Sometimes there is no light at the end of the tunnel and it can be very hard to enjoy being in the darkness. But that is what you have to try to do if you are living with a pet that has a terminal illness.
We can separate medical conditions into two broad types; each requires a completely different mindset. There are those that the patient will eventually recover from and those that will ultimately, inevitably cause their demise. Dealing with them both can be exceedingly difficult.
It may, for example, be frustrating to have a normally active pet who has broken a limb, which has been immobilised in a plaster. Patience is required, as normal exercise is obviously inhibited. To add to the problem, calorie intake will need to be reduced, lest weight gain becomes an issue; this would have repercussions for the damaged leg and for general health.
Negotiating obstacles, such as stairs and getting in and out of vehicles, might be awkward. Behavioural changes, as boredom sets in, might be expected. But there is something to look forward to. There is an end to it all. You know that, one day, the plaster is going to come off and normal service is going to be resumed. All you need to do is bide your time and you will get there. You keep moving towards the light.
Terminal illnesses are not like this at all. The end is not something we want to think about. It is not a goal. Too often, we spend so much effort desperately trying to look away from the light that we forget we are living at all.
Instead of enjoying our pet's company, we waste valuable time fretting about what will happen to them and when. Before you know it, they have gone and there are no happy memories of the period they were unwell. The weeks and months of administering tablets and listening for coughs and breathlessness and worrying about what they were eating become a blur and it is hard to remember them when they were well.
So, in my opinion, that's not the way to go about it. The time that our pets are with us can be limited. In most circumstances, we will outlive our pets, and we should be aware of that and prepare for that.
It can be hard to accept, and it is often very unfair. It is not easy to carry the despair that they are not going to get better. Too often, we see owners who are unable to relish their pet's existence because the disease process consumes them.
Remember, however, that your pet does not know the same anxiety, and will respond to your mood. Savour their company and every interaction. Do everything with them that they are capable of. Take photographs and video. Have a daily heart-to-heart chat. Spend time grooming. Make every moment as special as you can. They deserve that.
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