End of Life CareWe support pet parents facing the difficult task of helping their animal companions transition to end-of-life care. Our euthanasia process ensures your pet is treated with the utmost comfort, dignity, and loving attention. Weather you know it's time to say goodbye, or you are in need of professional support in your decision-making, our compassionate team is here to stand by your side during this difficult journey. |
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Hospice Care:
Pet hospice care, also known as palliative care, is an option if your pet is suffering from a terminal illness and a cure is not possible. The goal is to make a pet’s final days or weeks more pleasant with the proper use of pain medications, dietary strategies and human interaction. Pet hospice is not a place, but a personal choice and philosophy based on the principle that death is a part of life and can be dignified. When considering hospice care, pet parents should very careful not to prolong the suffering of pets who are in pain or experiencing poor quality of life. Our veterinarians will teach pet parents how to provide intensive home care to keep an ill pet as comfortable as possible. Hospice care requires an active commitment and constant supervision from pet parents, who work with their veterinary team to make sure their pet’s life ends comfortably. If you decide hospice care is the right course for you and your pet, you will become your pet’s primary nurse and caregiver, as well as the link between your pet and the veterinary team. You can consult with our veterinarians to decide if hospice care is the right choice for your pet.
How do I know if euthanasia is the right decision to my pet?
When a pet’s quality of life deteriorates to the point where they experience more bad days than good days, you may be faced with the difficult decision regarding whether to choose euthanasia. Euthanasia provides a painless, peaceful end for a pet who would otherwise continue to suffer. Our veterinarians have special training to provide your pet with a humane and gentle passing. If you are unsure if euthanasia is the right choice for your pet, our veterinarians can assist in helping you make that decision by evaluating their quality of life.
The quality of life scale is also a great tool to use for you and your family if you are having trouble deciding if you believe euthanasia is the right choice.
Preparing for Euthanasia:
Sometimes knowing what to expect after making the decision to euthanize your pet can bring comfort. There are many decisions to be made that can help comfort you during this challenging time.
Our euthanasia services include:
Our euthanasia services include:
- A discussion about your concerns, thoughts, or questions surrounding your pets quality of life.
- Sedation to ease discomfort; you deserve your final memory of your pet to be calm and comfortable. This injection of pain medication and sedatives will allow your pet to drift off to a peaceful sleep before the final injection is administered. During this time, it is normal for families to say their goodbyes, and enjoy an extra special treat from our care team. Some families will use this time to decorate the cremation casket as well with markers and any other items you may bring.
- Euthanasia, the final gift.
- Transportation for cremation, if selected.
Aftercare:
After your pet has passed we trust our friends at Faithful Companion to transport your pet to their facility where they will be cremated with the utmost respect and dignity. You will have the choice of a private cremation, where your pets remains will be returned directly to your home the next day in the urn of your choice, or a communal cremation, where your pets ashes will be buried at Pines Pet Cemetery in Wooster, Ohio.
What if I prefer to do this in my home?
Our team is only able to provide euthanasia services here at our hospital with our team, however we absolutely understand if you would like to have your pet at home for this final act of love. If you are interested in learning more about In Home Euthanasia for your furry family member, we would recommend you call the wonderful team at Lap Of Love to discuss your needs.
Pet Loss Grief Support
The bond we share with our pets is incredibly strong, and it is completely normal to feel heartbroken or angry at their passing, or even in anticipation of their loss. The healing period is often long and extremely difficult. At each appointment we leave a booklet about managing grief from pet loss, which includes info on the companion animals' and children's grieving processes and ways to help. The following are some additional resources available to help you through this process.