Yes. Dr Lusk’s veterinary experience includes:

• Dogs and cats

• Rabbits, ferrets, and other small mammals

• Reptiles and amphibians

• Birds of all sizes from emus and raptors to finches;

• Fish

• ...and yes, even lions, tigers, and bears.

If your pet is experiencing any of the following, and there is no reasonable hope for improvement, then it’s likely time to help them find peace. Signs include:

• Pain that cannot be controlled

• Breathing is so difficult it becomes your pet’s only focus

• Your pet has stopped eating for 2-3 days or has not drank water for more than 1 day

• Your pet is unable to move and intensive nursing care isn’t an option

• Your pet cannot defecate or urinate

• Mental impairment is causing your pet to have severe behavioral changes

• You would not want to live with the same quality of life your pet is currently living

For many people, having the whole family involved (including children and other pets) offers closure for everyone in attendance. For others, this may not feel appropriate. This is a personal choice and we will respect whatever you and your family decide.

A healthy dog, cat, or domestic ferret that has potentially exposed a person to rabies (bite or scratch) should be quarantined in a licensed facility or a veterinary clinic (under specific conditions defined by law, home confinement may be allowed by the local rabies control authority), observed for 10 days from the time of the exposure, and evaluated by a veterinarian at the first sign of illness during the observation period.

If it is inhumane to quarantine a pet due to illness or if a pet is showing signs of rabies, euthanasia is performed right away and the pet is tested for rabies by a Texas Department of State Health Services approved laboratory. This protects the life of the person who was bitten or scratched.

Please notify us ahead of time, if you are aware of a bite or scratch that has occurred within the past 10 days, so we can discuss and plan for quarantine or testing.

While your pet may feel a very brief pinch, they are likely to respond to the sedative as they would to a vaccine, minus the hospital anxiety. This is the only part of the procedure your pet will feel and it is very brief.

Dr. Lusk can send a pdf to those who want more specific details that may be uncomfortable for some to hear or read.

The Pet Loss Center uses a tracking system to follow your pet through their aftercare journey until they are returned to you. This system ensures that the remains you receive are truly those of your pet. You may pick them up within 10 days at the Pet Loss Center or you may contact the center and request that they be mailed. If mailed, the center will bill you $50 for USPS Certified Mail, which requires a signature. If you have not been notified by the center 10 days after your appointment, please call them at: 512-836-7297 (PAWS)

Please check your local ordinances on pet burial and be sure to use a heavy plastic bag. To ensure that your pet will remain undisturbed, you’ll need to plan on a depth of at least 2 feet.

Please contact Dr. Lusk by phone or email. If you need help determining whether it is time to euthanize your pet, please schedule a consultation.

Download the pdf if you want more specific step-by-step details. Please note, this information can be difficult for some to read/hear.