Heaven at Home’s Dr. Laura Tay compiled the following tips to help children deal with grief over the loss of their pets after participating in a seminar by Kathryn Jennings, Executive Director of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC).
We at Heaven at Home thought this might be helpful for your family as you work through this difficult time. Read the rest of this entry »
For years, Dr. Laurie Brush has taken an active role in the Grand Rapids community educating pet parents about the benefits of palliative or hospice care for their aging pets. She’s appeared on local news stations, given interviews for the press, and done other forms of outreach, simply because there are too many pet parents out there who don’t know that in-home end-of-life care is even an option. All too often, people have to make difficult decisions about their pets’ final days without having enough information or time to prepare. Read the rest of this entry »
Heaven at Home Pet Hospice would like to remind everyone that National Pet Memorial Day is coming up on Sunday, September 10th, 2017. This is a day for people to remember their deceased companions in a warm, positive light and reflect on all of the happy memories from the course of the pet’s life.
The passing of a pet can hurt just as much as the death of a person, and looking back on everything that made our pets special to us is an important part of the healing process. National Pet Memorial Day is a fine occasion for pet caregivers to progress through the grief into a healing journey. Below, we’ve included a few ideas for commemorating your beloved pet this year: Read the rest of this entry »
Our fur friends in the Houston area need help while their humans are in emergency shelters in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Efforts by local and national animal advocacy organizations continue with coordinated transportation and sheltering of displaced pets through the ASPCA and Wings of Rescue, while local initiatives that include funding local food, bedding and vet care for nearby shelters. If you’d like to donate to help out, we’ve listed four links to verified initiatives below. Locally, the Houston Homeless Pet Society is also issuing updates and accepting donations here. Read the rest of this entry »
Heaven at Home Pet Hospice knows there’s no easy way to say goodbye to your loyal fur-family member. However, through helping hundreds of Grand Rapids and West Michigan pet owners provide peaceful passings, Dr. Laurie Brush feels there’s therapeutic value to celebrating the life of your pet during a euthanasia home visit.
“Death is hard to talk about,” Dr. Brush says. “But it doesn’t need to be fraught with struggle. This might be the worst day of your life, but it doesn’t have to be the worst day of your fur-baby’s life. On the contrary, we can help your pet pass comfortably with dignity and compassion.”
By performing home euthanasia for companion animals, Dr. Brush’s goal is to prevent animals from experiencing the stress, and sometimes fear, of trips to the vet when unwell. Read the rest of this entry »
Below is a link to the segment featured on Fox 17 last month. It has information about what we do and why it might be a good choice for your pet when they are at the end of life. We are passionate about what we do and we want to make sure every pet parent is aware of these options for in home care.
One of the toughest things our West Michigan dog and cat owners encounter is dealing with that scourge of aging pets, arthritis. In making her palliative care rounds, pet hospice veterinarian Dr. Laurie Brush hears stories of how the once sunny and agile ‘Bessie the Boxer’ can no longer play ball or manage the stairs. Tommy the Tabby cat won’t allow a cuddle. And Lucy the Lab is absolutely miserable with her hip dysplasia.
The culprit is arthritic pain, and if your dog or cat is dealing with it, they can transform from playful pals into crotchety companions.
“Clients may see a personality change. Their pet may become aggressive, or not interact the way they used to,” Dr. Brush explains. “Our treatment goal is to reduce suffering in ways that will not compromise the animal’s overall health. This requires what is known as multi-modal pain management.” Read the rest of this entry »
As pet home hospice veterinarians, we regularly help pet owners in Grand Rapids and West Michigan care for aging and terminally ill dogs and cats to keep these loyal companions comfortable during their final stages of life. One of the more common problems we face with these pets is incontinence.
There are a number of reasons why your canine companion or feline friend has become incontinent with advanced age or illness, ranging from changing hormones, spinal or nerve issues, infections or a particular illness, increased stress, or simply aging. Though a licensed veterinarian should be the one to make a formal diagnosis, below we’ve listed some of the common causes of incontinence in dogs and cats and potential steps to mitigate the problem. Read the rest of this entry »
We are experiencing some phone difficulties this afternoon. If you need to contact us, and have issues getting us by phone, you can do so by email at doc@pethospicevet.com, or by filling out an email request on our website here. We are so sorry for the inconvenience, and will be closely monitoring email until we are sure the phone situation is fixed.
We know how difficult it is to lose a pet. Whether you recently lost a pet or are grieving a pet lost some time ago, here is an opportunity to share your story with others. Next Tuesday, March 8, right here in Grand Rapids. Share this flyer if you know someone who has lost a special pet.
