Euthanasia

What you deserve

We provide care for your pets in every stage of life, especially as they are nearing the end of their journey. We understand that making an end of life decision for your pet is one of the most difficult decisions you will make for them. However, you do not need to make that decision alone. Our doctors and staff will support you every step of the way.

We offer in-clinic euthanasia in the privacy of our comfort room, as well as in-home euthanasia services with Dr. Rebecca Duden if you'd prefer a peaceful passing at home. At this time, in home euthanasia services are limited to the Matanuska-Valley north to Willow and south to Eagle River.

For our in-clinic euthanasia, we have a comfort room located in the back of our clinic where you will have privacy for you, your pet, and your family to arrive unseen and leave when ready after your pet’s passing.

If you are ready to book an end of life consultation appointment, please give us a call right away (907) 745-3219. We offer in-home and in-clinic appointments.

What you deserve

Making an end-of-life choice for your pet is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions a pet owner will ever have to make. We are here to discuss these decisions and share our experiences with you. There are also excellent resources available online that you can evaluate at home with your family:

How does the euthanasia process work? Depending on the health status of your pet, we may choose to sedate your pet with a simple injection under the skin. This injection will help to calm your pet and provide a more peaceful bonding near the end of your pet’s journey. Some pets will go into a deep sleep, while others rest comfortably on a bed or in your arms. When you and your pet are ready, the doctor will come in and perform the final injection. This injection may be given in a vein or directly into an organ (we promise that an intra-organ injection, if chosen by the doctor, is not painful with sedation. We would never do anything to induce pain in your pet during the final minutes). This final injection only takes a couple of minutes to travel through the body and stop the heart; we then listen to the heart to confirm end of life. Most pets do not close his/her eyes, and some will defecate/urinate during the process. An occasional pet will have a muscle or respiratory spasm post-injections as the organ systems shut down at different rates in the body. Rest assured, we will not leave your pet’s side until we have confirmed your pet is no longer with us.

What you deserve

Making an end-of-life choice for your pet is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions a pet owner will ever have to make. We are here to discuss these decisions and share our experiences with you. There are also excellent resources available online that you can evaluate at home with your family:

How does the euthanasia process work? Depending on the health status of your pet, we may choose to sedate your pet with a simple injection under the skin. This injection will help to calm your pet and provide a more peaceful bonding near the end of your pet’s journey. Some pets will go into a deep sleep, while others rest comfortably on a bed or in your arms. When you and your pet are ready, the doctor will come in and perform the final injection. This injection may be given in a vein or directly into an organ (we promise that an intra-organ injection, if chosen by the doctor, is not painful with sedation. We would never do anything to induce pain in your pet during the final minutes). This final injection only takes a couple of minutes to travel through the body and stop the heart; we then listen to the heart to confirm end of life. Most pets do not close his/her eyes, and some will defecate/urinate during the process. An occasional pet will have a muscle or respiratory spasm post-injections as the organ systems shut down at different rates in the body. Rest assured, we will not leave your pet’s side until we have confirmed your pet is no longer with us.

What you deserve

What happens after the euthanasia of my pet is completed? Because we have a comfort room in our clinic, you can spend as much time with your pet as you need.

We offer paw prints for your pet as well as cremation services through Passages Pet Cremation and Grief Center in Palmer, Alaska. If you are unsure about these services, please feel free to discuss with us.

To discuss or schedule a quality of life exam or euthanasia (in-clinic or in-home w/Dr. Duden), please call us at 907-745-3219.