The dogowners hardest decision.

 

Text: (c) Annika Kontturi-Salmi

Earlier published in Cockerspanielilehti, Finland

 

At that moment, when a puppy is about to move into a new, puppy-happy, puppy-addicted family, there is not necessarily a discussion about what to do if a serious accident or illness befalls them, nor about how it feels to give up an old dog that you have become so attached to that you can't even imagine what it would feel like if it were no longer there. When you have had dogs or other animals before, you have had to think about this issue from your own perspective through experience.

 

Today, when treatment options have developed enormously, we have the opportunity to insure our dogs for high amounts, we are offered loans against treatment costs, and our views on the ethics of animal care seem to have generally changed. It can be difficult to make the final decision to end a dog's life, especially alone.

 

Is the decision to terminate an ethical or moral issue?

We might think that euthanasia is just a personal decision, but it really isn't. We are all part of our society, our own culture and religion, regardless of where we live, what our morals are, what our society's perception of what is right and wrong is. In addition, we have our own personal ethical attitudes and perspectives, as well as values ​​that influence our actions. These things influence our interpretation of when a dog is suffering, what is a dignified life for a dog, whether euthanasia is allowed and in what circumstances, and so on.

 

How do we see a dog?

Is a dog a pet and a family member, or an exhibit, a sports equipment, a therapist, a working dog, a hunter or a production animal and so on? Most dog owners in Finland say that a dog is a family member, even if they are used in exhibitions, for work, for hobbies or for hunting. Yet we are aware that the status of a dog can be significantly different in different cultures. In other words, culture and the surrounding society affect how we see dogs and animals in general. The coexistence of dogs and humans is considered to have begun with mutual benefit, the dog has received food and the human has received security. Later, with industrialization, humans invented the use of dogs as experimental animals and mass production of animals began in general. It was relatively common for a dog to live outside in a doghouse at the end of a chain. While people's living conditions have improved, we have become urbanized and industrial and technological development has been tremendous, the living conditions of dogs have also changed enormously over the last 50 years. Dog-related activities such as the dog food industry, supplies and toys, training, hobby and health care, and animal clinic operations have grown into socially significant businesses. As recently as the 1990s, a veterinarian could recommend that an animal be put out of its suffering. I remember well when my cocker's veterinarian emphasized to me that once I have taken an animal into my care, it is my responsibility to ensure that it does not have to suffer.

 

The dog is part of our family

Our dogs are now our family members who share the same lifestyle as us. Dogs do sports, travel, live and work just like us. Dogs are given names, their health is taken care of with vaccines, they are dewormed and illnesses are treated. Medicine related to dogs has developed by leaps and bounds. Dogs are fed well, it has been a long time since food scraps were the main food for dogs. Dogs are talked to and many take at least a puppy course. Dogs celebrate birthdays and participate in Christmas and other holidays. Dogs are photographed and videotaped, pictures and stories about their lives are shared with friends. Sometimes a dog is the only friend and a substitute for humans. When a dog dies, we want to keep the ashes as a memory. Dogs live next to us just like we do. It is no wonder that we compare a dog's life to a human's and want to give it everything. It is also understandable that when a dog behaves like a dog, it feels strange and difficult to us. The dog then does not fit the role that has been given to it. It is also understandable that it is difficult for us to make the decision to put a dog down because a dog is a family member and euthanasia is not accepted in Finland. With urbanization, we have also become alienated from the realities of rural life, when the beginning and end of life were things that were part of life.

 

I will treat – because I can!

When veterinary medicine has developed and owners have the financial opportunity to use treatment, will treatment ever end? Who decides when treatment is stopped? Is treatment always automatically the best option? How do we interpret the section in the Animal Welfare Act on the right of animals to a pain-free, species-typical life? The general principle of the Animal Welfare Act is that animals must be treated well and must not be caused unnecessary suffering. It is prohibited to cause unnecessary pain and suffering to animals. In addition, animal husbandry must promote the maintenance of animal health and take into account the physiological and behavioral needs of animals.

 

General principles

§1

The purpose of this law is to protect animals in the best possible way from suffering, pain and distress.

3 §

...In addition, animal husbandry must promote the maintenance of animal health and take into account the physiological and behavioral needs of the animals.

 

Veterinary medicine has developed tremendously since the times when James Herriot tells in his books. At that time, the advent of antibiotics greatly improved the chances of survival of animals. Today's treatments, both human and animal, can only be dreamed of. Current high-level care allows, for example, surgeries for dogs that are not necessarily even possible for humans. On the other hand, veterinary medicine operates in symbiosis with human medicine and both benefit from each other. High-level, developing care is good for both dogs and humans, but a problem arises when, for example, surgery or treatment becomes the main thing, and not the dog's future quality of life, for example cancer treatments that increase life expectancy by a few months, organ removals such as removing the tongue due to tumors, amputations, repairing dozens of fractures as a result of a car accident, or multiple repair surgeries on the same organ. It can also be a question of the owner's challenges in rehabilitating or treating the dog's illness. Not all dog owners know how to rehabilitate a dog after surgery or to euthanize a diabetic dog. The reason may be the owner's incompetence, but also aggression due to the dog's pain or challenges in administering medication, changing bandages, crate rest, or the owner may, for example, live in an apartment without an elevator, which makes walking a large dog with knee or elbow surgery a huge challenge.

Nowadays, when you follow these discussions on social media, the solution often offered is to find a new home, but is that a good solution for the dog, for example? The prevailing idea on social media seems to be that a new home will solve the problems of aggressive behavior. Is a new home always the best solution for an aggressive dog without knowing the dog's health, genetics, development from the womb to the present day, experiences and training background? For example, will a dog's brain tumor improve by changing homes?

Treatment is good, but why would it be better to let the dog sleep it off, asks Patric Ragnarson (2024) in his lecture. In these examples, the animal is not cured, its life is only prolonged.

 

A dog's life can be good even if it's short

What does a dog think about its life and its length? Is it intrinsically valuable for a dog to live as long as possible? Is a dog grateful because it was given two extra months of life due to cancer treatments? Is a dog with cancer unhappy?

Humans think and are aware of their lifespan differently than dogs. Dogs are also unaware of the existence of cancer if they are not suffering from it. Some tumors do not cause symptoms for a long time, even if they are malignant. Humans can become very anxious when they are aware of the existence of cancer, even if it does not cause symptoms. In the same way, we humans can become anxious when we learn about the presence of cancer or diabetes in our family, the existence of an addiction gene, or other hereditary issues. Dogs do not worry about their future illnesses or possible genetic inheritance if the owner is not anxious about them and communicates anxiety to their dog. Dogs are very sensitive to our emotional states, so they experience our emotions. Our responsibility is to create the opportunity for the dog to have a good life, a good everyday life, not to push our own anxiety onto the dog.

 

Does the dog live for me?

When I interviewed Virpi Jumisko, the founder of a small animal funeral home, she said that surprisingly many people are lonely and their only friend may be a cat or a dog. In these situations, giving up can be really hard, especially if you know that you will not get a new canine friend, for example due to old age. For some dog owners, their own pet can even be dearer than another person. Virpi Jumisko reminds us that it is not only about the well-being of the dog, but also the well-being of the dog's family. Families are different; sometimes the dog is the owner's only family member and sometimes there are many children in the family, to whom it may be difficult to explain the dog's passing. There are many situations. We experience and relate to death in different ways. Death can feel natural and acceptable, but also scary, unreal or provoking anger and bitterness. Death can also awaken old memories, causing us to mourn the previous deceased when we encounter death again.

However, the life of a suffering pet should not be prolonged because of the difficulty, resentment and sadness of giving up on the owner. If living for a pet only causes unnecessary pain and suffering and there is no hope, the last favor that can be done is euthanasia. It is up to the person to decide whether the pet's suffering ends. This should be kept in mind when getting a pet, as they usually live a shorter life than humans. (Esy).

 

When a difficult decision has to be made

7 §

Surgery or other comparable painful procedures may only be performed on an animal if it is necessary due to the animal's illness or other comparable reason.

 

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/1996/19960247

 

If you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you have to decide on the care of your dog or the continued care of your dog after it becomes seriously ill, Patric Ragnarson lists a few questions:

 

What is the probability that the treatment will be successful?

· How does the patient experience the treatment, will their quality of life improve?

· How long will the patient's quality of life be good until the serious illness recurs and euthanasia must be considered?

· How likely is it that the patient will experience pain and discomfort as a result of the decision?

· What might the treatment cost?

 

Before each treatment, ask yourself:

· Why is it treated?

· For whom is the treatment being provided?

· What is the cost of treatment?

 

Should I stop?

· Can your dog do things that you like?

· Is the dog in more pain than comfort?

· Is the dog behaving normally, is he himself?

· Has the pain made the dog unpredictable or will it bite? Is the dog able to control its bodily functions?

· Does the dog's condition negatively affect the owner's quality of life?

· Will caring for a dog have an unreasonably large impact on the owner's finances?

 

If even one answer is negative, then there is sufficient justification for euthanasia, Ragnarson muses.

 

It is very important that the dog owner, veterinarian and other stakeholders discuss all aspects; treatment, prognosis, quality of life and euthanasia, in the best interests of the dog. This is especially important if the owner is having a hard time making a decision and needs outside confirmation. There are veterinary clinics that try all treatments until the owner decides to stop or runs out of money. There are also veterinarians who help the owner with the decision. If the veterinarian is not willing to advise, you can ask for an opinion.

 

It is important to remember that giving up is a part of life. A pet cannot express its feelings and pain, so the responsibility ultimately lies with the owner. Veterinarians generally agree that it is better to make the decision to euthanize a little too early than too late, in order to avoid unnecessary suffering for the animal.

There can be many reasons for giving up a pet. A sudden illness or accident, but also a long-standing illness or old age ailments from which the pet is no longer recovering and its pain can no longer be alleviated. When a pet clearly has more bad days than good days and its quality of life has clearly decreased, it is the right time to give it up. You, as the pet owner, see and know the overall situation, but the veterinarian has the ability and expertise to make a final assessment and prognosis of your pet's health. Take your pet to the veterinarian in time, don't wait too long. When a pet is dying, it often does not mean a surprising, sudden and easy death, but it can involve prolonged suffering and pain. Everyone certainly hopes that their pet would sleep peacefully away on its own, but unfortunately this happens very rarely. (HESY,2020).

(c) Annika Kontturi-Salmi and Cockerspanielit ry, Finland

Earlier published in Cockerspanielilehti (The English Cockerspaniel Club Magazine in Finland.

 

Sources:

Kontturi-Salmi, Annika (2018). When the last day comes. Southwest Finland Spaniel Club member magazine Lurppa 2/2018. https://issuu.com/lurppa/docs/lurppa_2_2018

 

Ragnarson, Patric (27.3.2024). Just because you can, should you? ESSENTIAL FOODS AND BREEDER'S INSIGHTS. Web.essentialfoods.se

 

https://www.hesy.fi/ala-pitkita-lemmikin-karsimysta/Julkaistu 29.05.2020