Euthanasia – What to Expect
Euthanasia can be done in-clinic in our appointment rooms, outside on our grassy fields at North Simcoe, or pre-arranged as a house call to your home. We welcome any family members to be present for the entirety of the process. One member of the family will be asked to sign for permission to proceed.
To help ease our patient’s anxiety & pain, an initial injection of a sedative & pain medication will be given.
Once the pet is calm and relaxed, an IV catheter will be placed, in either a front or hind leg.
When the family is as ready as they can be, the veterinarian will administer a final injection through this IV catheter. This medication is similar to anaesthetics, in that the pet will feel like they are falling asleep. Again, family are welcome to be holding or around their pet while this is happening. Many people will pet or speak to them during this time.
Once the final injection is complete, the veterinarian will confirm your pet’s passing by auscultation (listening to their heart).
The family’s chosen arrangement for aftercare will then be followed.
You have options for your final resting place of your pet. The most commonly chosen choices are:
- Home Burial
- The body may be taken home for burial. We respectfully remind families to choose a final resting place safely away from human water sources, and at a sufficient depth to ensure your pet remains peacefully undisturbed.
- Group Cremation
- The body may be cremated, and the ashes buried in a communal plot. No ashes are returned to the family.
- Individual Cremation
- The body is cremated, and the ashes are kept separate & individualized. These are returned to you in an urn of your choice.
Our practice cremations are performed by Gateway Pet Memorial. In addition to urns, they also offer various memorial items to honour your pet. Please see their website for current offerings of pawprints, urns, headstones, jewellery, and for further information regarding their services.