Use doorbells to offer peaceful goodbyes during euthanasia

We have all dealt with the uncomfortable problem of not knowing how long to wait before going into the room when an owner is saying their last goodbye to their pet. They often say they just need a minute, but then you poke your head in and they are not ready. Instead of repeatedly interrupting their last minutes together, our clinic has found a way around this.

(GETTY IMAGES/FABRICE LEROUGE)

I purchased an inexpensive wireless doorbell for less than $20. The chime is plugged into an outlet in the treatment area. And when the patient is brought into the exam room for the owner—after having its IV catheter placed—we hand the owners the doorbell ringer and tell them to take as much time as they need and to press the button when they are ready for the doctor to come in.

This not only allows uninterrupted private time for the owner and patient but frees up team members and doctors to do other things while the owners and patient say their goodbyes.

—Pamela A. Kwiatkowski, DVM, MS Flagler Animal Hospital, Flagler Beach, Fla.