When do you decide it’s time?

[AzaleaMist]

When do you decide you need to make a choice for your bird or other precious pet because you feel they are too sick or weak to receive medical care? When is it time to end their suffering? When they stop eating? When they become listless and thin? I’m really wondering from those of you that have had to make this choice or have thought about it what was your thinking. Did you pull all the stops out first even when they had been yo yoing for a while and the events are coming closer together? I think sometimes it is more humane to let them go when you know they are hurting but it is hard to know when they have had enough.

 

[Sweet Louise]

It is always a painful decision. For the my pets that have been in that circumstance, I look at quality of life and their will to live. I have been in that circumstance with dogs, not birds. I imagine it is similar but not exactly the same. My dogs have kinda demonstrated it was time by no longer having joy, not being interested in things they used to be excited about.

 

[AzaleaMist]

Yes, a bird is harder to gauge by those standards I agree.

 

[Brittany0208]

I had to have my 15-year-old Pit Bull put down last year when she developed nose cancer. She stopped eating, couldn't stand without falling, she lost quite a bit of her hearing, she stopped wagging her tail and getting excited about things that made her happy before. Medicine wasn't working, she lost control of her bladder, spent a lot more time sleeping, and struggled to breathe every time she laid her head down. My family and I took her to two or three specialists, gave her every medicine that was prescribed, and did everything to make her as comfortable as possible at home. I had hoped to get her through the holidays as she had been sick for just under a year, but I knew she wouldn't last long once it started getting cold. So, we gave her Thanksgiving in October, took her for an extra long walk, spoiled her rotten, then said goodbye. This was the first time I ever put an animal down. I still think about her. This is the first time I've been without a dog, but at least I know she's in heaven with her original owners, which happened to be my uncle and grandfather.

 

[Mizzely]

It is always a painful decision. For the my pets that have been in that circumstance, I look at quality of life and their will to live. I have been in that circumstance with dogs, not birds. I imagine it is similar but not exactly the same. My dogs have kinda demonstrated it was time by no longer having joy, not being interested in things they used to be excited about.

This was my experience too with our dog, Crista. She wouldn't even get up to pee and would just lay in her urine. She was ready to go. I think at some point you just know.

I think its fair too to weigh how much time "pulling out all the stops" will really add, especially if it's going to be a hard uphill battle. Sometimes it is kinder not to put them through all that.

 

[LSA]

Twice I've made the choice for them. Once when my guinea pig lost her teeth and was starving to death. Once when my cat got Feline AIDS. I had a lllooooonnnggg discussion with the vet first. It came down to this each time: Was I keeping a sick animal for my sake or theirs? Talk to your vet. All that yoyoing does is make everything harder on all involved.

 

[LSA]

I'm sorry that you are dealing with this. It's not a decision to be made lightly. Guilt is a big part! It's very difficult but more common than you may realize. Again, I urge you to talk to your vet! It's not a question of IF but WHEN.

 

[Jas]

I think it's always important to try and save their life or bring their quality of life up to make it worth living (I personally couldn't live with the, what if?).

But if it isn't going to give them a quality of life or they are just going to be in extreme pain them i think it would be the kindest thing to do.

 

[Donna turner]

I've never had to put a bird to sleep but I have horses and two cats. One cat had kidney failure and I think I let him go too long. He was throwing up a lot, real skinny and slept a lot. I finally made the call when he started having bloody poops. Other cat was losing weight fast, wasn't eating much and was nauseated a lot. He was an outdoor cat and I was afraid another cat would maim him in his weakened state. I had tried antibiotics but they didn't work. Probably cancer. I put him to sleep sooner than I would have because he absolutely wouldn't be happy to say inside. Had a horse with Cushing disease and he lost weight for years and grew 3 inch long hair year around. But he was happy so I kept him going till one day I saw him laying in pasture and he didn't want to get up and come in out of rain. He hated rain. Also he'd gone off his feed. I figured his time was here. My other horse foundered badly after I fought an abscess in his hoof for a year that wouldn't heal. Even if I'd spent a lot of money and time and managed to get him over it he would have had a very restricted life to discourage it happening again. Very limited pasture and grain. Since he was old and I knew he'd be unhappy in a stall most of the time we put him to sleep. Each and every decision was difficult and I've second guessed every decision. It just never gets easy

 

[SandraK]

I think the big sign with our 4 legged pets is that they no longer show happiness, joy or ar comfortable even when being cuddled in hopes that it'll perk them up. But our equally beloved birds won't give us those signs until it is too late to be able to do anything for them.

Mischief Squawk, tortie cat, developed cancer in her face behind her sinuses. First diagnosed as a dental problem, then a sinus infection and finally a very aggressive cancer.The vet said that he could do chemo, etc. but stated that the outcome would not be different but she'd just live longer. I opted to take her home with me, cuddle her as much as possible, and keep her comfortable until we both knew it was time. It didn't take long, unfortunately and she was young but when she started having bloody sneezes and couldn't even get comfortable cuddling with me or sleeping with me at night I knew it was time.

I've been spared that so far with a fid except for Hope, the little rescue tiel with neurological problems.

 

[AzaleaMist]

Thank you all for sharing. I have been down the road many times with four legged pets that lived very long lives and just lost their fight but never with a bird. My bird Poppy declined again and this time she was worse than times past and I was tempted to bring in her in to euthanize her. She seemed to be showing signs of her strong spirit and I second guessed myself because she has bounced back in the past after a few days of special care. Her age is unknown and she has liver disease.
She just passed.

 

[painesgrey]

I use the HHHHHMM scale. It's a good, simple way to judge quality of life, and one that most vets use in discussions with owners.

It's the hardest choice that we have to make for our pets and it's difficult to be selfless, but it's best for them.

 

[Mizzely]

Thank you all for sharing. I have been down the road many times with four legged pets that lived very long lives and just lost their fight but never with a bird. My bird Poppy declined again and this time she was worse than times past and I was tempted to bring in her in to euthanize her. She seemed to be showing signs of her strong spirit and I second guessed myself because she has bounced back in the past after a few days of special care. Her age is unknown and she has liver disease.
She just passed.

Oh my gosh I am so sorry

 

[zoo mom]

I am so sorry for your loss. My gauge is when they no longer seem to enjoy life. Or they are getting weak.

 

[webchirp]

I am so sorry...

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Oh no, I’m so very sorry about your loss of Poppy.

 

[AzaleaMist]

Thank you. She was very a sweet and spunky cockatiel I adopted on Christmas Eve in 2012. It took me a couple years to earn her trust. I was never given any background info on her. She has always just been my sweet clumsy lutino girl. The last year or more she has been high needs but very happy yet. Just a week or so ago I had her outside soaking up sunshine with me. She loved going outside and for car rides. Even though I have many other babies she will was very special to me.

 

[TikiMyn]

I am so sorry for your loss
Fly high sweet Poppy

 

[camelotshadow]

So sorry, She may have been elderly or on a bad diet previously. Her liver could no longer function but she had a good 6 years with you & that's all she could ask for was to find someone to love her & she you...

 

[AzaleaMist]

Thank you. I had a rough night and today will be a day of mourning for sure but we have to move forward. My partner in crime ( middle daughter) and I have decided to name another bird in her honor. Most likely Sunshine as Poppy’s favorite pastime was soaking in the rays of the sun. I just happen to have two baby cockatiels that my two brat birds snuck past me. (I was able to prevent the rest of the clutch except these two that already had heartbeats).


They are both less than a week old and with foster parents due to the hens plucking problem once the babies reach two weeks old. I just happened to have my other hen and her mate laying eggs at the same time so I gave them to her to let them raise them. Their eggs have always been infertile thank goodness although they would make beautiful babies. This was the reason for my post about needing help with a smart bird. Nova (the real mom) is very smart and knows when her eggs have been switched with dummys.