This story was originally published on my vet school blog, “Wet Cleanup on Aisle 5.”
We have a particular blanket in our hospital, and every time I pick it up, I think to myself, “How many pets have died on this blanket?” I wonder if the pets who are about to be euthanized sense that this blanket has watched others pass on before them.
It’s a cozy little blanket, really. Comfy flannel with a pine tree motif that is perfect for our little mountain town. I initially started using it for euthanasias because it is one of the few blankets we have that doesn’t have mysterious stains, holes, or both. Now, I’ve come to think of it as part of the ritual – a small comfort in a time where comfort is needed.
One of my fears, upon first starting work at our veterinary clinic, was that euthanasias would be difficult for me. How sad to have to watch puppies and kitties die! What do you say to the client?
Turns out, they aren’t a bad experience after all. Pleasant? No. But beautiful, in a way. It’s such a peaceful thing, to be able to give a furry companion a dignified end.
If I’m ever in the amount of pain at my life’s end that some of these pets experience, I hope someone will let me fade off on that cozy blanket.
