A peaceful goodbye for your pet, surrounded by the people they love
Making the decision to say goodbye to a much-loved pet can be incredibly difficult. When that time comes, many families would prefer their dog or cat to remain somewhere familiar and comfortable rather than having to make a final journey to a veterinary practice.
The Loving Vet provides compassionate home pet euthanasia in Preston, allowing your pet to be gently put to sleep in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
I’m Dr Benite Oddy, a veterinary surgeon providing home euthanasia appointments across Preston and the surrounding Central Lancashire area.
My aim is to make this difficult experience as calm and peaceful as possible, giving you time to be with your pet and say goodbye without feeling rushed.
Why choose home euthanasia for your pet?
For some elderly or poorly pets, travelling to a veterinary practice can become increasingly difficult.
Dogs with arthritis, weakness or mobility problems may struggle getting into the car. Other dogs become anxious when visiting the vets, while many cats find carriers, car journeys and unfamiliar surroundings stressful.
Home euthanasia removes that final journey.
Your pet can remain in the place where they feel most secure — perhaps resting in their favourite bed, lying beside you on the sofa or settled on a familiar blanket.
Family members can be together, there is no waiting room, and you have the privacy to say goodbye in your own way.
What happens during a home euthanasia appointment?
When I arrive at your Preston home, I’ll first spend some time talking everything through with you.
You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions about what to expect and there is no need to begin until you feel ready.
Your pet will initially receive a sedative injection, allowing them to gradually become very sleepy and deeply relaxed while you remain beside them.
Once they are deeply relaxed, the final euthanasia medication is administered. Your pet will lose consciousness before their heart gently stops.
I’ll explain each stage as we go so that you know what to expect and can concentrate on being with your pet.
The euthanasia fee doesn’t increase for larger dogs
Some veterinary services charge different euthanasia fees according to a dog’s weight.
At The Loving Vet, the cost of the home euthanasia appointment does not increase according to your dog’s size or weight, including giant breeds.
Appointments in Preston
I regularly provide home euthanasia appointments in Preston and the surrounding Central Lancashire area.
I can usually accommodate an appointment for a gentle goodbye within 2 to 3 days and sometimes have availability for same-day bookings.
Availability varies from day to day, so please contact me if you need an appointment and I can let you know what is currently possible.
We encourage owners to try and book ahead where possible, as unfortunately I cannot guarantee availability in an emergency.
Evening, weekend and Bank Holiday appointments
Sometimes several members of a family want to be present when saying goodbye, and arranging this during normal working hours isn’t always possible.
For this reason, I offer evening, weekend and Bank Holiday appointments in Preston, subject to availability.
There is no additional appointment charge for evening, weekend or Bank Holiday appointments. More details on my pricing can be found on my services and costs page.
How do I know when it is time to say goodbye?
Knowing when euthanasia may be the kindest decision is often one of the hardest parts of caring for an elderly or seriously unwell pet.
Sometimes their deterioration is obvious. More often, changes happen gradually, making it difficult to recognise how much their quality of life has altered.
Rather than focusing on a single symptom, it can help to consider your pet’s overall wellbeing.
Are they comfortable? Can they get up and move around? Are they eating and drinking? Can they sleep and settle comfortably? Are they still interested in you and the rest of the family? Do they still enjoy some of the things that previously made them happy?
Some owners find keeping a simple record of good days and bad days useful.
You can also search online for a pet quality of life survey or questionnaire. These can provide a helpful framework for thinking about your pet’s wellbeing and discussing your concerns with your usual veterinary practice.
Home euthanasia for cats in Preston
Being able to remain at home can be particularly beneficial for cats that become stressed when travelling.
Instead of being placed into a carrier and taken on a car journey, your cat can remain somewhere familiar while you stay beside them.
They may choose to settle on their favourite blanket, bed or sofa, allowing the appointment to take place somewhere they naturally feel secure.
An important note about cats and outdoor sedation
For your cat’s safety, sedation must be given either indoors or in a secure, cat-proofed garden.
Even cats that are elderly, very weak or unwell can occasionally move unexpectedly after the sedative has been administered. If a cat were to escape while becoming sleepy, they could be extremely vulnerable and difficult to safely retrieve.
For this reason, I’m unable to sedate cats in gardens where there is any possibility of them getting out.
Pet cremation and aftercare in Preston
You can choose what you would like to happen after your pet has passed away.
The Loving Vet can arrange pet cremation following your home euthanasia appointment, with both private and communal cremation available.
With private cremation, your pet is cremated individually and their ashes are returned to you. With communal cremation, individual ashes are not returned.
Some families instead choose to keep their pet for home burial where this is appropriate.
You don’t need to have made your aftercare decision before contacting me. I can explain the options available and give you time to choose what feels right for your pet and family.
Home pet euthanasia across Preston and Central Lancashire
As well as providing home euthanasia appointments throughout Preston, I regularly travel to surrounding parts of Central Lancashire.
This includes nearby Leyland, Euxton and Chorley, all of which are areas I particularly welcome appointments from.
I also cover other communities around Preston and Central Lancashire, subject to journey time and appointment availability.
If you live outside Preston itself, you can find further information about my local home euthanasia services in:
Home Pet Euthanasia in Leyland
Home Pet Euthanasia in Euxton
Home Pet Euthanasia in Chorley
Arrange home pet euthanasia in Preston
If you’re considering home pet euthanasia in Preston, you’re very welcome to contact me.
You don’t need to have everything decided before getting in touch. I can let you know what appointment availability I currently have, answer questions about what happens during the visit and explain the different aftercare options available. I will help you all I can.
The Loving Vet
Dr Benite Oddy – Veterinary Surgeon
Call, text or WhatsApp: 07436 774376
Email: thelovingvetbee@gmail.com