Pet Preservation
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The purpose of this service is to attempt to preserve the brain of a pet with what we hope is a high-quality method at the lowest possible cost. We do not offer any preservation of entire pet bodies. The chance of eventual revival in the future is unknown.
Cost
$500 for chemical preservation of the brain at our facility. Includes cremation of unpreserved tissue. This is our standard procedure and what we believe offers the highest quality structural preservation of the brain.
$5000 for cryopreservation of the brain with storage at liquid nitrogen temperature. This is not generally recommended. It is only offered in case a pet owner does not desire chemical preservation, for whatever reason.
Paperwork
Sign and return the Preservation Agreement (or Web Form)
Local Cases
Pets can be euthanized in Salem by a local veterinarian, possibly at our facility if desired. You may want to discuss with your veterinarian beginning daily treatment with aspirin 4 days prior to the euthanasia. After pronouncement, we will attempt perfusion of the brain with chemical preservatives, remove the brain from the skull, and preserve it for the long-term.
Remote Cases
There are two options for remote cases. The first is to bring your pet to our facility or have them shipped to our facility, where we can perform the procedure. Including a small amount of dry ice in the shipping container can help keep the pet cooled, but risks the brain freezing.
The second option is to find someone to perform brain removal and immersion fixation close to where you live. You can try calling local veterinarian offices to see if they know of anyone who can perform necropsy services. You will need to pay them their fee directly. The key procedure is for the brain to be removed from the skull and placed in a container with a sufficient amount of formaldehyde solution (such as 10% neutral buffered formalin) to fully submerge the brain. Ideally, this container will be stored at refrigerator temperature of approximately 4°C during this process. This all needs to be done as soon as possible after the legal death of the pet. After 2-4 weeks of fixation, the fixed brain can then be shipped to our facility for long-term preservation.