Euthanasia FAQs

When the time comes to say goodbye to your loved one, we provide a compassionate environment to help your pet pass peacefully and without pain.

This is always an extremely difficult and heart-wrenching decision to make and it’s easy to second guess your choice. Usually, there is no exact right time which can make this decision so difficult. The best advice is to discuss it with your vet and then trust your own instincts. You know your pet better than anyone and will have a good idea if he or she is suffering or not. Unfortunately, you can’t expect a clear sign and have to weigh up different factors such as your pet’s quality of life, what type of disease they suffer from and the expected progression. Consider what your family is able to endure. You might decide you want to spend every possible second with your pet and you will be prepared to undertake expensive or uncertain treatments, or you might decide you want to forestall your pet’s suffering. Whatever your decision, Coast Animal Health will be there to support you and your pet to make sure your pet’s final journey is peaceful.

It is important to remember that your pet will have good and bad days toward the end. Don’t feel you have done something wrong should euthanasia take place on a day your pet is feeling well. This is a common guilt and it should not be.

Once you have made the decision to proceed with euthanasia, you may be comforted by celebrating your pet’s life in some way before you get to the last days. Perhaps create a bucket list of experiences for your pet such as revisit their favourite places and give them some favourite foods.

Before the day of the euthanasia, decide if you would like to be present during the procedure. As hard as it may be to watch your pet pass away, remember that your presence will be a comfort in your pet’s final moments.

How will the process work?

Before the procedure:

Our staff will ask you to sign a consent form before your vet can proceed and they will walk you through aftercare options, helping you work out what it the best option for you and your pet. The team at Coast Animal Health work seamlessly with the experts at Patch & Purr, www.patchandpurr.com.au.  Alternatively, you may wish to bring your pet’s remains home so you can bury them at home. Then our staff will ask you to settle the bill in advance. The last thing you will want is a tearful wait in the lobby to pay your bill after your pet is gone.

During the procedure:

An intravenous catheter will be placed in your dog’s foreleg.  This will allow easier access to the vein and make the injection process quick and painless for your pet.  It may also help decrease the chance of complications during the injection.  The euthanasia solution is effectively an anaesthetic overdose. The solution is administered via the catheter, where it rapidly travel throughout the body.  Within just a few seconds, your dog will become unconscious, experiencing no pain or suffering.  Breathing will slow down and then stop over the next several seconds.  Typically, Euthanasia is a very peaceful process.

After the procedure:

Your vet will provide you with some time and privacy with your deceased pet to say final goodbyes.