If we’ve decided it’s the right time, what are the next steps?
Whenever possible, it is best to have a euthanasia consultation prior to the actual event. This can be done in person at your home or over the phone. This consultation allows you to meet Dr. Erwin and to discuss the euthanasia process, after care options, and to determine if it is indeed time to say goodbye. Planning ahead will help you figure out exactly who you want present during this sensitive time, how you want the setting to be, and what to expect. You can also take care of the charges ahead of time if you prefer. By having all the arrangements made in advance, you will be able to remain more calm and focused on your pet during his or her final moments without having to worry about the logistics. At Wholistic Paws, we also recognize that a pre-planning consultation may not always be feasible if your pet is truly suffering and we will do our best to accommodate your familys needs to help preserve your pets comfort and dignity.
Readers respond to the question of whether fellow pets should be present during a housemates final moments.
My conclusion after this many years is that they simply need information—that is, to know whether or not the missing pet is alive or not. They may have smelled illness when the sick one was taken to the hospital, but that is not the same as the smell once all processes have stopped. I do not believe that it matters whether pets are present at the time of death, but they should be allowed a chance to smell the deceased before moving on. I even encourage owners to take a surviving pet to the hospital in cases in which a housemate dies after surgery or hospitalization. It is hard enough for the people to deal with the loss of their pets, but this experience is compounded by another pet that just doesnt know what happened.
I actually do have an experience regarding having a housemate pet present for a euthanasia. I had a 9-year-old dog, Ribbon, that had lived her entire life with a 12-year-old dog, Beau. Beau got osteosarcoma, and I finally had to euthanize him. I took Ribbon with me—Im not sure why I chose to do that. While we were doing the euthanasia, she hid under the bench—worried we were going to “examine” her. We put Beau to sleep on the floor. When we were finished, I got up to leave and told Ribbon to “Come on!” She didnt look right or left, didnt even glance at Beau on the floor. We trotted out of the clinic, and she never once looked for him at home.
You would be hard-pressed to convince me that something in those “heightened animal senses” didnt recognize that Beau was no longer present. In times past, if for some reason one dog wasnt at home, the other dog would go look for the missing dog. Ribbon never did this after Beaus death. Im not much of a religious person or metaphysics follower, but that experience makes me at least a little bit of a believer. I would say if there is no research either way, then take the housemate dog with you and let it be there.
Regarding the “Just Ask The Expert” column on other pets being present for a fellow pets euthanasia (March 2012), any house call veterinarian sees this situation all the time. When I do home euthanasias, the other pets are almost always around. If they are not present for the actual euthanasia because they are too rambunctious, nervous around strangers, etc., I usually recommend that the owner let the other pets come around the body before it is taken from the home or buried. I dont think this diminishes the mourning some pets go through, but I do think it reduces that aimless wandering all through the house for days and weeks afterward some pets do when a pet goes off to the veterinarian never to return again. Some pets sniff the body, while others appear to ignore it. But we know they sense what has happened and “know” the other pet has died.
Should A Pet Housemate Be Present for Euthanasia of a Companion?
Performing euthanasia is one of the most important things veterinarians can perform to alleviate suffering in pets. Frequently, clients want to know whether they should bring the pet’s âhousematesâ (that is, the other furry members of the household) to the procedure. Is it beneficial if a dog or cat witnesses the death of their housemate? We will address this question below. The choice to put an animal to sleep is often an animal lover’s last act of compassion for their pet. When everything has been done that can be done, and when our pets are on the verge of suffering beyond our control, euthanasia is a kindness. In fact, the word âeuthanasiaâ comes from the Greek phrase that actually means âgood death.â Our pets are our responsibility, and that includes giving them a peaceful and relatively pain-free life. Their natural demise is usually not going to involve naturally going to sleep and not waking up; unassisted death is rarely so serene. And if an animal is suffering, eventually we owners have to make the decision with their best interests in mind.
Grieving the loss of an animal companion, for most people, begins before the decision. Illness, mental decline, and bodily changes in our pets signal the end. We see it, and sometimes, so do the other four-legged members of the household. They can frequently sense and perhaps even smell disease. They know something is not right, and they frequently act accordingly; sometimes they nurture the ill and sometimes they ignore them, but their awareness can be uncanny.
Should Other Pets Be Present During the Euthanasia of a Housemate?
At Wholistic Paws, we believe that being present for a euthanasia is the most important thing we do. It is a privilege and an honor to partner with a family during this most difficult time. We provide families with the utmost respect and compassion to help ease their friends struggle and to make the final transition peaceful and without fear. We are available for in-home euthanasia regardless if your pet is a hospice patient or not and we try to keep our scheduling flexible including weekend and evening hours.