If your pet is having a true emergency and is in imminent risk of passing away, please go to the nearest open clinic or emergency room. Call first or on your way to ensure they are available to help.

Please do not try to perform CPR on your pet. You will not be able to administer effective CPR and will only delay time to appropriate help.

If your pet is critically ill or injured, or if your pet is already at a practice and is on oxygen therapy or life support, choosing to euthanize at a veterinary facility may be the kindest, most loving gift that you can give them.

Scroll down for a list of ERs, google may offer additional ERs in your area

Euthanasia is an assisted death, performed in a humane manner, to relieve suffering.

Many of us secretly hope that our pet will pass away peacefully in their sleep. Unfortunately, as those who have witnessed the natural passing of a human loved one have experienced, nature is not always kind.

We believe that the ability to relieve our pet’s suffering, whether at home or at a clinic, is an act of kindness and love that we can offer them. A gift that takes away their pain and makes it our own, to honor the years of devotion and love that they have given to us.

This is the million dollar question.

In some cases the answer is clear, such as if your pet is very sick or injured and there are no treatment options, all of the treatments have been tried and are no longer working, or pursuing treatment is not the right option for your family.

In most situations the decision is less clear. We recommend focusing more on your pet’s quality of life than their quantity of life. Meaning, we want your pets to live as long as possible with best quality of life as possible. If they no longer have a good quality of life, then it is reasonable to elect euthanasia.

It should be noted that our pet’s quality of life, or the things that add value to their life, will change as they mature and age, similar to us. Many pets spend more time sleeping and become less active and playful as they age. This does not necessarily mean that they no longer enjoy life, but the things that bring them joy may change over time.

We recommend trying to assess your pet’s quality of life in an objective fashion. There are numerous quality of life questionnaires available on the internet, however two of our favorites are:

• https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/

• Or simply, think of three things that seem to bring your pet the most joy. Euthanasia is reasonable when they are no longer interested in two of them if there are no treatment options that could improve their interest/quality of life.

We also recommend that all decision making members of the family fill out the questionnaire individually and then discuss it. If you scored less than half of the total points possible, it is reasonable to consider euthanasia. Less than 1/4 of the points, it is definitely time. If you scored half or more, we would recommend repeating the questionnaire periodically, with the frequency depending on how quickly your pet is declining. If you’ve noticed subtle changes over the past year, then maybe repeat it monthly. If you’ve noticed dramatic changes over the past few weeks, then maybe repeat it every 2-3 days.

Lastly, it is so so so incredibly hard to act on, but we firmly believe that the decision to euthanize is better “a day too early than a minute too late.” We’re not sure who coined this phrase, but they are spot on. None of us want our pets to experience the absolute worst condition they could be in, but to avoid that we must make the decision before they get to that point.

Yes and no.

If we feel strongly that euthanasia is or is not recommended, we will make that recommendation clear. Much of the time our recommendation is going to be based on your perception of your pet’s quality of life, as we believe that you know your pet the best.

We recommend talking with your pet’s primary care veterinarian, as they are already familiar with your pet’s history and can make more adequate recommendations. Additionally, if some testing is required to make those recommendations, they are likely set up to do them at the time of your quality of life visit.

If your pet does not have a primary care vet, or if you are in need of additional help making sense of your options, we are happy to discuss your pet’s individual circumstances and help you make a decision. Our assistant Laurie is very experienced in these conversations/decisions and can talk with you at no charge, or we can set up a telehealth consult with Dr. Perez.* An in-person exam and consultation can also be arranged, however most of the time a telehealth consult is sufficient.

*Telehealth is limited to discussion of quality of life, general options, and general care guidelines.
Telemedicine (diagnosing, treatment (including prescriptions), and prognosing) is illegal in the state of Texas unless we have physically seen your pet within one year.

In short, most of us hope to pass away peacefully at home, and we have the opportunity to give that gift to our beloved pets.

Brick and mortar veterinary practices will always do what they can to make the process as smooth and peaceful as possible. However, most pets do get stressed by a visit to the vet. And, while you likely will not be rushed in and out, most clients inherently feel a sense of urgency and desire to minimize their time in the building. Additionally, some families just do not want to associate their vet, who they trust to care for the rest of their pet family, with the death of a loved one.

Please note that in an emergency, if your pet is critically ill or injured, or if your pet is already at a practice and is on oxygen therapy or life support, choosing to euthanize at a veterinary facility may be the kindest, most loving gift that you can give them.

We never want a family to feel rushed in their final moments with a loved one. We allocate 60 minutes for each euthanasia appointment, with most visits taking 45-60 minutes from arrival to departure. Some visits will be shorter or longer, which is why we always provide an arrival window (and sometimes run late).

Every family and every pet is unique and so our service and process is individualized. However, our process is typically two steps - an initial medication to make your pet fall asleep (usually in 10 minutes or less), followed by another medication that will assist them to pass (usually within 1-2 minutes).

It is not mandatory, but we encourage you to remain present with your pet throughout the process and shower them (if they appreciate it) with pets, love, and snacks until they are asleep.

We welcome you and your family to spend time with your loved one before we administer the final medication and after they have passed, if you’d like to. We also respect that some families would like the process to be expedited with minimal to no visitation time.

After your pet has passed we will make any desired paw and nose prints on site and encourage your participation. We can also make prints away from the home if that is preferred.

If we are providing aftercare services, we will gently take your pet with us when we leave. We will bring a stretcher to carry your pet if they are medium sized or larger. If very large we may request your assistance, but this is usually planned in advance.

We strive to minimize fear, stress, and pain for your pet (and your family). We arrive in an unmarked SUV and we wear regular clothes, no scrubs or white coats.

We do not make an effort to make friends with your pet, unless they seek attention from us. This may seem odd, but new people can make some pets uneasy, or take the attention away from family, and our goal is to minimize our presence as much as possible to keep the focus between you and your beloved pet.

We do not place an IV catheter or administer any medication into a vein while your pet is awake as those require us to restrain your pet which can be stressful. We typically administer the first medication as an injection under the skin so that minimal to no restraint is necessary.

Your pet will experience no pain as they transition.

The first medication that we administer is a combination of sedation and pain medication. Admittedly, some pets, like people, are not fond of needle pokes and so may dislike when the first medication is given. Others don’t notice it at all. We encourage tasty treats (if interested) and attention while the first medication is given to take their mind off of it. Thankfully, it only takes a few seconds to give, similar to a vaccination, and the rest of the visit should be pain free.

That depends on what selections you have made. Should you elect cremation or aquamation with one of the facilities that we work with, then we will gently take your beloved pet with us when we leave and handle delivery to the facility. Should you elect to receive their ashes back, we will hand deliver them back to your home.

If we are providing aftercare services, you are welcome to carry your pet to the car, or accompany us while we carry. For medium and large dogs we bring a stretcher to make transport easier. For very large dogs or if only the doctor is present, we may request your assistance (this is typically discussed/planned ahead of time).

Some folks elect home burial. For that we suggest that you have the burial site prepared prior to your pet’s passing, if possible. Please make sure to check with local city regulations regarding pet burial to see if it is allowed and any requirements, such as how deep the grave must be. The biggest concern with home burial is the potential for harm to other animals by the medications used for euthanasia.

Some folks elect to take their pet to a specific aftercare facility that we do not directly work with. This is completely acceptable, however you will be responsible for transportation of your pet to the facility and may need to pick up ashes there. Some facilities will pick up and drop off to your home.

Typical aftercare options include:

• private cremation (ashes returned)

• communal/group cremation (ashes not returned)

• home burial

• individual aquamation (with ashes returned)

• communal/group aquamation (ashes not returned)

Please see our information above in the pricing section to see what is included in each option that we provide and the associated costs.

Not necessarily. We do try to restrict the location to a privately owned residence or property. Unique requests are considered on a case by case basis.

Some families elect to have the service performed at the location where burial will take place (if elected), or at the home of a friend or family member so that they do not connect their own home to their beloved pet’s passing.

Our appointment hours are Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. We can typically accommodate euthanasia appointments within 24-48 hours. You are welcome to contact us for an urgent request during our business hours and we will absolutely help if we are able, however, we cannot offer emergency services due to the nature of our practice.

We schedule a one hour arrival window to account for variation in traffic and appointment duration as we never want a family to feel rushed. Occasionally we run late but will keep you updated.

To schedule:

Prefer to communicate directly with a person? Click here

Prefer to schedule on your own? Click here

No home preparation is necessary. Really. Please spend your time with your loved one and not cleaning up for us.

We are accustomed to working in variable conditions and want your family and your pet to be as comfortable as possible, so feel free to plan based on what feels right for you. Don’t worry, we will gently speak up if anything needs to be changed.

Some things to consider include:

• Location

  • Does your pet prefer inside or outside? Is the weather or temperature comfortable for your pet and your family? Does your pet have a favorite room, bed, or lap?

  • You are welcome to hold your pet throughout the process

• Lighting

• Music or background sound

• Who will be present

  • Will they stay for the entire process? Will they step out once the pet is asleep? Do they need to step out for the entire process?

  • Many families remain with their pet throughout the entire process, however everybody handles and processes these events differently and we respect whatever dynamic you choose.

  • We do require that at least one adult remain on the premises with us the entire time, however there is no requirement to remain in the same room. Some individuals take comfort in being nearby but out of view.

• Should children be present?

  • We welcome family members of all ages, but you will need to decide what is right for your family.

  • Some families include children while others arrange for them to be out of the home or occupied in another room.

  • Some families allow children to make the choice to stay for all, some, or none of the process.

  • If your child elects to stay for the entire process, we do request that an adult stay with them.

• Other pets

  • We welcome other pets to be present during the visit as long as they will not bite and are not disruptive. Many housemates act excited to see us initially, but settle down and watch from afar as the visit progresses.

  • If your other pets are not present during the visit, we encourage you to give them the opportunity to visit after your pet has passed. They may or may not appear to understand, but they may be processing in their own way.

• Treats treats treats!

  • If your pet is still interested in food, this is your opportunity to offer them anything they’ve ever wanted to try. Literally, anything. Cheeseburgers, fries, ice cream, chocolate, really… anything. We do recommend waiting until just before the appointment so that they get to enjoy the treat but do not suffer from a stomach ache after.

  • We also recommend saving some of the treats to give as we administer the initial medication as it can be a great distraction.

  • Your pet is welcome to continue to snack until they are too sleepy to do so.

• Religious or spiritual services

  • We do not offer these services but we will make accommodations to the best of our ability to support your practice of them. Please let us know at the start of the visit or ahead of time if you have any requests, such as time for prayer at a specific part of the process. Please let us know at scheduling if you may need an extended appointment time.

Grief is normal.

Yes, even regarding the loss of a pet. Pets give us emotional support, unconditional love, and are often considered a beloved best friend or family member, sometimes even a child.

We offer a couple of different routes for grief support, including:

• Marleen Garza

  • First 60 minute session free with euthanasia or aftercare service through CompassVet

  • Local grief recovery specialist

  • Grief recovery method® or traditional counseling sessions

  • Contact Marleen directly at 210-699-7079

• Pet Compassion Careline

  • No cost

  • Grief counselors available 24-7

Additional Resources:

• The short, free, e-book Guide to Pet Loss

• Free e-booklet with links to additional resources Coping with Loss

That depends. Each clinic sets their own prices so prices between different clinics can vary dramatically even for the same service or level of care.

In general, housecall visits do tend to be a bit more expensive. Why? It all comes down to time. You may only see us for 60 minutes during your pet’s euthanasia visit, but much more time is dedicated solely to your pet, including travel time to and from your home, preparation for the visit, prepping your pet for cremation, and delivery of remains or paw prints back to your home (if elected). This means that the doctor and technician can spend upwards of 3 to 4 hours on one pet - yours.

Comparatively, a brick and mortar clinic is able to accommodate many pets in that time frame, up to 16 if they are scheduling standard 15 minute appointments.

It’s true, traditionally only one medication was administered for euthanasia. While that medication did anesthetize your pet prior to their transition, it has become standard of care to administer a sedative prior to the euthanasia medication. Over the years veterinarians have found that the multi-step approach provides a more peaceful transition with less stress for both you and your pet.

At this time we do not.

Yes! We also offer acupuncture and limited wellness care such as vaccinations, flea/tick/heartworm prevention, routine labwork, minor ear infections, skin changes, etc. Think - anything that does not require x-rays or anesthesia. All care is provided in the comfort of your own home. We can also see all of your pets in one visit so that you do not have to transport all of them to the vet at once or make multiple trips!

Curious about if we may be able to treat your pet or become their primary care veterinarian? Send us a text or call and we’ll be happy to discuss if we would be a good fit.

Due to our limitations as a housecall only vet, we do recommend that you maintain a relationship with a brick and mortar practice for easier access to advanced diagnostics and procedures if and when they are necessary. Alternatively you could utilize an ER facility.