I know this site is very pro vet care, so I hesitate to post (and apologize in advance for the length), but...
My nearly 17-year-old cat is, to be frank, dying. He exhibited signs of a nasal/sinus tumor last summer and then developed neurologic symptoms that I'm pretty sure mean it's now impinging on his brain. This wasn't confirmed by CAT scan because I'm not paying $3k and putting my old cat who is terrified of the vet's office through that (it would require general anesthesia; a huge risk at his age and in his condition) for a test that wouldn't change the outcome, as there's a very poor prognosis, especially at his age. I've managed to learn to accommodate his special needs (he requires help now walking, standing, eating, drinking, and is incontinent, so wears a diaper, which he surprisingly doesn't seem to mind; it's better than being wet). He seems to sleep a little more and eat/drink a little less every day. However, I'm not going to be one of those pet parents who rushes an old, dying pet to the vet for hundreds of dollars of tests and thousands of dollars of overnight care (during which I'm sure the poor pet feels abandoned; mine, again, would be terrified) when it's hopeless, only to eventually euthanize the animal. I've euthanized pets in the past but, in those cases, they were obviously suffering (from static seizures, congestive heart failure, respiratory distress, or paralysis); I honestly don't anticipate a painful or frightening death in this case; I fully expect he just won't awaken one day. If he were in distress, I would take him in to end it. I'm keeping him home and comfortable, staying with him, offering him food and water as he'll take it, and we're both okay with this. He's either asleep or purring in my arms. He doesn't appear to be in pain or suffering at all. Yet I have the nagging feeling, probably from reading posts here and elsewhere, that I should get a vet involved even though I know from experience he/she would push tests/treatments that I don't believe would be in the best interest of my pet and I've no interest in pursuing or euthanasia; they'd no doubt deliver the "doing nothing is the only wrong choice" speech. I simply don't agree in this case and others involving what could be a non-urgent natural death. I think euthanasia has become normalized because a) it's more profitable for the vet, and b) we as a society are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with death in general; I think it's often hastened more for the comfort of the humans than of the animals. I'm find I'm just not okay with deciding on THIS day at THIS time I will kill my pet who is snoozing peacefully in his bed, dreaming his cat dreams. So I'm not going to unless I have to.
Opinions?
My nearly 17-year-old cat is, to be frank, dying. He exhibited signs of a nasal/sinus tumor last summer and then developed neurologic symptoms that I'm pretty sure mean it's now impinging on his brain. This wasn't confirmed by CAT scan because I'm not paying $3k and putting my old cat who is terrified of the vet's office through that (it would require general anesthesia; a huge risk at his age and in his condition) for a test that wouldn't change the outcome, as there's a very poor prognosis, especially at his age. I've managed to learn to accommodate his special needs (he requires help now walking, standing, eating, drinking, and is incontinent, so wears a diaper, which he surprisingly doesn't seem to mind; it's better than being wet). He seems to sleep a little more and eat/drink a little less every day. However, I'm not going to be one of those pet parents who rushes an old, dying pet to the vet for hundreds of dollars of tests and thousands of dollars of overnight care (during which I'm sure the poor pet feels abandoned; mine, again, would be terrified) when it's hopeless, only to eventually euthanize the animal. I've euthanized pets in the past but, in those cases, they were obviously suffering (from static seizures, congestive heart failure, respiratory distress, or paralysis); I honestly don't anticipate a painful or frightening death in this case; I fully expect he just won't awaken one day. If he were in distress, I would take him in to end it. I'm keeping him home and comfortable, staying with him, offering him food and water as he'll take it, and we're both okay with this. He's either asleep or purring in my arms. He doesn't appear to be in pain or suffering at all. Yet I have the nagging feeling, probably from reading posts here and elsewhere, that I should get a vet involved even though I know from experience he/she would push tests/treatments that I don't believe would be in the best interest of my pet and I've no interest in pursuing or euthanasia; they'd no doubt deliver the "doing nothing is the only wrong choice" speech. I simply don't agree in this case and others involving what could be a non-urgent natural death. I think euthanasia has become normalized because a) it's more profitable for the vet, and b) we as a society are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with death in general; I think it's often hastened more for the comfort of the humans than of the animals. I'm find I'm just not okay with deciding on THIS day at THIS time I will kill my pet who is snoozing peacefully in his bed, dreaming his cat dreams. So I'm not going to unless I have to.
Opinions?
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