Vet refuses to euthanize my suffering pet
Veterinarians in some religious areas refuse to perform euthanasia unless an animal is rabid. This leaves owners trapped managing the illness indefinitely without proper sleep, terrified that they will wake up late and find their pet dead.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Providing intensive round-the-clock care at home, including subcutaneous fluids and dextrose.Did this help you?
- 2Sacrificing sleep to monitor the pet constantly for seizures or fading.Did this help you?
- 3Calling clinics in neighboring cities for emergency advice when local options are closed.Did this help you?
- 4Waiting for the pet to either recover miraculously or pass away naturally.Did this help you?
- 5Opting out of extensive veterinary procedures to avoid prolonging sufferingDid this help you?
- 6Focusing on the long, good life the pet experiencedDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“At his age, I am absolutely NOT putting him through anything more extensive than an X-ray just to buy a smidge more time at his expense. We say goodbye to him in an hour and I’m already wrecked.”source ↗
“I love him too much for any other decision to be better than the road we’re already taking”source ↗
“I don't know what to do. I've done everything. I don't know for how long I can manage without sleeping properly. I'm scared of not being able to wake up on time and finding Tofu dead.”source ↗
“I'm in an area where everyone is religious and euthanasia isn't an option.”source ↗
“I can't put him down at any point. They will only perform euthanasia on rabid animals.”source ↗
“It's actually the vet who won't perform it. I don't care about anyone else.”source ↗
“I just hope he either gets better or euthanasia becomes an option somehow.”source ↗
“i’m so sorry, dealing with the same rn. what a beautiful cat and thank you for sharing”source ↗
“My cutie passed away when she was 13. I miss her as well.”source ↗