Euthanasia
Euthanasia
We know that making the decision to put your pet to sleep is one of the most difficult decisions you will have to make and we are here to help guide you and make things as smooth as possible. We are always available to talk about quality of life and when to make the decision at the best time for you and your pet. We are also able to discuss options to help keep older animals comfortable for longer and Hannah has an extra qualification in geriatric medicine so please don’t assume the worst if you need to bring your elderly pet in to see us.
When the time does come we will do everything possible to book you in for a quiet time of day to minimise any stress and give you and your family time with your pet during the process. We also offer home visits if you would prefer your pet to be in their usual surroundings but we do require some notice to be able to arrange this.
We tailor every appointment to the individual pet but in most cases we will take them through to a quiet consult room or the prep room to place an IV catheter and get them comfy before inviting you to come back into the room with them if you wish to be present. Not everyone can face being present and this is not a problem, one of our team will be happy to cuddle them in your place. In some smaller species, such as rats and mice, where we cannot place an IV we place them under an anaesthetic so you would not be able to be present.
The procedure is usually very quick and for the pet it is similar to having an anaesthetic with an injectable agent given which will make them lose consciousness before they pass. Occasionally they may twitch and take a few deep breaths as a reflex when they have passed. It is normal for your pet’s eyes to remain open and they may release their bladder and bowel.
Following euthanasia there are several options for your pet’s body and everyone is different in what they would like. If you do not wish to take your pet home to bury then a cremation will need to be organised. We can arrange this in several ways:
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‘Routine’ cremation- this is where your pet will go to the crematorium and be cremated with other pets. The ashes are then scattered at the crematorium and not returned to you.
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‘Individual’ cremation- this is where your pet is cremated on their own and the ashes return to you to keep or scatter. We can provide a brochure of available options for the return of ashes.
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‘Body Gifting’- this is a scheme where your pet can go to a course provider to allow vets and students to learn new skills. At the end of the course you have the option of having their ashes returned to you free of charge or having a charitable donation made on your behalf. Certain conditions must be met which we can talk to you about if this is something you are interested in. Details of the scheme can be found at A Priceless Gift - Veterinary Education Pet Gifting Programme
We also have supplies in to take paw and nose prints which we can send to you free of charge.
We use a local family run crematorium the details of which can be found at Pet Cremation Bristol | Pet Crematorium | Companions Haven