FAQs

• You can reach out to schedule an appointment via the form on the website to request an appointment.
• You may also email us directly at Info@sunsetveterinarycare.com.
• Another way you can contact us is via phone call at (629) 244-7311. Please be sure to leave a message as we may be unable to answer your call if we are helping another client.

• It is my strong belief that you, the pet parent, knows your pet the best. You know what makes them happy, what brings them joy, and knows the quality of life that they have enjoyed. Sometimes the change is abrupt and extreme and the decision is very clear. Oftentimes toward the end of life for many pets and their parents, it is a bit of a roller-coaster, with a bad day where you think it may be time, just to have them rebound and have a good day or string of good days. This can oftentimes make the decision confusing. Frequently the question of “is it time?” is accompanied by changes in general behavior and attitude, loss of weight, decrease in appetite, changes in water intake, inability to get around comfortably or at all, and changes in mentation. What is paramount during this time is to focus on our pet’s quality of life, despite our own fears and attachments. Additionally, it is important to evaluate proposed treatment costs and effects in relation to outcome and your own circumstances. These are all important and valid dynamics to take into consideration when making this difficult decision. Having an open dialogue with your trusted veterinary team is also important during this time, as they can give you added guidance.
• Some of the following exercises may be helpful to you when you are making your decision….
  • Try to keep track of your pets’ days. When the bad days are outweighing the good days it is probably time.
  • Think of three things that your pet enjoys. When they are no longer doing two of those things then it may be time.
    • These may include, but are not limited to:
      • Eating
      • Wanting to go for walks
      • Greeting you at the door
      • Seeking affection
      • General Mobility
      • Ability to Urinate and Defecate on their own appropriately
      • Rest/sleep comfortably
    • Resources to help you determine if it’s time.
      • The Ohio State University Quality of Life Discussion
      • LSU Quality of Life Assessment

While some people may want their pet to simply “fall asleep” on their own and pass naturally, the reality is that oftentimes natural death is preceded by immense pain and suffering. Cats and dogs will keep trying to act normally and hide their pain despite their immense discomfort. They also are very good at hiding their pain and suffering, so by the time we see and recognize it, they have endured far more than we have realized. As their pet parents and guardians, it is our job to let them know that it is “okay”….. they don’t have to keep going. We are able to give them this gift of euthanasia, “good death”, in the comfort of their home and surrounded by their favorite people. Essentially, we are able to give them that “passing in their sleep” that many of us wish them to have.

• In-Home Pet Euthanasia
  • Initial phone consult
  • House Call
  • Pre-sedation / Pain Injection
  • Humane Euthanasia
  • Fur Clipping Keepsake
  • Notification to your primary veterinarian of the pet’s passing
  • Cost: $400
  • * Additional fees may be applied for after-hours appointments, holiday appointments, aggressive pets, or appointments outside our normal service area

• Aftercare Services
  • Communal Cremation
    • This service is available and best for clients who want to have their pets cremated but are not interested in getting their remains returned to them.
    • Pets under 30 lbs.: $100
    • Pets over 30 lbs.: $195

• Private Cremation
  • This service is best for those pet parents who wish to have their pet cremated and the remains of their pet returned to them. The ashes of only your pet will be returned in a beautifully crafted cedar urn.
  • Remains hand-delivered in a timely manner, typically within 24-48 hours
  • Cost: $345
  • If you choose to have the urn personally engraved, we can do that for an additional $50 + tax

• Keepsake Mementos – For an additional cost, you can also request to receive an individual clay paw print memento or an ink paw/nose print to memorialize your pet and the wonderful memories shared together. Please be sure to notify us if you are interested in this addition.
  • Clay Paw Print: $50 + tax
  • Ink Paw or Nose Print: $30 + tax

It is our goal to make this as peaceful of an experience as we can. Your pets will know that they are at home, surrounded by their favorite people, and in the comfort of their home. After the initial sedation/relaxation cocktail is administered they will simply drift off gradually into a pain-free, comfortable, deep anesthetic sleep.

It is definitely okay for your other pet family members to be present, but also I wouldn’t force it. Pets will grieve too in their own way. It can be helpful for other pet family members to take a sniff of your pet after it has passed to help them process that they have passed versus just disappearing. The only time that I will recommend for pet family members to be separated from the procedure and not present is if you think that they will be a significant distraction for you, or if you think that they may be possessive or aggressive. In these situations, it would be for the safety of everyone involved to have them not be present.