Quiz: Is It Time to Euthanize My Dog? Answer These 6 Questions

Euthanasia
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This article was updated on June 22nd, 2024

Euthanizing your dog (“putting your dog to sleep”) is one of the hardest decisions that a dog owner will have to make. The happy days with your loyal canine friend may be over and it’s enormously difficult to say goodbye. On this page, you will find an easy quiz to help you decide if it is time to euthanize your dog. Simply answer 6 questions to get recommendations from our veterinarian Dr. Linda Simon.

Quiz: “Is it time to Euthanize my Dog?”

Click on the “Start” button on the image below to answer 6 questions about your dog:

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Should you put your dog to sleep? (Answer 6 key questions)

Putting your dog to sleep is one of the toughest decisions an owner can face. Click "start" and answer these 6 questions to get our point of view.

1 / 6

How easy is it for your dog to eat? (1 being easy, 5 being very challenging)
If your dog needs help with hand-feeding, or shows little interest in food, select a number between "2" and "4". If your dog needs a feeding tube, select "5".

2 / 6

Is your dog in pain? (1 being no pain and 5 very high pain)
If your dog moves with no obvious pain, select "1" or "2". If your dog appears in pain or does not move a lot, select "4" or "5".

3 / 6

How easy is it for your dog to stay hydrated? (1 being easy, 5 being very challenging)
A dog who drinks without help may be a "1". A dog needing subcutaneous fluids to increase fluid intake may be a "5".

4 / 6

Is your dog incontinent? (1 being no incontinence, 5 being unable to control)
Select "1" if your dog is able to potty outside without help, "2" or "3" if your dog has small accidents or is able to use solutions such as in-home pads. Select "4" or "5" if your dog can't control where to poo or pee.

5 / 6

Does your dog seem happy?
If your dog shows excitement and is responsive to the environment, select "1" or "2". If your dog appears depressed or anxious even in a happy setting, select a higher number.

6 / 6

Does your dog need assistance to move?
If your dog is able to move and go on walks, select "1". If he can't move without help, select "4" or "5".

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Key Factors to Consider When Deciding if It’s Time to Euthanize a Sick Dog

  • Ease of Eating and Interest in Food: Is your dog able to eat easily anda show interest in food?
  • Pain Levels: Is your dog experiencing pain that cannot be effectively managed with medication?
  • Ability to Stay Hydrated: Can your dog drink water without needing help, and does it stay hydrated?
  • Incontinence: Is your dog incontinent, meaning it cannot control its bladder or bowels?
  • Happiness and Excitement: Does your dog still show signs of happiness and excitement, or does it seem depressed or withdrawn?
  • Mobility and Assistance: Does your dog need help to move around or go on walks, indicating a significant decline in mobility?
woman hugs senior dog

When Is The ‘Right’ Time? Signs It’s Time To Euthanize

So how do you know if now is the right time to euthanize your dog? This is probably one of the most common questions dog owners ask, and the most difficult one to answer. I’ve seen (and felt) the distress, pain, and internal battle that it causes.

In fact, there may not be a clear-cut ‘right’ time to euthanize your dog, but there is often (although not always) a window where it could be considered the ‘best’ time for a number of reasons.

There are some situations where the answer to this question is pretty clear-cut:

  • When a dog is in severe, chronic pain which can’t be relieved
  • When a dog is critically injured and won’t be able to survive the damage
  • If a dog’s quality of life is so poor that he/she is merely ‘existing’ not ‘living’

But, there are more ‘gray’ areas than black and white.

Which is the right choice to make when:

  • Our dog is in long-term chronic pain, but it IS relieved by medication/treatment
  • He isn’t able to run/play and barely eats, but still seems to be comfortable
  • She has a terminal disease, but doesn’t have any insurmountable symptoms – yet
  • Our dog is mostly anxious/confused but has short periods of being her ‘old self’
  • He has no appetite, often refuses to drink, and has trouble with incontinence

There are also other potentially difficult situations, such as:

  • When a dog is aggressive to the point of being dangerous, and training, behavioral modification, and other treatments haven’t helped.
  • When finances simply don’t allow you to afford ongoing, long-term treatment for your dog’s severe, chronic, and eventually terminal health conditions.
  • When your dog could survive for some time to come, but his life will be full of vet visits, painful treatments, anxiety, and stress… with no hope of recovery, just management.

All of the above clearly shows that there is NO single, one-size-fits-all answer to any of these questions. As owners, we know our dogs better than anyone else in the world.

Continue reading our page about Putting Your Dog to Sleep or click directly to the shortcuts below:

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Disclaimer: This website's content is not a substitute for veterinary care. Always consult with your veterinarian for healthcare decisions. Read More.

2 Comments

  1. I have a 15 year old part jack Russell part rat terrain and he can no longer see or hear or bark he is nothing but a skeleton of a dog he does however eats and drinks water but not that much it’s getting were he can barely walk he can’t go outside without help and he limps alot and when he walks he stumbles and falls down.Would it be best to put him to asleep

  2. My therapist believes that I should adopt a dog before putting my best friend of 13 years down. Is that a good idea?

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