Euthanasia, your questions answered

Pet ownership brings with it many rewards, but when an animal dies this may lead to feelings of extreme sadness & loss. Animals rarely die peacefully, if left to pass away naturally & so in a majority of cases we are faced both with the imminent loss of a dear friend together with a very difficult decision regarding euthanasia.

At MacDonald Veterinary Clinic we are all compassionate animal lovers & as such make every effort in ensuring that advice & action are delivered in a sympathetic manner to minimise stress to the client, whilst ensuring that the patient passes away in a loving & dignified manner. We are always available to discuss issues & assist you in making this difficult decision.

Once a decision has been made, we can arrange a quiet time at the surgery or visit you at home to perform the euthanasia. The procedure involves injecting an overdosage of pentobarbitone anaesthetic usually into the cephalic vein of the front leg. The effect is almost immediate with the patient falling into sleep within seconds & the heart stopping a few moments later. In cases where we anticipate that the patient might be stressed by the procedure, a sedative may be given initially by subcutaneous injection; this brings about drowsiness & relaxation.We encourage clients to be present during the procedure as this minimises anxiety in the patient & also allows the client to lay the memory to rest. In cases where this is too upsetting for the client, we are especially careful to comfort the animal to take away any fear or anxiety.

After euthanasia has been performed, the client has one of three options: The pet may be taken home immediately or at a later time or day for home burial. Alternatively, the surgery can arrange a cremation for you. The ashes would then be scattered in the open fields around the crematorium. If you prefer, we can arrange a private, individual cremation with the ashes returned in a casket for home burial or to be scattered.MacDonald Veterinary Clinic uses Limekiln Companion Animal Crematorium as we find that they provide a compassionate, dignified & professional service.

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copyright  2005:  Barry J. MacDonald  BVSc MRCVS,  MacDonald Veterinary Clinic, Cheltenham           ......................... all rights reserved