Preparing for Pet Euthanasia: Emotional and Practical Steps for Saying Goodbye

Even when you know it’s the kindest choice, euthanizing a beloved dog or cat can feel overwhelming and surreal. While preparing for pet euthanasia won’t eliminate the pain and grief of pet loss, taking the time to plan and understand what to expect can help bring clarity and peace to an otherwise challenging experience.

Here are 10 steps to help you with the emotional and practical aspects of preparing for pet euthanasia.

1. Evaluate your pet’s quality of life

Recognizing when your pet’s quality of life (QOL) is beginning to decline and understanding how to track key QOL factors can help you determine when to start preparing for pet euthanasia. The decline probably won’t happen overnight, so it’s important that you know what to look for.

Common changes include pain, poor appetite, reduced mobility, or a decreased interest in activities your pet once enjoyed. When these signs first appear, it’s reasonable to adjust your pet's medical care or household setup to make them more comfortable. Eventually, though, the caregiving burden may become unsustainable, or your pet’s QOL will reach a point that is no longer acceptable.

Tracking QOL with an established scale or a daily symptom log can help you look back and see the bigger picture of good days versus bad. The scale should address pain, appetite, hydration, cleanliness, mobility, and social and emotional factors, which will help you be more objective about your pet’s condition and when to consider euthanasia.

2. Talk through options with your veterinary team

If you think your pet’s QOL has diminished, the next step in preparing for pet euthanasia is to have an open, honest conversation with your veterinarian. They can explain what’s happening medically and provide support, understanding, and options for moving forward. 

Ask direct questions, such as:

* Is euthanasia appropriate at this point?

* If this were your pet, what would you do?

* What is the likelihood that my pet will get better?

If treatment options are available that could delay the need for euthanasia, your veterinarian may refer you to a hospice and palliative care provider. In some cases, euthanasia may be the most compassionate way to prevent further suffering. Your veterinarian is the expert in pet health and knows your pet’s history, so they are qualified to provide an objective recommendation. 

3. Prepare yourself emotionally

While preparing for pet euthanasia, you may experience anticipatory grief that arises from knowing your time with your pet is limited. Although we all know our pets will eventually pass, confronting the reality of it actually happening can be distressing.

You might have good days and bad days. Minor things may take on more meaning, and you may become emotional over brief moments with your pet. Talking about your pet’s diagnosis and feeling sad is OK. Anticipatory grief can also be an opportunity; it can give you perspective and help you make the most of the time you have left with your pet. 

4. Choose the right setting and provider

With the exception of a rapidly declining condition necessitating emergency euthanasia to alleviate suffering, you can decide where you’d like your pet’s euthanasia to take place and who will do it. The main options include:

* In-home pet euthanasia — A mobile veterinarian who focuses on end-of-life care can come to your home to perform euthanasia. This option helps families and pets avoid stress, allows family, friends, children, and other pets to be present, and ensures your pet passes in a comfortable, familiar space. 

* In-clinic euthanasia — You can take your pet to your family veterinarian, who will perform the procedure in an exam room or “comfort room,” a comfortable space designed to feel more like home than a hospital. 

Several factors go into the decision, including appointment availability, cost, and the urgency of your pet’s condition. You should also consider logistical and emotional factors, such as the difficulty of transporting your pet, your pet's stress levels during veterinary visits, the number of people who will be present, and your experience with past pet loss. 

Whether you choose a clinic or your living room, what matters most is creating a peaceful experience for your pet. Although it can be difficult to think about, having a plan in place before you need one can help. Look for local mobile providers like Lap of Love, or speak with your primary veterinarian to schedule and learn what to expect, so you’re ready when the time comes.

5. Make aftercare arrangements

After euthanasia, your pet’s body will be cremated or buried. Your choice depends on local laws (which may not permit burial) and whether you’d like to keep or scatter your pet’s ashes. You can prepare for pet euthanasia by thinking this through in advance.

In many cases, the provider administering euthanasia will offer aftercare for an additional fee. This means you will leave your pet’s body behind, or, in the case of an in-home pet euthanasia, the provider will take your pet’s body with them when they leave.

Many providers also offer memorial options, often at no extra cost. Clay paw prints, ink nose prints, or fur clippings are frequent gifts at the time of euthanasia, and you may opt to purchase additional items, such as a special urn, jewelry made from your pet’s ashes, or a memorial plaque.

6. Choose a date and time

Timing is a tricky part of preparing for pet euthanasia because it depends on many variables. Some pet owners want to schedule as soon as possible, while others want a few more days to say goodbye, gather loved ones, and spoil their pet. 

When you call to schedule a euthanasia appointment, let the provider know about your pet’s condition. They can advise you on the best timing to minimize suffering and, if necessary, prioritize an urgent visit.

If your pet’s condition is relatively stable but declining, planning a specific day and time can give you some control over the details. Check the weather forecast, confer with family members, and begin putting a support system in place so you can focus on your grief in the days that follow. Take a few days off work, if possible, and arrange child care if needed.

7. Prepare your pet’s space

During in-home pet euthanasia, you can choose the location where your pet will pass. Consider your pet’s comfort and preferences, as well as the space, transport logistics, and the potential emotions you might feel when walking by that area of your home in the coming days or weeks. Then, take some time to prepare the spot before your veterinarian arrives.

Set up blankets over a favorite bed or outside in a sunny spot, keeping in mind that the vet will likely use those blankets to cover and transport your pet, and you may not get them back. If you’re going to a clinic, consider bringing comfort items that smell like you or your home.

8. Decide who will be there

Some people prefer to surround themselves with trusted friends and family, while others may opt for a more intimate experience. While preparing for pet euthanasia, decide what you’d like and who your pet feels most comfortable with. You can also choose a hybrid option that lets the family gather and say goodbye before the actual procedure. 

If you have children, think about their age, maturity level, and emotional needs. It’s OK to involve them, but it’s also appropriate to give them the option to step out. Explain what will happen in straightforward but age-appropriate language, avoiding euphemisms like “put to sleep,” which can confuse or scare a child. Other household pets should be allowed to say goodbye and may need to sniff or observe the deceased pet to understand that death has occurred. 

9. Know what to expect

Knowing what to expect can help you emotionally prepare for pet euthanasia. Most euthanasia appointments begin with a sedative that gently relaxes your pet and helps them fall into a deep sleep. An IV catheter may be placed, or your vet may administer an injection directly into the vein. Once your pet slips into a peaceful twilight sleep, the provider will give the final injection to stop your pet’s heart. 

Your pet may take a deep final breath or experience some muscle twitching, but overall, the process should be peaceful and calm. Your pet will slip away slowly, without pain or awareness. After this, the vet will check for a heartbeat to confirm that your pet has passed. 

While the euthanasia takes place, you may talk to your pet, pet them, or hold them. Some pet owners may choose not to be present during the final moments, although most wish to remain with their pet. After, you can take as much time as you need to say your final goodbyes.

10. Care for yourself and your family members

The days following a pet euthanasia can feel disorienting and emotionally unpredictable. Your routine may change without a pet to care for, and you may feel sadness, guilt, relief, or a mix of emotions. Grief is different for everyone, and what you feel might not be the same as what your spouse, children, or other pets feel. 

Clear your schedule if you can, talk with others who understand your loss or who knew your pet, and seek support from professional services, support groups, or hotlines if you feel stuck. Many veterinary and euthanasia services offer online grief resources.

Monitor children and other pets for behavior changes, and keep their routines consistent to provide extra comfort. Keeping a consistent routine can be beneficial for grieving adults, too. Finally, remember that euthanasia is a final act of love and give yourself grace. 

Preparing to say goodbye

Preparing for pet euthanasia is never easy, but making thoughtful choices ahead of time helps create a more peaceful and less stressful goodbye for you and your pet. Lap of Love veterinarians can provide quality-of-life consultations, hospice and palliative care, telehospice appointments, and in-home euthanasia services nationwide. Contact us to find a provider or learn more about our end-of-life services.