by John Edwardson

Created on: March 05, 2009

Here are the Pros and Cons of home euthanasia, from one who's been on the front line, and seen both sides.

Some people use a service that provides for pet euthanasia at home. Others take their pet to a vet clinic. The decision is a personal one. Be sure you are dealing with someone you trust. Compassion and understanding are to be expected, do not accept less.

Why do it at home?

*Stress - Your pet doesn't need to be stressed during it's terminal day, by taking the 'dreaded trip' to the vet. This is the biggest reason most people use to decide on doing it at home.

*Privacy - You can shed your tears, etc., in the privacy of your own home.

*Economy - Sometimes, it's cheaper, especially when done by a technician rather than a vet. Plus, either way, if they don't have the overhead of a hospital and staff, they can operate cheaper in your home.

Why do most people prefer the vet clinic?

*Examination - Most pet owners require either a final exam to confirm their terminal decision, or at the very least, a consultation with their vet to just confirm the situation, before going ahead with the procedure.

*Stress - Your pet has been to the vet many times before, and will be expecting to be examined, and have an injection, just as before. She(he) has no idea this will be any different.

*Compassion - Your vet clinic has dealt with this many times, and can help you in your time of grief. It is good to share with the people who cared for your pet during it's lifetime.

*Complications - If unexpected problems arise doing it at home ... you may end up making a quick trip to the vet hospital equipped to handle the unthinkable! Normally, the procedure goes according to plan, but there are exceptions, when it really is comforting to have all the resources of the staff and equipment of a vet hospital.

- You might ask, "what could go wrong?" I have seen many things, from simple problems restraining the pet in order to give the intravenous ... complicated by the lack of a hospital assistant, to more serious ones, like a heartbeat that persists long after you think it should be over.

- Pets have taken sudden fits during the administration of the intravenous solution, only receiving half of the required dose ... resulting in severe excitement, delirium, etc. It is rare, but it can happen, especially without the aid of an exam table, and hospital staff.

*Time - The time required to do it right is far more than you'd expect. At the clinic, after the initial injection, the pet can be quietly observed for as long as it takes for the vet to confirm the heart has stopped. I prefer to check ten or fifteen minutes after the initial cardiac arrest. Sometimes, it will restart, beating irregularly, without generating enough blood pressure to raise a vein. This makes it difficult to administer more of the required intravenous. Other measures are easily performed at the hospital, such as cutting down to the vein, or administering an intra-cardiac injection. Not something I prefer to do in your home!

Would you advise your loved one, your daughter, your wife, or yourself ... to have a baby at home with the help of a midwife? All the same pros and cons apply here. Home is far more comfortable than the hospital environment! For many it is the right choice.

Reference: Personal experience -

As a young, confident, bold new graduate vet, I performed many home euthanasias. Now older, wiser and more cautious, I always recommend the hospital.

Remember Murphy's law! (If it can go wrong, it will)

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