Euthanasia
Nearing the end of your pet’s life is one of the most difficult times you will face as a pet owner. Sometimes, your pet’s quality of life has diminished so much that the decision is clear. They may have a cancer diagnosis with a poor prognosis, or they could have a chronic disease and out of treatment options. But, sometimes, the euthanasia decision is not black and white, and making this final decision may feel very hard. I will say that I see many people who look back and regret not making this decision a little sooner, which can lead to some feelings of guilt that can complicate your grief. While evaluating your pet’s quality of life, consider scheduling a consultation with one of our vets. If your pet has been examined recently, you can call us, and we can discuss it over the phone.
You can also use a quality-of-life scale:
However, some clients feel that these can oversimplify this important decision. I like to have clients look at these when some family members disagree about whether or not it is time. The questions can initiate some good discussion among your family.
Last Days Bucket List Items
As you are nearing the end of your pet’s life – your family might enjoy making a bucket list for your pet. This can be a fun, upbeat way of celebrating them. Activities may include a hike or a romp in a river. Perhaps it includes a drive-through for some yummy treats. Not only do you need to include what your pet loves, but what about the things they “hate”?? How about a good, long bark session directed at the UPS guy?
Things to Consider with Euthanasia
Once you have decided that your pet’s quality of life has diminished to the point that it is time to schedule euthanasia, there are a few things to consider about scheduling.
When?
Once you have assessed the quality of life and come to this tough decision with all family members included – you will probably be anxious to schedule euthanasia. Once you realize that your pet has a poor quality of life, it is normal to feel like you need to do this ASAP. Whether or not you are scheduling in the morning, evening, or middle of the day will depend on your family’s schedule. We see the most euthanasias during holiday breaks, which is understandable, as many families are waiting for someone to come home so that they can say goodbye. This works unless your pet’s suffering is too much for them to wait. In these cases, family members may have to say goodbye over Facetime. Ideal? No. But then, euthanasia cannot always be scheduled at the perfect time for everyone.
The most important thing about timing is to look at when it is right for the pet. This is more important than anything. After all, these guys have given us so much, and this is our gift to them: no more pain, no more suffering!
Where To Have This Service Done?
If you wish, Redstone can arrange for one of our Doctors and technicians to come to your home. This is especially nice for pets if they are nervous about coming into the veterinary clinic. We typically need to plan this out a few days ahead of time.
Some clients prefer to come into the hospital. There isn’t ever a “one size fits all” approach to euthanasia. We are very flexible with our euthanasia appointments at our hospital, as we consider euthanasia to be one of the most important things we do. We will never turn our clients away for this service, even on a busy day.
To schedule euthanasia, give us a call, and we will walk you through the process. You will need to decide who you would like to be there. It may just be you, or you may want to bring your entire family. That is a very personal decision, and each family member may want to decide whether they would like to come or say goodbye at home. We encourage you to have a very open, honest discussion with all family members, even the children. Children need to be able to say goodbye to their pets in their own way. If a child is unable to say goodbye, they may carry that regret for a long time.
How Does The Euthanasia Process Work?
Whether at home or in the hospital, the doctor will follow your cues regarding how slowly or quickly you want to move through the process. Everyone is different. Typically, the doctor or technician will give the animal an injection of a sedating drug so that they can begin relaxing. The drug given does not sting or make the pet nauseous. In the clinic, we will have a thick mat on the floor for the large dogs, and for smaller dogs or cats, we will have a blanket on a table.
Once the animal is relaxed, we will go ahead and give an intravenous injection of the drug that will euthanize the pet. This drug is essentially an overdose of a drug that is used to induce anesthesia. The animal will be under anesthesia when their heart stops; they don’t have any fear, pain, or anxiety. You will probably see your pet’s breathing slow down and stop and their muscles relax. Now and then, there can be some unexpected things that happen during euthanasia:
- Irregular breathing or gasping
- Some movement
- A small moan
These are all very normal at the end of life and are part of the body’s final relaxation process. You are welcome to pet your animal and tell them how much you love them. I encourage you to stay with your pet during this process. However, some people cannot, and that’s okay. We will not judge you for this, and we will make the process pain—and stress-free for your pet whether or not you are there.
Why Use An IV Catheter?
For some animals, the doctor may recommend that we place an IV catheter. We will sometimes do this if we have small children present, as watching the animal get a little poke could be upsetting, or if the client would like to hold the pet in their lap during the process. Trust your veterinarian, as they will guide you through the process. They have your pet’s best interest in mind, and they will also think about how to make this tough process as easy as possible for your family.
What Happens After My Pet’s Euthanasia?
Leaving your pet after euthanasia may be really hard. Some people want to leave right away, which is also very normal. If you are having a hard time leaving, we can sit with your pet while you go, which might make it a bit easier.
We will ask if you would like to take a little clipping of fur. Sometimes, children find it helpful to have something to hold onto as they leave.
We will ask if you would like a paw print to memorialize your pet. This paw print is made out of clay and is made after the pet’s death, as many animals do not like their feet being touched. We will have the paw print ready for you to pick up about a week later (we will call you). They are baked and will have your animal’s name on them.
What Should I Do With My Pet’s Body?
We will assist you in deciding this. You will need to have your pet cremated as there are regulations about not burying euthanized animals. You can decide if you would like your pet to be cremated by themselves, and then the ashes will be returned to you. Otherwise, we can arrange for your pet to be cremated with a few other animals, and then the ashes are spread at a location in the mountains. If needed, we can pick up your deceased pet from your home and transport them to our hospital for aftercare.
This is a very personal decision. Some people are attached to their pet’s cremains, and some aren’t, and both are okay!
Does This Affect My Veterinarian?
“How do you do this all the time? Is this the worst part of your job?” Veterinarians get this question a lot. And, in short – No, this absolutely is not the worst part of my job. We don’t euthanize animals unless we believe that this is the best thing for them. Relieving suffering is our calling, and euthanasia can be a beautiful thing for an animal at the end of their life.
Yes, our hearts break for you as we understand how hard it can be to say goodbye. But it is truly an honor to be with your family during this intimate, heart-wrenching process. Some of my most beautiful memories after 20+ years as a veterinarian are of clients telling me a sweet story before their pet passes or of them petting and kissing their animal, telling them that they have been “the best boy ever.” What an honor to bear witness to this love.
Grief Support
How Do I Deal With The Grief Of Pet Loss?
I am not a grief counselor; I am a veterinarian. But I will give you my advice after a lot of experience with grief.
Feel the feelings. I don’t like the advice, “Try to keep busy,” etc. I would say slow down, and when you feel the grief coming, let it wash over you and let your heart go there. At some point, you will have to face it in order to keep moving forward.
Talking helps. It is good to talk about it as it comes up, speak to a family member, or call/text a friend. If you are having trouble moving forward, contact us, and we can recommend a pet loss support group. Talking to a grief counselor may also be helpful.
The Pet Compassion Careline is open 24/7 for grief support at (855) 245-8214.
Children, Euthanasia, And Grief
You may find it challenging to explain euthanasia to a child. We recommend avoiding euphemisms and trying to describe things more literally so the child can understand. Try to stay away from saying, “We are going to put ____ to sleep.” Instead, say, “We are going to help _______ to die peacefully so that he doesn’t have to suffer and have any more pain.”
Parents often ask if their kids should be present at the euthanasia. There isn’t a “one size fits all” answer for all families; it depends on your parenting style and your kids. Often, what kids dream up in their heads is much worse than the actual euthanasia experience. Therefore, it can be helpful for them to be there so they don’t invent stories about what happened to their pet.
A kid’s grief can look very different than ours. Some kids will be asking for a new pet on their way home from the euthanasia, and parents can find this upsetting. But please know that this is a very normal reaction from a child. You can also have some children who are still sad and crying six months later. This is also very normal. Allow your child to talk about their pet and the memories they have. You may want to read some books together (some favorites are listed below). Some kids may find that filling out a memorial book can help them to move forward with their grief.
- The Rainbow Bridge: A Visit to Pet Paradise (This is the book we send kids home with after euthanasia; teenagers seem to enjoy it as well- As do I)
- Dog Heaven
- I’ll Always Love You
Warning: These books might make you cry, but that allows you to sit in your grief for a while. The Rainbow Bridge book is relatively upbeat, though.
Here is a $5 pet memory book that your child can fill out, which can be very therapeutic.
Help! My Other Pet Is Grieving!
If you have another pet at home, take some extra time to pet, walk, brush, and spend some extra time with them. It is hard to predict how a pet will grieve; they are all different – just like kids! Some animals bounce back fast and seem to love being the only dog or cat. Others sulk for weeks and even refuse meals.
To aid your pet in the grief process, I would urge you to consider bringing your other animal to the euthanasia. We believe this may help them “understand” what is happening. However, some people don’t want the other animals to be a distraction, and I understand that. If you bring your other pet along, don’t be surprised if they seem disinterested or “uncaring”; this is a normal reaction for an animal.
Other tips:
- If your deceased animal had belongings specific to them (a bed, bowl, etc), pick these items up and put them away.
- If your pet doesn’t seem to recover after a few weeks, please call us so we can assist. I have had a few animals that needed pharmaceuticals to help them recover.
We hope this information is helpful as you are trying to make end-of-life decisions for your pet. Please don’t hesitate to call or email us, as we would be honored to be your partner while you make these tough decisions.