Making Decisions for your pup
These days it seems as if opinions about everything are getting more and more polarized and some people seem emboldened to tell others quite openly that their beliefs are wrong or misguided. I try really hard in my blog postings to remain fairly neutral unless it’s a safety issue, and to offer multiple options when it comes to product selections.
You are probably wondering what this preamble is about, so let me tell you. I overheard a conversation last week, and someone said to another person, “If she can’t afford to take better care of that dog, she shouldn’t have it”. This was in regard to a decision that the guardian had made to not have her dog have a surgical procedure done. This was in the middle of a grocery store. As it happens, I know the person and dog that they were talking about, and I know the reason that the guardian has elected to defer the surgery. I support her decision totally, and I will tell her that if she asks for my opinion. From the discussion, these people had no idea what the guardians’ reasoning was behind her decision, and as such, really had no right to make a judgement about it.
There are so many conflicting opinions about veterinary care, surgical procedures, medications, diet, alternative therapies, training, breeding, etc., for our dogs that it is mind boggling. Each of us as responsible pet guardians have the responsibility to read, study and determine the validity of research, rather than blindly accepting it as fact. But in the end, we must each make our own decisions that we feel at peace with, in the moment, just as we would for our own diet and medical care.
I am currently facing a surgery for one of my pups on a tumor that I am told by my vet is probably malignant. Given her age and other medical conditions, I would ordinarily not put her through anesthesia and surgery, but the tumor is on her eyelid and is causing her pain. Someone asked me if I would take her to the Oncologist for recommendations for chemotherapy or radiation therapy. My unequivocal answer was no. Most of you know that some years ago I lost three of my beloved pups to cancer within 16 months of each other. All had surgery, all had chemo, all had radiation therapy. Do I regret spending $60,000 to try to save them? Absolutely not, even though we could certainly not afford it. Did I make what I thought were the best possible decisions in the moment for each of them? Yes, with the advice of the most talented specialists that could be consulted. Would I ever make those decisions for one of my pups again? No. Because you see, as humans, we learn from our experiences, we evolve from them, and we, hopefully, become equipped to make better decisions in the future for those magnificent beings whom we are charged with caring for from the moment they enter our lives until the moment they leave them. But would I criticize any guardian who elected to have their dog receive any and all therapy for the same issues my dogs faced, regardless of their age or condition? Absolutely not, because that person makes their decisions with what they feel are the best intentions possible in the moment…their dog, their rules.
So, the next time a pet guardian is not making a decision that you would make for your pup, whether it is in regard to food, vet care, training, or medications, please try to remember that they may have their reasons based on past experiences. As long as the choice is not dangerous for the dog, it really is fine. Not every dog needs to have the most expensive and trendy diet, the finest supplements, and the highest dollar vet to be healthy and happy. What they do need is tons of love and guardians that are well intentioned and concerned about doing the very best that their situation allows for them always, and you can’t put a price tag on that. Let’s try to come together as a dog community and be more supportive and respectful of each other’s decisions. It’s a lesson that I try to remember every day – some days more successfully than others!