End of Life Care - Portland's Pet Bereavement Service
At Portland Vets, we understand that losing your pet is often akin to losing a member of your family. At such a difficult time, you can have peace of mind that you have a caring and professional team at our East Grinstead practice who can be there for you and your pet.
On this page, we have put together some information about what you can expect at a euthanasia appointment and what options are available to you. Our team of animal lovers know what an emotional time this is so if you would prefer to talk to somebody about your decision and what options may work best for you and your pet, please contact us using the button below.
Appointments at the surgery
We try to carry out any euthanasia booking to ensure there is minimal stress for you and your pet. Our reception team will always try to book these appointments during a quieter time so that you do not feel rushed and we have a dedicated consult room designed for these types of appointments. The room opens directly onto our car park so you can be seen privately and do not need to walk through our reception after the appointment has finished.
Appointments at home
Sometimes, carrying out a euthanasia at home may be the more appropriate and peaceful option for your pet. Portland Vets are happy to try and accommodate this and a home euthanasia can be arranged at a mutually agreeable time during our usual working hours.
If you need a time when our team are unable to visit, such as on a weekend or out of hours, Portland Vets recommends Jeremy at Coming Home Vet. These are a dedicated home euthanasia veterinary service that offer visits at any time of the week and with years of experience behind them. They provide passionate and supportive care for all members of the family. Visit their website for more information.
The euthanasia procedure
This section describes what happens during the euthanasia procedure. As every pet is different, our team will take every precaution to ensure that this happens in a way that is the least stressful for you and your pet, allowing them to have a respectful and peaceful end.
The majority of cats and dogs will require a small patch of hair to be clipped on their leg, whilst rabbits may require a small patch on their ear. If your pet seems agitated at being help whilst this happens or distressed at the noise of the clippers, our team will give them a little sedative to keep them as calm as possible.
Once the area is clipped, the nurse will insert a soft but flexible catheter into their vein so they are as comfortable as possible. Your pet will not be in pain during this, they will feel just a sharp scratch whilst the catheter is initially inserted but once it is taped and bandages in place it is comfortable for them.
Once you are ready, our vet will then administer an overdose of anaesthetic via the catheter, directly into the vein. The injection itself only takes a few seconds and is completely painless for your pet. Your pet will look like they have fallen asleep and the vet will confirm when they have passed away. We will then give you some privacy to say your final goodbyes.
Our team find this part of the job extremely tough and we always endeavour to have the appointment full of love and go as smoothly as possible. You have the option to stay for this appointment or if you would prefer to leave before the injection happens, one of our friendly nurses will cuddle your pet for you.
What happens after the appointment?
There are two options available to pet owners following a euthanasia:
- Burial – you have the option to take your pet home to bury them. Our team can happily advise you on the practicalities of this.
- Cremation – Portland Vets uses The Surrey Pet Cemetery and Crematorium. The company is extremely professional and caring and come highly recommended from our clients. They offer various cremation options:
- Communal cremation – your pet will be cremated and a small token of their ashes are scattered at their cemetery.
- Special cremation – your pet is cremated individually and you can choose from the following options how they are returned to you: scatter box, wooden casket with engraved name plate, ashes buries at the cemetery in a chosen grave or having their ashes scattered in the pet crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance.
Our team understands
Our team understands how difficult this decision can be and what your pet could symbolise to you. But as pet owners, we must always do what is right for our pets. Please do not hesitate to contact our team to discuss your pet’s own situation.
It is normal to find the loss of a pet very difficult so if you would like some extra support, please contact the surgery or alternatively call the Pet Bereavement Support Service on 0800 096 6606.
