How to know when to put your dog down: quality of life signs

Your dog is old or ill, and you have started to wonder. Some days are good. Some are not. You are afraid of acting too soon, and afraid of waiting too long. This page cannot make the choice for you. It gives you the questions vets use, and a simple way to see the pattern.

There is rarely one clear moment

Most dogs decline slowly. A bad week can be followed by a better one. That makes it hard to see the overall direction from one day to the next.

The Ohio State University Honoring the Bond program says that a slow decline is often clearer to a friend who sees your dog less often. Ask one. Family members who live with the dog can also see it differently from each other.

So vets suggest that you watch your dog’s quality of life over time, and that you write it down.

Questions to ask yourself

The AVMA suggests you consider euthanasia when your pet:

• can no longer enjoy the things it once enjoyed
• cannot respond to you in its usual ways
• seems to have more pain than pleasure

The AVMA also suggests one simple question: “Does my pet have more bad days than good days?”

The Ohio State quality of life scale asks about many parts of daily life. Does your dog still want to play? Does it hide, or sleep much more than before? Does it eat and drink well? Is it losing weight? Does it pant at rest, tremble, or vomit? Can it move around, and keep itself clean? The scale notes that even one item, such as pain, may mean a poor quality of life.

Mark good and bad days

Ohio State suggests three simple tools:

1. A list of favourite things. Write three to five things your dog loves, such as a walk, a game, or a meal. When your dog cannot enjoy them most of the time, it may be time to talk to your vet about euthanasia.
2. A calendar. Mark each day as good or bad, even with a happy or a sad face. When the bad days start to outnumber the good days, it may be time to consider euthanasia.
3. A quality of life scale at fixed times. Fill it in on a set day, for example every Tuesday, or every three days. Ask each family member to fill one in alone, then compare.

The University of Illinois describes the same idea. Quality of life scales help you track appetite, nausea, activity, the ability to get up, comfort, toilet habits and the coat. Then you can count the good days and the bad days.

Talk with your vet

The AVMA says that your vet can assess your dog’s condition, estimate the chance of recovery, and explain the problems that may come. But your vet cannot make the decision for you. So ask every question you need.

Ohio State suggests these questions for your vet:

• What are the best case and the worst case for each option?
• How much pain or suffering do you think my dog has?
• Can you estimate how long my dog may live?

Bring your calendar and your notes. A dated record shows the vet what you see at home, which a short visit cannot show.

Think of your family too

The AVMA says to consider what is best for your pet, and also for you and your family. Long-term care can be too much, in time, money or feelings. The University of Illinois adds that this is not selfish. For example, an older owner may not be able to lift a large dog to go outside.

The AVMA also says that children should not be left out of the talk only because they seem young. Give simple and truthful answers. Ohio State advises families to avoid the phrase “put to sleep” with young children, because they may then fear sleep.

When you are ready

The AVMA says that you usually have some time to review the facts and talk with family before you decide, although sometimes a decision is needed at once. It can help to plan ahead: where it happens, who is there, and what to do with your dog’s body. Some clinics and mobile vets offer euthanasia at home.

Grief afterwards is normal. Many owners doubt their choice, whatever it was. The AVMA suggests you talk to people who listen without judging, or join a pet loss support group.

Keep the record in one place

A written record helps when your feelings change from hour to hour. The Dog End-of-Life and Memory Book has a good and hard days calendar, a weekly check for each adult, questions for the vet, and pages to plan aftercare before the day. It never tells you when to say goodbye. It helps you and your vet see the pattern together.

Before each visit, our free vet visit summary puts your dog’s meals, medicines and notes on one page. Print it, or email it to the clinic.

Planning for a cat? Read how to know when to put your cat down. If your dog has died at home, read what to do when your dog dies at home.

For costs and aftercare, read how much it costs to put a dog down, pet cremation vs burial and what to do with your dog’s ashes.

This guide is one step in our complete guide on how to care for a senior dog: vet visits, weight, joints, mind and nights, in order.

This guide is one step in our complete guide on how to cope with losing a pet: the decision, the day, aftercare and grief, in order.