Many pets and their families find visiting a veterinary surgery very stressful. When the time comes to say the final goodbye to a loved pet, being at home can be reassuring and comforting to both the pet and their family. It also allows you to grieve in private, and without the time pressure you may feel in a veterinary practice.
The Visit Procedure
First, a consent form will need to be signed to confirm that you give permission for euthanasia to be performed. This is a legal requirement.
To ensure your pet is relaxed and unstressed during the visit, a 2-step euthanasia procedure is used.
Step 1 — Sedation
Sedation is given by an injection into a muscle. Most pets tolerate this well, and it is a quick procedure. If pets still want to eat, giving treats during this time can be a good distraction; otherwise, a good cuddle is usually all that is needed. The sedative will start to work over 5–15 minutes, causing your pet to relax and become sleepy. During this time, we can step away to give you private time with your pet if you wish. Occasionally, some pets require a second injection, but most do not notice this as they are usually relaxed by this stage.
Step 2 — Euthanasia
This stage will only begin once your pet is very relaxed and sleepy. An area of fur is clipped from a leg, and a cannula is placed into the vein. In some pets, the veins can be fragile or have low blood pressure, and so we may need to clip multiple areas to find a suitable vein. If this is needed, it will cause no stress or pain to your pet as they have been sedated.
When a cannula has been placed, an overdose of an anaesthetic drug is used for euthanasia. This will slow down and stop the breathing and the heartbeat. While the injection is administered, many pets will do some deep breaths, which become shallower and then stop. Occasionally, some pets may have a few gasping breaths or muscle twitches. These breaths can be distressing to see if you are unaware they can happen, but your pet will not be aware of any of this. Your pet may pass urine or faeces during or after the euthanasia, and their eyes will remain open. Both of these things are normal; your pet is unaware of this. To confirm your pet has passed away, we will listen to the chest to ensure the heart and breathing have stopped.