Pet End of Life Care in Lewisville: Old Dog Laying in the Grass

Saying Goodbye to a Pet is Never Easy

Our pets become part of our families, and no matter their age, deciding to end a pet’s life is always difficult. At our animal hospital, our goal is to help you feel good about your options and decisions while respecting the wonderful life you’ve given your pet.

When a pet is about to cross the rainbow bridge, it can be emotionally challenging to make critical decisions in the euthanasia process. We encourage all clients to consider their preferences for their pet’s remains to minimize any painful choices during or after the procedure.

Many people don’t realize that there are several ways to honor a pet’s life. Once your pet has passed, there are a few options:

  • Private cremation. Our most-requested option, this service cremates the pet’s remains on an individual basis, and you’ll receive ashes in an urn. While our pets never truly leave us in memory, this option allows for flexibility in emotional closure. Private cremations enable clients to spread, bury, or keep the ashes after receiving the urn. Some of our clients have used special services to transform the ashes into jewelry, which we think is a beautiful way to honor your pet’s memory.
  • Group cremation. This option involves cremating the remains of pets' and then the ashes are spread together. Because of this, we are unable to return your pet's ashes.
  • Burial. Some pet owners will prefer to bury their pet at home. If this option is your preference, we’re happy to support your process to honor your pet’s life by providing the body post-euthanasia. Our only request is to follow your local county’s rules to ensure compliance before the burial.

We recognize that these considerations will never be easy to make, and we encourage you to have an open dialogue with our hospital. We want you to feel confident in your choice. We often know our clients' pets for their whole lives, and we want to pay respect to your pet's life with you.

Pet End of Life Care in Lewisville: Old Woman Hugging Old Dog
Pet Emergency

Crossing the Rainbow Bridge

If the time comes when you and your veterinarian agree that putting down your pet is the right choice, our team will support you throughout the entire process. We encourage family members to be present to say goodbyes and feel connected to their pet. Our veterinarians will administer a sedative, which will help your pet smoothly transition into comfortable sleep. You’re welcome to hold your pet as they’re getting sleepy.

Once the sedative is in full effect, a veterinarian and assistant will help your pet to cross the rainbow bridge. We encourage you to stay with them at this time as it can help provide you closure in the grieving process. However, we will love and comfort your pet during this time if you cannot be present.

 

At-Home Euthanasia

Under extenuating (non-urgent) circumstances, we can provide at-home euthanasia to long-term clients out of respect for their pet’s life. Since we don’t want this service to feel rushed, it can often require some advanced planning. For more information, please discuss it with your veterinarian.