Letting Go | Planned Euthanasia and Memory Keepsakes

Dec 16, 2021

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Letting Go

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Planned Euthanasia and Memory Keepsakes

[/trx_title][trx_title type=”4″ align=”center” color=”#434544″ weight=”700″ bottom=”mini”]by Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH[/trx_title][vc_column_text]

Dear Friend,

We have talked a lot about how to decide when is the right time to let your pet go but we have never really talked about what to expect or prepare for after a euthanasia. I have come across a few things that caught people by surprise that would be best addressed ahead of time.

Once you have decided that euthanasia is the right choice is there something special you would like to do before the euthanasia like a photo shoot, make clay paw prints, or just go to Dairy Queen and share some ice cream. I like professional photos with my pets, they make really good keepsakes, I usually bring extra good snacks to the photoshoot to make it fun!

What you would be your preferences for aftercare. Do you want to bury your pet at home? Cremate your pet? Do you want the ashes back? If you do want your pet’s ashes back to want to order a special urn or name plate? These are things best picked out ahead of time so you can think about what specific things you want to remember your pet.

Planning for the support you may need. Studies have shown that for some people loosing a pet is just as hard as loosing a relative. Do you think you will need someone to drive you to the appointment or will you need to take a few days off work? If you need extra support in these areas getting support and communicating these needs before the day of the procedure will take a little stress off of you the day of. This would also be good time to set up an appointment with a grief management specialist or a therapist if you have access to this type of support. Be kind to yourself and take the appropriate time to grieve, this is a huge loss.

Communicating you loss with people outside your immediate family. How, when and if you decide to share this information is entirely up to you. With social media being so popular I find sharing a post is the easiest way to reach as many people and avoid having to re-tell your story over and over. If you prefer not to use social media consider asking your close friends and family to spread the word of your loss.

If you have multiple pets in the house there are a variety of responses to expect from your other animals including depression, changes in routine, appetite, or attitude. It is also possible that they will not seem to notice the loss and act normally. All of these responses are considered normal and if you do see anything you are concerned about you can reach out to your veterinarian.

Coming home from the euthanasia is really tough especially when your pets things are all over the house. Dedicate some time in your grieving to decide what to do with your pets things. I like to pack everything up right away and go through it a few weeks later when I have accepted the loss to see what is important enough to keep.

Remembering your pet. Saying goodbye is hugely important in moving forward and organizing you life after a loss. But it is equally as important to be in the moment and reflect on the memories you have of your pet. Creating a memorial garden, commissioning custom artwork, framing photos, or creating memory boxes are all good ways to help remember you pet. These are also good things for children to help with so they can work through their feelings.

In the end, there is no perfect way to grieve. There will be times that you miss them so much you fall into tears and other times remembering all the trouble they caused you will make you smile. Love is imperfect and messy, so is life. It’s important to remember and enjoy all of that.

Take care,

Dr. Eileen

[/vc_column_text][/trx_section][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533135180690{margin-top: 40px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1533134942241{background-color: #d9ae4c !important;}”][trx_title type=”2″ align=”left” color=”#f6f2e4″ left=”20″ right=”20″]About Dr. Eileen Savier[/trx_title][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1533135315368{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Dr. Eileen SavierBarks & Recreation is proud to feature Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH as our Veterinary Blogger in our “From the Vet” Series. Currently part of the team of doctors at Keystone Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Savier is a 2012 Graduate of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, She completed her clinical experience at The Ohio State University and after veterinary school she pursued further education and certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Fear Free veterinary visits. Dr. Savier has a special interest in integrative medicine, animal behavior, and internal medicine and is committed to improving animal health care by integrating Eastern and Western philosophies. She enjoys working with fearful & aggressive dogs and cats and she has had additional training in low stress handling techniques and encourages positive reinforcement during exams and procedures. Her clinical interests include pain management, animal behavior, geriatric patient care, and internal medicine. Dr. Savier is a member of the following associations:

Dr. Savier shares her home with two (soon to be three) dogs, two cats, and a toddler. She lovingly refers to her two dogs as Coconut Retrievers as they were rescue dogs she brought home from the island of St. Kitts. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and planning her next Disney vacation.

Join us every month for Dr. Savier’s “From the Vet” series to get more information related to the health and welfare of your furry family members![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]