Dr. Kristin attended the University of MN College of Veterinary Medicine and completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2004. In 2005, Dr. Kristin completed a small animal medicine and surgical internship at a large referral hospital in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Kristin then decided to move back to Minnesota where her family resides. Since being back in Minnesota, she has worked in private practice for several years. In 2011, she started Private Pet Passing to give pet owners the option of euthanasia in the privacy and comfort of their home.
The decision of pet euthanasia should be discussed with your regular veterinarian. There are treatable medical problems that geriatric pets can have that could be mistaken for “slowing down” or “being tired all of the time” such as infections, painful osteoarthritis (very common) or thyroid problems. You should be as well informed as you choose to be before making the decision to euthanize and this is best done through a consultation with your regular veterinarian.
Dr. Kristin will first administer a combination of a sedative and pain medication just underneath the skin of the pet. Once the pet is sedated (usually takes 5 to 10 minutes), a catheter is then placed in the pet’s front leg vein. The purpose of placing a catheter is two-fold. First, the euthanasia solution is painful if administered outside of the vein and secondly, the catheter ensures clean access to the vein.
When the family is ready, Dr. Kristin then administers the euthanasia solution into the catheter. The euthanasia drug is a concentrated barbiturate solution. The first effect of the euthanasia solution is complete loss of consciousness; within several seconds, the rest of the body’s functions will gently slow down and stop.
After Dr. Kristin has verified the pet has passed with her stethoscope, the family may choose to spend more time with their pet. If the family has elected private or group cremation, Dr. Kristin will wrap the pet in linen for transport.
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