End of Life Care

Some people feel very strongly that they wish to stay by their side until the end, whereas others may feel that they either can’t stay or would rather say their goodbyes and leave.

It is a good idea to discuss which family members wish to be present, as well as who would like to say their goodbyes beforehand. The vet may decide to give your animal some sedation before the last injection so staying until they have fallen asleep maybe a good halfway point for those who are unsure.

There is no right or wrong and rest assured that one of our lovely nurses will stay with them should you wish to leave.

Many people bring their pets into the surgery for euthanasia but if you feel you or your pet would be happier at home, please do get in touch and we will do our best to arrange a house visit.

Due to the nature of the veterinary practice, this is usually something we can only offer late morning or early afternoon and unfortunately cannot make house calls on weekends but we will try to find a time that works for everyone.

As already mentioned, the vet may opt to give the patient a sedative first. This may depend on how poorly the patient is and can take about 10 minutes to take effect. This is followed by an overdose of anaesthetic injected into the vein, which acts very rapidly.

After passing away, you can either take your pet home for burial or we can arrange a cremation for you, either with or without the ashes returned to you. If you choose to have your pet’s ashes returned this takes about 10 – 14 days and we will give you a call as soon as they are with us.

If there is anything you would like to keep like a collar or pet tag, or perhaps a few locks of hair or a paw print then please let us know.

Be assured that, even after passing away, your pet is treated with the same care and respect as all our patients.

When faced with the loss of your pet, you may like to consider the health benefits to other pets from tissue donation. Tissue donation can help recipients with broken bones, bone cancer, arthritis, spinal instabilities, ruptured tendons, blindness, injuries in eyes, etc. These injuries can often arise from car accidents, falling from height, old age, traumatic injuries and birth defects among other things often seen in companion animals. A single donor can help between 50 to 80 recipients, even more in some cases. For more information please visit  Pet Owners Services from Veterinary Tissue Bank, Wrexham (vtbank.org)