Only animal lovers understand how important their pets are to them. Your pet becomes your family member and you cannot even imagine a life without them. No matter how hard it is, our pets leave us too soon, and sometimes we have to make that hard decision in life.
Terminally ill and old cats who are suffering way too much than they can bear often go silent, sleep more, and stop eating completely. In such times, the biggest choice is to be made as a pet owner. Whether to see your pet suffer or to put it to sleep, you will always juggle between the options because it is truly a hard one to make.
You should talk to the vet to help you in taking such a hard decision. You can visit https://www.zendogvet.net/euthanasia to know more about the process and even visit Zen Dog servicing in New York, Queens, Westchester, and Brooklyn to ensure that a highly trained vet is taking care of your beloved cat in its last moments. They will also help you with the paperwork and with handling the grief that will strike you as soon as lose your lovely pet.
Euthanasia process – Is it painless?
After your vet has examined the pet for all signs of illness and a very low “Quality of life”, he will help you in deciding to give euthanasia and its right time. However, you and your family members make the final decision. Once decided, you will be asked to sign the consent form before the procedure.
During the procedure:
- If your pet is in too much pain, a sedative will be given to put them at ease and in a sleep state.
- After which, the nurse will shave off a small fur patch from the front leg where they will search for the vein.
- Once established, an overdose of anesthetic injection will be given through the IV route.
- If the pet is sedated, it will not feel anything during the injection and if not, mild needle prick and injection pain will be felt which will resolve within seconds.
- The pet will briefly feel dizzy before getting unconscious. This usually happens even before the entire dose of anesthetic is injected.
- Within a few minutes, the heart will stop functioning and your pet will be put to sleep.
- Once the cardiac function ceases, reflexes like the twitching of the body and the sound of gasping will occur which are normal signs of passing away.
Therefore, the entire process will mostly remain painless for your most cherished cat as you support them during the last moments. You will now have to make last-rite decisions. The grief process while losing a pet animal is the same as losing any other family member and you should give yourself time to go through it.
Anger, guilt, sadness, and loneliness will be common even among your family members especially children and other fellow pets of the house. Talk to a supportive volunteer at the vet clinic if you are unable to deal with the loss.