How to Handle Your Pet's Emergency with Financial Limitations

In Part 2 of the euthanasia series, I touched on the unfortunate scenario of your pet needing extensive medical care, but your finances are too limited to provide that care. Most importantly, you need to know that if this happens to you, you are not alone! Unfortunately, this situation arises all too often. The best way to handle this situation is to be prepared for the unexpected. If you are not prepared though, I will provide some options for you.

Pet insurance is a great way to plan ahead for the unexpected. You still have be prepared to pay for the services at the time they are rendered, but reimbursement will be provided once paperwork has been submitted. There are several different companies and plans to consider. You should always read the fine print and consider all options before committing to a certain company. This is a great resource for financial assistance for your pet's care. Some plans even assist with routine wellness care.

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For unprepared times that require financial assistance, there is financing available through Care Credit and Chase Health Advance which offers extended payments with little to no interest rates. The veterinary clinic has to be established with these institutions to accept these financing options, so always check ahead before acquiring these lines of credit. These are great options for those who qualify and can really lighten the burden in an emergency or unexpected procedure.

Some clinics have more options than others. You need to be open and up front with your veterinarian about any financial constraints so that they can assist you the best that they can, as early as they can. Some clinics may have limited funds available for those in need. You may even be able to find an organization in your area that would be willing to help financially support a treatment that has a good chance of a positive outcome. It never hurts to ask.

In the end, if the necessary treatments cannot be administered, we need to choose to relieve the suffering of the pet. A few years back, we had a dog in the clinic that broke its neck. Most would agree that without major medical intervention, euthanasia would be the best outcome to prevent undue suffering. However, this owner was able to send this dog to a specialist, and about $10,000-12,000 later, the dog walked out of the clinic with no long last effects. Not many of us would be able to provide the same treatment if presented with the same scenario. If faced with this decision, realistically, many of us would have to choose euthanasia. It’s a harsh reality that we must face sometimes, but there's not always enough money.

In Part 3, we will talk about how to know when is the best time to get a new pet when faced with euthanasia.



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How do you know when “it’s time”?: Part 2 - When?

In Part 1, I discussed why euthanasia can be a good thing for our pets when they need it. Now, I want to use this opportunity to give some pointers on how to know when “it’s time” to help your pet by euthanasia. Each pet’s situation is unique, therefore, consult with your veterinarian when you think it’s time. When you see that the time is nearing, it is important to prepare your family for what’s ahead. Everyone needs time to say good-bye and to prepare. If everybody is in agreement when the time arrives, the process will be a lot smoother for everyone.

I’ll address a few common reasons for euthanasia and cover each situation individually. In any situation, though, the main priority is to do what’s best for the pet.



Long Term Illness



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Pets with long term illness usually slowly become sicker over time.  You’ll start to see things like:

• Lack of activity
• Lack of family interaction
• Vomiting, diarrhea, not eating (even their favorite treats)
• Reclusive behaviors

Cancer

This is in itself a “long term illness,” so you’re looking for a lot of the same symptoms. You also want to consider the situation where cancer treatment is not an option or is either already performed to its maximum. When you are out of cancer treatment options and they’re showing the symptoms above, consult your veterinarian.

Trauma/Sudden Debilitating Illness

In these cases, rely heavily on your veterinarian’s recommendation. It's easy for the stress of an emergency situation to cloud your judgement as an owner. Ask your vet about chances of survival and if a complete recovery can be expected. Don't be afraid to be straight forward and ask if euthanasia is necessary. Be sure to find agreement with the rest of the family if possible. 

Arthritis

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Arthritis can be very difficult to manage in your pet. There are many different options on how to treat arthritis, but when those options are exhausted, your pet will not be able to find complete relief. They may still interact with the family, eat well and appear happy. Rather, you'll see that you have to help them get up, help them up the stairs, they may be having accidents in their bed because they can't get up to go outside. I believe that choosing the "right time" for an arthritic patients is the hardest decision to make.  You usually have a pet that is mentally still with you, but yet very much in pain. The decision is usually made when we see how uncomfortable they are with their pain and we can't do anything about it but euthanasia.  

Financial Limitations

This is the toughest situation to be in. It leaves an opportunity for devastating guilt to set in on the owner. In an ideal world, we, as owners, would have unlimited funds to provide whatever care was needed for our pets. Also, in an ideal world, we as veterinarians could provide free care to whoever needed it for their pet. It's such a hard reality to face, but in the end, if the necessary treatments cannot be administered, we need to choose to relieve the pet of its suffering. For more information on how to deal with these financial limitations, see my next post, "How to Handle Your Pet's Emergency with Financial Limitations".

If you feel comfortable, please comment below and let others know how you knew it was the right time for your pet.

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How do you know when “it’s time”?: Part 1 - Why?

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Euthanasia. The most dreaded word in the life long relationship between a pet and its owners. We all hope that they will just drift off during their sleep when it’s their time. However, most of us are never that fortunate. There is usually a time for all of us when we have to make that decision for our beloved pet. We never want to make the decision and often struggle knowing just when it’s the appropriate time.

This blog is a three piece series discussing euthanasia and what to expect. The parts will include: 

general discussion on euthanasia and why we do it

guidelines on knowing when “it’s time” 

when it’s time to get a new pet

With sick patients, euthanasia provides an opportunity to prevent suffering when the end of life is imminent. Even though it’s such a tough decision to make, our responsibility is to assure that it’s made in the best interest of the pet. The veterinarian plays an integral part in helping owners to know when to make the decision. We know them medically and you know them personally. Together, combining both the medical and personal information, a decision can be made that’s best for your pet. We’re there to “hold your hand” during the process. We want what’s best for both you and your pet.

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Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of euthanasias in the clinic over the past week. It’s been tough. A lot of them were long time clients where I have developed a relationship with not only the pet, but also the owner. It always breaks my heart a little with each one, but there is also this sense of knowing that I'm still doing what’s best for the pet. A lot of these euthanasias were cancer patients, others were patients with long term diseases that were taking their toll on the pet.

On a broad basis, euthanasia is supported when the quality of life of the patient is so poor that the pet appears to be suffering and there is no great chance for improvement in the quality of life. If the pet’s time span of suffering is considered to be limited with a good chance of improvement with treatment, then treatment is generally supported. In the next blog, Part 2, more specific and common scenarios are explained in detail with some different symptoms to watch for. Remember, consult with a veterinarian who knows your pet. They can make this process a lot easier for you.

I want to invite you to leave a comment below remembering your lost pet. Leave a fun memory, an experience that might help others, or just a name in remembrance of your pet.

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