Dr Brush was on eightWest earlier this month to help spread awareness of the availability of Pet Hospice and in home euthanasia! Click the link below to watch the clip where Dr Brush explains what it is that she does, and where her passion for end of life care came from.
Click Here to watch Dr Brush on eightWest!
Tom Radamacher, of the Grand Rapids Press, wrote a great article about Heaven at Home Pet Hospice, titled “Veterinarian Provides Hospice Care for Your Pets,” originally published on Sunday, December 21st. We so appreciate Tom for writing the article to let people know that hospice and euthanasia at home are options for their pets. Read the rest of this entry »
In the bustle of the “most wonderful time of the year,” many are grieving the loss – recent and distant – of beautiful animals with whom we’ve shared our hearts and homes. Ginny Mikita, a friend and colleague of Dr. Brush, is hosting a candlelit memorial service for companion animals this coming Thursday, December 4th at 7pm. The service is being held at the Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church in Rockford. Ginny is a blessing of animals celebrant, grief support group facilitator, and memorial service officiant. If you or someone you know is in this life space, please plan to join in this interdenominational time of centering, acknowledgment, remembrance and release.
If you would like your companion animal’s name, breed and birth/death dates included in the Program, please forward it to Ginny by Wednesday. Ginny can be reached at (616) 460-0373 or at ginnymikita64@gmail.com. You are also welcome to bring a framed picture for inclusion in the Service.
Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church
10295 Meyers Lake Ave
Rockford, MI 49525
Veterinary Wisdom, a magazine run by World by the Tail, Inc., is centered around helping veterinarians and pet parents work in unity to create the most peaceful end-of-life experience possible for pets nearing the end of their life. Veterinary Wisdom was founded by Laurel Lagoni and Debby Morehead, whom Dr. Brush had the opportunity to meet at the IAAHPC conference.
Because Veterinary Wisdom is an internationally known magazine, World by the Tail, Inc. has been able to pull a variety of information from many different sources to create a truly helpful resource section on their website for pet parents. Read the rest of this entry »
Dr. Brush is a proud member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, IAAHPC. The mission of IAAHPC is “promoting knowledge of, and developing guidelines for, comfort-oriented care to companion animals as they approach the end of life.” Animal hospice care is a up-and-coming field that provides families with an amazing alternative to transporting pets to and from the veterinary office as they near the end of their life.
Every year, IAAHPC holds a conference in which hospice veterinarians from all over the country gather. The fourth annual IAAHPC Conference is being held this weekend in Indianapolis, IN. Veterinarians attending the conference will be provided with round-table discussions, networking opportunities and the chance for continuing their education in end-of-life care.
For additional resources and a list of Frequently Asked Questions about animal hospice and palliative care, visit the IAAHPC website: http://www.iaahpc.org/for-pet-parents.html
Sunday, September fourteenth is National Pet Memorial Day. Founded in 1972 by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories, this holiday allows people to remember their deceased pets in a happy light. Many people tend to remember their pets on the anniversary of their death, which leads to sad memories of the end of the pets life. However, Pet Memorial Day allows people to come together and encourages remembrance of the joyous, playful life they shared with their pet. There are various ways that people may choose to remember their pets.
To most people, hearing that a beloved pet has developed a life threatening illness or condition is devastating, but trying to figure out what to do next can be even more difficult. Does euthanasia have to be the only option? Not any more. Pet hospice and palliative care is a relatively new and ever-growing field, making it necessary to spread the word about what exactly can be provided through this end of life care for our pets. Dr. Katherine Goldberg, a fellow IAAHPC member, wrote a story called “Saying Goodbye” for the Spring 2014 issue of Bark Magazine.
In this story, Dr. Goldberg walks readers through her experience with a cancer patient named Stryker, a chocolate lab. Stryker’s human family was given two options from their vet: expensive, extensive surgery, or euthanasia. When they were not prepared to undergo either of these options with Stryker, they sought other options. This is when they discovered Dr. Goldberg’s practice, Whole Animal Veterinary Geriatrics and Veterinary Hospice Services, in Ithica, New York. Dr. Goldberg was able to come into the home of Stryker’s family and provide Stryker with palliative care and extend his life by limiting his pain and anxiety. In her story, Dr. Goldberg highlights the options that different people may have. Read the full article here.
This great article was written by Larry Kay for one of my favorite pet blogs, the AAHA’s Pets Matter. Check out this great resource for information such as pet food recalls, how to monitor your furry friends for ticks, and how to have a safe summer with your companions. In this article, Kay gives an outstanding roundup of resource material for dealing with the grief of pet loss.
To have a pet is to sign up for near-inevitable sadness—we almost always outlive our beloved companions. Learning to live with loss is an essential part of life. It’s not easy, but to deny the pain is to deny that we live, that we love, and that we matter to each other. Read the rest of this entry »