Sadly there comes a time when we have to say goodbye to our wonderful pet companions.

We hope this will be at a grand old age but sometimes it may be because of serious disease or accidents that could happen at any age.

These are some thoughts to help owners understand some of the processes and options to help make the passing of a well loved pet as painless as possible both for them and for their bereaved owners.

First of all, it's worth talking a little about how the veterinary team feels about this critically important part of their work. Many people will be surprised to know it is not the most difficult   part of being a vet or veterinary nurse. Watching animals who are suffering that we are not able to help is generally far worse for vets and nurses  than gently easing a pet out of a distressing deteriorating situation.

It is also important to think about the alternatives, there are really no ways that a pet can die “naturally” that are as peaceful and easy for them as a well managed euthanasia when handled by experienced and caring professional people.

Ethanasia actually means “a good death” and that is what every pet deserves.

Euthanasia is carried out by administering an overdose of anaesthetic, usually into a vein, just as a normal anaesthetic is administered to a pet or human surgical patient. In some circumstances it may not be possible to access a vein and other routes of administration are used that are pain free. The drugs used are slightly different but it’s important to realise that from a pet’s perspective, being “put to sleep” at the end of its life, is exactly the same experience as having a general anaesthetic.

Our pets live in the moment, which is a wonderful way to live. . So although it can be so hard for us to imagine a future without them, they do not have that perspective and will be entirely preoccupied with what it is like to be alive at that moment.

Assessing quality of life and looking for evidence that a pet is enjoying a fulfilling and comfortable existence is unique to every individual and family, and your vet or veterinary nursing team have experience and tools that can help you make a caring assessment. Always talk to your veterinary practice as early as possible if you begin to think that your pet may be entering a stage of life where there is a question as to whether it is fair and kind to expect them to carry on.

What are the options when you have made your decision?

Having come to the difficult decision that a pet's life is no longer a good life and a life worth living, what happens next?

The important thing is to feel comfortable discussing your preferences with your vet.

Would you prefer for your pet to pass away at home?

Not all practices will have the resources to be able to attend at your home so this is a conversation you must have as soon as possible if you would prefer a home visit, it may also vary with the time of day because this will have an effect on the number of staff available.

There are some mobile “hospice care” practices that look after pets at the end of their lives in their homes and do home euthanasias. It may be worth checking if there is one of these services operating in your area.

Do you want to be present when your pet receives the anaesthetic dose that will render them unconscious and subsequently allow them to pass away peacefully?

For many people this will be yes but for some owners being present would just be too upsetting and that is perfectly understandable. Vets and nurses take enormous pride in making sure a pet's final moments are as calm and peaceful as they can possibly be, whether the owner is in the room or not.

Some vets will suggest sedating a pet prior to giving the injection that puts them finally to sleep, this can be very helpful particularly if pets have painful conditions that would make holding and handling them uncomfortable or if they are likely to be stressed in the presence of people they don’t know.

Ask your vet about this if you are worried your pet will get upset.

Some vets will place a cannula in the vein prior to giving the anaesthetic dose, this may be done with or without sedation depending on your and the vets preferences and how the pet is feeling at the time. The main thing is to arrange everything so that it is as stress free as possible for our pets.

Sometimes the best way to carry out a euthanasia for the welfare of a pet is not exactly what you would have preferred, talk to your vet if you are uncomfortable about anything, but remember it will usually have been suggested because with experience your vet is anticipating  which preparatory steps will make your pet’s passing as gentle as it can be.

When the anaesthetic drug is given by injection into the vein, then just like giving a normal anaesthetic the pet will be asleep very quickly, within seconds. This can be a shock if you are not prepared for it, make sure you ask the vet to wait until you are ready and have given any last strokes or words before they give the injection.

Once given the anaesthetic your pet is very rapidly asleep but in these first few moments they are just anesthetised as if for an operation, the dose is such that they just go deeper and deeper asleep over a very few minutes. This is very important because it means that our pets cannot actually pass away, and their heart stop, until they have been deeply asleep for several moments. In effect they die in their sleep.

If pets are sedated prior to being put to sleep this process can be a little slower but as your pet will be unaware of this, it makes the process just as peaceful for them.

In the last few moments pets may take some quite deep and sharp breaths, again this can be a shock and unexpected but rest assured this cannot happen until they are deeply asleep and so they are not experiencing anything unpleasant.

Even when a pet has fully passed away and the heart has stopped there may still be some small movements as the nerve activity in the muscles fades away, for this reason we usually leave pets to rest quietly after euthanasia for a few minutes before moving them.

If you really think the next visit to or from the vet is likely to be the last, let the practice know if you can when you book as they will often allow longer consultation periods, no one likes to have to rush in a situation like this.

What happens to my pet’s body after they have been put to sleep?

There are many options open to you for the handling of a pet’s body.

Subject to some restrictions most practices will allow you to take your pet’s body away to bury at home if you have suitable site, ask your vet about this in advance if you can. In the case of some infectious disease it may not be wise to take your pet away from the surgery after they have passed, again these things are best discussed with the vet practice beforehand.

Most practices will have an arrangement with a specialist pet crematorium and these organisations may also be able to arrange a burial for you, some will have quiet rooms where you may visit to pay last respects before cremation or burial.

If you chose cremation you may choose to have the ashes returned to you either to keep or to scatter in a special place, you may have ashes included into items of jewellery as mementos of a loved companion.

The options are very varied and there is usually one to suit how you would best like to remember your old friend. The different options will obviously have different costs. You may want to discuss these arrangements beforehand if you have the chance as it can be difficult to think clearly and make decisions in the period immediately after you have just lost a good friend.

You may feel you want to have some very special arrangements for beloved pets' remains but do not feel obliged, remember their welfare was completely resolved at the moment they passed into sleep. What we do afterwards is about how we best deal with our own feelings of loss and how we want to commemorate them.

A couple of final important thoughts.

It is absolutely right to feel a deep sadness when losing a pet as we might when losing any friend or family member, but, if we have made a decision to let them go because their life is one of intractable suffering we should never feel guilty about releasing them from a life not worth living.

We must never keep a pet alive that is suffering a painful or distressing life or who simply has no enjoyment anymore just to protect ourselves from the pain we know we will feel when they are gone. Making ourselves feel worse so they don’t have to is the ultimate gift we can give them.

Even when absolutely necessary and when performed in a way that allows a completely peaceful passing it can be devastating to lose a close companion and the grief is real. There are several pet bereavement support groups that can be a great help and comfort in these times. 

For instance the Blue Cross - https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss

Or for support after behavioural related euthanasia, the Losing Lulu website and Facebook group may be of help.  www.losinglulu.com