Compassionate Support During Difficult Times
Our medical team is here to help you with the most difficult time period of your pet’s life and provide you with options for end-of-life care and decision-making. Additionally, we have compiled several resources to help you navigate this emotional time, including dealing with grief and alleviating anxiety so you can focus on providing your pet with compassionate care and love.
Hospice Care & End Of Life Decision Making
As your pet approaches end-of-life stage, there are several things to consider:
How Will I Know When It's Time and Anticipatory Grief
We understand caring for a terminally ill or geriatric pet is very challenging no matter how ready you think you are. It often involves special care routines that can be time consuming, frequent veterinary visits and intense worry. Even worse is the knowledge that the time you have with your beloved pet is limited.
Many people experience anticipatory grief at this stage in their pet’s life. Anticipatory grief occurs prior to the actual loss of the pet and consists of a range of emotions including fear, guilt and frustration due to lack of information, as well as anxiety. Anxiety surrounding the anticipation of death is normal, but allowing the anxiety to overwhelm you can be detrimental to enjoying the remaining time you have with your pet.
The best way to deal with anticipatory grief and help your pet is to be prepared for this stage of life. Please ask yourself the following questions:
How do I envision the last few moments of my pet’s life?
Where do I want it to take place?
At what time of day?
Who should be present?
Is there anything I don’t want to happen?
How do I feel about Euthanasia?
Do I understand that most pets do not die at home of a “natural” or peaceful death?
Do I understand the process?
Do I have questions I need to ask my vet?
What can I do now so that six months from now I can look back at this time and think “I have no regrets?”
Are there any “bucket list” items I want to experience with my pet?
What can I do to make my pet feel extra special?
While it’s extremely difficult to face the prospect of life without your pet, answering these questions will help you when your pet’s time is near. Thoughtful advanced planning will help alleviate some of your anxiety so you can focus on providing your pet with compassionate physical care. Making your pet’s last days extra special with lots of love, favorite toys, activities, and favorite foods may ease your grieving heart as well.
The Euthanasia Process
At Belton Animal Clinic & Exotic Care Center we strive to make the euthanasia process as stress- and anxiety-free as possible for you, your family and your pet. The doctor may do a brief exam to confirm that euthanasia is appropriate and to prepare for the proper sedative based on your pet’s condition and needs. A sedative is given, usually by intramuscular injection. This injection may sting a bit but it is just a very brief discomfort. Your loved one is then placed on a comfortable blanket and the lights are dimmed in the room.
After about 10-15 minutes the doctor will come back into the room with a technician. You may choose to leave your pet with us at this time, or you can stay for the actual procedure. Either way, your pet will be treated with compassion and told that you love them by our staff. At this time an IV catheter will be placed and the euthanasia solution will be administered. The medicine acts quickly to stop the breathing and heart and your loved one will be put to peace as they are petted and loved.
After-Care Options
It is better to think about options for aftercare before the emotional day arrives so you don’t have to think about or try to make a decision while you are grieving.
- Home burial – your pet will be placed in an Angel bag (blue biodegradable canvas bag) that you can bury. You can choose to not accept this bag.
- Simple Cremation – your pet’s ashes are not returned and will be cremated in a group with other animals and the ashes will be buried in a common grave.
- Individual Cremation – your pet is cremated privately, all by him or herself, with the cremated ashes returned in a basic plastic box about one week later. A special urn may also be purchased at this time, or in the future, to transfer your pet’s ashes to something more personal.
- If you need help with this process just let our staff know.
Grief Counseling Resources
Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital – Argus Institute
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine- Best Friend Gone Project – You may reach the Best Friend Gone counselors by calling 225-578-9547
University of Tennessee Knoxville – HELPLINE: 865-755-8839