End of Life Care

What to expect?

Euthanasia involves making the difficult decision to stop suffering in our beloved friends, and is a foundation of veterinary care. 

Here at Surrey House Vet, I recognise how emotions can be very mixed regarding this decision; fear, relief, guilt, and worrying about the process itself, are all normal emotions.

Every visit is tailored to the exact circumstance of you and your pet, I endeavour to make the process as kind, transparent and caring as possible, here is a step by step guide to the whole process:

1. Booking

   After you contact me via the contact us page, I will ask a little bit about your pet, and discuss with you any questions you may have. Once you decide to go ahead, I will book you in for a certain date/time, that is right for you and your pet.

2. Arrival

   I will arrive at the agreed date/time unless either of us contacts the other beforehand. There is no rush, I can greet your pet and make them feel confortable, and we can go to the area you have chosen in your home. It is generally a good idea to pick somewhere comfortable, where anyone who might want to join us can fit around your pet. We can discuss where might be best on the day, if you would like to.

3. Sedation

   When you and your pet are ready I will give them a sedative, this will be under the skin in an area least uncomfortable for them. Let me know if you have any concerns, especially if your pet has been reactive to certain stimuli in the past. The sedative takes time to absorb, normally around 15 minutes, though every pet is different. While it takes effect, this is a great time for cuddles, your pet will be feeling relaxed, sleepy and less painful.

4. Euthanasia

   When, and only when, your pet is completely asleep, and you are ready will I perform an injection to cause your pet to pass away. Every person present can choose whether they would like to be there for this step, there is no right or wrong choice here. As the drug is an anaesthetic it is painless and they will not be aware. As always if you have questions I will answer them and give any advice you might need.

5. Aftercare

   We will normally have discussed aftercare with you before the visit, or earlier in the visit. There are several options provided by external providers, such as cremation with or without ashes back, but you can choose home burial, or taking to your regular vet, but I will list these in more detail here.

   Before leaving, I will do my final checks, and make sure you have no questions. Unless you would prefer I stay longer, I will leave you with your pet for some privacy.

Won't my pet die in their sleep?

This is a very common misconception; to be frank, no, dieing is hard, the body has a host of adaptive mechanisms and even when very unwell, pets can persist for a surprising length of time. Although rarely a pet can suddenly pass away, such as from a cardiac event, normally there is a long period of decline, and in that period they are likely suffering, so their quality of life is low.

Nobody wants to see their pet struggle to hold onto life, pets are lucky enough to have a right to die, so don't let them experience the suffering before and during a natural death.

Where will I travel to?

The west Surrey area, but click here to find out more about the area we serve and where we are based.

What happens to my pet after they pass away?

There are several options provided by external provider dignity; cremation with the option of ashes back in a number of caskets/containers you can choosem along with home collection as required. Home burial is an option if you have somewhere in mind. Also, taking to your regular vet for them to store and use their cremation provider could be an option if you ask them. I can give you details, it is best for providers to dicuss exact options directly with yourself and for this to be pre-arranged for after my visit, normally at least an hour after my arrival time is sensible. Generally is it best and more economical for dignity to collect, or you to take your pet to them or your practice, rather than for me to divert to provide this service, however in special instances I migh be able to help.

Should I consider euthanasia?

People often struggle to know when is the right time for euthanasia, or even question if euthanasia is a valid option for them. I will try to help you make the right decision for you in this guide, but please feel free to discuss with me any concerns you have before or during the visit.

Unlike in human medicine, the option to euthanise is a cornerstone of good veterinary care. It could be the only option appropiate for your pet, or could be chosen instead of a medical/surgical investigation/treatment, for whatever reason.

An animal's quality of life (QoL) is the important factor in deciding whether it is OK for them to continue living as they are. If the symptoms they are experiencing are significantly negatively affecting their QoL, and unlikely to resolve by themselves, then an intervention is necessary.

A vet will give you the options they think are appropiate, some options they may recommend more than others, and some you may already have done, but euthanasia should be on this list as it definately stops suffering. The only inappropiate decision would be to do nothing and let an animal suffer.

As well as it actually being the advised option, or only option, given by your vet, euthanasia might be chosen by you for many other very valid reasons. You may feel the chance of success of treatment option is too small to persue, investigation and possible eventual treatment may take too long and meanwhile your pet is suffering, you may have cost concerns, or you may feel unable to provide the nursing care they need, meaning they suffer as a result. You may even have decided to go straight for euthanasia without veterinary input because you know you would not want to persue any of the investigation/treatment options they might give. These are all very real and understandable reasons for euthanasia.

You might come to a different conclusion than someone else but that doesn't make it wrong, only you know your unique circumstances, and people are different, so as long as you chose an option that aims to stop suffering, then it is a valid choice.

I've decided to euthanise but when?

An animal's quality of life (QoL) will change and when it is poor, meaning they are suffering, this is when the decision should be made.

I often advise people to think about their pet's average QoL, unwell animals will often have good/bad days, and often if they do too much one day they will suffer the next. We often talk about pain when thinking about QoL, but there are other forms of suffering such as nausea, lethargy, confusion, anxiety, and hunger for air. Not only do these exist in addition to pain, but they have their own set of symptoms that are often difficult for owners to link.

You are very likely not doing this too soon! Generally, I find most owners will wait too long rather than euthanise too soon. But remember, a week of life now does not equal a week of healthy life, and compared to the many happy years I am sure you have shared with them, a few days of uncertain quality of life, with you worrying about them is a drop in the ocean, and likely not worth it.

Indicators we can use include:

1. Activity levels; are they getting up and moving as much as they used to? Do they hisitate or have difficulty getting up?
2. Normal behaviour? This is for them, think back to how they used to be. This could be a quirk such as fetching a newspaper, chasing a ball, standing lookout at a window, or playing.
3. Appetite; suddenly losing interest in food, even treats, however certain conditions can actually increase hunger so if they have a huge appetite but are not gaining weight, it may not be a positive sign.
4. Shaking; animals often shake when they feel unwell, it is not very specific but can indicate something is not right.
5. Nausea/vomiting; even if not productive, a pet who is retching, or just salivating and not eating, is not feeling well.
6. Breathing fast/heavily; this is really important, oxygen starvation is a very unpleasant sensation, so if your pet's breathing seems abnormal it is an emergency, they should not wait in this condition, get immediate veterinary advice.
7. Unable to settle; sometimes due to discomfort instead of staying still your pet may be unable to settle, they may pace, whine, shake, circle, and find settling down to sleep very difficult.
8. Lastly, if they have something that is obviously going to cause suffering, we should assume it probably is. Open sores, tumours putting pressure on other body parts, bone cancer, infections, wounds, lameness, all will cause suffering, and even if your pet seems to be coping, some are very stoic and will put up will a large degree of suffering before they show signs of it.