Euthanasia. As a veterinary assistant, you have the honor of helping clients care for their pets throughout their lives. Sometimes from the very first day the client brings home a new puppy, or a sweet dog from the shelter. You will help your team coach the clients through all the ups and downs of being responsible pet owners sharing joy and sorrow alike. As such one of the most critical moments that every veterinary staff members share with their clients, both human and animal is going through the process of euthanizing a beloved pet when it is time to say goodbye. euthanasia by definition is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering.

It is a common practice in the veterinary world. But even though we are dealing with animals and not humans, it should never be taken lightly. It is most often used to relieve the suffering of elderly patients whom doctors and owners agree no longer have a good quality of life. The term quality of life means the standard of health, comfort and happiness experienced by a patient. There are multiple factors that quantify how good or poorly the patient is doing. Old age is not the only reason that pets would be euthanized.

A young dog that has been run over by a car and is suffering may be euthanized if the situation is too critical to treat. An adult dog that was abused and is now severely aggressive, could potentially be euthanized if rehabilitation is not an option for it on fortunately, healthy pets are also candidates for euthanasia and overcrowded shelters as well. No matter the reason for performing the euthanasia and it is one of the most critical moments that the veterinary assistant must be professional. And always unless you're working in shelter medicine. The likelihood that you would be assisting with euthanizing a perfectly healthy animal is very slim in the common general practice. Hopefully the majority of the situations you would be assisting in would be to relieve the animal's pain or suffering in the most humanitarian and painless way possible.

This is often one of the hardest moments to be in the room with the owners who are distraught over the loss of their beloved companion. It is absolutely critical to maintain your composure throughout the procedure, while still being warm enough that if your relationship with the client is good, you can offer your sincere condolences with a hug or other familiar gesture. It is not appropriate to start sobbing uncontrollably. No matter how much you yourself love the animal. It is not appropriate to discuss with the client, anything other than the matter at hand, unless they specifically bring it up. It is not okay to fidget, talk over the client or an Anyway judge the client for what they are doing.

You must always understand that the decision is made between the owner and the doctor and it is ultimately up to the owner. The easiest way to explain the process of euthanizing a pet would be to give an example scenario and walk through it step by step. Keep in mind that every hospital handles this process differently. So while this particular scenario is one we have found to be commonly used, please be certain to learn your hospital's own method and adhere to that fluffy Adams is a 30 pound month that Mr. And Mrs. Adams have had since a puppy and they've been bringing her to see Dr. Ross since day one. Fluffy is only nine years old, but she has cancer that has metastasized through her abdomen, poor fluffy is suffering and it has been decided by Dr. Ross and the Adams That it would be better to let fluffy go painlessly to sleep than to let her deteriorate through a terrible quality of life.

The Addams Family has scheduled an appointment with Dr. Ross to euthanize fluffy today during your shift, since you're responsible for handling this, you make sure the designated room is ready and waiting for fluffy and her owners about an hour ahead of the appointment time. You pull out a soft blanket. Make sure there are plenty of tissues and the trash can is easily accessible. Maybe grab a bottle of water to to have one for Mr. And Mrs. Adams. Mentally you prepare yourself to quarantine your own feelings of sadness for a patient you know and love in order to put the pet and the owners feelings first. When the atoms arrive with fluffy, maintain a quiet nature, a sort of soft sadness that shows your understanding and sincerity in their time of need, lead them to the room you've set up beforehand and make sure they're comfortable and have everything they need.

At this point, the role of the assistant can vary depending on the clinic and the doctor involved. The following should all be addressed either by the nurse or the doctor. Either you or the veterinarian should go over cremation or burial options with the owners discussing how they would like to handle the remains once fluffy has passed. Options include cremation usually the hospital has partnered with crematory services for this or burial. Sometimes the owners elect not to take home the remains of their pet. So your hospital should have a policy for how the pet becomes part of a communal cremation group.

Most crematories offer options for the pets ashes to be returned to the owner and an urn of their choice. A few even have burial plots available. The owners can also Choose to take the Pet Home and bury it on their land if that is an option in their state, go ahead and discuss payment for the procedure before the pet is actually dosed with anything, offer to take the client's credit card and run it for them at the front counter, or let them know that a bill will be sent to them later. This all depends on how your hospital likes to do it. But payments should never be attempted to be taken after the pet is euthanized and the owners are distraught. Once the clients are finished with their goodbyes, they should be able to walk out of the clinic without any interruption to do otherwise would be horribly rude and inconsiderate.

The procedure itself and what to expect should be outlined for the owners. It gives the owners a peace of mind to know what you or the doctor is doing at any given moment. Even a simple task such as flushing a catheter was sailing is important to explain to the client, they need to feel in control of every moment. Depending on the doctor. an intravenous catheter may be placed in either the front or back leg of the patient. Many doctors do not do this, but some might.

The doctor may also choose to give the patient a sedative so that they fall asleep before the actual euthanasia solution is administered. This eases the transition for both the pet and the owner, as the pet is still visibly breathing, but clearly not conscious. When ready, the doctor will administer the actual euthanasia solution, which is an overdose of an anesthetic and thereby slow the pets heart until it no longer beats. The doctor will then listen to the pet to verify that it has passed and let the owners know. It is a good idea to warn the owners that the pet may urinate or defecate. Give one large last breath or twitch post mortem.

This helps reassure owners that their pet is not actually still alive. Should something like this happen through this entire conversation should you be the one having it. It is critical to remain clinical, but gentle and tone. Take some time practicing with your teammates beforehand, or listen to someone else. Go through the process before attempting to talk to a client about these things yourself. Always be 100% sure of your information and have any handouts for crematories ready to offer them.

Another essential point is to be certain to offer them as much time as they need with their pet. You do not want to make the owners feel rushed through the process, especially if they are particularly grief stricken. As long as it is okay with your practice. Always offer the owners a moment before the doctor performs the euthanasia to have some alone time. With their companion during the process itself, try to remain on hand for anything needed from handing tissues to the client to holding off the vein for the doctor to hit. There are many things to be aware of at any given time.

If you're not actively doing something, either show your empathy to the pet by petting or stroking it, or stand quietly to the side out of the way. Be sure not to cross your arms in front of you, as this portrays a very closed off body language. Try to remember to stand with your hands class in front of you or behind your back to offer comforting and open body language. When the euthanasia has been performed and the final goodbyes have been said, it is always a good idea to have either the nurse or the doctor walk the clients to the door, preferably a back door and not through the main lobby, while the other staff person waits with the deceased patient. Once the clients have left the building, you can then begin preparing the pet to go to the crematory. If that is what was decided, the hospital should have a standard operating procedure for how the pet is labeled, as well as how to notify the crematory that you have a pet to be picked up.

There are special bags in which to place the pet, which are then tied off labeled appropriately and deposited in a designated freezer until the crematory staff picks them up. As with every appointment You see, make sure to follow up with your notes and ensure that any drugs used were appropriately logged and accounted for. The process of euthanizing a pet is one of the hardest parts of being a pet owner and one of the hardest parts of working as a veterinary nurse. It takes a mental toll on a person not only to witness but to play an active part in the death of a creature, especially one that was truly lost. Remind yourself constantly that euthanasia is one of the most important gifts we can give our beloved companions, and that is a truly painless and gentle death. demonstrating your empathy for the pet and the pet owners is absolutely key for handling this process.

With grace and finesse, it is your ultimate goal to offer support, comfort, understanding and empathy to the client. Remember that the best way to do this is to maintain your professional, calm and quiet demeanor throughout as well as to be fully educated and all the options available to the owners. By making the experience a smooth and calm process, you do your part and easing the pain of your client