Euthanasia comes from the Greek word meaning "good death".  It is defined as "the practice of ending a life in a painless manner".  We called our practice Buena Vida (good life), because we believe every good life deserves a graceful end.

Once you have decided that euthanasia is the best route for your pet at this time, you have a few options.  First off, you may want to call your veterinarian to discuss your decision.  Some veterinarians may be available to come to your home and perform the euthanasia.  Some may not have that capacity and ask you to bring your pet to them.  There are a few situations when euthanasia at home may be more peaceful to you and your pet:

• your pet doesn't like to ride in the car
• your pet is a cat (very few cats enjoy riding in cars)
• your pet is in pain and/or difficult to move
• you simply want a more quiet, private time with your pet

If your veterinarian is unable to do at-home euthanasia and you would like us to come to your home, please contact us.  You can reach us by phone (505) 471-4596 or email (info@buenavidavet.com).  Please realize that we perform this service on a non-emergency basis Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Tuesday/Thursday at 5:30 PM.  If your pet is suffering and you can't reach us, contact your regular veterinarian or the Emergency Veterinary Clinic (505) 984-0625.

Prior to coming to your house, we will ask you to fill out our form.  You can do this now if you like.  The form gives us information about you and your pet so that we can make the process as smooth as possible.  Once we receive the form, we will arrange an appointment time with you.  We will also ask about payment arrangements at this time so that we don't have to spend any unnecessary time talking about it when we come to your house.  We want to be able to focus or you and your pet.

When we arrive at your home, we will first ask you for a couple of signatures.  Then we will be ready to meet your pet and start the procedure.  Dr. Steketee will briefly examine your pet to be sure she agrees that euthanasia is appropriate.  Most often, this only takes a few moments. 
 
Next, she will give your pet a sedative by injection. This sedative can briefly sting but should be the only pain your pet will feel during the process.  If your pet is very debilitated, this sedative may not be necessary.  Some pets will get quite sleepy from the sedative, while others may simply seem more "mellow". 

Once the effects of the sedative have set in (5-15 minutes), Dr. Steketee will place a small catheter in one of your pets veins, usually on a front or rear leg.  Sometimes she will need to shave away a small spot of fur to place the catheter.  Some sick cats and dogs may have poor blood pressure, and thus it may take a few tries to get a good catheter placement.  Dr. Steketee will be as gentle as possible. 

Once the catheter is placed, she will tell you and then start to inject the euthanasia solution.  It is a simply an overdose of a barbiturate and typically takes only a few minutes.  You can be there petting your cat or dog the whole time.  It is not uncommon for there to be small muscle twitches or even what looks like a breath for a few minutes after the heart has stopped.  The doctor will listen carefully to your pet's heart to be sure he or she is deceased.  Many animals will release their bowels and bladder at this time, and it is best to have a towel or blanket under them prior to starting the process.

Depending on your aftercare choice, Dr. Steketee will then either leave your pet with you for burial or cremation arrangements or transport your pet to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter for cremation.

You may want to read through our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.