EUTHANASIA

RE: EUTHANASIA

Robyn — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 09:03:29 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

I do similar but if I am telling people in the waiting room that there is a delay I never mention a euthanasia and will only apologise for the delay by saying something like a pet is really poorly - I do this after feedback from a client who told me she just didn't want people to know in the waiting room what she was there for because a)she didn't want them to be sad because there was a good chance their pets would pick up on it and it might make them wary of future visits and b) if people offered her sympathy she just wouldn't be able to hold it together. But at the end of the day its what works for a particular practice and client

[/quote]

Ooo, that is a very good point though. I might give that a bit of a rethink. Cheers!

RE: EUTHANASIA

Sal the 1st — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 18:50:20 GMT

growing through your thatch is a sign of great wisdom so I am told

RE: EUTHANASIA

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 18:45:52 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]lol - some people donate blood and organs but I donate hair [/quote]

Excellent news, I could be in the market for some (my profile photo doesn't show the view from the rear!).

RE: EUTHANASIA

Sal the 1st — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 18:40:16 GMT

lol - some people donate blood and organs but I donate hair

RE: EUTHANASIA

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 18:18:17 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]and also a few ask for some hair[/quote]

What, some of yours?

RE: EUTHANASIA

DanniellaaLouiisee — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 16:29:20 GMT

Thank you guys, really appreciate it.

RE: EUTHANASIA

Sal the 1st — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 16:02:59 GMT

[quote user="Robyn "]

Why I'm assisting I follow the vet's lead. They've normally had a 10-15min consult with them before this point so they've already adjusted their communication, so following them normally keeps me right. Our vets are normally good at explaining the procedure, but as the vet turns away to pick up the syringe ect I normally catch the owner's eye and say something along the lines of "so I just need to be holding this arm/elbow, you feel free to be wherever you like/come in and give them a cuddle", just so they know that, even though I'm standing restraining them, we'll work around them and they can be wherever they need to be. As they're passing away I normally just speak gently to the pet like I would if I were restraining them and I don't really talk to the owner unless they talk to me, or I agree with and expand on what they say ("we'll miss you" "he had such a big personality"...something along those lines!).

If I'm not assisting then I'm normally checking them out or hanging around to support the (fairly new!) receptionists or to be there if they have any questions about what happens next. Unless I know the owners well and can talk in detail, I keep it simple: "I'm so sorry" and go from there. I always ask if they have transport "are you okay getting home?" and if they're driving alone then I offer to call a taxi, just in case they're not up to driving. I also also ask if they've got enough tissues for the road. I'll always ask if they want to card receipt (where normally I would just give them to clients), and if there are ashes to come back I tell them that we'll take care of them from here, and we'll call them when the ashes are back. I always say when we're going to call and explain that it takes a few weeks because the crematorium is in Ayrshire and it takes a little time to transport them over and for the company to make sure they're cared for - just so the owners know what to expect every step of the way.

If the owner isn't chatty then sometimes all I say is "I'm sorry", "Are you okay getting home", and "Have you got enough tissues for the road". If they're chattier then obvious I just take it from there. I usually keep my phrasing pretty informal, but that's just me. I'm not a hugger so unless the owner moves in for a hug or touches me, I don't move first, but I'll reciprocate if they do.

I think the main don't is really just don't rush. Take time to make sure everything's explained; take time to offer a drink, more tissues, a taxi; take time to ask if they have any questions; and take time to explain that they can get in touch with any extra questions they come up with or if they just need to chat and how they can do this (that Facebook or email is an option if they don't want to talk verbally). There's nothing worse than a rushed euthanasia. Some owners just want to be in and out as fast as they can and that's okay, but when we're rushing explanations because we're busy or we think they know what's going to happen, or rushing them out the door so we can deal with the next client, that's not okay. Everything needs to go at exactly the right pace for the owner, everything else can wait. If someone's taking a long time I will go to individual waiting owners and say that I'm afraid we're putting a wee one to sleep and the owner is just taking their time to say goodbye, I'm really sorry that you're waiting but I don't want to rush them. Most owners, after that, will be quite happy to sit and wait for their appointment.

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RE: EUTHANASIA

Robyn — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 12:33:31 GMT

RE: EUTHANASIA

Sal the 1st — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 11:46:46 GMT

I have had a few people ask for paw prints , and also a few ask for some hair

RE: EUTHANASIA

Dove — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 01:06:34 GMT

It depends, sometimes I don't say much and follow the vets lead, our vets are very good at explaining the process in full, what the owner will expect, all our euthanasia patients have an iv catheter placed first and the vet always make sure they know that no drug will be going in yet. We go ahead with the procedure only when the client is ready. I make sure they know they can talk and stroke or hug their pet during the procedure, this is much easier to allow them to do with an iv catheter in place.

If the client is known to me then sometimes I will hug them after the procedure but only if I feel the owner will appreciate this. We have tissues at the ready and give the opportunity to spend time with their pet afterwards.

I think the main dos are explain everything, give them time, show compassion. I tend not to cry but occasionally get a bit misty eyed, I don't think that's a bad thing. One of the vets I used to work with always cried at a pts but I don't think owners were ever offended by it.

We have also started offering a paw print inside a sympathy card which is sent out in the post with a sympathy message inside. Owners seem to really like this, we only do the paw print if they consented to this.