Tag: QOL guide

How Do I Know When It’s Time?

AS PET PARENTS, we don’t want our fur babies to suffer at the end of their lives.  We also don’t want to cut any precious moments short. There is no more agonizing pain than having to put a baby to sleep because often, to end their suffering we must face ours. It’s the choice to ease the suffering of a dear friend, offering them this final act of love. For us, it’s knowing we did everything we could for them until the very end.

So how do I reconcile my head and my heart? Head and heart are often not aligned at the end of a pet’s life.  Emotions can be running very strongly and clouding any real rational thought around the decision. I coach families through end-of-life decisions and try to bring an objective lens to the situation.  Grounding yourself in facts around your pet’s health may support you through the ultimate decision to help them cross the rainbow bridge.

The Quality of Life Guide on the website is the first place I send pet parents. Working through this assessment gives an objective number to the pets QOL. I have found that having each member of the household do their own assessment can lead to constructive conversation around the pet’s health. If you live alone, you may consider anyone that knows your pet and can help with a QOL assessment. The number obtained in the QOL guide is not a hard fast determinant, but a snapshot in time and a way to help assess things moving forward. The QOL assessment includes considering pain, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and more good days than bad.

If you or someone you know is having a tough time deciding when it’s time, my team and I are here to help. We provide both general consults virtually, and comprehensive end of life care visits within your home.  Each visit is tailored to be as unique as the bond between you and your pet.

We understand the pain and heartbreak this decision brings.

Thank you for taking time today to begin exploring this emotional topic.

Dr. Holland On NBC 17 My Carolina Today

Dr. Holland was recently featured on NBC 17 My Carolina today discussing her house calls for home euthanasia.  Dr. Azure Holland’s mobile veterinary service is an alternative for pet lovers in Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill. Dr. Holland also provide in home pet hospice services.  With her latest appearance on My Carolina Today she told viewers about this helpful and comforting mobile veterinary service. She also spoke about her decision to become a veterinarian and start this service.

She drew her inspiration to become a veterinarian during her childhood years. Growing up having many farm animals, she saw her grandparents tending to them on a regular basis. This is what inspired her to take up veterinary medicine.

It was an incident in the family that urged her to start this service. It happened after the loss of a beloved family dog a few years ago. She was called by her parents to “say goodbye” to Venus, the family’s golden retriever. As Venus lounged at her favorite spot, the family was lovingly able to say goodbye to their dear pet in privacy surrounded by love.

Dr. Holland believes that at home pet euthanasia is very different from a hospital visit, primarily because there is a strong sense of comfort and intimacy. The family gets a chance to grieve the way they would want to. At the same time, the pet does not need to have a disliked car journey to the hospital. Pets may associate the hospital and the vet with anxiety and discomfort because of vaccines and medicines administered in the past. This is why a mobile veterinary in-home euthanasia is a better alternative. Now pet owners in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill can have a safe and dignified alternative to a hospital administered euthanasia.

Dr. Holland also talked about how tough the euthanasia decision can be for a pet owner. Some owners try to talk to their pet or make other efforts to know the general wellness and behavior. Owners need to examine different aspects about their pet: Are they eating? Are they enjoying general activity? Are they able to walk? Are they suffering from chronic pain? There are other considerations as well that need to be kept in mind. While making this decision, going to the vet for an examination certainly helps to determine the quality of life left for your pet. Physical checkups, blood work, X-rays will reveal where the pet stands, medically. But the other important component is emotional. It certainly takes a long time to condition the self and the family, emotionally.

With this mobile veterinary service, Dr. Holland hopes to offer families and their pets they love in the triangle a loving and dignified way to say good bye.  Watch Dr. Holland’s appearance here.