Saying goodbye to our pets is always a hard decision to make. AV Veterinary Center strives to ensure your pet has a peaceful and respectful passing. We provide a private room, comfortable accommodations, and the time you feel necessary to be with your pet.

No one ever wants to think about their pet crossing the rainbow bridge, but this journey will happen at some point in time, whether you are prepared or not. While some pets may cross over the bridge without any warning to their owners, many others will find themselves with an illness that they may suffer through until the end.

One of the first things that you should do if you notice that your pet may be suffering in some way is to schedule an appointment with AV Veterinary Center. Our vets can perform some tests to see what your pet is suffering from and let you know what can be done to help him/her either get better quickly or help them live out their last few days, weeks, or months comfortably.

Of course, you may not know that your pet is in pain or suffering, so we encourage you to look for signs that include your pet is not eating or drinking like they normally do or if they are reluctant to move or simply do not act like they normally do.

Once our vets have determined what is wrong with your pet, you can both create a plan that will be helpful to you and your pet. This plan may include medications, providing a soft place to sleep, and making sure that they have their favorite blanket or toy with them whenever you can.

You will also want to spend more time interacting with your pet, even if you are simply sitting next to them and petting them. This may seem insignificant to you, but to your pet, having you near them will help soothe them and keep them relaxed.

Towards the end of your pet’s life, you may want to consider pet hospice. During this time, you would need to be available to your pet at all hours of the day and night to ensure that they are as comfortable as possible. AV Veterinary Center will be able to assist you with showing exactly what you need to do during this time and offer recommendations as necessary. Some people will choose pet hospice over euthanasia; however, they will want to make sure that their pet is not suffering during this time.

Euthanasia is painless, and it is the best option for many pet owners who do not want to see their pet suffer unnecessarily. After all, pets are members of the family, and as much as we all want them to live forever, none of us want them to be in pain when they do not need to be.
When you believe that your pet is reaching the end of their life, we recommend that you contact us to see what steps you should take to ensure that both you and your pet are comfortable during this time.