In one part of my life, I serve as the head of communications for Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company. We help care for pets and farm animals through medicines, vaccines and services we offer veterinarians and producers. In another part of my life, I am a very proud and happy dog owner. I’ve almost always had a furry friend sharing my home and life, and I’ve encountered many of the joys and challenges every pet owner faces.
My two worlds can blend quite often, but I don’t always take the time to appreciate the assistance and insights that are right down the hall from me at work. This story recalls a time when those two worlds connected for me in a meaningful way.
Saying good-bye to Sadie
In 2015, my family went through a very difficult decision to euthanize our 13-year-old husky mix, Sadie. She was a lifelong companion who had grown up with our three children and provided us with countless laughs, smiles and crazy stories of her antics (see here for a post on my personal blog). She was a special part of our family.
I was very fortunate to have the guidance and support of some wonderful colleagues who had been practicing veterinarians before joining Zoetis. One friend, Dr. Oliver Knesl, made himself available at any hour for talks or texts about Sadie. He helped me understand Sadie’s condition. He empathized with the emotions that my family and I were going through as we made a decision about her care and end of life. He was a guide every step of the way in figuring out this part of our pet owner journey.
Another Valuable Viewpoint for Pet Owners
Such situations can be very difficult and painful for a pet owner, even lonely as you ponder the decision weighing on you. But Oliver helped me understand there was another person not to overlook in this process – my veterinarian. He gave me perspective on what my veterinarian would be thinking about in helping us care for Sadie, and most importantly how she would help me through this.
It was comforting to know that veterinarians can struggle with and be stressed by the decisions they face in helping to end a suffering pet’s life. It was also eye-opening to consider some of the ways veterinarians prepare to help a confused or grieving pet owner through this time.
I recently had the opportunity to read a paper that Oliver wrote with several peers, called Veterinarians and Humane Endings: When Is It the Right Time to Euthanize a Companion Animal (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, April 19, 2017).
The article discusses the elements every veterinarian should have in his “tool kit” when making these decisions with a pet owner:
- a framework for making the right decision
- a good communication system with the pet owner and the clinic staff
- and practical assessment tools that make the animal’s quality of life the center of such decisions
Reading the article brought me back to when we said good-bye to Sadie. I found it reassuring to see that my veterinarian had followed some of these recommended practices put forth in this article. We talked about Sadie’s quality of life and what the “right” choice would be. She and her staff were so sensitive to our and Sadie’s needs, and she communicated clearly to us each step of the way about the benefits – and limits – of treatments we considered. And, ultimately, we had candid conversations and clear indicators about Sadie’s quality of life, and this made us more comfortable with our decision to let her go.
Talk to your Vet
Unfortunately, life-ending decisions like this are often part of owning a pet. I encourage you to give this article a read, or talk to your veterinarian when the time comes. The points in this article can help you know what to think about in this process and what expectations you should have for your veterinarian.
Unlike me, you may not be so lucky as to have a friend like Dr. Knesl just down the hall.
