Humane Euthanasia
"Euthanasia" is a Greek term meaning "good death". Euthanasia is never an easy subject to discuss. We try to help those who reach out to us with medical concerns if you are not sure of the quality of your pet's life. Euthanasia is an acceptable method for relieving pain or distress that cannot be controlled by other means. Euthanasia is the act of inducing death without pain. Humane euthanasia involves rendering your pet unconscious with a sedative into a state insensitive to pain, with minimum fear and anxiety, a barbituate is used as a final injection intravenously. The response is quick, stopping the heart and brain activity, eventually allowing your pet to pass on.
Euthanasia Services
We currently do not offer house calls for euthanasia services but we do offer euthanasia services with appointment times as well as walk-ins during office hours. We try our best not to allow long waits on such an important decision. We would consult with you and answer any questions you may have pertaining to your pet's quality of life, medical options, goals with palliative care and when to make a final decision.
We recommend Lap of Love for at home euthanasia services. Lap of Love is a network of veterinarians around the country with the goal of helping owners to care for their pets with minimal stress in a familiar environment.
Cremation Services
The loss of a beloved pet is always difficult. We believe every pet deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We are here to help guide you through the decisions that need to be made if burial is not an option. Our specially trained staff maintains the highest standards in thoughtful aftercare. The Hickory Pet Inn offers two options for cremation: public and private. A public cremation is communal and no cremains are returned.
A private cremation is done individually and your pet’s cremains are presented to you in a wooden urn. You have the option of adding a personalized brass nameplate to the urn. While a wooden urn is standard, we can provide you with a catalog of alternative remembrance urns. The team at Hickory Veterinary and Specialty Hospital will also offer you an ink paw print memorial at no charge. We hope this small keepsake will provide some comfort to you. We understand the decision is not an easy one and our staff is available to answer any questions you may have.