Preparing for your pet’s in-home euthanasia appointment
Sacramento Valley Veterinary Services
If you have made an appointment with Sacramento Valley Veterinary Services (SVVS) to say goodbye to a beloved pet, chances are you are experiencing a wide array of emotions. Below you will find a logistical guide and answers to common questions about your pet’s upcoming end-of life appointment.
Before Your Appointment
Your appointment is a 2-hour window of arrival; we’ll let you know when we’re on our way.
SVVS appointments are all made in 2-hour time blocks and we can be there any time during that window. We will, however, be sure to contact you when we are on our way. While the wait can seem difficult, we do this to account for road conditions and getting to you safely, as well as ensuring that every appointment is allotted the time needed. Each appointment has individual dynamics, and our hope is to meet the needs of all our families, including yours.
Have all friends and family members that want to be involved present from the start of the appointment time.
Unfortunately, once we arrive at your home for your appointment, we are unable to stall and wait while family and friends arrive. Please be sure anyone choosing to be involved in person during your appointment be present at the beginning of your appointment window.
Your pet can eat/have medications on the day of the appointment.
We welcome you to administer any medications prescribed by your primary care veterinarian on the days leading up to your pet’s appointment to help keep them as comfortable as possible. However, if giving your pet medications has become a source of conflict between you and your pet, then do not feel obligated to medicate them on the day of your appointment. If your pet is still enjoying food, all previously forbidden treats are now okay, however, we ask that you save some of his or her appetite and favorite goodies for when we get there (see below.)
Decide on and prepare a place in or around your home for the appointment to occur.
We are happy to perform end-of life care just about anywhere in or around your home that you, your family, and your pet are most comfortable. Playing soft music, candles, and eliminating external distractions such as turning off phones (after the veterinarian gets there) can help create a peaceful environment. Have tissues ready as well, as this can be a very emotional process.
We will bring blankets with us for your pet’s comfort, but feel free to use something more familiar to your pet, like a bed or favorite blanket. Be aware, however, after animals pass away it is very common for them to lose bladder and bowel control.
We will need a place to park.
Please make sure we have a place to park prior to arriving at your home. This is especially important if you would like for us to take you pet with us for aftercare.
During Your Appointment
We will let you know when we’ve arrived.
Even the calmest pets can get anxious when someone new is at the house. For this reason, we will call or text you when we are in the driveway to avoid ringing doorbells and knocking. If you don’t answer, we’ll knock on the door softly and allow you to get your pet(s) situated. If your pet is aggressive, we ask that you discuss this with us before we arrive so we can formulate a plan to keep your pet’s appointment as low stress as possible.
Please have other pets safely secured when we arrive.
We ask that your other pets be secured by leash, crate, or in another room when we arrive. If they are calm (no jumping or aggressive behavior) and not a distraction, they are welcome to be present during the appointment. If you choose to have your other pets tucked away during the euthanasia process, they are welcome to have a sniff and say goodbye to their pack-mate afterward.
Children are welcome to be present.
If would like for your children to be present, we ask that they be there from the start of the appointment. This allows us to help explain the process to them, answer their questions, and help them choose if they would like to stay for the remainder of the appointment.
Explaination of the sedation and euthanasia process.
It is always our goal for everyone to understand the entire process and have all questions answered before we begin the actual appointment. After we have arrived, we typically take a few minutes greet you and your pet. We then explain the sedation and euthanasia process and answer any questions you or your family may have.
Sedation injection.
When you are ready, we administer a sedative by injection either under the skin or in the muscle (depending on the situation.) Sedation may take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to completely take effect. This sedative injection is a small volume/small needle, and is generally well tolerated by most pets. We encourage owners to distract their pets during the time of injection with lots of hugs and snuggles. If your pet is still enjoying food, we encourage you to keep some tasty treats available to give them while they are receiving their sedation injection. (They are even welcome to eat right up to the point where they fall asleep.) There is often no better distraction than a big bowl of ice cream or a chocolate bar!!
The final injection is administered once your pet is completely sedated.
Medication for euthanasia is given after your pet is sedated and comfortable. We use different methods for delivery of the euthanasia medication, depending on the situation and what is deemed best for your individual pet and situation. In most cases, pets will stop breathing anywhere from 2-10 minutes after euthanasia medication is given. After breathing ceases, the veterinarian present will listen for your pet’s heartbeat to confirm your pet has passed. You may notice some loss of bladder and/or bowel control, and it is common that their eyes will remain partially open.
We’ll either leave or give you alone time depending on your aftercare wishes.
If you have chosen to handle your pet’s remains on your own, we will leave after we have confirmed that your pet has passed. If you have arranged for us to take your pet with us for either communal or private cremation, we will step out for a few minutes so you can have this final moment of connection and closure in private.
If your pet is over 25 pounds, we require owners (with help from friends or family members) to lift your pet into our vehicle.
When you are ready, we will gently wrap your pet in a soft blanket and position them on a stretcher to prepare them for transport into our vehicle. If having two people present at the appointment to lift your larger pet into our vehicle is not possible, please let us know in advance so we can make other arrangements. For pets under 25 pounds, we (or you) can carry your pet to our vehicle.
After Your Appointment
Return of ashes.
If you have elected private cremation for your pet, we will finalize arrangements to get your pet’s ashes back to you. Options may include mailing ashes, delivery (based on location) or having your pick them up directly from the crematorium. Your pet’s ashes will be ready in about 7-10 business days after your appointment.
If you have elected to keep your pet to bury them at home, we recommend reviewing our article regarding home burial (https://sacvalleyvet.com/sacramento-pet-euthanasia/burying-your-pet-at-home/)
Take time and space for yourself.
Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is never easy. It is our goal to make a very difficult day, as kind and gentle as possible for both you and your pet.
Payment for services.
A payment link will be sent to your email on the morning of your appointment (or just after we receive your registration information if you are making a same day appointment). You are not required to complete payment prior to your appointment. If you would like to pay by cash or check, please do so at either the beginning or end of your appointment. If you would like to pay by credit card, we ask that you complete payment by the end of the day of your appointment.
Give us feedback.
We are always looking for ways to improve our client’s experience with us. Please feel free to reach out to us and tell us what you valued about your in-home euthanasia experience or let us know areas you feel where we could do better. We value your feedback and it is hearing from our clients about what worked well (or what didn’t) that helps us to continually improve our practice. Please direct your comments to administration@sacvalleyvet.com.
We encourage you to check out these additional articles on our website:
Service Locations:
Arden, Downtown Sacramento, Elk Grove, Florin, Freeport, Galt, Herald, Isleton, Land Park, Lock, Lockeford, Lodi, Meadowview, Midtown Sacramento, North Laguna, Oak Park, Rancho Murieta, Rancho Cordova, Rosemont, Ryde, Sloughhouse, South Sacramento, West Sacramento, Wilton
