End of Life

what are the different kinds of death (3)

1. Accidental

2. Surgical or Medical

3. Planned death - euthanasia

define euthenasia

the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable, painful disease

Tips to give to clients to help cope better on euthenasia day (3)

1. Bring a friend with you

2. Take the day off

3. Pay before the procedure is performed or get the vet to send an invoice after

how to explain euthenasia (6)

1. how this works is your pet will have an IV catheter placed in their front leg to allow access to the vein.

2. the Veterinarian will give a small dose of a sedative into the catheter to relax your pet

3. once you are ready, the Vet will then administer the Euthasol into the IV catheter slowly

4. Euthasol is a solution that is made up of a combination of chemicals that causes complete muscle relaxation and a quick/ painless termination of neurotransmission (Barbiturate)- stops the heart

5. This is a quick and painless procedure and the effects of the Ethanol happens within minutes of entering the body

6. Let them know that they may see some open mouth breathing or muscle tremors- this is normal in some cases and every animal reacts differently*

what are the 4 types of grief expressions

1. mental

2. physical

3. emotional

4. social

define resolution

when the client can now look at their deceased pet’s photo and instead of crying,  they smile.

define replacement

this is the decision of the client (and only the client) when deciding of a new pet, after the loss of another.

define compounded loss

refers to them being reminded of another death or loss that they may have just went through.

what should u do?

1. Do control your own response/ emotions but know you that you cannot control the clients

2. Do convey information correctly and honestly

3. Do respect pet owners privacy and decisions

4. Do offer professional support

5. Nonverbal communication is meaningful.

what should u not do (6)

1. Don’t compare one person’s grief to another’s

2. Don’t encourage them to stay busy and keep their mind off of it - they need to slowly heal and grieve

3. Don’t scold pet owners for their decisions

4. Don’t suggest they immediately replace the pet they loss with another

5. Don’t overstep your boundaries - or offer unwanted advice

6. Don’t forget client confidentiality - never discuss the case outside of the clinic

define communal cremation

several bodies are incinerated at the same time, ashes are disposed in appropriate landfill

define private cremation

single body is incinerated and ashes are collected and stored in chosen container 

define Euthanasia

is the humane termination of an animal’s life

procedure for death confirmation (3)

1. Evaluate the animal’s consciousness:

2. Confirm insensibility

3. Confirm death