I want to share this wonderful article from our newspaper.

By George Messenger For the Monitor

PLease take the time in reading this.


Rusty is my own dog; he is about 9 years old. Rusty has been such a big part of my life ever since I got him. He had a broken leg at the time, and his previous owners couldn't handle him anymore, so they donated him to me. He is more human than dog. He comes to work with me every day and wanders around my hospital and greets everyone - he prefers people over dogs although occasionally he shows affection toward another dog (rather inappropriately, I might add). He rests his head on the chairs and

benches; he will lean up against people and encourage a good scratching or pat on the head. He lives for food, especially people food.

Two years ago he was having signs of pain in his neck and leg and I took a lot of X-rays and did blood work; he needed to be on prednisone to control his discomfort. After consulting with a neurologist in Maine, we found he had a tumor. This doctor operated on what we learned was a malignant nerve sheath tumor. It took a lot of TLC, pain medications and radiation treatments; finally Rusty was back to his old self. The prognosis was pretty good; he was likely to be okay for at lease a couple of years.

A few weeks ago Rusty acted a little bit odd about his front legs, and I became concerned that his tumor might be growing. I spoke with my wife and staff and warned them that this might be the case, that they should spoil him in the meantime, and that we were not going to put him through this again - the second time around would carry a much worse prognosis. So, my employees have helped him to gain probably 10 pounds! He currently has no symptoms, so maybe I was premature; I hope this cancer never grows back.

Why am I talking about this? Well, because this is part of my job and it's a really big deal for anyone who has ever had to make the decision to part with their pet. I have to euthanize animals every day, something that requires me to separate my emotions from the task at hand. I can't always do that, especially for the very special clients and pets, and it can be very painful for everyone involved. It also can be a wonderful moment, because it is such a peaceful gentle process; if an animal needs to be put out of its misery, we can do that. I would never euthanize an animal for convenience of the owner - only for severe behavioral or medical problems; mostly for older animals with terminal illnesses.

The decision to euthanize a pet is a very important one, because there are often many factors involved, and the emotions (pain, guilt, fear) can get in the way of making that decision. Sometimes it is obvious, but often I am asked, "How will I know when it is time?" I usually tell people that the decision is up to them; they will often know when it is time, but sometimes it can be very hard to know when that is, unless it is obvious that the pet is suffering.

The holiday season tends to be a time when vets euthanize a lot of pets, for several reasons. Christmas is not the time to get a puppy, but I would add it is also not a good time to euthanize an older pet and then replace it with a young one. It is best to take your time to grieve the loss of a loved one before you make the decision to get a new pet. However, everyone is different, and some people need to immediately get another pet because it helps to ease the pain.

Here are a few guidelines that should be considered concerning euthanasia.

• It is a very peaceful and painless process if done well.

• You should express any special needs to your vet - for example, if you would like to witness your pet's euthanasia, or you would like to do it outside, or on your property, etc. These can be arranged.

• It should generally be considered if an animal is suffering from an untreatable illness.

• If an animal is suffering from a treatable illness (i.e. a broken leg), although it might be expensive to treat, it would be ideal to try to come up with the funds to do so. After that, there could be years of a happy, healthy pet. It is very unfortunate to have to put a pet to sleep for financial reasons, but sometimes it can't be avoided.

• Making the decision to put your pet to sleep can be the most loving act you could ever perform. Most pets are more like members of the family, and to have to say goodbye is difficult, but it is done out of love, in order to avoid further suffering of the animal.

• If this is a family pet, everyone in the family should be involved in the decision. Sometimes it is tempting to avoid telling the young ones in the family, but if they are old enough to understand what is going on, it is best that they are allowed to express themselves.

• Use your vet (and get a second or third opinion if necessary) to make sure you have a good understanding as to what is wrong with your pet, what the prognosis is, whether it is treatable, and whether it will cause suffering.