End of Life Decisions – Start Now

By Dr. Christina Chambreau.

Yes, I too want my dogs to live forever, we know that the end of life will happen. How do we make the decision on what to do with our friends? The best, of course is to plan ahead, no waiting until there is a serious diagnosis. It can be that our companion seems only slightly ill, yet a routine blood test has our veterinarian telling us that death or euthanasia is imminent, and we need to quickly make decisions.

After decades of treating animals, teaching and mentoring, it is crystal clear that there are many equally good options, as well as many different opinions on lifestyle, treatment approaches and end of life. With your family, your friends, whomever you have on your healthcare team, there will be strong opinions about what should be done. Since you live with your dogs, you know that each are individual, so there is no one right answer, no one right expert.

If there’s no one right answer, let’s start to connect with our dogs now. What do they want each day? Then at the end, we will be more able to intuit what they from us. Often we question if our decisions are for our sake or our animals, when most do involve all of the family. The time to prepare is NOW. Repeat the family/friends/holistic health care team conversation every year or so as we each learn and grow and circumstances change.

Steps to help all of your medical decisions, now and towards the end of life.

• Start now to communicate in many ways with each of your companions, especially at a spiritual and intuitive level
• Build a holistic health care team including books, information sources and member groups.
• Learn one or more energy healing techniques
• Learn and practice the power of love
• Keep a journal to better know what works best
• Discuss approaches to healing and death with family and close friends

Be curious – what does your dog want?

Now, when not in the midst of a crisis, of illness, or even end of life, use your curiosity to observe your dogs, be in touch with them, see if you can learn what they like and honor that.

• Dog walks: Which direction? How long? What triggers them? What excites them? Honor their wishes when possible, or politely say, “no, we can’t do that this time, maybe tomorrow”.
• Food: Fresh food, that is the best for you to eat as well, is important to everyone’s health, including the planet. Even if you have not yet made the switch, offer a bit of every food you are eating. One sign of health is an appetite for a variety of foods. Do they prefer it hot, cold, hungry more in the AM or the PM? One of the issues when dogs are very ill, whether it’s end of life or not, is food. It may be a need to rest the digestive system and not eat for a day, it may be the wish for a different food. One way to know is how they are feeling otherwise. Be patient and observe for a few days.
• Happiness triggers: quiet petting or being on their own; active hard play; games; learning tricks or how to be of service to you. Notice if they perk up or come over when you sit down to read; laugh a lot; dance; sing; cook; etc. While this may change a bit when they are ill, usually you will be so in tune that you can continue to offer what they now need.
• Take a class now, read a book, listen to tapes about learning animal communication. While you have this innate ability, classes help you learn to trust yourself. Trust your intuition when selecting from the many classes available.

Build a trusted holistic health care team

When your companions are well, or not critical is the best time to do this. If you have multiple people that you respect that you can turn to who have been working with you and dogs they will be better able to help you with end of life decisions and interpret what the animal is wanting at this time.

• So often I hear, “there is no holistic veterinarian near me.” Read my earlier article on finding and working with a holistic veterinarian and take each of the steps to find ones who can help you locally and virtually. If, after you start working with them, you are not happy – switch. You may consult with me for help finding or evaluating their opinions.
• One the most important members of your team, IMHO, are animal communicators and intuitives. Throughout life, have them check in 1-2 times a year, then when end-of-life approaches, they are familiar with the family.

Learn one or more energy healing techniques and daily practice the power of love

Now is the time to discuss end of life options

Most likely, there will be different opinions. And again, there is no right or wrong opinion.

Now, why the opposing opinions? Well, often it’s because of the experiences we’ve had over life. You never know, even with family members, why they feel strongly about one approach. Ask your animals as well. Revisit articles here at Happy Healthy Dog about being in tune with your dogs.

Topics could include:

• Euthanasia or only a natural death
• How much time and money is available (of course that can change over the years)
• Ability, interest and time for members of the family/friends to caretaking and do hospice care
• Do we want insurance and what does the insurance cover for end of life?
• Integrative or only conventional or only holistic
• Disposal of the body – cremation, bury in backyard (check if legal). How sustainable do we commit to?
• Celebrations of life, ways to remember. Do we want a paw print made? Do we want hair in a locket? How do we want to honor each animal?

Your animals love you regardless of any decision you make for them. That’s a huge point to remember. Yes, they do love you whatever you do. And I know it’s really hard. I mean, I’ve seen it so often and work to let go of that guilt as our animals really want us to be happy.

It’s all right. We’re all learning. So here’s another thing to know as you’re approaching end of life is each one of us is on a journey.

We honor our dogs by honoring their journey and by honoring ourselves. Towards the end, every morning is a new morning. And some people say, well, that animal is miserable because he’s sleeping 20 hours a day. Yes, but the four hours that he’s awake, he’s following every move that I make and he still likes his food treats and does a paw high five. And when I do a happy dance in front of him, he lifts his head up and really looks at me. What is the quality of their life? What is the quality of our life caretaking for her?

There are many now animal communicators, animal intuitives who are specializing in these end of life decisions. Animal chaplains. Animal/dog parent doulas. Are they always right? Have you ever had the flu so bad that when you woke up in the morning, you went, “oh, I wanna die”. You can imagine that a dog may have a time where they feel really punk. And if the animal intuitive checks in then and isn’t real careful, they might say, yeah, he really wants to go. So again, you are taking all this information in and evaluating it.

There are also animal intuitives and communicators who can communicate with your animals once they’ve passed. Most often they report that the dogs want you to be happy. That’s the key.

The time is now

Some of you reading today are in the midst of crisis, family arguing, different opinions and feeling guilty right now. Just breathe. That’s good, breathe again.

Because if you’re stuck, breathing can open things up and you can hear better. So if you’re in a crisis right now, breathe. Pick one or two things you’ve heard about and and try them. Remind yourself that your dog is not judging you. Just come from love as your dog come from unconditional love.

Impact of your sudden death

Many articles are written about providing for your dog after your death. Not all make the clear distinction that you need an official Pet Trust. This avoids probate so the dogs are immediately taken care and not left in limbo.

Also, and rarely mentioned, is that every one of you who is living with one or more animals and no humans, make sure that there is somebody in your life who you speak to on a regular basis – your work, a friend, family – who knows you have animals in your home.

If they do not hear from regularly – within 24-48 hours – someone will come check so your animals are taken care of if you passed suddenly, or got amnesia and did not get home (I must read too many mystery stories). This is very important insurance, just as putting notices on the door in case of fire and carrying info in your wallet.

Dr. Christina Chambreau graduated from veterinary college in 1980 and has been helping families be healthy since the late eighties. She now is faculty at the Holistic Actions Academy , on TV, will speak for your group, and offers Virtual Pet Health Advising. Schedule an appointment now for any issues – https://christinachambreau.com/welcome-to-my-practice/