End-of-Life Care

Quality of Life Consultations

It is hard when we see our beloved pets aging, and making end-of-life decisions may be the hardest decisions we have to make for our pets. Please schedule a quality-of-life consult if you are having any concerns about your pet’s daily well-being.

This consult will give us a chance to examine your pet and get a full picture of your pet’s health and lifestyle at home. It also allows you to know the different options available so that you can make the most informed decision.

While more diagnostic testing may be needed, we may sometimes be able to offer a more conservative approach to help your pet improve their quality of life.

How to evaluate your pet’s quality of life at home

While there are no absolute rules, the following is offered as a guideline for questions you should ask when assessing your pet’s quality of life:

• Does your pet seem comfortable? Is your pet’s pain able to be controlled?
• Does your pet have any difficulty breathing?
• Is your pet able to eat on their own?
• Are you able to keep your pet well-groomed and provide good hygiene?
• Is your pet still engaging in activities that they always have loved doing?
• Is your pet able to move without assistance or tolerate you moving them?
• Does your pet have more good days than bad?

 

The Process of Euthanasia

When you come to euthanize a pet, our veterinarians will first come in to talk with you to make sure that you are prepared for the process and to make sure euthanasia is appropriate.

While you are filling out paperwork, we will take your pet into our treatment area to place an intravenous catheter and then return your pet to you. This process allows you to make all informed decisions needed while our qualified staff is comforting your pet.

Depending on your pet’s health, sedation may be given if it is in their best interest for comfort. When it is time, our veterinarians will give your pet an overdose of an anesthetic agent, which quickly and painlessly stops their heart.

Our veterinarians will stay with you or leave the room if you would prefer a few moments of privacy.

 

After Care

Following euthanasia, you can either take your pet’s body home for a proper burial or have a cremation performed.

You can have their ashes returned to you, or a communal cremation- where no ashes are returned. We use Final Gift for our cremation services.