Transitions In Home Pet Euthanasia

Hard thing to do but when the time comes this is the place to use. Dr. Sue Wilson was the vet who came to our house. She was very calm and compassionate and made the whole process as painless as possible given the circumstances. Our precious cat Lily went to sleep permanently on my lap while I pet her. Except for the minor prick, for the sedative that relaxed her up front, she didn’t feel anything and was not afraid.

Dr Wilson was very caring and professional during a difficult time. Transitions also did great job because we needed someone in a hurry because of an emergency situation. Dr. Wilson arrived within 45 mins after I called on a Saturday. I strongly recommend.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Transitions team. .. they were amazing. Albeit an incredibly difficult decision to make and process to go through in saying goodbye to our 16 year old cat, I am so grateful that we used Transitions. They were incredibly responsive and the vet (Benita Keiss) that came to assist us was amazing in every way possible. She cried with us as we said our goodbyes to our gal (she was in my lap) and explained to our 5 and 7 year old children in a very loving way how the process would work. She was an absolute angel!
On a separate but related note, I am so glad that we decided to go the route of in-​home euthanasia for our cat. It was such a peaceful process and essentially the same price as having her put to sleep at our vet’s office. Our kitty passed where she was most comfortable and happy. .. at home and with us.

I’m so grateful for you ! You were here for us. Very hard day for us to lose Jackson but you helped him across the rainbow bridge with dignity and comfort. Thank you so much.

Sue was wonderful and comforting in a difficult time. My dog was never in pain and I am so glad I was there for him. Thank you.

I used Transitions to put my poor old boy (dog) down just a couple of days ago. I had hoped to get him through the holidays, but knew that wouldn’t be possible when, on Monday morning, he was suddenly unable to walk without assistance. I called Transitions before 8 a.m. and left a message and they called me back right after they opened. I was able — thankfully — to get a same-​day appointment. Dr. Sue Wilson arrived right on time at 5 p.m. She was very compassionate, yet professional. She asked about his health challenges and after looking him over confirmed I was making the right decision. She then explained the process and talked me through each step as she administered the injections. Once he was gone she briefly left to get the cremation services person so they could take him away. They were both so caring, but also efficient, which is great considering I was a sobbing mess. They also gave me the opportunity to say one final goodbye to him. I firmly believe having Transitions come into my home provided the most humane and comfortable passing for my boy, and I will call on them again when my other little furbabies are ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge.

This past Saturday, we made the difficult decision to put down our 13 year old terrier mix, Roxy. She was suffering from late stages of renal failure, and had lost a tremendous amount of weight and completely lost her appetite. She was tired all the time and her body was not responding to medications, so we made the difficult decision to end her suffering. My family and I has been on the fence about making the decision, as she has good days and bad days (bad days more often than not). I reached out to Transitions via email to get information, and Sue and her staff were more than helpful and comforting– we decided to make the appt. The couple of days leading up to the appt, I had doubts. But as soon as Sue showed up at our house, Roxy greeted her and sniffed her, and went straight to her bed as if she knew it was time and she was ready to go– that was all the validation I needed. And to comfort us even more, Sue gave us such kind words to assure us that we were doing what was best. Roxy went peacefully, as if she just fell into a deep sleep and within a moment she was gone.
It’s never easy to do, but we’re so grateful that Roxy could be in her home, on her bed, and with her family as we said goodbye to her one last time. We’re so grateful for this service. Should anyone have to make the difficult decision to put down their furry family member, I would definitely recommend transitions.

Making the decision to euthanize my senior cat, Moose, was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, particularly because I was not sure if it was the right time. She had been declining over a period of several months but continued to show on again/​off again signs of improvement, so I was not sure if I should continue to hold out in the hope that she would recover. Dr. Sue Wilson took the time to talk to me over the phone to help gauge Moose’s quality of life to determine the likelihood of her condition improving. When she arrived at my house and met Moose, I felt 100% assured that I had made the right decision, which was a huge relief. Her demeanor was so calming and compassionate, and she let me know that I was doing the humane thing by ending Moose’s suffering. I am so happy that Moose’s last moments were comfortable and serene, on her favorite spot on the couch being adored and cherished by those that loved her. I could not ask for a better, more professional (yet very personal and human) experience.
I should also add that the office staff that assisted me when I first called were more than helpful and understanding and so incredibly patient with my indecision on whether or not it was time. (They assured me that it was perfectly normal and happened all the time!) The rates are also comparable to what it would have cost to euthanize my cat at the vet, which made the decision to do in-​home euthanasia so much easier.

Everything went great Justin was wonderful thanks guys

I am so glad I found Transitions. I scheduled an appointment — they are coming this afternoon. I am so happy I can spare Kitters the terror of the carrier and the car, as the last hours of her life.

Can’t say enough about how great Justin was during one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do. If I ever get another animal and have the same situation I will call you guys again. Thank you.

Again, I wouldn’t say «woohoo,» because it’s a terribly sad time when we have to call on Transitions to help us. Our cat Eddie had been in the hospital but when there was nothing they could do to cure his illness, I didn’t want him to die in the hospital, I wanted him to die at home with us. We brought him home for one last day with us, and it meant the world to have him here once again. We arranged for Transitions to come over the next day to put him to sleep. It went as well as it could have, considering that Eddie was a little bit feral and afraid of everyone except for me. I feel badly that I don’t remember her name, but the woman who came over was so kind and quiet, and helped us be as peaceful as we could be while parting from such a dear companion. I will always use Transitions whenever possible to let my pets die at home, surrounded by those who loved them.

I cannot say enough about the Transitions team, but here goes.
Two of my friends had recommended Transitions when the time came for our dogs. As it turned out, in a horrible turn of events, instead of saying goodbye to just our beloved great dane mix, we had to also say goodbye to our amazing 18 year old sheltie mix. Yes, at the same time. As awful as it gets.
The Transitions team could not have been better, more empathetic and more accommodating to our situation. My advance calls to Anne and Maria were helpful and deeply sympathetic, and I knew exactly how everything would go when the day came. No pressure, no change fees, no concerns of any kind. Just helpful support.
Then last Thursday arrived, and with it, the morning knock on the door. Enter Dr. Andrea Leach. Thank God for her. She could not have been more pleasant, professional and nurturing. We’d never met her before that moment, but within five minutes, my wife and I felt she had been our vet (and friend) for years, and knew our dogs and family intimately.
She led us through that terrible moment with grace and strength, and the dogs each went in total comfort and peace. And what touched us most of all — Andrea cried with us. She really felt our loss and the love we held for those two souls. She mourned with us, even as she professionally did her job so that we could grieve. It brings me to tears to write this, but we are so grateful for Andrea that it feels completely inadequate to have simply paid her for their services and said goodbye. In the space of an hour or so, she became part of our family. And a few days later, she sent us a truly wonderful, heartfelt note that we deeply appreciated.
Letting go of a family member is an awful experience, and I won’t sit here and write to you that the process was all sunshine and light — it sucked. Really sucked. But being able to provide our dogs with the opportunity to pass away in comfort, at home, surrounded by our family, supported by an empathetic physician… that is as good as it gets, short of not ever having to do it at all.

Thank you so very much for your compassion and kindness as we bid goodbye to our sweet Pika on Friday.
It was hard enough to agree to make the decision to end her pain without the added stress of packing her and the family up to go to a cold, sterile veterinarian office. When I walked through the door at 6:30pm, she was sitting on her spot on the couch next to my husband and was so happy to see me. When our son came through the door, it was like she knew that it was going to be time for her to go. And when you arrived, she didn’t growl or raise a hair on her back, she simply acknowledged you were there to be her angel. With dignity and grace she took her last breath on her favorite pillow, peacefully surrounded by the three people who loved her best. We can’t thank you enough for this service.
You were a perfect fit for us and the entire experience from first call to final good-​bye was so very loving.
With warmth and gratitude
The Lynn Family

I had to part with my best pal Chester on Saturday, and with the help of Dr. Wilson the day went as well as it possibly could have. Her bedside manner is amazing– she helped comfort not only Chester, but his humans and feline friend as well.
It has been a really rough week so far, but I am at peace knowing that Chester’s last moments were perfect… painless, on the patio, surrounded by love. We never felt rushed, it never seemed like a business transaction. To top it all off, I got a card from Dr. Wilson in the mail today. It made me cry.
I don’t know how the price of this service compares to brick-​and-​mortar vets, but can assure you it is probably worth any extra money spent.

We called Transitions the morning we realized our old dog wasn’t going to make it. We’d been working with our vet for 2 days, trying to save her. But nothing was working, so on the 3^rd day, we knew it was time. Dr Wilson came the same day. We were fairly torn up about losing our dog, but Dr Wilson handled everything with such grace. We’ll be forever grateful for this wonderful service. I’m so incredibly grateful we could have Madie pass away at home, quietly, on her own doggie bed.

Today, we said goodbye to our 17-​year old cat with the help of Dr. Wilson from Transitions. I could not have been more impressed with the service. The Transitions website has a survey to help quantify a pet’s quality of life, and that was so helpful in making the decision to euthanize the cat.
The technicians who answer the phone are so understanding and patient. I talked to them at least three, if not four times over a few months before pulling trigger.
Today, Dr. Wilson was very understanding and empathetic. She made sure we were emotionally ready for the steps of the procedure and let me hold the cat on my lap.
When we face the end of life decision for our other cat, without question we will contact Transitions.

Our 17 ½ year old basenji «Shanti» had several health issues but had recently been diagnosed with a large and aggressive nasal tumor. We had been warned by Shanti’s veterinarian that this was a painful disease, and what we needed to watch for as far as signs of progression. My husband and I had already decided that we didn’t want our little old lady to experience any pain or debilitating symptoms, so we diligently watched her. When «the time» was near we called Transitions (recommended by Shanti’s dr.) and asked all the necessary questions so we were ready.
Calling Transitions a week or so later to make an appointment was one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions in my life. We had never been put in this type of position before — deciding the «right time». The woman I spoke to at Transitions was kind, understanding, patient, and sincere. I was sobbing when I hung up the phone, but knew I had done the right thing.
The next morning, Shanti ate a nice big breakfast (steak and fresh fish, her favorites), went out for her «walkees», and got lots of hugs and kisses. We knew she was tired from her busy morning so we let her climb into her comfy bed for a nap. Dr. Justin Altman arrived a short time later and immediately put us at ease. He sat on the floor next to Shanti’s bed, and allowed her to become familiar with him while we completed the paperwork. We chatted about her health issues, about the «challenges» of being a basenji owner, and he even had us telling him some funny stories about Shanti. His gentle, soothing, calm yet professional manner worked on Shanti as well as us, and changed the mood in the room so that everyone was comfortable and relaxed. He asked if we were ready to begin, and when we realized Shanti was sound asleep we knew it was time.
Dr. Altman had explained the procedure, so we knew what to expect. While we all sat around her, Shanti was sedated and the process began. Although our hearts were breaking, Shanti remained calm, never even flinching from the first injection. We were able to hold her, talk to her, and say our good-​byes in peace and in the privacy of our home. More importantly though for Shanti, the procedure was quick and painless, non-​threatening, and respectful.
I can’t thank Dr. Altman and the staff at Transitions enough for their gentle help through this awful time. Dr. Altman walked into our home a stranger, and left having made an unforgettable impact on us. When your find yourself needing to call for their services, don’t hesitate. These are the people you want to guide you and your fur-​baby through this painful process.

Our 16 year old golden couldnt get up any more this sunday (3÷15÷16) so we knew it was time. We didnt want to bring him to a vet where he would get freaked out by the cold table, the smells and just the car ride. I called at 830 am Monday morning and Sue was here by 1030 on the dot! She made the trip up to oceanside from san diego!
She was so nice and very empathetic. The procedure was quick and painless. She helped to stop our dog’s pain before it got any worse. I highly recommend Sue and her company.
Thanks so much again, Sue.

I asked our wonderful veterinarian Dr. Behrman what would you do… she took a moment and while the tears started rolling down her cheeks she told us she would let him go. It was time for our sweet little man of 19.5 yrs. to move on to heaven, where he could walk, run and play again.
I emailed Transitions Vet and made ‘the appointment’ for a week later on December 15^th.
When it was almost time for Sue to come, I was hoping she was going to be late so there was more time for just a few more cuddles, more kisses… but you know that you’ve been kissing him all his life and even if Sue was late you would want her to be later.
Our Gizmo is afraid of strangers, more so for men than women, but nevertheless afraid and very cautious. He was laying in my arms and became a little anxious when Sue touched him. Who is that touching me? In his younger years he would’ve taken off to another room, but now he was weak and so fragile. We calmed the little guy and he got his first shot which he didn’t like very much. After that the IV, he did pull his front paw some when Sue tried to get the needle in, which caused her to have to do it again. Shortly after that our sweet little man moved on.
We put him in his blanket which I put in the bottom part of his carrier his toys and when Sue came back carried him to her car.
I emailed Sue two weeks later and asked her about Gizmo pulling his paw when she inserted the IV, she replied with a very detailed email about what exactly took place which I appreciated very much.
We were very happy with her service. Sue is caring, she sat on the floor so that Gizmo could stay comfortable in my arms… Oh how we miss that little guy.
A colleague of mine posted the below poem on my fb page. It helped me lot and want to share it with you.
Let your grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.
We have had so many happy years,
What is to come will hold no fears,
You wouldn’t want me to suffer, so,
When the time comes, please let me go.
Take me to where to my needs they’ll tend,
Only stay with me, until the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree it is a kindness you do to me
Although my tail its last has waved
From pain and suffering I’ve been saved.
Don’t grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do,
We’ve been so close — we two — these years,
Don’t let your heart hold any tears.