Families eventually must decide what’s best for ailing pets

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Wednesday, February 20, 2008

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In his 35 years in practice, Dr. George Twitero has seen his share of healthy, sick and hurt animals. For the Black Hills Animal Hospital veterinarian and all people who work with animals, there comes a time when an animal must be euthanized and its remains taken for disposal.

For most of the pets he sees, Twitero, 65, examines the family pooch or cat annually for general health and soundness and perhaps a renewal of shots. The majority of his patients receive their procedures, medicines or special diets and happily leave the office for their homes with a date to return the following year.

But it is about the aged, longtime pets, loved and endeared like another family member, that Twitero sometimes has the more difficult task of discussing euthanasia.

“It’s one of the harder decisions to steer people toward, because people don’t want to give up on their pet. Our concern is that we may push them to this decision too quickly. We try to base it on what’s best for the animal and what’s humane,” Twitero said.

But there are factors that will lead Twitero and other animal hospital staff to take the owners aside to discuss an eventual end of their pets’ lives.

Many of the symptoms come with age, such as failing eyesight, hearing loss, crippling arthritis, mobility problems and deterioration of muscle mass. When pets that have never been prone to accidents become incontinent, it might mean the animal’s organs are failing with little hope of recovery. They also may show signs of senility.

“They go outside and forget why they’re out there. Then, they will come back inside and do their jobs in the house,” Twitero said.

Kidney failure, liver failure and a bad heart also signal discomfort for the animal.

“We broach the subject if we find medical problems we know we’re not going to change. Failing kidneys — we’re not going to change those symptoms; we recommend that they not go on,” he said.

The veterinarian often talks about the pet’s quality of life, but each pet owner has an individual value that he or she places on an animal’s life.

When it’s apparent that the pet can no longer live comfortably, Twitero said the entire family may bring in the pet. It is left up to the people whether to stay in the room with the pet after the injection is administered.

“It’s different in every veterinary clinic,” he said.

“We leave it up to the people to stay while we do this. The majority of people do (stay with the pet). Sometimes the whole family will be here and sometimes it’s the toughest one of the family who stays,” he said.

Because the emotional attachment will be difficult for young children, their parents sometimes decide to end a pet’s life while the children are at school or visiting a friend, he said.

“It’s a very personal decision,” he said.

Disposal of a pet usually depends upon size, circumstances and price. In Rapid City, funerals, memorial service and burials of household pets are still allowed in private backyards, according to Kevin Lewis, an assistant city attorney. He wasn’t sure that state ordinances addressed the matter.

“There are no city ordinances prohibiting burial of pets,” Lewis said.

Twitero said Black Hills Animal Hospital will cremate pets. The hospital will dispose of the ashes on private property but also offers the ashes to the family as a keepsake. The cost is reflected by animal size and ranges from $87 to $200, without tax.

“We have a lady who works here who has a cemetery,” he said.

Lori James opened Memory Hills Pet Cemetery, off South Dakota Highway 40 between Hermosa and Keystone, in 2000. Since then, 122 pets have been buried on the property.

The burial facility was created for those pet owners who lived in apartments, townhouses or in rentals, who couldn’t bury their pet in the backyard but couldn’t bear to cremate their pet, either.

For the $175 fee plus taxes, Memory Hills staff will pick up the pet, enclose it in a burial bag and bury it. The fee includes a marker with a message of their choice as well as landscaping of the grave.

James said that people are welcome to visit their pet’s grave.

Some owners come weekly while others may come a little less often. “They’ve come to visit their pet and to heal,” she said.

“We want to make it as easy for the owners as we can, because it’s like losing a family member,” she said.

For more information about Memory Hills Pet Cemetery, call 484-2413.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.