Explaining A Pet’s Bucket List
By Cherie T. Buisson, DVM, CHPV Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian We all agonize over the question: āHow do I know when itās time?ā. Itās the question most frequently asked in my hospice practice. Itās the question I most frequently ask when my own...
Friskies Roulette ā When Your Cat Wonāt Eat
āFriskies Rouletteā - that game you play with your cat (especially elderly cats with kidney disease) where they like a food once and then never want to see it again. Itās frustrating for both vets and owners. The likely culprit is nausea. If they smell or eat...
10 Essentials of Self-Care
No matter how much I lecture on the subject, I have trouble convincing people (myself included!) to practice good self-care. When you are a caretaker, self-care is even more important than usual. You canāt help others if you are exhausted and miserable. So, my dogs...
Why You Should Learn To Forgive
Originally published on DrAndyRoark.com Whether youāre giving it, receiving it or bestowing it upon yourself, forgiveness is one of the most beautiful things in our lives. Forgiveness is a universal healer. It doesnāt really matter if the person youāre forgiving knows...
Why This Seminole Veterinarian Doesn’t Cry At Euthanasias
āIĀ donātĀ know how you do this. It must be so hard.ā Inevitably, a client will say this to me when I come to their home to euthanize their pet. My stock answer (which is completely true) is that Iām a basket case when it comes to losing my own pets, so if I can make...
Why I Support Pet Owners Who Drop Their Pets Off for Euthanasia
Originally published on DrAndyRoark.com If thereās one thing Iāve learned being in hospice practice itās that every grief journey is different. Thatās why it pains me when I hear people pass judgment on a person who canāt or wonāt stay with their pet during...
After Pets Pass: 10 Tips for Those Left Behind
Originally published on DrAndyRoark.com Being a caretaker is difficult. Managing a pet with multiple illnesses and multiple medications or treatments is difficult. If you have been doing this, thereās something you should know: once your pet is gone, it will be...
āTis the Season Forā¦Euthanasia?
We all know that there are people who donāt enjoy the holidays.Ā But did you know that veterinary staff members often dread the holiday season? Why? Well, thereās an odd phenomenon that starts anywhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving and sometimes drags on through...
The Words I Canāt Take Back
Originally published on DrAndyRoark.com āSometimes I really hate you!ā I said to the writhing Dachshund in my arms.Ā He didnāt care. He kept wiggling madly as is his habit when I catch him trying to take off from the yard. Because of his cognitive dysfunction, he...
Why You Should Consider āDrasticā Measures for Your Petās Cancer
Originally published on DrAndyRoark.com I hate osteosarcoma. This bone cancer is a cause of major pain for pets and heartbreak for their owners. Many pets with osteosarcoma have a greatly improved prognosis with limb amputation, however, the word āamputationā sends...