Month: January 2013

Being in private practice at a local Raleigh Animal Hospital and offering house calls for in home pet euthanasia, I believe I have a
unique perspective of what a home euthanasia can offer the pet and the family.

I’ve found in private practice that euthanasia appointments are very impersonal and often take place in cold sterile exam rooms. Families are also forced to start the  grieving process in a public setting. In a regular hospital setting, the Doctor on duty often cannot devote 100% of his or her attention to the pet or the family and any  there is no time to offer any bereavement guidance to the family. I’ve often seen pets come to the hospital for euthanasia who have just endured a terrifying car ride and are now faced with being in a hospital where stress or painful procedures may have happened in the past. Hospitals are busy places with other patients coming in and out and many other people waiting and busy staff. My experience has shown me there is a much better way to honor and say goodbye to the family members who have been so loyal and loving to us.

When I come out to a home to help, I am completely focused on the pet and the family. I do everything I can to make this very hard situation just a little bit better for the pet and it’s loved ones. When I come into a home, I have time to meet and spend time with the pet and also focus on the pet parents and what they are going through. The whole process is very gentle. The pet gets to be at home surrounded by familiarity and love. Sometimes owners will give treats before the sedation, or have a special toy their to comfort their beloved pet. My appointments are also very flexible. I try to tailor each experience for the pet and family. Some families choose to say goodbye under a tree outside, some families invite their friends over to send their pet off with good wishes, and still others choose to curl up with their pet on the sofa and spend the last few minutes together as they have spent most of their lives. I feel honored to have been there for my clients who have let me into their families and if I can be of any assistance to you, please call, if only just to talk.  I available for veterinary house calls in Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill and all the places in-between.

Azure

I regularly get asked this question, I wanted to address it on my blog knowing that it is a sensitive topic. I practice at both an animal hospital and my mobile service that offers home euthanasia for dogs and cats in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas.  I feel that both of my unique work experiences gives me good insight on this issue.

My house call visits typically last on average around 2 hours. This can vary depending on a few variables including how much the pet parents and I talk and the overall experience that the family is wanting. I am trained in pet loss guidance and I like to spend the first part of the visit just talking and getting to know the pet and the pet parents as well as going over the procedure in detail and answering any questions. My goal is to have the family feel as comfortable as possible. With my mobile veterinary service I never overbook myself. When I show up to help a family I am 100% focused on their needs and the needs of the pet. If the family chooses to, I also take care of all the aftercare arrangements including meeting with the crematorium provider and bringing the ashes back to the family in person.

Hospitals are busy places and typically the clinician is handling multiple cases and has much less time to meet with the families and discuss the procedure or offer pet loss guidance. I know from speaking with families who decided to say goodbye to their beloved pet in hospitals that they often felt rushed to say goodbye and wished they had chosen a more intimate setting.  I know from the experience of working in both my practices that home euthanasia is not for everyone, just as saying goodbye within a hospital setting is not for everyone. Cost does play a role in whether some families decided to say goodbye to their pets at home.  I’m proud to offer a compassionate alternative to pet parents so they have more choices when it  is time to say goodbye.  I offer free phone consultations so that you may give me a call and discuss my services to determine if it is right for your family.