Reflections of a Hospice Vet: Pet Aftercare Q&A Series; Part 1
We love our pets from the moment they come into our lives and become a part of our families. Yet being a pet parent or caregiver also comes with the heavy responsibility of making end of life decisions. Preparing in advance for the death of your pet, while extremely difficult, can be helpful and may lessen some of the stress and burden of decision-making. ♡
Farewell planning in advance of your pet’s end of life provides an opportunity to reflect on how you want to honour the bond, the life, and the love shared with your pet.
♡ Remember, these decisions are deeply personal and should reflect what is important to you, your pet, and your family ♡
The Pet Loss Professional Alliance has created a guide to planning ahead. This guide walks you through some of the final arrangement considerations of how you may want to memorialize your pet.
Gateway Pet Memorial also has a Pre-planning and pet aftercare support guide for families.
Aftercare is the term used to describe the body care of beloved deceased companion animals.
We have compiled a list of 21 frequently asked questions and considerations in caring for your pet through their death and beyond.
We hope this helps shed some light on some of the mysteries of the euthanasia process and bring some clarity to the care of your pet following their death.
There certainly is a lot to consider in this area, so much so that we have broken this into a 4-part Aftercare Q&A series.
We hope the following Aftercare Q&A series will help inform pet families about your options, alleviate some of the anxiety that comes with the unknown, and help you feel more prepared for the final walk with your dear friend.
PART 1: Questions 1 - 3
Q1: What happens after my pet is euthanized?
There are many aspects to consider and review regarding this commonly asked question. Let’s break it down into two aspects, the first being what physically happens to your pet’s body and the second being how you would like the body cared for.
Part a
Note: this section will review some of the physiological changes after euthanasia that take place within an animal’s body - if you do not wish to read about this process, please skip to part b. Thank you.
To help prepare you for what to expect during this process, our veterinarian, Dr. Erica, will review the most commonly seen changes with you prior to and during your appointment.
These changes may include the following:
Changes in breathing pattern, ultimately leading to cessation of breathing - some deep reflexive “breaths” may be seen even after an animal has died - this is very normal, and although there is no sensation of pain, may be disturbing if pet families witness this without any preparation.
Changes in body positioning (stretching of limbs or muscle twitching), ultimately leading to a peaceful resting position. Some pets remain in a continually restful position without any muscle changes even after death.
The heart will stop beating - please know
the agents used during euthanasia do NOT cause a heart attack - this is a misconception that should be addressed
the medication used in the final step of the euthanasia process acts like an overdose of anesthesia - affecting the brain first before the heart stops and is not painful like a heart attack.
As the body relaxes, so too may bodily functions.
As well, it is natural for the eyes to remain partially open, even after death.
We encourage you to have open conversations among your family and with your veterinarian as you prepare to say goodbye to your precious pet.
Part b
In considering your pet’s final arrangements is - do you want burial or cremation?
There are five pet aftercare options to consider:
Burial at home if permitted in your municipality
Burial at a pet cemetery
Cremation, communally with other recently departed pets, where the ashes are not returned.
Cremation, privately, where the ashes are returned to scatter or keep forever by your side.
Aquamation, individually, where the cremains are returned to scatter or keep forever by your side.
For those choosing cremation, our team will respectfully transport your beloved pet to the crematorium.
For those choosing aquamation, our team or the team at Evermore will respectfully transport your beloved pet to the crematorium.
Q2: What are pet rituals all about?
Some families choose to incorporate a ritual or ceremony into the process of saying goodbye. Rituals may be of religious significance or they may not, depending on the values of each pet family. Some examples of rituals include:
Readings: poems, scripture, or sharing stories, written letters or eulogies
Lighting of candle(s)
Playing music
Sharing pictures or videos
Rituals offer an opportunity to celebrate and honour the life of your pet in any way that feels right for you. For some, this may mean complete silence, and that is okay too.
Q3: Should my other pets or children see my deceased pet?
First, let’s start by saying - this decision is a personal choice based on what feels right to you, your children, and your pet’s household companions.
When a pet becomes part of a family, their death is real and significant. Children and pets can and do grieve the loss of their beloved companion animal. All children grieve differently, their way of healing after the loss of a pet is a complex and ongoing process.
We are passionate about supporting families through pet loss and have provided more information on our Resource Page.
For many children, the loss of a pet, may be their first real experience with death. This is an opportunity to open communication and shape the way they see and understand death. It is a natural and eventual process for all living things.
Allowing children and other pets space to see a deceased pet provides them with an opportunity to say goodbye and start the healing process.
Engaging in conversations about death and emotions surrounding pet loss can help normalize and validate their feelings. Without this opportunity, some children may imagine things worse than they really were. As is not unusual for resurfacing of feelings well after the death of a beloved pet, continuing these conversations can help address the feelings that may come on later in the process of grieving.
Some points to consider when speaking with children about death:
Be honestUse simple and clear wordsAvoiding euphemisms such as “passed away,” “put to sleep,” or “moved on to a better place”Show your emotions
Remember, how a child grieves depends on many different factors including their developmental stage.
With respect to our home euthanasia service: as parents, you know your children best and the decision to include them is ultimately up to you. All are welcome if there is enough space to safely gather. Having family and friends present may offer great support as well as an opportunity to pay tribute and mourn the loss of their dear friend. Including children in the appointment can greatly help put their mind at ease about the process and give them another opportunity to say goodbye.
Pets grieve the loss of their pet housemates too. If not too disruptive, we welcome their presence. Alternatively, some families choose to bring them in afterwards to say goodbye. See this article by the Ohio State University for more details on supporting your pets through their grief.
There is no right or wrong answer here, only your best judgement based on your own personal circumstances and beliefs.
Dr. Erica was recently interviewed by the MakeMistakesClub about how to support children through Pet Loss. We are pleased to share two videos:
Focusing on the connection and love with your pet during their final moments and the connection that remains after they've died can help in the healing that follows this significant loss.
Watch this 8 1/2 min video on supporting families through the loss of a pet, whether from death or re-homing.
Dr. Erica addresses some strategies for clearing GUILT - one of the most common responses to pet loss 💜🐾
We are here to support you through it. Have any more questions on pet loss support? Send them our way ♡Want to see the rest of our Pet Aftercare Q&A Series?
Like what you’ve read? ❤ Follow Us