Over The Rainbow Bridge
At Home Euthanasia Vet Service
How Does Home Euthanasia Work?
This page is dedicated to explaining how the act of euthanasia is done. This will allow you to understand how it works, what it involves, and what to expect, so that it is as stress free for you as possible. Unfortunately, these are situations we do not want to prepare ourselves for, however, allowing yourself prior knowledge to the process will allow you to concentrate on your pet's send off, rather than worrying what is about to happen.
The process involves a few steps, explained below.
The first step entails giving your pet a light sedation in order to help them relax - don't worry, most animals do not react to this. It only mimics the sensation of a sharp scratch, which they are generally not phased by. We advise nice tasty treats to help distract them from this process.
The sedation can take between 5 to 15 minutes to have an effect. During this time you will notice your pet starting to get sleepy / drowsy.
At this point, the next step is placing an intravenous (IV) cannular. This gives us direct access to their circulation, which is where the final injection needs to be given. Again, because your pet will be nice and relaxed, they should not experience pain. During this process, I advise any needle-shy owners to NOT be present until it is placed.
Once IV access has been achieved, you will be offered time to spend with your pet, in order to say any final goodbyes.
The act of euthanasia is then ready to be performed. An injection of anaesthetic is given through the catheter. This anaesthetic works as an overdose, meaning the injection will cause your pet's body to shut down, painlessly and quickly.
Please Note - If your animal is ill, or has poor circulation, this can compromise IV access. In these circumstance, the 2nd injection may need to be given via another route (other than in to the vein). This could be in to an organ such as the kidney, or in to the heart. It is important to know that at this point your pet will be in a DEEP state of sedation, and therefore will NOT feel anything.
There are a few things that you need to be aware of, which can be normal to witness during this process but may come as a shock;
- Your pet's eyes may remain open after being euthanised
- Your pet may evacuate their bowels and / or bladder
- Your pet's body may experience some twitching - this is their nervous system shutting down
- Your pet may gasp - this is not your pet gasping for a breath. This is merely air escaping from their lungs.
Your pet will pass over the rainbow bridge painlessly, peacefully, and surrounded by you, their loved ones. Rest assured that this experience will be a beautiful ending to their amazing life with you.
How To Book
To book your home euthanasia appointment, please email, call or send a message via our social media pages (Instagram or Facebook).
You will be given a dedicated slot with plenty of time for the process to take place.
Prior to the act of euthanasia, a consent form will need to be signed, which agrees to the procedure of home euthanasia of your pet. This will be the only paperwork that needs to be done.
We recommend taking payment in advance, to avoid the stress of payment at an already stressful time.
Contact us
Telephone: 0776 735 0967
E-mail: maria@overtherainbowbridgevet.co.uk
Operating Hours:
Monday & Tuesday: Limited availability (please call to discuss availability).
Wednesday till Saturday: 9am till 7pm
Out of Hour (OOH) appointments are available upon request. Again, please call or message to discuss.
Note - OOH are subject to an OOH charge
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