Our Process | Best Friends Eternal

Our Euthanasia Process

Below is the general order of the euthanasia process after making your appointment.

Travel to your home by a veterinarian who will discuss any concerns, thoughts, questions, and the process of humane euthanasia for your loved one. Paperwork including the consent form and choices for aftercare, along with payment are completed. Occasionally, a veterinary assistant may help as well.

Sedation including a combination of sedatives, pain medications, and anesthetic to ease discomfort and allow your pet to become calm and comfortable, and completely unconscious before the final injection. Sedation is given orally, intramuscularly, and/or by subcutaneous injection. Occasionally, like a vaccine, your pet may look back or vocalize with the first injection, but this is transient, and relaxation starts to take effect in about 3 to15 minutes. A sedation assessment will be performed to make sure they do not respond to stimuli. Their eyes remain open but you will begin to notice any pain or discomfort slip away as their body relaxes. They may snore and take deeper breaths. You can be with them the entire time, talk to them, love them, and hold them. You also have the choice to leave at any point during the euthanasia.

After sedation and your pet is at ease and completely unconscious, we place an absorbent pad beneath them because as they relax, they may pass urine or stool. The euthanasia injection is then given, which is an intentional overdose of anesthesia. This injection allows for the final gift of a peaceful passing. The euthanasia solution goes to the brain first and stops all awareness and feeling, then stops breathing and their heart. The injection may be given in various areas from their leg veins or into their side but they will not feel a thing. The final injection may take between an average of a few minutes to 15 minutes. Any movement you see after their heart has stopped and they have passed, are purely reflexes where energy is leaving their muscles and body.

After they've passed, we will give you space and time together. If cremation is elected, we will wrap them in a blanket and gently rest them on a stretcher or in a basket before transporting them. For pets over 20 lbs, we may need your help to carry them on our soft stretcher or we may arrange for the crematorium for pickup.

You have the choice of home burial, group cremation (ashes spread in Olympia, WA to plant trees), or individual cremation (return of ashes with individual cremation). See aftercare and pricing for details.