It’s all about love and letting go.
We understand how special this journey is. Your last moments with your pet must be as fragile, private and beautiful as you first met.
End of life care serving southern Maine and NH Within approximately 30 minutes of Dover, NH.
What to Expect
After the decision has been made, you will be asked to sign some consent forms. This can be done online under “forms” prior to your appointment. The form contains all the information Dr. Dichter needs to prepare for the appointment and after-care.
The form indicates that you give your consent to euthanize your pet, and if you already know, indicates your choice for body aftercare.
If you are unsure at the time on aftercare, Dr. Dichter can discuss that in person after arrival. The consent form also affirms that your pet has not bitten within the last 10 days (a requirement of state rabies law). If your pet has bitten someone in the last 10 days, please contact your regular veterinarian. We can also take payment online or through Venmo. That way Dr. Dichter can focus her time solely on your pet when she arrives. Dr. Dichter will arrive at your home and greet you and your pet. Your pet can relax while you discuss any questions or concerns you may have about the process.
Dr. Dichter may choose to use a group of veins right under the skin under the belly or on the back. Your pet will not be aware of this injection. With the first injection given, your pet should be in such a deep sleep, that they wouldn’t even feel surgery.
In any chance of an EMERGENCY situation, please contact your regular veterinarian or the closest emergency hospital.
Dr. Dichter may not respond in a timely manner to manage an emergency euthanasia due to her full-time job.
When Is It Time?
QUALITY OF LIFE
You know your pet best and are the expert on the quality of their life. Take a moment and decide, are they still doing the things they love? Did they enjoy going for a walk, and are no longer getting excited to do that? Did they enjoy greeting you at the door, and they are no longer there when you arrive home?
Just existing, such as eating, drinking, and using the bathroom, are not always a good predictor of quality of life. At that time, we may just be looking at quantity, not quality.
GOOD DAY vs BAD DAY CALENDAR
Does your pet have good days and bad days? It may be good to have a physical calendar available to mark your pets good days and bad days. If the number of bad days start to outnumber the good days then it may be best to relieve them of their suffering.
Many people fear that they may be taking good days away from their pet by choosing euthanasia. With a physical calendar, it can be easier for us to make a decision for euthanasia knowing that their good days are far and few in between.
How To Prepare for the Visit
Masks are no longer required unless you are showing symptoms of COVID. Please be sure to reschedule if you or any family members are COVID positive or if you have been exposed to COVID.
Weather permitting, we can perform euthanasias outside.
We may not always be able to bring a technician with us so if your pet is over 40 lbs please be prepared to help Dr. Dichter transport the remains to her vehicle after the euthanasia.
The process itself, from when Dr. Dichter comes into your home to when she leaves, is usually about 30-60 minutes. During that time period we will go over, take payment, give sedation (this is an intra-muscular injection), wait about 3-5 minutes for the sedation to take effect, and give the final injection.
We try to mimic your pet just “going to sleep” as much as possible. It is very peaceful and our main goal is for your pet to feel no pain at any point during the procedure.
The owner of the pet must be present for consent. There must be someone over the age of 18 in the home. If you are the owner and you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent/legal guardian present.
Due to liability we are no longer euthanizing pets due to behavior problems including aggression without an up-to-date rabies vaccination and a letter from your regular veterinarian indicating that euthanasia is the best option for the pet. Please contact your regular veterinarian to request oral sedatives to be given before your pet’s appointment. This will help make the process less stressful for everyone.
If your pet has recently been bitten by another animal including a raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, coyote or another animal, or if a human or another animal has been bitten BY your pet within the past ten days, we will not be able to assist you.
Make sure all pets in the household are contained or put in a separate room/outside prior to our arrival. This of course does not apply to the pet that is being put to sleep.
Please choose a room that is well lit and can comfortably accommodate the number of people you anticipate being present.
Please have your method of payment ready if you have not already prepaid online. We take credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or we take cash. We do not accept checks unless discussed prior to the appointment. We will complete any further paperwork needed and payment before we begin. That way we can focus solely on your pet for the remainder of the appointment.
We will coordinate and arrange the care of remains if you wish to have your pet cremated. If you decide you would like to arrange for a different method for care of remains, you will be responsible for making arrangements yourself. Please refer to your city’s ordinance on at-home burial of pets. We are not responsible for your pet’s remains if you decide to personally dispose of the remains.
We appreciate your cooperation during this difficult time. We deeply care for the well-being of your pet as well as your satisfaction with our services. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
The Ohio State Veterinary School also has information on when euthanasia may be needed for your pet- “Assessing Quality of life for your companion animal and making End Of Life Decisions.”