It is never easy saying goodbye to a beloved pet. Euthanasia is one of the toughest topics to discuss with pet owners that is well before the experience of the actual appointment. In veterinary medicine, we often experience a range of emotions from the caregiver's perspective. Comforting and guiding clients through this emotionally tumultuous time can be extremely taxing. There are ways to make these experiences better for the owners having to say goodbye and, in turn, could make it easier on the caregivers who find themselves in the support role.

Setting the stage for the experience that honors the bond between pet and owner through the veterinary comfort room has become an essential part of any clinic or hospital. A comfortable environment equipped to help the patient and client through the emotional suffering that is part of the pet loss experience is vital.

We, in the veterinary world, sometimes compartmentalize the pain and discomfort we feel during highly emotional situations by qualifying it as a procedure in order to cope. Unfortunately, that can do us and our clients a huge disservice. I invite you to embrace the euthanasia experience as a furthering of the bond between you and your client, and their beloved pet. As part of the healthcare team, this is one of the gifts you can offer to a pet that is suffering and, by extension, the suffering of the owner, as well.

Importance of environment

When considering the emotional tolls that the death of a pet plays on a client, one of the areas we can make intentional efforts are on the components of the comfort room for our clients and patients.