End of Life Care

How can you make your pet’s final days peaceful and dignified?

Is Your Pet In Pain?

When cats or dogs are in pain, they often don’t display the obvious signs we expect—like crying or whimpering. In some cases, they may still eat or drink even while uncomfortable or disoriented. Signs that your pet could be in pain may include heavy panting or labored breathing, hiding or avoiding interaction, hesitation to move, and becoming more selective with food.

Caring for an Elderly Pet

The best way to care for an aging pet is to reduce any pain or discomfort they may be feeling.

• Work closely with your veterinarian to identify and manage health concerns, as untreated conditions can lead to pain or a quick decline in health.
• Make sure your pet is surrounded by comfort—favorite toys, soft blankets, and a cozy resting area with plenty of padding to prevent pressure sores.
• Some senior pets may lose bladder control, so it’s important to check them often for dampness or accidents. If your pet struggles to stand for bathroom breaks, you can support them with a towel or special sling placed under their body to help them move safely.

Considering Euthanasia

Euthanasia offers a calm and pain-free way to end a pet’s suffering when their quality of life has declined. Our Veterinarians are specially trained to ensure the process is gentle and humane.

Your veterinarian can help determine when it’s the right time to consider euthanasia, using medical insights that may be more reliable than what can be seen at home. Many pet owners postpone the decision out of love and grief, but keeping a daily record of your pet’s comfort and activities can make it easier to recognize changes. The ultimate goal is always to prevent unnecessary suffering.

Pet Cremation 

Many pet owners choose cremation as a way to honor their pets after they pass. You’ll need to decide whether you’d like to keep your pet’s ashes as a keepsake. If so, you can request an individual (or private) cremation, where your pet is cremated separately.

Here at Riverwalk, every detail of the services we offer is to create a gentle, Fear Free approach including offering a gentle, eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation and burial called Aquamation through our partner Peaceful Pets.

Why Aquamation?

• A gentle and respectful option
• A flameless process that used water instead of fire
• Returns 20% more ash remains to the family
• Uses 90% less energy than cremation
• No direct emissions of harmful greenhouse gases or mercury
• 1/10th of the environmental impact of the flame-based cremation

If you elect to do private cremation, our partner Peaceful Pets offers a variety of memorial items such as Personalized Tributes, Urns, and Jewelry to choose from. Our team will help you select the perfect keepsake to honor your pet. Once your pet’s keepsakes are created, the team at Peaceful Pets will reach out to you to schedule a time to personally hand deliver your pet’s  memorial items to you.

Dealing with Pet Loss

There are many forms of grief that are completely normal in the wake of the loss of a beloved pet. It can help to memorialize your pet in a way that includes others who cared about him or her. Friends and family can help form a support network. Peaceful Pet offers free one-on-one grief consultations and a variety of resources to help you through this difficult time. You can reach them 7 days a week at 682-587-2296.