As a pet nears the end of his or her life, we have difficult decisions to make about assisted or natural death.  Most people choose to control how the ending goes by intervening in the natural dying process with euthanasia. This has the advantage of controlling what can sometimes be an unpredictable ending, providing the pet and family with the best opportunity for a gentle, peaceful dying process.  

Some families, for a variety of reasons, choose not to intervene in their pet’s dying process with euthanasia, hoping that their pet will die peacefully on his or her own at home.  Unfortunately this type of natural death is not nearly as common an event as families hope it will be, though it does happen on occasion.  The key to allowing pets to die a natural death at home is to be sure that this occurs under the care of a qualified veterinary hospice team who can help to ensure your pet’s comfort and safety throughout the process. 

What supported natural death might look like

Depending on the animal’s medical condition, the dying process can take hours to days, sometimes even weeks, to come to its natural conclusion.  During this time, once active dying has begun, families need to be prepared to change their outlook from helping the pet to live to helping the pet to die. This often entails discontinuing supportive care, such as supplementing fluids and stimulating the appetite, which is a difficult notion for pet families and many veterinary professionals alike. 

Pets that are dying need 24 hour nursing/comfort care; excellent pain and other medical management for particular conditions; a clean, calm, quiet, safe, peaceful location; and patience for the duration of the process. It is not uncommon for families who start out wanting to pursue this option to choose to intervene with euthanasia after a few days of going through the rigorous physical and emotional strain required to allow for the natural process.

Supported natural death is not always the best option

There are certain conditions for which we might strongly advocate for euthanasia, such as congestive heart failure, where the pet might be experiencing a great deal of distress in the dying process as he or she struggles for breath, even when heavily sedated. It is critical that your family veterinarian and the hospice team be in close contact throughout this process to best be able to support you.

Sometimes, even with the best of intentions and support, certain events can occur that are uncomfortable to see.  Your pet could have seizures, various changes in their respiratory pattern, could vocalize or gasp, or pour fluid from their nose and mouth after death among other things.  It’s important to understand that the ending with natural death can be very unpredictable even with a good hospice plan in place.

If you are interested in this type of care, we will need to start with a hospice consultation so we can understand the support systems that you have in place and the medical management we will need to prepare to give us the best chance for a peaceful outcome.

Please schedule a consultation and visit our Supported Natural Death service page.