and, if so, for how long? Is he/she going to be happy under such a regime? Our pets can make it known to us how he feels and what he/she wants. It is important to be sensitive to how he/she feels. Our dearest friends may know better than we do what is best for them. So, it is vital to listen, to feel and to be gracious to their feelings and desires
Only you can make these decisions, based on the best information available. The most important factors are affordability and the best solution for your beloved friend. The two may be intertwined. Should you put him to sleep before he begins to suffer? Should you keep on giving treatment, regardless of expense? Only you can decide. The bottom line is the welfare of our pet. It is not what you want, but what is the kindest outcome for your beloved friend. Our pet-friends love us unconditionally; they give us everything they have without reservation. How can we give anything less?
Elizabeth Rozek has been doing research and editing for many years. She majored in Classics and minored in English and History at Goucher College in Maryland, graduating Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She did graduate work in Classics at the University of Washington and the University of Colorado.
Subsequently, she worked as an Administrative Assistant at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She advised students, and researched, edited and typed many articles, papers and speeches. In addition, she organized several projects and programs every year. She has also taught English, Greek and Latin grammar and given lectures on Greek, Roman, British and American history.
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