Before, during, and after goodbye

You do not have to solve the hardest day in a crisis.

Make the medical, practical, and family decisions while there is still room to breathe.

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1

Before a crisis

  • Ask what decline would require same-day or emergency care.
  • Choose three things that still make your pet feel like themselves.
  • Discuss pain, appetite, breathing, mobility, sleep, toileting, and anxiety.
  • Ask what home euthanasia, clinic euthanasia, and aftercare cost and include.
2

The final day

  • Choose who will be present and where everyone will sit.
  • Ask the veterinarian to explain sedation and each step before beginning.
  • Bring a blanket, favorite food if allowed, and one calm person for logistics.
  • Decide beforehand about cremation, burial, paw prints, fur clippings, or ashes.
3

The first 72 hours

  • Cancel routine reminders that may land painfully.
  • Tell one trusted person exactly what practical help you need.
  • Keep children’s explanations simple, literal, and honest.
  • Give surviving pets routine, access to familiar scents, and time.
4

When grief needs more support

  • Reach out when sleep, eating, work, or safety feels unmanageable.
  • Pet-loss counselors, veterinary social workers, and support groups understand disenfranchised grief.
  • If you may harm yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line now.

Questions to ask the veterinary team

  1. What comfort can we improve today?
  2. What would tell you this plan is no longer enough?
  3. Which signs mean I should call tonight?
  4. What will the appointment look and feel like for my pet?
  5. Who handles transport and aftercare, and what choices must be made now?
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Sources: AAHA End-of-Life Care and Cornell Pet Loss Support.