clinic

Here I sit at the end of a long day of treating dogs, cats and birds. I had to euthanize one of my favorite client's kitties today. The kitty was just a couple of years old and had sustained a tail fracture a few weeks ago. Tail fractures sound like a minor problem until you realize that dog and cat spinal cords extend down to the tip of their tails. So tail fractures can mean spinal cord injuries, which was what happened to this poor kitty.

Her tail was fractured at the base, so the nerves that controlled her ability to urinate and defecate were paralyzed. Sometimes nerve function will return, unless the injury is severe, as was the case today. We have been unsuccessfully treating the kitty's bladder infection, resulting from her inability to empty her bladder, with antibiotics. In the last few days, she began chewing her tail, because she cannot feel it and that bothers her. So her "mom" knew it was time.

Over many years of practice, I have found that we are frequently faced with that final decision. Our pets seldom die in their sleep, but become so ill or injured that we cannot keep them from suffering. We must love them enough to let them go when it is time. It is a privilege that I do not take lightly. God has given me the ability and responsibility to take care of his creatures "from cradle to grave". I am truly blessed to be able to help His creatures...and His people.