• If a paw print, photo board or similar memorial service is offered by the practice, this should be mentioned
• Options for the patient ' s body afterwards, for example, burial or cremation
• Whether toys or blankets( or just a swatch from a blanket) can be sent with the pet for cremation
• The time scale for the patient to be collected for cremation and how long it will take for the cremains to be returned
• All costs involved with euthanasia and cremation.
After the procedure
If the practice provides somewhere for owners to honour their pets, such as a grief stone or a photo board, this can be discussed with the owner, who may wish to make use of it after the procedure.
Some owners may like to have a lock of their pet ' s hair / fur or a paw print( or nose, wing, scute or fin print) taken before or after the procedure. If this service is offered, or you know how / where an owner can obtain this service locally, they should be given this information. Owners should be asked where they would like the print taken and / or where they would like the fur / hair taken; this could then be secured in a small box or pouch. Similarly, the owner may wish to take a photo, before or after the procedure, so these possibilities could be discussed beforehand.
If the practice has a private exit, then the owner should be made aware of this so, when they are ready to leave, they do not necessarily need to depart through a busy reception area.
Ensure that any toys, blankets, collars, leads or other property of the patient / owner are returned to the owner( Figure 3) or, if requested by the owner, are sent to the crematorium with their pet or are disposed of or recycled in accordance with the owner ' s wishes.
Figure 3. Items such as blankets, collars and leads should be returned to the owner, as they are likely to be of sentimental importance.
Make sure you are informed and up to date on the specific procedures of the crematoriums you use, so you are able to help owners make informed decisions and accurately answer their questions; for example, the crematorium ' s process for scattering, burying, returning and / or disposing of cremains.
Death is a part of life, but it does not have to be scary, distressing or painful. As VNs, we aim to provide our patients with the‘ good death’ that euthanasia offers. This is achieved when the patient dies peacefully and with dignity, and the owner is prepared for the experience and is therefore better able to process the loss of their beloved pet.
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50 Veterinary Nursing Journal