End-of-life care
At Westport Veterinary Clinic in South Queensferry
Please do not feel you have to be certain before you ring us. Many people come in simply to ask whether it is time, and go home again. That conversation is worth having early, when it is not an emergency.
What we offer and what it costs
Prices include VAT and are for a typical case. If your pet needs more, we will tell you the cost before we start.
Anything not listed here is quoted individually – please ask and we will give you an estimate. See our full price list.
How do you know when it is time?
There is rarely a single moment. It usually helps to think about the ordinary things rather than the medical ones:
- Are they still eating and drinking with any interest?
- Can they get up, get outside, get comfortable?
- Are they still doing the things that made them them – the greeting at the door, the spot in the sun, the wag?
- Are the bad days now outnumbering the good ones?
- Is pain being managed, or are we only just keeping ahead of it?
A vet can help you look at this honestly, and we will tell you if we think there is still good time left.
What happens
We book a quiet appointment, usually at a less busy time, and you can wait somewhere private. You are welcome to stay and most people do – but if you cannot, that is not a failure, and we will be with them. The injection is an overdose of anaesthetic: your pet becomes deeply unconscious within seconds. It is painless, and we can give a sedative first so they are relaxed and sleepy before anything else happens.
Worth deciding beforehand
- Whether you would like it done at home instead – ring and ask, it is not always possible but often worth asking.
- Who will come with you, and who will drive.
- What happens afterwards: taking them home to bury, communal cremation, or individual cremation with the ashes returned.
- Whether you would like a paw print or a lock of fur. People very often wish afterwards that they had asked.
Deciding these in advance means you do not have to while you are upset.
Frequently asked questions
The things people ask us most about end-of-life care.
Related topics
ConsultationsBook a consultation at Westport Veterinary Clinic. First appointments, follow-ups and nurse clinics, with every fee published in full.
Emergencies & out of hoursEmergency veterinary care in South Queensferry, 24 hours a day with Westport24. If you think your pet needs seeing now, ring us first.
Still not sure what your pet needs?
Ring us and talk it through. We would rather spend five minutes on the phone than have you worry about it.