When To Euthanize A Dog With Hemangiosarcoma?
When to euthanize a dog with hemangiosarcoma?.
Hemangiosarcoma in dogs is a highly malignant tumor derived from endothelial cell lines – cells that line the inside of blood vessels. It is characterized by the rapid and aggressive development of metastases.
It is more common to see it in older animals, although, occasionally, there are cases of puppies. The average age for a dog to suffer hemangiosarcoma is in a range between 8 and 13 years of age. On the other hand, it does not seem that males or females have more or less predisposition to suffer from this type of cancer.
It seems that large dog breeds are predisposed to suffer from this type of cancer, such as the German shepherd, golden retriever, pointer, boxer, labrador, etc.
Also, breeds of dogs with poorly pigmented skin and sparse hair can suffer these tumors, but at the skin level. These breeds are the beagle, different kinds of hounds, white bulldogs, Salukis, dalmatians, etc.
Do I sacrifice my dog? This is a question that, unfortunately, many people end up asking themselves sooner or later, and it is that seeing the suffering of the Animal is very painful, and many veterinarians end up advising euthanasia.
If you are thinking of sacrificing your dog
If you are thinking of sacrificing your dog, do not blame yourself, read our article on how to handle the death of a pet in detail, but be careful, some veterinarians advise euthanasia to totally manageable things, such as paralysis of the hind limbs and not because A dog became paraplegic, he does not have the option of living a healthy life in a wheelchair, many dogs live like this, so euthanasia is for extreme cases.
This is a very controversial issue, and many have conflicting opinions, but it is only possible to know what we would do if we were face to face with the decision, so it is not for us to judge someone’s choice. The decision for euthanasia (sacrificing the dog) should not be due to medical expenses or lack of time to take care of the Animal, this decision must be made together with the veterinarian, who will follow medical criteria, usually for irreversible cases where recovery of the Animal is impossible. Animal.
The Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine (CFMV) produced a guide to good practices for animal euthanasia, which takes into account the fact that animals can feel, interpret and respond to painful stimuli and suffering.
This guide serves to guide veterinarians and animal owners in deciding on euthanasia, and the methods used and are that according to the manual, euthanasia will be indicated when:
- The welfare of animals is irreversibly compromised, without the possibility of control by analgesics or sedatives
- The condition of the Animal is a threat to public health (if the dog has rabies, for example)
- When the sick Animal endangers other animals or the environment
- When the Animal is the subject of teaching or research
- When costs incompatible with the productive activity are represented, such as, for example, animals destined for human consumption, for example, or with the owner’s financial resources (this is the case of the protective entities or veterinary hospitals).
Once euthanasia is decided, the veterinarian will use methods that minimize the anxiety, fear, and pain of the Animal. The technique must also generate the immediate loss of consciousness, followed by death . It would help if you also were safe enough to ensure that the Animal does not survive the procedure, which would cause even more pain and suffering.
The methods considered acceptable by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine can be chemical or physical, according to the characteristics of each species and is that for dogs and cats the method most widely used and recommended by veterinarians, is the injection of drugs that produce lack of knowledge and rapid and certain death.
But it would help if you remembered, that this critical decision is only up to you and nobody can judge you for that, since some people believe that it is best to end the suffering of the Animal, there are even people who say that life has to have its course and the Animal must die naturally.
There are dogs that reach a quite advanced age, and although we see it well and do not show symptoms of the disease, we must make 100% sure that the animal is not suffering, since we can selfishly think that it can endure a few more months like this, while Our dog continues to suffer.
Whatever your decision, always keep in mind that you did the best you could, especially when it came to giving your dog a dignified and happy life.
References:
https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/understanding-hemangiosarcoma
This article is purely informative; at redargentina.com, we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case he presents any condition or discomfort.
