Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
What dog owners notice about their dogs dying and how to improve
By Kelly McNulty et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2026·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: The Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey reveals owners' perceptions of canine death and highlights areas to improve client education.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey of dog owners whose pets passed away revealed that most dogs were euthanized, often due to pain or suffering, with an average age of 13 years. Many owners felt that cancer, old age, and organ diseases were the main causes of death. The survey highlighted the importance of understanding how owners perceive their dog's quality of life and pain, which can help veterinarians provide better support and education for families facing end-of-life decisions. This insight can improve the care and comfort of aging dogs and their owners during difficult times.
People also search for: why did my dog die · dog euthanasia reasons · signs of pain in aging dogs
Abstract
Objective The Dog Aging Project (DAP) launched the validated owner-facing End of Life Survey (EOLS) to better understand companion dog death. Methods Participating owners whose dogs died between December 26, 2019, and March 24, 2021, were surveyed. Responses were reported descriptively. Student t and χ2 tests were utilized to assess differences in dog demographics among response-variable groups. Results Owners whose dogs died within the study period (n = 793) were invited to complete the EOLS. Response rate was 85.7% (n = 655 respondents; 29 invitees with unexpired response windows). After respondents lacking baseline DAP survey data (n = 9) were excluded, 646 EOLS responses were analyzed. Mean age at death was 13.0 ± 3.0 years. Most dogs (536 of 646 [83.0%]) experienced euthanasia rather than unassisted death, with most instances of euthanasia performed in a veterinary clinic (411 of 536 [76.7%]) or the owner's home (122 of 536 [22.8%]). Ninety-five of 646 dogs (14.7%) died without any veterinary involvement. The most common owner-perceived causes of death (CoDs) were cancer (192 of 646 [29.7%]), "old age" (190 of 646 [29.4%]), and organ system diseases (144 of 646 [22.3%]). Perimortem quality of life (QoL) was negatively associated with age at death. The most common reason for euthanasia was pain and/or suffering (260 of 536 [48.5%]), followed by poor QoL (133 of 536 [24.8%]). Conclusions Owner-perceived CoD varies among dogs of different ages. Owners' perceptions about canine pain and suffering, QoL, and old age influence euthanasia decisions. Future analyses will heighten veterinary professionals' understanding of these perceptions. Clinical Relevance Understanding end-of-life factors that are important to dog owners enables veterinarians to thoughtfully educate clients and optimally care for and support aging dogs and their families.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/41812328