24 Hour At Home Pet Euthanasia

On November 5th, we said goodbye to our beloved dog Sugar, who had been diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure just two weeks earlier. After initial signs of improvement with SubQ fluids, we held onto hope and pursued IV treatment and further bloodwork. Sadly, the results were worse than expected. Sugar rallied briefly—climbing stairs, barking at sounds outside—but soon declined rapidly. He stopped eating, experienced diarrhea, and grew increasingly weak. Yet even in his final days, he showed incredible dignity, walking himself to the yard to relieve himself and quietly lying down to rest. That evening, after a heartbreaking episode of vomiting blood and labored breathing, we knew it was time to let him go peacefully. We contacted Dr. Mesa’s team late at night, and they responded promptly, scheduling the euthanasia for 10 a.m. in the morning. Dr. Mesa arrived around 10:20 and texted beforehand to confirm her arrival time. She was calm, compassionate, and professional. She asked about Sugar’s condition, explained the process clearly, and gave us time to say goodbye. After the first sedative injection, we were given 10 minutes alone with Sugar. The second injection followed, and he passed gently, as if falling into a peaceful sleep. The team was thoughtful in every detail—from the warm blanket and pillow, to the quiet respect they showed throughout. It felt like Sugar was simply resting in his favorite spot. While our hearts are broken, we’re deeply grateful that his final moments were pain-free and dignified. For fellow pet parents facing similar loss, I recommend two books that brought us comfort: “There Are No Sad Dogs in Heaven” by Sonya Fitzpatrick “Signs from Pets in the Afterlife “by Lyn Ragan These helped us believe that Sugar has crossed the rainbow bridge and is at peace. We’ve been told it will take 2–3 weeks before we can bring Sugar’s ashes home, and we’re patiently waiting to welcome him back Thank you, Dr. Mesa, and your team for helping us give Sugar the gentle farewell he deserved.

We had to put our sweet Frida to rest this week and it was the most heartbreaking and devastating thing our family has ever experienced. She was so weak after having consecutive seizures, we didn’t want her to suffer anymore. So we are grateful to Dr. Mesa for being able to come when we needed. She was gentle and gave us lots of space to say our goodbyes. She accommodated our needs to make sure Frida could go in peace and dignity, knowing she was loved. I know it’s a service, but I am also grateful that she didn’t make it feel like a transaction.