Posts by Dr. Kathleen Cooney
When Quality of Life Scales Aren’t Enough; Counseling clients who can’t let go
As a pet patient reaches the natural end of its life, clients face the difficult decision of continuing care or opting for euthanasia. They seek guidance for what’s best for…
Read MoreMoving Away From Propofol Use During Companion Animal Euthanasia
There are some growing trends that are making the use of intravenous propofol less necessary during animal euthanasia. In companion animal medicine, it’s very common for veterinary staff to administer…
Read MoreUseful Tips When Starting an IHPE Service
Feeling nostalgic today, I tracked down the original digital copy of my in-home pet euthanasia book from 2011. In particular, chapter 10 on Starting a Euthanasia Service caught my eye. …
Read MoreRecording Euthanasia Appointments for Safety and Transparency
For the past 3 years, I’ve been recording my patients’ euthanasia appointments. It started out of as necessity to give myself protection should a client every voice concerns about my…
Read MoreEuthanasia; An integral part of animal welfare
Today is a special day for me. I’ve been accepted as a resident in the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW). Yes! Since starting this journey back in 2020, my…
Read MoreBecoming a CAETA Instructor
CAETA is growing. After 5 years, we have reached an educational tipping point, when bringing on talented people is needed to meet the demand for companion animal euthanasia training events. …
Read MoreWhen Veterinary Professionals Euthanize Their Own Pets
It’s been 3 years since I euthanized my Daisy, a sweet old Jack Russell Terrier with a love for chasing bunnies and keeping a watchful eye on her family. As…
Read MoreA Behavioral Euthanasia Requires Patience and Empathy
Earlier this year, a member of the CAETA Euthanasia Facebook Group asked a very important question about behavioral euthanasia. In particular, they wanted to know what questions should be asked…
Read MoreWhat if Euthanasia Wasn’t an Option? The driver for palliative medicine
I’ve often wondered what pet owners would do if euthanasia wasn’t a choice. We know that today, veterinary teams have the expertise and drugs to perform highly skilled euthanasia procedures,…
Read MoreVirginia-Maryland Veterinary College Takes the Lead in Euthanasia Training
The average veterinary college offers students less than 4 hours of euthanasia training before graduation. As 2022, the Virginia-Maryland (VA-MD) College of Vet Med, part of Virginia Polytech University in…
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