Caring and Compassionate Pet Euthanasia
Euthanasia is something most people would rather not think about, unfortunately, pets become old and ill, and when they appear to be suffering, sometimes pet euthanasia is the most caring and compassionate thing a pet owner can do for their pet. Dr. Bremner takes great care to make sure that each of our loved ones passing is as peaceful as possible. We know this is never an easy process, and are happy to include additional family members to say their good-bye's to a beloved pet, as a family. There are many options when it comes to the care of your pet's remains, and we can provide estimates of cost upon request.
Quality of life: Understanding When It's Time to Say Goodbye
It can be difficult for pet owners to determine when it’s time to say goodbye to their beloved pets, especially if your pet has good days and bad days. If you are unsure as to whether it’s time to say goodbye, Dr. Bremner can evaluate your pet’s health and answer any questions you may have, in order to help you make a decision. We believe that quality of life is important not only for the pet but for the owners as well. In the eventuality we all face with our pets, here is a list of some common problems owners face that may help you determine if your pet is in need of a quality of life evaluation.
1. Your pet is in chronic pain that cannot be alleviated with medication
2. Your pet has stopped eating and/or lost weight
3. Your pet has chronic vomiting and diarrhea that cannot be controlled
4. Your pet’s activity levels have dropped
5. Your pet can no longer stand or walk on his or her own
6. Your pet is unable to recognize and interact with family members normally
7. Your pet is no longer able to enjoy things that used to be enjoyable for them.
What happens during a Euthanasia appointment?
Once you arrive in our office, you will have the option of choosing how involved you wish to be in your pet’s final moments. If you wish to stay with your beloved dog or cat throughout their final moments, our team will escort you to a private room where you can say your goodbyes and hold your pet while he or she passes. As mentioned above, if you wish to have family members or a close friend accompany you we are happy to accommodate your wishes. Generally we will arrange after care and take payment before the doctor comes in, so that when you are ready to leave you are free to do so without the bother of the check-out process.
If your pet is anxious, or agitated we may administer a light sedative to help your pet reach a peaceful state before we say goodbye to them. This assists in making sure that the process is as painless and as peaceful as possible. During the procedure, your veterinarian will give your pet a concentrated dose of a sedative known as Euthasol, intravenously that will put them to sleep first and then ultimately cause the heart to stop. This sedative is designed to make this a painless process and allow for a slowing of the pet's vital systems and will help your pet pass peacefully. The doctor will then take a moment to allow the family to have some final words, and then she will listen for a heart beat to confirm that the pet has indeed passed away before we prepare the body for after care.
After care options for your beloved family member
Magalia Pet Hospital has partnered with Koefran for many years to give you the best option for memorializing your furry loved ones. They have been in operation since the 1970's in Sacramento and have always gone above and beyond to make sure our clients are happy with their services. They offer several different choices for engraving, special urns, ceramic paw prints and more. Please visit their website link at the bottom of the page if you are looking for a special way to honor your lost friend.
Home Burial: We are fortunate here in Butte county because we are allowed to bury our pets at home if you so choose. This option includes a Euthabag, which is a leak proof, odor proof, fully biodegradable bag that allows for not only safe and trouble free transport of the body, but also an ecofriendly burial option as the entire bag can be placed into the ground during burial without concern for contamination or predation.
Communal Cremation: This option means that the pet would be transported to the crematorium and cremated with other pets. In this case the owner does not get any cremains back. The ashes of the pets communally cremated are spread over a special private property in the Sacramento area that is reserved just for this purpose.
Private Cremation: Private cremation is exactly what it sounds like. The pet is cremated alone and the ashes are carefully collected and packaged for transport back to the owner. Rest assured that those ashes would be only your pet and no one else's, special care is taken at the facility to ensure that each owner's wishes are respected and honored.
Paw Print: Ceramic paw prints are a special way to keep your pet's paw ever present in the home. A ceramic technician will take a careful impression of the pet's foot or feet, and make a lasting copy in glazed ceramic. These include the name of the pet, or a saying of the owners choice and can be included with either a communal cremation or a private cremation as listed above.
Click here for more information on Koefran's Crematory Services:
For questions about pet euthanasia or to schedule an appointment with Magalia Pet Hospital, call us at (530) 877-1942 today. We’d be happy to make this difficult process a little easier on your family.