End of life for pets - what happens when the day comes

I saw Jasper, my dog-brother, killed by a parcel truck when I was four.

The driver didn’t stop.

Pet loss is often children’s first experience of death and a critical moment of our relationship with those we love.

Since starting at Vale Vets, I have ended the lives of 62 dogs and cats.

It feels like many more.

Sometimes the emotional gymnastics required to reset for whatever comes next is exhausting, to say nothing of the grief.

It’s a strange, sad, wonderful privilege which feels more like being a priest or a doula than a doctor.

When you make the decision, remember that you should ask for what you need and we will try to provide it — we may not always be able to visit you at home but we can try to give you a little time, tissues and comfort where it’s needed.

If you are in the practice, bringing a blanket that smells like home can be a help, as is staying calm and attentive, but if you need to step out we’ll care for your friend and treat them like they were ours.

We’ll discuss your wishes and what to expect.

Sedation can be given to calm the patient’s nerves and pain and, once asleep, I’ll place a cannula then flush with saline.

To end life gently, we use an anaesthetic.

First, the brain slips quickly into anaesthesia — a night without stars.

Then the heart stops and with it everything else.

Slowly, all things stop and there is peace.

This is the most important part of our job and we’ll get through it together.

We’ve been here ourselves and we’re here for you and your family.

Next time, remembering grief is the price of love and it is good to grieve the loved ones we have lost.

Our columnist Will Trewarman MRCVS is a senior veterinary surgeon at Vale Vets which is based in Kidderminster and Stourport.