Whilst you may have limitations on time and space, you may consider the following:

• A dedicated consultation room for a pre-euthanasia conversation. This should provide you a level of privacy and can be more comfortable than a standard consultation room.
• Check with the client if there is anyone else whom he wants to include in the consultation.
• Arrange for the meeting to take place whilst you and your client are seated. This will be an assurance to your client that you have set aside time for the discussion.
• Positive body language will help you connect with your client.
• Maintain good eye contact. A gentle touch on the client’s arm or hand can help establish a good rapport, if you think it’s appropriate.
• Ensure there is minimal interruptions. Implement a no-interruption protocol for pre-euthanasia consultations.

As you initiate the consultation, it’s good to gauge your client’s perception about his pet’s illness through questions; ‘ask before you tell’. Using open-ended questions helps to assess your client’s understanding of the medical situation. For example, “What have you been told about your cat Jessy’s condition?” or “Do you know why we had to scan Rover?”

Depending on the response, you can comprehend their awareness and rectify any misunderstanding that they might have. You can identify if your client has any misunderstandings about any unfavourable medical information or has unrealistic expectations of treatment outcomes.

These observations will enable you to judge how best to deliver the information.

Most of your clients will want the full diagnosis and prognosis of their pets, but this will not be the case always. While ordering the tests, you can ask your clients how they would like to receive the test results. If the client does not want to know the details, offer to answer any question they might have in the future or talk to a friend or relative.

Using excessive bluntness can also leave your clients feeling isolated and angry. Clients may direct their anger towards the practice. Therefore, you should try to avoid statements like:

• “Your cat has severe cancer. It is vital that you start treatment now.”
• “Your pet is suffering, it’s time to say goodbye”

A good technique to adopt is to share small chunks of information and see how your client responds to it.

When the prognosis is poor do not use statements like “there’s nothing more we can do for…” as your clients may have other therapeutic goals in mind. For example, palliative and hospice care for pets are increasing in popularity.

Before discussing the treatment options, ask your clients whether they are ready for such a discussion. Mutual agreement over a treatment plan will help to reduce their feelings of anxiousness and uncertainty. You may run your clients through the available treatment options to show that their wishes are important.

As both parties agree to a certain treatment strategy, it helps to manage feelings of failure or guilt, if the treatment is not successful. You may summarise the situation to your clients and check if there is any misunderstanding over the situation, including clients overestimating the efficacy or purpose of the treatment.