Discover Ways to Prepare for Your Pet’s End-of-Life Journey

Losing a pet is always difficult, but planning ahead can lessen the emotional burden. Here are four ways to prepare for and cope with the eventual passing of your pet.

#1: Assess your pet’s quality of life

It’s difficult for pets to communicate their illness, but they can display signs of poor mental or physical health. To evaluate your pet’s well-being over time or during a chronic medical condition, you can use a quality of life scale. This tool enables you to assess your pet’s health and happiness objectively and identify if they’re in pain.

#2: Decide when to schedule your pet’s euthanasia

Losing a pet suddenly may bring relief from the difficult decision of whether to euthanize them or not, but you may also wonder if you missed the signs of their illness. On the other hand, it’s always challenging to determine when it’s time to say goodbye and schedule euthanasia. Keep in mind that most pets don’t pass away peacefully in their sleep, so choosing humane euthanasia can be a final act of love for your pet who is suffering.

#3: Discuss how to care for your pet’s body

If your pet dies, you might not be ready for the after-care process. However, if you anticipate that the pet’s passing is imminent, it would be beneficial to have a conversation concerning how you plan to care for its body. This can help reduce some stress. Cremation is a common option, and you may choose to receive your pet’s ashes. Aquamation is also becoming increasingly popular for after-care, although it is not yet widely accessible.

#4: Rely on grief support groups to process your pet’s death

While you are grieving the loss of your pet, seek support from both your loved ones and support groups. Consider using pet loss support hotlines offered by veterinary universities and explore various pet bereavement groups on social media that may be relevant to your situation. Remember that you don’t have to go through this experience alone.

If your pet’s health or happiness is deteriorating, you can ask our team for help in evaluating their quality of life and preparing for their eventual passing.