Pet loss and end of life care
The bond between owner and pet often strengthens towards the end of life
It is well known that clients remember their first and last visit to their vet. The last visit is so often a euthanasia and the veterinary team can have a huge influence at this time on a client's grief.
Eighty per cent of pets in the UK are euthanised and statistics show that client attrition following pet loss is between 14 and 19 per cent. Attrition is a silent loss, we are rarely aware that the client has left us.
We know how important pets are to owners, the human companion animal bond is strong with the pet providing both physical and emotional benefits. Around 99 per cent of owners now consider their pets as family members. This bond between owner and pet often strengthens towards the end of life, as the owner becomes older and perhaps has no other companion.
We worry that we’ll upset clients by talking about the death of their pet, but when asked only 12 per cent said that they did not want to discuss it until it was necessary.
End of life care should not just be about what happens during a euthanasia in the consulting room. You need a plan, and part of that plan is preparing the client for their pet's end of life.
Compassionate communication should always be part of that plan. This involves choosing the right words for the client, validate their feelings (I know it's hard...), discuss the length of their relationship with their pet (you've cared for...), show that they are caring for their pet (a last option to let him die peacefully…), and show it is a considered decision (making a responsible choice...).
Having a pre-euthanasia consult can help prepare clients and give them the information they need about the euthanasia process. For some clients, this works well and enables them to cope better when the actual time comes.
Clients do need support. They need compassion and understanding, empathy and compassionate communication. They need recognition of the loss and the bond there was between them and their pet.
They also need permission to grieve and to know that you hear and understand them and are not judging. Many clients also need an opportunity to reflect with someone who understands and to know what aftercare options they have.
The bottom line is that clients do want to talk about pet euthanasia. Research figures have shown that 31 per cent of owners were not prepared for their pet's euthanasia and this needs to be addressed.
Most clients need support at a time of grief and stress when they have or are about to lose their pet. There will be those who reject the offer — it all depends on life circumstances. However, we should be prepared to provide it to all our clients unless they tell us otherwise.
RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.
