Every appointment includes traveling to your home, taking a medical history on your pet, performing a physical exam, and discussing quality of life concerns. If everyone agrees that humane euthanasia is the next step, that can be performed during the same appointment. 

Strong sedative medication will be given to your pet by mouth, injection, or both. This may take 10 to 30 minutes or more to take effect. After your pet is very sleepy and sedated, a final injection is given, typically in a vein. This injection first affects the brain and stops consciousness, so your pet isn’t feeling any pain. Over about one minute, it will also slow and stop the heart. Our veterinarian will listen to the heart and check a pulse to confirm the pet has passed on. 

Knowing when to euthanize a pet is an incredibly personal and difficult decision to make, and no one resource can make the choice for you. Our veterinarian’s job is to help you understand the quality of life your individual pet has, depending on their disease, ability to take medication, surroundings and environment, and your role as a caregiver. 

Our specialist primarily works with dogs and cats but, on a case-by-case basis, will assist with your equine or small ruminant companion. 

You may choose to have your pet cremated or keep your pet’s remains for home burial.

Cremation: Your pet’s remains can be cremated by a locally owned company, Pathways for Pets, based in Lincoln City. You can choose three options for your pet. 

• Private Cremation – Your pet will be individually cremated, and only your pet’s ashes will be returned to you. 

• Communal Cremation – Your pet will share the chamber but be separate from other pets, and ashes can be returned to you. 

• General Cremation – Your pet will be cremated, but no ashes will be returned to you. 
  

Plans for cremation must be arranged prior to our appointment.  You can arrange for them to come to your house after the appointment, or we can coordinate with Pathways for Pets to pick up at our location. 

Cremation services are handled and billed directly by Pathways for Pets. 

Home Burial: You may choose to bury your pet in a meaningful location on your own property. You may not bury a pet on public land. Keep in mind that a lethal dose of barbiturate medication has been administered to your pet. Predators can scavenge this material and be affected or even killed. Be sure to bury deep enough to prevent predation. 

Yes, absolutely. Our veterinarian will always do a physical exam and quality of life assessment for you before we start the process. In some rare cases, there may be treatable causes of a pet’s clinical signs, and we may suggest that you return to your veterinarian for a workup. You are free to change your mind at any time during the appointment. Please be advised that the quality-of-life consultation and travel fees are based on a fee of $250, not including extra travel fees based on location.

If you choose to schedule home euthanasia another day after this appointment, there is no fee for another exam and consultation, just for travel and euthanasia (base fee of $375). 

If you decide to cancel your appointment entirely before the scheduled appointment time, there may be a fee. Please see the cancellation policy FAQ below. 

We understand that deciding on end-of-life services for a pet is an emotional time, and things may change quickly. For this reason, there is no charge if notice is given at least 24 hours prior to the appointment. Keep in mind that late cancellation means we may not be able to provide a service for another family, so as much notice as possible is appreciated.

If notice is not given or is given within the 24-hour window, a fee of up to $250 may apply on a case-by-case basis. 

There is no cancellation fee if your pet passes before the scheduled appointment time, even up until the last minute. 

Any adult, child, or pet can be present during the euthanasia, depending on your preferences. For very young children or other pets, it may be better not to have them present if they will create a distraction and upset others during the grieving process. 

Credit cards are accepted through the payment option on your invoice. Payment is due prior to the time of service. 

Currently, our veterinarian is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. most Saturdays and Sundays. Please see “request an appointment” for up-to-date availability. If you need another day or time, please feel free to contact us, and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

A calm appointment for everyone involved is the goal. Many pets become anxious when people enter their houses. They can also be painful and agitated due to their disease. There is never any rush during the appointment, and fear-free techniques will be used to minimize anxiety and discomfort.

Our veterinarian will always give an injection of a strong sedative to help a pet relax before the final injection is given. Some pets may also receive fast-acting oral sedative medication during the appointment (usually a gel applied to the gums or mixed with food). If you feel your pet could benefit from pre-appointment sedation in pill form, our specialist can also prescribe this to be picked up at your local pharmacy and given the night before and the morning of the appointment. This option is best for potentially aggressive animals or cats that tend to hide.

Safety measures like calm and cozy wraps for cats, basket muzzles for dogs, and thick blankets may be used. If we cannot safely handle the pet, the appointment can be rescheduled, and stronger medications can be given.