Expert, science-backed advice from Dr. Ruth Roberts & Dr. Marlene Siegel
Making the decision to put a dog down is one of the hardest choices any pet parent will ever face. Some cases are clear cut; your pet might be in constant pain or unable to function. Yet often, families are left in a gray area, told their only options are an expensive surgery or immediate euthanasia.
As this episode of Healing Tails with Dr. Ruth Roberts and Dr. Marlene Siegel reveals, there are a number of middle paths that focus on quality of life first.
From overlooked nutrient deficiencies to at-home therapies, emotional readiness to second opinions, there are ways to ensure you’re making the right choice at the right time, not before.
Key Takeaways
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Quality of life is the ultimate measure when deciding to put any pet down. Look beyond lab values and diagnoses. Daily comfort, mobility, and joy are what matter most.
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End of life care for dogs should include testing. Nutrient and toxin panels can reveal treatable issues often missed in standard exams.
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Therapies like ozone, hyperbaric oxygen, mobility aids, and diet changes may reduce pain and extend comfort, improving quality of life and thus acting as a euthanasia alternative, at least for some time.
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Pause before agreeing to euthanasia. If your heart says “not yet,” take a few seconds, thank your vet, and consider a second opinion to explore all options.
Want the full conversation?
Watch the full Healing Tails episode on YouTube (jump to 01:22:01 for the quality-of-life discussion).
How To Know When It’s Time to Put A Dog Down?
Euthanasia is one of the toughest elements of pet parenting. We want our pets to live long, healthy lives. We also don’t want them to suffer. So, how do you know when the time is right to say goodbye?
Ultimately, the best measure to consider is your pet’s daily quality of life. If your dog still eats, engages with you, and enjoys familiar routines, there are often ways to support them. When pain, immobility, and distress dominate, euthanasia may be the more compassionate choice.
What’s important is that you feel comfortable in the knowledge you have explored all available options, you haven’t felt pressured into a decision, and that ultimately, you are supported to make the right choice at the right time for your pet.
Are Surgery and Euthanasia the Only Options for Dogs?
No. While many vets present only surgery or euthanasia for dogs, especially in emergencies, there are often ways to extend comfort and dignity outside of these two absolutes.
In this Healing Tails episode, Dr. Ruth reports that pet parents regularly tell of being informed their only choices are costly advanced diagnostics and surgery, (often to the tune of $10,000–$20,000), or euthanasia, with little discussion of conservative management.
Even in conventional medicine, supportive approaches like rest, physical therapy, and medical management can help certain conditions without immediate surgery, yet these are often discounted when it comes to our pets.
And while these alternatives may not cure the underlying issue, they can provide weeks or months of quality life.
What Tests Should You Ask For Before Putting a Pet Down?
As Dr. Siegel says, “Test, don’t guess.”
The tests you ask for will depend entirely on known conditions and your dog’s individual circumstances. However, it’s a good start to ask your vet about nutrient and toxicity testing.
As just one example, low levels of Vitamin D in dogs have been associated with chronic kidney disease, digestive disorders, heart failure, liver disease, cancer, and even some infections (Advances in Small Animal Care review 2020: Corbee RJ)
Because vitamin D receptors are found throughout the body, deficiency can affect multiple systems.
A full blood panel, urinalysis, and advanced nutrient testing can help uncover these imbalances and reveal treatable underlying problems.
What Can I Do at Home to Improve My Dog’s Quality of Life?
There are a number of things you can try to improve your dog’s quality of life. Simple, affordable therapies can all extend comfort.
Ozone therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, and frequency/red light therapy, have all been shown to support healing and reduce inflammation.
Diet upgrades, digestive support, and mobility aids can also help make daily life easier.
How To Make Peace With the Decision to Put a Dog Down?
The decision of when to put a dog down should never feel rushed or forced. Pausing before agreeing to euthanasia, seeking a second opinion if needed, and focusing on your dog’s quality of life can help ensure you make a choice with both clarity and compassion.
Evidence also shows that owners who feel involved in the decision and supported by their veterinary team experience less guilt and an easier grieving process. On the flip side, feeling excluded or pressured into euthanasia is linked to more intense grief.
By considering conservative options and evaluating comfort day to day, you can approach end of life care for dogs with confidence, making the decision at the right time, not before.
🎧 Watch the full Healing Tails episode with Dr. Ruth Roberts and Dr. Marlene Siegel on YouTube here
