One of the hardest things to decide is when it’s the right time to say goodbye to your pet. Our pets are an important part of our families, and when we think about saying goodbye, it can be difficult to decide. The gift of euthanasia in veterinary medicine is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because we don’t have to watch a beloved family member suffer, but it’s a curse because the decision falls to the pet parent. We hope the information below will help guide you to that decision.
Accessing Your Pet’s Quality of Life
- Signs that your pet’s quality of life is declining include:
- Difficulty getting up and down
- No longer doing things they used to enjoy doing such as playing fetch, going for walks, spending time with you, etc.
- Slipping or falling frequently
- Chronic lameness
- Decreased appetite
- Consistent inappropriate urination and/or defecation
- A chronic illness where treatment is no longer working
- Significant weight loss with no obvious underlying cause
The following resources can help you assess your pet’s quality of life:
When is the right time for euthanasia?
Deciding when the right time is for euthanasia is often a hard time for owners to be objective. We are very emotionally attached to our pets, and the thought of losing them can be very difficult. Sometimes, it’s not clear-cut if an illness or severe injury is not involved. If the above information does not help you with determining your pet’s quality of life, the veterinarians at Sugar River Animal Hospital are happy to help guide you in your decision. Even though we love your pet as well, we are able to provide a more objective assessment.
Where should euthanasia take place?
Where you decide to have your pet euthanized is up to you. Sugar River Animal Hospital occasionally provides house calls for end-of-life appointments if we have enough advanced notice, and it also depends on the location of the house call.
If an end-of-life appointment happens at Sugar River Animal Hospital, we have a comfort room for these types of appointments. This room has a separate entrance, so you don’t have to go in and out of the main entrance and is in a quieter part of the hospital. Our whole focus during end-of-life appointments is to make sure you and your pet are as comfortable as possible.
What To Expect
During end-of-life appointments at Sugar River Animal Hospital, we want the process to go as smoothly as possible. We will sedate your pet with medication that will make them unaware of the last step. The sedation takes on average 5-10 minutes, and we will step out of the room during this time so you can have extra time with your pet.
Once the sedation is in effect and you are ready, the veterinarian and their assistant will come back to the room to administer the final medication. Often, your pet passes before the final medication is injected. The process does not hurt them.
After your pet passes, their eyes will still be open. Although uncommon, sometimes animals will take a breath of air within minutes after passing, and they can also experience muscle twitching.
Sometimes, owners do not want to be present for all or parts of the end-of-life appointment. We understand and respect this since we know that people handle death and loss in different ways. If you choose not to be there for all or part of the appointment, know that we will be there with your pet and loving them until their last breath.
What happens to my pet after they are gone?
After your pet passes, you have several options on what to do with their body. You can take your pet home and bury it, or you can have them cremated. If you choose to have your pet cremated, you can elect to have their ashes returned to you (we call this a private cremation), or you can elect for a group cremation, where the ashes will not be returned.
We will also make a paw print if you would like.
Children and Pet Loss
How you handle your pet’s passing with your children is a personal decision. Often their capacity for loss and their ability to handle it is much better than adults think it is. We recommend having a conversation with your children, and then deciding from there if you wish to have them present or not.
There are also many great books about the loss of a pet geared towards children.
Grief Support
We realize the loss of a family member can be very difficult. If you are having a hard time coping with the loss of your pet, please feel free to reach out to one of the following resources:
https://www.lapoflove.com/pet-loss-support-resources
https://bestfriends.org/pet-care-resources/grieving-loss-pet-resources-coping
At Sugar River Animal Hospital, we are here to support you and your family through every step of this difficult process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance making end-of-life decisions for your beloved pet.