Quote for the Day

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.

~ Henry David Thoreau

Changing the Language of Euthanasia

     Somewhere along the line, euthanasia came to be discussed as "a gift" - the final gift, the most generous gift, the most compassionate gift, the ultimate gift.  This term has so worked its way into our language that we now accept the idea that this is something we not only can, but must do for our animals as loving, compassionate caretakers.

     On the other hand, some who wish for a hospice-assisted natural death at home view euthanasia as a failure on the part of themselves, their veterinary team, their hospice team or society in general.  They agonize over having made a euthanasia decision and feel crushed if they are unable to provide the kind of natural home death they envisioned or had experienced with another animal.

     We at New England Pet Hospice feel that such value-laden terms are not helpful and can actually be harmful.  Euthanasia is neither inherently "good" nor inherently "bad". 

Quote for the Day

One cannot control the length of his life, but he can have something to say about its width and depth.

~ Shira Tehrani

Loving Care

     In our work, many people ask us why and how we can do this work.  To those who haven't spent much time around death - and in particular good death - this can seem perplexing, especially when we say we truly love what we are doing.

The Immense Meaning of a Moment

     In our hospice work, we are present in and around the time of death frequently.  In both human and animal hospice, we see beings controlling the precise moment of death often enough to convince us that while we may not control the month or the week of our death, we certainly control the moment and sometimes even the day.  Consider these true stories:

• A dog is dying of cancer and takes a dramatic turn for the worse.  The family takes him to the vet who offers euthanasia.  Mom can't decide and makes an appointment for later that day to bring him back with dad.  The dog dies in the car, on the way home, in the lap of the son, his best companion.

An Ah-ha Moment

     I am lucky enough to share my home with 3 cats (and a dog, and a lot of fish, and a husband and a child):  Coby - regal, elegant, patient and kind; Snowball - goofy, silly, sweet, affectionate; and, Mayse - the Princess.  Actually, I take that back, the Queen (she would not be amused by any lesser title).

Managing Incontinence in Older Animals

Photo courtesy of Federico Stevanin

     One of the top reasons for euthanizing animals is incontinence.  It's a tough, smelly, frustrating, dirty and unpleasant condition, but with the right tools and information, your animal can live comfortably and your home can survive this phase of your animal's life.

     In human hospice, it is almost a given that many, or perhaps even most, of those who approaching the end of life will become incontinent.  All humans are born incontinent and most will die that way.  It's just the way it is.  We don't get angry at a baby for being incontinent and we do not (or should not) get upset with the elderly or the ill for facing those challenges either.

     The same is true for our animals.  Here are our suggestions for addressing, managing and living with incontinence: