FAQs
-
-
There is no single answer to this question as the answer varies based on the pet and the disease. You may notice some (although likely not all) of the following changes in your pet:
Lack of interest in food or water
Incontinence or falling down when trying to eliminate
No longer grooming in cats
Retreating and isolating themselves from the family and/or not greeting you when you come home
Inability to stand or walk on their own
Attitude changes, such as depression, aggression, or confusion
No longer wanting to do the things they enjoy such as playing
Having more bad days than good days
The following resources can help you assess your pet’s quality of life to help you decide when it is time to say goodbye:
-
Pets often experience their own grieving process after the loss of a housemate. Having your other pets present during the euthanasia appointment can help them to understand what is happening and provide closure. If you are concerned about your other pets disrupting the appointment or bothering your sick pet, you can keep them in another room then allow them to say goodbye after their friend has passed. In the time following the loss of your pet, it is important that you give your other pets extra attention to help them as you all grieve together.
-
This is a very personal decision that can only be decided by you and your children. You are welcome to have your children present for any or all of the process if you wish. The following resource can help you while making this decision as well as help guide your children through the grieving process:
Ohio State - Helping Children Cope with the Serious Illness or Death of a Companion Animal
-
Please see our What To Expect page for a detailed step-by-step description of the euthanasia process from our arrival to your final goodbye.
-
Appointments typically last around 45-60 minutes. The initial injection of sedation takes about 5-10 minutes to take effect. The final injection works quickly in typically 30 to 60 seconds. After the final injection, our veterinarian will step out of the room to give you as much time alone with your pet as you need before transporting your pet to their vehicle and arranging for cremation.
-
We provide arrangements for individual cremation with return of your pet’s ashes or communal cremation without return of your pet’s ashes. Our veterinarian will transport your pet for cremation after the appointment. You can also elect to bury your pet at home.
-
No, you do not need to worry about arranging for cremation. We will take care of this for you so you can focus on your pet. You will just let us know whether you want individual or communal cremation, and we will take care of the rest.
-
Bentley Veterinary Services does not aid in home burial. If you elect to bury your pet at home, it is your responsibility to comply with state and local laws regarding where and how deep a pet is allowed to be buried. It is important to know that if another animal consumes your pet’s remains, they may die due to exposure to the euthanasia solution. If a protected or endangered species dies due to unearthing and consuming your pet, there are severe federal fines and penalties.
-
Appointments are made upon request, preferably with advance notice, and are subject to doctor availability and timing of other appointments. Appointments are typically scheduled Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments and same day appointments may be available upon request subject to doctor availability.
-
We service a 20 mile radius from downtown Franklin. Appointments outside of our service area may be available upon request with an additional travel fee. This is subject to doctor's ability to accommodate based on other appointments and length of travel time. Please contact us for availability.
-
We understand the difficulty in choosing a time to say goodbye to your beloved family member, and we understand that circumstances can change. However, we have a very limited number of appointments available and once an appointment request is submitted, it prevents us from helping another family at that time. Therefore, a $100 non-refundable deposit is required upon scheduling your appointment. This deposit will be applied toward the cost of the euthanasia service at the time of the appointment. If you cancel or reschedule the appointment, for any reason, the deposit will not be refunded.
-
A credit/debit card is required for the non-refundable deposit upon booking. We accept credit/debit cards, checks, and cash for the remainder of the cost.