In my work as an Animal Communicator, I sometimes find that the perspective of the animal is a surprise to their person.  At times, when additional information about a situation becomes available, the difference in perspective may seem even more mysterious.

This creates a quandary for me as a professional.  I cannot prove what I am saying is true.  I can only say what I am getting from the animal in that moment.  Might additional information change the animal’s response?  There is no way to know since we can’t go backwards in time and find out.

A few days ago, a client called me about her horse.  For the sake of privacy, I will call her Cindy and the horse Charlie.  Both of Charlie’s inner eyelids were very inflamed and had prolapsed (were hanging out of his eyes).  Since the gelding was 31 years old (rather elderly for an equine), one of Cindy’s questions for him was whether he wanted euthanasia.  A veterinarian was coming later that day to possibly do surgery to remove his eyelids.

When I spoke with Charlie, he said he had no pain, just some burning and itching sensations.  We told him about the possibility of surgery to remove the inner eyelids, and he was in favor of doing this.  He had no hesitation about it.

Since Cindy didn’t know many detail about the surgery, we could only tell Charlie that the veterinarian was experienced in this type of surgery and that he might bleed for 20 minutes, but then he’d be fine.  Charlie was eager to do both eyes if that were possible to make his eyes stop itching.

I did ask Charlie if he was ready to leave via euthanasia.  His response was quick and definite.  “I want to continue my life.  I’m just fine,” he told me.  Perhaps with the knowledge that eye surgery would fix everything he felt no need to leave his physical form behind.  He didn’t say this, but we did check in with him about the rest of his body, and he seemed to have no other area of serious discomfort.

When the vet came later in the day, she examined Charlie’s eyes and found that there was a large tumor behind the right eye pushing the eyeball out.  Charlie had told me that he bumped his head, and that the lump over his right eye was from bumping it.  The veterinarian said the lump was part of the tumor.   He was under tranquilizer at the time, very relaxed, and the vet was easily able to examine his eyes thoroughly.

Cindy asked the vet if was possible that Charlie had no pain, as he had said to me.  The vet said that he might not have any.  She also explained that the inner eyelids were having an allergic reaction to the eye medication another veterinarian had prescribed to kill a potential eye infection that it turned out was not the problem.

Cindy was then faced with making a decision about what to do.  The vet recommended euthanasia, and Cindy, despite being torn because of our previous conversation, agreed to go ahead with it.   Charlie was euthanized.

Later, when I spoke with Cindy, she told me how uncertain she felt about her decision to euthanize Charlie.   I explained that the circumstances had changed.  Once the vet diagnosed the problem, it was very clearly not operable.  Charlie’s desire to continue his life might have been very different if he had known about the tumor when we spoke to him.

Animals do listen to what is being said about them by the people around them.  It is entirely likely that Charlie was listening (despite the tranquilizer) to what Cindy and the veterinarian were discussing.

I always seek to empower my clients to trust their inner wisdom about their animals.  Charlie had been with Cindy for 20+ years.  She knew him well and loved him deeply.  Still, knowing when to help an animal leave always requires a leap of faith – faith in ourselves – faith in our knowledge of our animals – faith that death is not the end, but just a new beginning.

While it is always possible to speak with Charlie again, in spirit, and talk about what happened and how he feels about it, Cindy is grieving and is not ready to do this at this time.

Meanwhile, I must continue to trust that saying whatever the animal tells me is doing the best I can do in any situation, and that I must continue to hold in my heart that all will happen for the highest good of everyone concerned.

Nedda