FAQs

It is well known that cats and dogs age more quickly than their human caregivers. What many pet parents may not know, is that their pets (depending on size) could be considered seniors as young as 7 years! It is important to understand how mature our pets are to best manage their wellness and plan for future health concerns.

Follow this link for a chart to more accurately calculate how old your pet is in human years:

Older pets are afflicted by the same conditions that affect older humans. Just as your grandmother does not still see her pediatrician, older pets need care tailored to their needs and the diseases that come with age. Older pets are prone to organ failures, joint conditions, and cancer. Additionally, their nutritional needs change with age too. For more information follow the links below:

As pet parents, the last thing we want is our pet to be in pain. Unfortunately, animals do not show pain in the way humans are used to. Many pet parents look for vocal clues their pet is in pain but a pet will not vocalize to signal pain until they are in excruciating 10 out of 10 pain. The levels of pain leading up that point are often silent and go unnoticed to those not trained.

Signs of pain in cats and dogs may include:

  • Slowing down on walks or taking shorter walks
  • No longer jumping up on beds, couches, or window sills
  • Eating less
  • Panting
  • Reduced grooming
  • Having accidents inside the house or outside the litterbox

Choosing when to say goodbye to a beloved pet is the single most difficult part of pet ownership. Often caregivers are told by well-meaning friends and veterinary professionals “you’ll know when you know”. This phrase not only provides no guidance, it leaves the decision maker under a lot of pressure to pick the right time. If you are struggling to know it is time, we recommend scheduling a Quality of Life Assessment.  See our Services page for more information.

Once we come to the difficult decision to help a pet pass we want to ensure their passing is peaceful and pain-free.  Euthanasia comes from the Greek words ‘eu’ meaning “good” and ‘thanatos’ meaning “death”.  In choosing to euthanize a beloved pet we are choosing to guarantee them a “good death”. The veterinarian will administer a tailored mixture of pain medication to your pet first. Once your pet is deeply asleep and comfortable the doctor will proceed with the euthanasia medicine. This special medicine works on the brain first ensuring your pet is unaware of any changes occurring in the body.

We welcome children of all ages to be present for their pet’s passing. Our veterinarians are trained to walk all family members through this difficult time. Depending on age, it is often recommended to let children decide for themselves if they’d like to be present for part of, or throughout the entire process. When children are not present their imaginations can run wild leading to more complicated grieving. It is natural to want to protect our children from the pain of grief, but ultimately sharing in our grief is the healthiest way to help them through it.

In discussing euthanasia with young children, it is recommended to avoid euphemisms such as “put to sleep”. While it is uncomfortable for adults to use direct language surrounding death, this is the easiest way for young children to clearly understand. Saying “put to sleep” can scare young children from sleeping for fear of never waking up.

Our Pet Loss Support page contains further recommendations for grief support for both adults and young children.

Animals experience grief just like humans and as like us, they all cope with loss in different ways. Again, we prefer to give pets the option of staying present or leaving the room during the euthanasia. Often, we find even the most excited housemates settle down as the appointment is carried out. Typically, pets will choose to be glued to the family during their friend’s passage or they will sit in a corner of the room with their back to us keeping some distance. We only advise confining pets to different rooms if they are a distraction to the human family and their grieving process.

In the event a pet needs to be separated for the appointment, we encourage the family to let them see the loved one’s body after they pass. Knowledge of death is an important step in the process of grieving for pets. When their beloved housemate disappears with no explanation, they will often spend days to weeks searching the home for their friend which delays and complicates their grief.

FAQs

It is well known that cats and dogs age more quickly than their human caregivers. What many pet parents may not know, is that their pets (depending on size) could be considered seniors as young as 7 years! It is important to understand how mature our pets are to best manage their wellness and plan for future health concerns.

Follow this link for a chart to more accurately calculate how old your pet is in human years:

Older pets are afflicted by the same conditions that affect older humans. Just as your grandmother does not still see her pediatrician, older pets need care tailored to their needs and the diseases that come with age. Older pets are prone to organ failures, joint conditions, and cancer. Additionally, their nutritional needs change with age too. For more information follow the links below:

As pet parents, the last thing we want is our pet to be in pain. Unfortunately, animals do not show pain in the way humans are used to. Many pet parents look for vocal clues their pet is in pain but a pet will not vocalize to signal pain until they are in excruciating 10 out of 10 pain. The levels of pain leading up that point are often silent and go unnoticed to those not trained.

Signs of pain in cats and dogs may include:

  • Slowing down on walks or taking shorter walks
  • No longer jumping up on beds, couches, or window sills
  • Eating less
  • Panting
  • Reduced grooming
  • Having accidents inside the house or outside the litterbox

Choosing when to say goodbye to a beloved pet is the single most difficult part of pet ownership. Often caregivers are told by well-meaning friends and veterinary professionals “you’ll know when you know”. This phrase not only provides no guidance, it leaves the decision maker under a lot of pressure to pick the right time. If you are struggling to know it is time, we recommend scheduling a Quality of Life Assessment.  See our Services page for more information.

Once we come to the difficult decision to help a pet pass we want to ensure their passing is peaceful and pain-free.  Euthanasia comes from the Greek words ‘eu’ meaning “good” and ‘thanatos’ meaning “death”.  In choosing to euthanize a beloved pet we are choosing to guarantee them a “good death”. The veterinarian will administer a tailored mixture of pain medication to your pet first. Once your pet is deeply asleep and comfortable the doctor will proceed with the euthanasia medicine. This special medicine works on the brain first ensuring your pet is unaware of any changes occurring in the body.

We welcome children of all ages to be present for their pet’s passing. Our veterinarians are trained to walk all family members through this difficult time. Depending on age, it is often recommended to let children decide for themselves if they’d like to be present for part of, or throughout the entire process. When children are not present their imaginations can run wild leading to more complicated grieving. It is natural to want to protect our children from the pain of grief, but ultimately sharing in our grief is the healthiest way to help them through it.

In discussing euthanasia with young children, it is recommended to avoid euphemisms such as “put to sleep”. While it is uncomfortable for adults to use direct language surrounding death, this is the easiest way for young children to clearly understand. Saying “put to sleep” can scare young children from sleeping for fear of never waking up.

Our Pet Loss Support page contains further recommendations for grief support for both adults and young children.

Animals experience grief just like humans and as like us, they all cope with loss in different ways. Again, we prefer to give pets the option of staying present or leaving the room during the euthanasia. Often, we find even the most excited housemates settle down as the appointment is carried out. Typically, pets will choose to be glued to the family during their friend’s passage or they will sit in a corner of the room with their back to us keeping some distance. We only advise confining pets to different rooms if they are a distraction to the human family and their grieving process.

In the event a pet needs to be separated for the appointment, we encourage the family to let them see the loved one’s body after they pass. Knowledge of death is an important step in the process of grieving for pets. When their beloved housemate disappears with no explanation, they will often spend days to weeks searching the home for their friend which delays and complicates their grief.