Pet owners love and care for their pets just like children, and anything that bothers pet eventually becomes annoying to them. Normally some dogs are known to embark on the aging process without serious medical issues; this is a stark reality that your dog is leaving you alone, which is heartbreaking for the pet parents. However, some breeds suffer serious medical and health problems at the end of their lives, which is more troublesome and worrisome for the owners. Here the question arises: should we allow them to die naturally or do something artificial like euthanasia to mitigate sufferings as natural death accompanies pain and distress? For human-assisted merciful killing, which is medically termed euthanasia, you should consult a trained veterinarian and euthanasia technologist to avoid complications. 

7 signs your dog is dying: what to do? 

There are health signs that indicate that your dog is nearing the end of its life; some signs may show other non-terminal health issues, so it is crucial to get your dog assessed and examined by a trained veterinary doctor and pet specialist if you witness your dog behaving abnormally. Dogs often show signs of dying before four months of life termination.

Here we are going to discuss seven signs that demonstrate your dog is dying: 

Psychological and behavioral signs: 

Before death, many dogs show mental and behavioral signs that alert the owners to prepare themselves and make necessary arrangements as their beloved canine companion is going to leave them alone. 

Depression: depression attacks dogs that are at the end of their lives. 

Confusion: dogs that are terminally ill or at the last stage often show signs of confusion and don't behave in a normal manner.

Restlessness: they become restless due to underlying health conditions.

Stressful or anxious: dogs are under stress and anxiety as they go through some physical and mental pain.

Isolation: they prefer to be isolated and detached from humans and other fellows.

Aggressive behavior: due to pain and psychological pressure, they often show aggression.

Disinterest: they lose interest in playing, exercising, and interacting with others.

Circulatory issues: 

The circulatory system declines as dogs near death; the heart becomes dystrophic and doesn't fulfill the body's oxygen requirement; as a result, dogs become anemic; oxygen deficiency leads to other health complications. Blood vessels and capillaries also show signs of degression. Overall blood circulation becomes poor due to heart issues and blood vessels. 

Breathing difficulty:

Dogs are grappling with breathing difficulties and start panting even during rest time; there will be excessive coughing, and they become unable to inhale air, leading to serious and debilitating health concerns. This may be due to heart failure, lung tissue degeneration, cancer, and metabolic disorders like diabetes and kidney issues.

Loss of appetite and thirst: 

As organ systems gradually lose functions and water and food intake decline, dogs don't show interest in foods that are their favorite dish. Gastrointestinal problems lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. 

Reduced mobility:

At the end of their lives, dogs lose motility and become lethargic, which is a typical sign that your dog is going to say goodbye to you. Loss of mobility may be due to weakness, energy-lessness, muscular issues, joint problems, and other pains that restrict movements.

Emaciation: 

Due to underlying medical reasons, dogs go off-feed, and their body condition becomes emaciated. This weight loss makes them prone to other opportunistic diseases, which ultimately lead to death. 

Incontinence: 

Dogs become unable to control both urine and fecal passage, which is a clear sign that your dog is on the borderline of death. Due to muscular weakness and neurological defects, they are unable to control anal and urinary sphincters; consequently, they show incontinence. 

How to differentiate dying signs from non-terminal signs: 

You can assess the dog's signs and conditions so that you may take action towards the merciful killing of your furry friend. You must pay attention to these signs. 

Do they show interest in food and drinks? If they go off-feed, try to discover the reason and provide them with alternate foods. If all your strategies to feed them go in vain, then it is time to seek a permanent solution.

• Do they show interest in activities that they used to do just like other pets? 
• Is the condition of your dog deteriorating day by day despite giving extra care and treatment?
• Dogs are uncomfortable and restless, and it seems that their pain is increasing day by day; they become unable to move for urination. 

These are the typical signs that direct you to take a decision that would be the termination of their lives.

How can a dog's quality of life be assessed? 

Dogs' quality of life can be assessed by a scale that is called the quality-of-life scale, which was created by Dr. Allice Villalobos. Some parameters that tell us about quality of life are: 

• Hunger 
• Thirst level.
• Movement and mobility.
• Happiness level.
• Hygiene 
• Hurt 
• Good days vs. bad days.

Natural death in dogs: 

Natural death is not merciful and troublesome to watch; there are stages of natural death that are too scary and horrible. That is why most pet parents decide to kill their dying dogs by euthanasia. During natural death, breathing becomes difficult, with dogs struggling to breathe air in; ultimately, breathing stops, which takes some time. When organs stop functioning, stop breathing, and the heart rests, it says that the dog is dead. It nearly takes 20 to 30 minutes during which dogs experience pain and discomfort. 

How to help a dying dog? 

At the end stage of life, a dog needs your help and attention the most because they are unable to move, go to places of food and drink, and even they cannot be able to respond to nature's call. So try to take extra care of your dog during this difficult time so that they can be relieved. Here are some tips to do in the final days of a dog.

• Provide them with supportive and comfortable bedding; if there is an issue of incontinence, keep potty pads with bedding so that soiling the bedding can be avoided.
• Diapers can also be used for some dogs; they require regular changing and cleaning of the skin and fur; otherwise, irritations and other skin issues grapple with the dog.
• Keep soothing and comforting objects like toys, blanked near the dog, from which it gets solace.
• Try to spend maximum time with them; this will not only give them comfort and solace, but it will also allow you to see signs and symptoms that bother them.
• Restlessness can be alleviated to some extent by giving sedatives, which make them sleepy and reduce pain sensation.
• Prescribed medicines should be given at these to relieve them, and their pain can be minimized. If there are oral medications and your dog is vomiting and nauseous, consult a veterinarian; he or she will share alternative ways with you.

Euthanasia or merciful killing for a dying dog: 

As compared to natural death, which is painful, prolonged euthanasia is less painful for pets and ultimately for the owners. For euthanasia, first, an IV catheter is placed in the vein of the dog. During catheterization, the dog may feel some discomfort. After catheter placement, the veterinarian will inject sedatives to ensure semiconsciousness and relaxation. The final step is the introduction of euthanasia injection, and death typically occurs within a few minutes.

Dogs will show full body stretching, dilation of the pupils, and cessation of breathing. Muscle twitches subtly and lasts for seconds. A veterinarian, after checking heartbeat, pulse rate, and breathing, will announce death. 

Conclusion: 

There are many signs that confirm that your dog is going to depart from you for good. You have to examine and evaluate the signs and symptoms by giving maximum time to the dogs, as these may be due to some other underlying health issues that don't lead to death. In this informative article, we have mentioned seven signs that are indicative of dying and how to respond to these signs. For pet parents to be aware of these things is of utmost importance so that they can have a wonderful experience with canine buddies.