The Decision To Euthanize

 

No, Rowdy is still with me as of this posting. However, each day inches him closer to that decision. Twice I thought I was going to take him, but he turned around and was better for a while.

As anyone who has had, and loved a pet for it's entire life would know, making this decision, is a very difficult one. Though in some cases, some people might think it is cruel, robbing them of life, when it really is a decision made purely out of love. The truly difficult part, can be deciding when is the right time. At what point is the animal's quality of life gone. For me personally, it's the quality of life that 'is' the deciding factor.

Rowdy's best buddy, Wrigley, who was born almost two years after I got Rowdy, had to be put down last year, because his quality of life was gone. He had lost most of his vision and a good portion of his hearing and would stagger aimlessly around the room in circles, totally lost in his own mind. It was his time and I totally supported the lovely lady, who had to make that difficult decision. 

 

I have great empathy for animals, and especially for my Rowdy. I now monitor him daily, watching for the signs. I watch his physical condition, to see if he can still get around. I watch the cancer in his leg, as it is now 5+ times larger in diameter, than his normal leg, but that has not stopped him. I try to determine if he is in pain or not, though lately his breathing has become more labored. I also watch his appetite, which has for the most part been really good, but he has become more finicky over what he will eat. However, the most important measure of his quality of life, is his spirit. 

 

 

He still has strong desire to be, wherever I happen to be, and tries to follow me from room to room, even though his physical limitations may hamper that desire. He wants to go with me, every time I go anywhere in the car, even if he has to stay in the car, while I temporally leave him there to conduct business in a store, or wherever. He still gets excited over treats and will almost take your fingers off, just to grab them for consumption. He also, is partially blind and deaf, but can still mostly function in a relatively normal manor. 

 

 

So looking at all the stat's, is he bad enough now to send him across the Rainbow Bridge? Am I being selfish and cruel, keeping him around longer? Would someone take one look at his cancerous leg and say, I should have already had him put down? In my opinion, as long as he is still receiving some enjoyment from life and is receiving my love with happy enthusiasm, then I cannot rob him of that enjoyment of life. 

 

Even with all this said, I know that Rowdy will soon be crossing the Rainbow Bridge and reuniting with his buddy Wrigley. They will both be restored to health and run and play, until the time when we rejoin them.