 Thinking about losing a beloved member of our family is never easy. Talking about it can be even more difficult. So what do you do when you need to make the hardest decision of all? How do you know when it's time to say goodbye?
We're here to help you understand the process and hopefully make the decision a little easier. When is it time? There is often not a definitive way to know when the exact time to say goodbye to your pet is, but there are several factors to consider when weighing the option. We often tell our clients to consider the quality of life of their pets. Are they eating and drinking normally? Are they able to get up and move around without great effort or pain? Are they able to enjoy their favorite activities? Are they able to maintain their hygiene (grooming themselves)? Do they have more bad days than good? As with many things, the answers to these questions can be more of a spectrum than definitive yes or no answers. Below is a scale to help. The Process When a euthanasia appointment is scheduled, our staff will ask a few simple questions. 1.) Would you like to stay with your pet during the procedure? 2.) Do you know what you'd like to do for aftercare? 3.) Do you have any questions for us? The answers to these questions are entirely up to you. We will do our best to inform you of the options and help you choose which is best for you. While most pet owners prefer to stay, some prefer not to be present during the procedure, and while we understand, we encourage you to stay if possible. It can be heart-wrenching to be there but the way we see it is that you have been their whole world, their source of joy and comfort, and it's always best to let them leave with that same sense of comfort and love. When you come in for your appointment our staff do our best to make everything as comfortable as possible. We will quickly get you into a room where we will have a blanket set up for your pet to lay on, have you sign the necessary paperwork, and get you charged out so that you won't need to deal with payment afterward. The doctor will come in to speak with you, perform an exam and if they agree that euthanasia is the right option, they will administer a sedative to relax your pet. After the sedative has taken effect and when you are ready, the doctor and one of our staff will come in to administer the euthanasia solution. The process is painless and works very quickly. The doctor will confirm that your pet is gone and leave the room to give you as much time as you need. We offer three options for aftercare. You can take your pet home for burial. You can choose group cremation in which you would not receive their ashes back and instead will be spread on the property owned by the cremation company. Or private cremation in which their ashes would be returned to you in a wooden, ceramic, or biodegradable urn of your choice. With either cremation option, we can also offer a ceramic paw print with your choice of color. Final Thoughts There is a saying in veterinary medicine; "better a day too early than a day too late." We often explain that to clients as it being better to let your pet go on a good day rather than their worst day. While it is incredibly painful for us to lose them, it's a final act of love we can offer them to let them go before they are in immense pain or suffering. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." - Winnie The Pooh.
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