Why In-Home Euthanasia
Our pets are so much more than just animals, they so quickly become part of our family. Making end of life decisions is never easy, but we can ease the passage. In-home euthanasia gives us the opportunity to lessen the stress of a clinical environment and surround our four-legged family members with love in their favorite places as we say goodbye.
What to expect at my appointment
For some, it is helpful to know exactly what the process involves, please see below for a detailed explanation of what will happen at the time of your appointment. This is not the case for everyone. If you think you will be the latter, please skip this section and Dr. Alex will review everything with you in person.
Each appointment is tailored to the specific pet. You will make your package selection and answer a few questions with your appointment request. When your appointment and selections have been confirmed, you will be checked out ahead of the appointment, this can be done online prior or at the beginning of your appointment, it is our experience that dealing with all of the paperwork and finances prior allows for more time and focus on the pet and an overall smoother and more peaceful appointment.
On the day of the appointment, Dr. Alex will come to your home or chosen meeting place. Consent forms are reviewed and signed, and any additional questions are answered. Most patients will then receive a mild sedative under the skin or in the muscle, this will typically take 5-10 minutes to take effect. For larger patients, a catheter is then placed into the vein to allow for a more powerful sedation, this sedation is then followed by a barbiturate that will stop the heart. For some smaller patients and/or those with weak veins, a heavier sedation is given at the beginning and an injection of the barbiturate may be given into the belly, this method is slightly slower but allows for fewer pokes of the legs. Irregular breathing patterns are not uncommon during the euthanasia process, and while they are completely normal and your pet is not feeling any of it, they can be surprising and difficult to watch if not prepared.
Once your pet has passed, Dr. Alex will confirm their passing with her stethoscope. Any requested paw prints or hair collection will be done at this time. If you have selected cremation services, your pet will be placed in a burial bag and we will transport them to the crematorium. When the cremains are ready, we will bring them to your home. If you choose home-burial or to pursue cremation through an alternative service, your pet will be placed in a burial bag or alternative container of your choosing.
Q&A
What forms of payment are accepted?
Cash, credit, and debit.
​
Do you accept payment plans?
Unfortunately, as a boutique house-call based business, we are not able to offer in-house financing. We do offer cremation holds if finances do not allow for cremation at the time of the appointment, additional details are available upon request.
​
What are your typical hours of operation?
Dr. Alex prefers to maintain a flexible schedule to be able to accommodate times that will be optimal for your family, as such, we do not have any set hours of operation. When you submit your request form (see the "Forms" page), we will contact you with available appointments. Once you have selected your time, it will be held for 24 hours* and a deposit link will be sent. Once your deposit has been processed, your appointment time will be confirmed.
*Deposits are due 2 hours prior to appointments scheduled with less than a 24 hours turn-around time, exceptions made at doctor's discretion.
​
What is the deposit policy?
As we are a boutique style house-call service, appointment spots are secured with a non-refundable $75 deposit which is applied to your total at the time of the appointment.
​
Are you available outside of Burlington and West Burlington?
Absolutely! We are happy to accommodate appointments in the surrounding areas, additional fees may apply based on your location.