Military Working Dogs (MWDs) may present with illnesses or injuries so severe that the only humane option is euthanasia. MWDs may require emergent euthanasia in cases of catastrophic wounding with poor prognosis for recovery and to relieve the MWD from undue suffering.

Examples include catastrophic traumatic brain injury (TBI) or decompensatory refractory shock non-responsive to resuscitative efforts, major abdominal evisceration injury with failure to respond to resuscitation, or rapid clinical deterioration with poor prognosis for recovery.

Some circumstances in an operational environment may warrant non-emergent euthanasia, such as prevention or spread of contagious disease, incurable terminal disease, or severe behavioral disorders affecting quality of life that are not responsive to appropriate therapy as prescribed by a veterinarian.