Euthanasia
The euthanasia decision for a beloved pet may be one of the most difficult choices you will face during your entire lifetime. Here at Bennington Animal Hospital, we understand how difficult this moment is and we will work with you to ensure your pet’s comfort and dignity during his or her final moments.
It is hard to make a life-ending determination like this for someone who cannot tell you what their wishes are and yet a judgment call must be made. There are emotional issues such as guilt, grief, and uncertainty as well as financial and/or time commitment matters in choosing to treat or not treat an illness. Family members with differing opinions or philosophies may be involved. The decision process is arduous, and everyone dreads its necessity.
You likely have questions about how to tell whether the right time has come in addition to questions about what to expect and what the procedure is. We will be here to guide you through these difficult issues so that you can be certain in the years to come that you made the right decision without regret.
When is the Right Time?
Some pets simply become debilitated by age or disease to a point where their life quality deteriorates to an unacceptable level. This does not mean that improvement is not possible so it is important to seek counseling from your veterinarian about your pet’s condition and what may be possible to improve it.
Many medical issues that seem hopeless to a pet owner are surprisingly easy to palliate or even solve. Long-standing in-home urination problems may boil down to a bladder infection that can be resolved with antibiotics or sphincter tightening remedies. Arthritis medication can yield great improvement in mobility. Unhealing wounds may represent allergy and not cancer. Every veterinarian can tell stories of pets assumed by their owners to have terminal illness that turned out to have been easily treated problems.
It is best not to make your own assumptions about the reversibility of your pet’s condition. Have your veterinarian evaluate the pet before making your decision if possible. Find out what sort of supportive care you might need to perform as primary caregiver and what the associated expenses are. Avoid making assumptions on your own and get all the options.
As much as we hate to admit it, caregivers have limitations of what they are capable of doing and some pets are not willing to cooperate with the treatments that will help them recover. There is a point where all the love, attention, therapies, and special foods are just not enough. Saying goodbye is emotionally devastating enough without having to suffer through uncertainty in your decision.
When is the Right Time?
Some pets simply become debilitated by age or disease to a point where their life quality deteriorates to an unacceptable level. This does not mean that improvement is not possible so it is important to seek counseling from your veterinarian about your pet’s condition and what may be possible to improve it.
Many medical issues that seem hopeless to a pet owner are surprisingly easy to palliate or even solve. Long-standing in-home urination problems may boil down to a bladder infection that can be resolved with antibiotics or sphincter tightening remedies. Arthritis medication can yield great improvement in mobility. Unhealing wounds may represent allergy and not cancer. Every veterinarian can tell stories of pets assumed by their owners to have terminal illness that turned out to have been easily treated problems.
It is best not to make your own assumptions about the reversibility of your pet’s condition. Have your veterinarian evaluate the pet before making your decision if possible. Find out what sort of supportive care you might need to perform as primary caregiver and what the associated expenses are. Avoid making assumptions on your own and get all the options.
As much as we hate to admit it, caregivers have limitations of what they are capable of doing and some pets are not willing to cooperate with the treatments that will help them recover. There is a point where all the love, attention, therapies, and special foods are just not enough. Saying goodbye is emotionally devastating enough without having to suffer through uncertainty in your decision.
Some people will tell you that you will simply “know” when it is time but this idea is not really fair. Determining someone else’s life quality is not completely intuitive. Fortunately, some criteria have been developed to help make evaluating life quality a little more definable.
- Do they still enjoy their favorite activities? The elderly pet does not necessarily need to continue chasing balls or jumping after Frisbees but they should enjoy sleeping comfortably, favorite resting spots, your company, etc.
- Is your pet eating? Basically, quality life involves eating or at least interest in food. An animal that is hungry has vitality that must be considered, though this is not the only consideration.
- Is your pet comfortable? Your pet should be free of debilitating pains, cramps, aches or even the psychological pain that comes from the development of incontinence in an animal that has been housebroken its entire life.
After the Decision is Made
You may have some questions as to the process and if there are other options.
Should you be present for the procedure?
This is a very personal decision and there is no wrong answer. Many people simply cannot watch for emotional reasons. Others want to be sure their pet has at least one familiar family member there throughout. It is best to decide in advance which family members, if any, want to be there.
How is the procedure performed?
Your family and your pet will be in a private room and the veterinarian will come in to speak with you about your options and answer any questions you may have. Paperwork is signed and payment is collected so after the procedure you will not have to stop at the front desk. Once everyone feels comfortable, the veterinary nurse will place an IV catheter in your pet’s arm at their nurse’s station. The intravenous catheter ensures a smooth and peaceful procedure. The nurse will bring your pet back to the room so you can spend as much time as you would like with them.
Once you are ready, the veterinarian will give a calming medicine through the catheter to relax your pet. Most of the time, your pet will relax and sometimes they even fall asleep and snore on a comfy blanket we will provide. The next step is the Euthanasia solution, which is an overdose of a formerly-used anesthetic agent. This ensures your pet’s brain activity will slow down and cease first, before their body does. This will make certain your pet feels no pain, no difficulty breathing, or anything else. They just close their eyes, fall asleep, and their heart will slow and eventually stop beating within one to two minutes.
What happens to their body?
After the euthanasia, you have the option to have your pet cremated with ashes returned to you or not, depending on your wishes. We work closely with a local family business, Eco Animal Cremation, owned by Dr. Dan Annin. Eco Animal Cremation offers a gentle, natural, and respectful cremation option. Please check out their website for more information and for urn options:
How is the procedure performed?
Your family and your pet will be in a private room and the veterinarian will come in to speak with you about your options and answer any questions you may have. Paperwork is signed and payment is collected so after the procedure you will not have to stop at the front desk. Once everyone feels comfortable, the veterinary nurse will place an IV catheter in your pet’s arm at their nurse’s station. The intravenous catheter ensures a smooth and peaceful procedure. The nurse will bring your pet back to the room so you can spend as much time as you would like with them.
Once you are ready, the veterinarian will give a calming medicine through the catheter to relax your pet. Most of the time, your pet will relax and sometimes they even fall asleep and snore on a comfy blanket we will provide. The next step is the Euthanasia solution, which is an overdose of a formerly-used anesthetic agent. This ensures your pet’s brain activity will slow down and cease first, before their body does. This will make certain your pet feels no pain, no difficulty breathing, or anything else. They just close their eyes, fall asleep, and their heart will slow and eventually stop beating within one to two minutes.
What happens to their body?
After the euthanasia, you have the option to have your pet cremated with ashes returned to you or not, depending on your wishes. We work closely with a local family business, Eco Animal Cremation, owned by Dr. Dan Annin. Eco Animal Cremation offers a gentle, natural, and respectful cremation option. Please check out their website for more information and for urn options:
