Euthanasia

When having and caring for a pet there sometimes is a need to face a situation where a decision has to be made about letting the pet go. The decision about putting the pet to sleep is made by the owner and the veterinarian together. The final decision belongs to the owner, unless it is clearly a case of animal protection. A decision about euthanasia will have to be taken when the pet is seriously ill and there is scant hope of recovery, or if the nature of the illness is such that it causes the animal great suffering. Sometimes the reason for the euthanasia decision is that the pet is exceedingly aggressive, which causes dangerous situations at home and in outdoor activities. Other difficulties in keeping the pet may also contribute to a euthanasia decision (allergy, life changes, etc.). In cases of difficulty in keeping the pet it is however hoped that the owner will first try to do what is possible to find the pet a new home.

Euthanasia is performed at the clinic by appointment, and we try to take care of emergencies considering the pets additional patients. The animal is taken to a tranquil room with the owner, and a given a sedative shot in the muscle. The sedative will make the animal fall into a deep sleep in about 15-20 minutes. The actual termination substance, which will stop the heart and the respiratory centre, will be given intravenously while the animal is in a deep sleep. Breathing will usually stop during administration and the heart usually a bit later (after a few minutes). Verifying that the heart has stopped is always done by using a stethoscope. The owner may, if so desires, leave the procedure when the animal has slept because of the sedation, or may stay until the end and spend a quiet moment with the pet after it has passed away.

The clinic can arrange for the pet to be cremated, if it is not possible for the owner to bury the pet. The owner may choose between a group cremation where the ashes remain at the crematory, and an urn cremation, where the owner receives the pets’ ashes in an urn. Koira-Kissaklinikka uses crematory, which is located in Mynämäki.