Preparing for Pet Loss
Whether pet loss is unexpected or planned, it can be one of the most difficult experiences of a person’s life. This sorrowful time is often further complicated by the many decisions that need to be made about how your pet will experience the end of his or her life, the type of aftercare you wish for your pet and how you and your family will cope with the grief and sorrow of saying goodbye.
In our attempt to assist our clients through this process we, at Mountainview Animal Hospital, have put together a package for you to take home, read, consider and discuss with your family if you wish. This package contains information on making the difficult decision to euthanise, what to expect the day of your pet’s euthanasia and the type of choices you have for your pet’s aftercare. We have also included information on the special needs of adults, the elderly and children as they grieve the loss of their pet. There are a variety of books that deal with the grief process in adults and in children; those too are listed, as well as the availability of pet loss support groups in this area.
As your pet’s veterinary care provider we have valued our role in helping you provide your pet with the best quality of life as possible. Now, as we near the end of your pet’s life, we hope to support you in providing a dignified and peaceful passing for him or her. We are available to sit and talk to you and your family about any aspect of this process or you can pick up a copy of our “Coping with Pet Loss” package to look through privately. We can also email you a copy, or you can download it from this link.
Topics covered:
- A personal note from us
- Making the decision
- The euthanasia – What to expect on that day
- Your choices for your pet’s aftercare
- Grieving and the elderly
- Children and grieving
- Grief support material
For the reader that has not been our client, this package offers services and describes procedures that may differ from your veterinarian’s; we suggest that you contact your regular veterinarian to inquire about how they handle end of life issues. For a list of pet loss support groups, refer to the Links section of our web site.
Although there is little we can do to lessen your sadness, we hope our support and counselling can make the decision process a little less painful.
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FUNFACT:
Cats, not dogs, are the most common pets in America. There are approximately 66 million cats to 58 million dogs, with Parakeets a distant third at 14 million.
