VCA Central Kitsap Animal Hospital is here to help you with euthanasia and end of life decisions. There comes a time in the life of all pets when the possibility of a recovery to a comfortable existence is highly unlikely. Pet parents must consider all possibilities to relieve their loved one's suffering.
One option is the palliation of symptoms. Proper nursing care is critical when patients cannot care for themselves. Providing proper nutrition, hydration, warmth, and skin care provide comfort. Pain, nausea, digestive irregularities, respiratory congestion, and movement limitations should be medically addressed. When proper care is provided, the final days of life can provide solace to the family.
Often medical intervention may not provide a level of comfort acceptable for our pets' quality of life. The decision to euthanize a beloved pet is among the most difficult choices a pet owner ever has to make. The doctors and staff at VCA Central Kitsap Animal Hospital can help pet owners determine whether euthanasia is appropriate and when that might occur.
In a quiet and comfortable environment, euthanasia is performed by your veterinarian with the injection of an anesthetic overdose into a vein through an intravenous catheter. Because an anesthetic is used, no discomfort is perceived by the patient. Your veterinarian will insure that the heart, pulses and breathing have stopped. Pet owners are free to be present or leave depending on their preference.
At the time of euthanasia, pet owners also need to decide how their pet's body will be cared for. VCA Central Kitsap Animal Hospital provides a range of respectful options, from home burial to private cremation.
Through consultation with your veterinarian and the staff at VCA Central Kitsap Animal Hospital, the last days of a pet's life can be comfortable and can reflect the care and love they have experienced throughout their entire life.