Client Grief Counseling and Emotional Support

In most situations, yes, you can!

Your pet’s care team understands how difficult this experience is for you. We all want to make your pet’s last moments as peaceful and comfortable as possible and honor any last wishes you may have for them. If you wish to hold your pet during their last moments, we may offer a towel or potty pad for you to place between the two of you in the event of any accidents.

No, it will not hurt your pet and we do everything possible to ensure that your pet does not feel any pain. If you suspect that your pet is in pain, please ask the care team about administering a small dose of pain medication. The procedure itself is generally a very smooth and painless process.

Dogs and Cats

As a first step in the process, we will place an IV catheter. We may have to bring your pet to our treatment area to have this placed. After catheter placement, as long as your pet is not in distress, you can spend all the time you need with them. When you are ready, the veterinarian will administer two medications through the IV catheter.

1. A sedation medication that will allow your pet to relax, fall asleep, and not feel anything.
2. A medication that will slow and eventually stop the heart. The veterinarian may use a saline flush to ensure the medicines are administered entirely.

And finally, the veterinarian will use their stethoscope to listen to your pet’s heart. They will inform you when your pet no longer has a heartbeat.

During this time, your pet may urinate or defecate. You might see them take a couple of deep, last breaths. You might see their skin or muscles twitch, and nerves relax. Please know that your pet’s eyes will remain open. Please ask your pet’s care team if you have any questions or concerns.

Birds and Exotic Pets

All of our veterinarians and veterinary technicians in the Zoological Medicine and Emergency Medicine Services have training and expertise in providing euthanasia services for most exotic species. This may include mammals like rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, rats, and hamsters. Birds like parrots, pigeons and canaries, and reptiles including snakes, lizards and turtles.

Most of our exotic pets will benefit from a mixture of sedatives to help them fall asleep prior to placing a catheter for euthanasia. We can administer these medications with you and allow your pet sit with you while they feel the effects of these medications.

If your pet is large enough (rabbits, ferrets), we will place an intravenous catheter that will allow us to deliver the final injection through this catheter. Placing a catheter will require that they are brought to our treatment area after they are sedated so that our technicians can assist in placing the catheter.

However, many of our exotic patients are too small for an intravenous catheter and require the injection to go directly into the bloodstream through an injection. Although you can be present for this final injection, many of our clients have been with their pet while they have their final conscious moments and have chosen to not be present. Please make sure that you voice to your veterinary team how we can provide services to meet you and your pet’s needs.

Equine 

The Equine Surgery and Medicine teams are experienced at performing euthanasia in equids of all sizes. Our primary concern is for the safety of all personnel and clients while alleviating pain and anxiety in our patients.

To begin, we typically place an intravenous catheter in the jugular vein (in the neck) if one is not already in place. This will be done in the stall while under light sedation and a local anesthetic. After catheter placement, as long as your pet is not in distress, you can spend all the time you need with them. We generally recommend that you take this opportunity to say good-bye at this point rather than being present for the euthanasia itself. Once you are ready, your pet’s care team will gather to assist with the process.

During this time, your pet may urinate or defecate. You might see them take a couple of loud, final breaths and foam and/or blood may be seen at the nostrils. You might see their legs or neck twitch, sometimes strongly. Please know that your horse’s eyes will remain open. Finally, the veterinarian will use their stethoscope to listen to your horse’s heart and will assess for a blink reflex. They will inform you when your horse no longer has a heartbeat. Your horse’s care team will ask if you wish to take mane or tail as a keepsake and if you want to collect it, or if you would prefer them to. Ask your horse’s care team if you have any questions or concerns.

Pet Farm Animal

For most farm animals that are humanely euthanized the veterinarian and veterinary care team will discuss options with you if you choose to be present.

To begin, a sedative will be administered that will calm the animal and allow them to lie down. At this point you are welcome to spend some time with your animal.

When you are ready, an area of the neck will be clipped to allow for administration of the euthanasia medication. This medication will slow and eventually stop the heart. During this time, you may visualize some twitching or movement of the limbs despite the animal being unconscious and its heart stopped. These are normal reflexes.

Finally, the veterinarian will use their stethoscope to listen to the heart and will assess for a blink reflex. They will inform you when there is no longer a heartbeat. Please know that the eyes will remain open.

Families may request an at home burial, please note that some counties do not permit the burial of animals after the use of barbiturates. For this request, the alternative means of humane euthanasia will involve a captive bolt after the administration of sedation. This form of euthanasia may be less esthetically pleasing. Your veterinary care team will be able to prepare you, explain the process, and answer any follow-up questions or concerns you may have.

Your pet will never be alone. If you cannot or choose not to be present during the euthanasia, your pet’s care team will ensure that their last moments are full of love and praise. Knowing your own needs and limits and recognizing if it would be better that you not be with your pet at that time is okay.

Please be open with your pet’s care team if you do not wish to be present for the procedure. Because we perform euthanasia in a stepwise fashion, you can even ask your pet’s care team if you can be part of some of the process but not all of it.

We are happy to work with you to provide what you need in these last moments.

At this time, we use Endearing Pets, located in Bloomington, Ill., who provide cremation services for all species, whether furry, feathered or scaled.

You should expect a phone call from their facility within two weeks with details on how you can pick up your pet’s ashes. If you want other options for cremation, please call Endearing Pets to speak with them about what else they offer.

Endearing Pets:
Phone Number: 309-828-2422
Address: 1104 North Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois 61701

Yes, you can. The Veterinary Teaching Hospital works with Endearing Pets and coordinates the transfer of your pet’s remains with this vendor, but if you have another service you would like to use for cremation, please let us know, and we will make a note of this request.

If you use a vendor other than Endearing Pets, you will have to contact the cremation service to discuss their processes. You will want to ask if they can come to our hospital to pick up your pet.

It is reasonable if you cannot decide at the moment what type of aftercare you wish for your pet. Sometimes, we prefer to have input from our entire family and need a few days to process.

“We provide a 10-day hold period for this reason. Someone from your pet’s care team will reach out during this time to check in and see if you have any questions or have decided how to proceed with your pet.

If we do not hear from you by the end of the ten days, we will move forward with general cremation, which means you will not get the ashes returned to you and the charge for this service will be added to your outstanding balance.”

We offer PawPals®, ink prints, and hair or feather clippings.

• PawPals® is a paw print keep sake. These are a framed impression of your pet’s paw print that you can display with a photo in addition to forever hold a memory close. If desired, we will write their name in the foam for you. Please let your pet’s care team know if you have a nickname or do not want their name written.
• You can also have an ink print made of a paw or nose.
• Some families love having a small hair clipping to remember their pet. Please let us know if there is a specific area of your pet from which you would like a clipping. Maybe you love those hair crimps behind their ear, or perhaps you want one of the long feathers from your parrots wings to remind you of them. Please let your pet’s care team know if you have a particular tuft of hair you wish to have.
• If you have a preferred way to memorialize your pet, you can bring this with you. Your pet’s care team will do their best to fulfill your request for a memory that will honor your beloved companion.