Improving the Euthanasia Experience
AAHA’s End-of-Life Accreditation; Positive impacts on euthanasia procedures
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is a leader in veterinary hospital standards. They are well known in the biz for their devotion to protecting the patient and client experience, while striving to improve clinical veterinary medicine from stem to stern. Hospitals have aligned with AAHA to help them achieve the pinnacle of service through…
Read MoreWhy I’m a Fan of Euthabag
Not all body bags are created equal, and indeed there are numerous types out there. Those looking for quality prefer bags/containers that are durable, leak proof, and above all respectful to the precious animal within. This respect is what changes your typical cadaver bag into a sacred ‘pet transport device’. Euthabag, a CAETA sponsor partner…
Read MoreHonoring and Grief Rituals for Veterinary Professionals
Written by Summer Brooks, MS, RVT. This blog article was inspired by a conversation on the Companion Animal Euthanasia Discussion Group Facebook page. A member posted: “I’ve had a few difficult (emotional) cases recently and someone suggested I create a small ritual for myself to complete after a hard or emotional case. I often light…
Read MoreThe Best and Worst Things to Say to People in Grief
Grief is such a hard thing. We live in a death-denying society. We hide away our emotions and are shamed into feeling we should be getting over the loss in some well-defined timeline. But grief in pet loss needs to be witnessed, whether death happened naturally or through euthanasia. Grievers don’t want to feel like…
Read MoreOxytocin and Euthanasia; An important combination to get right
Recently I have fallen in love with the love hormone oxytocin. While learning ways to establish rapport and build trust with pet owners, this ‘moral molecule’ as it’s sometimes called was just begging to be explored further. Many of us know oxytocin as the hormone that promotes prosocial behavior such as bonding, wanting to be…
Read MoreWhy the Use of Intravenous Catheters are Gold Standard in Companion Animal Euthanasia
If you take a moment to reflect on the most dangerous substances we inject into the body, you may come up with the same answer as I did. Chemotherapy. These drugs by nature destroy cells, and cause considerable damage to tissue in areas of accidental contact such as extravasation outside of the venous system. They…
Read MoreStress + Symptoms = Euthanasia?
The effects of stress on both animals and humans has been well documented, showing how stress can weaken the immune system, trigger the onset of cancer, increase inflammation, upset the gastrointestinal tract, and leave the body in a general poor state of health. It can look like the end of days for many pets, especially…
Read MoreWorkplace Pet Loss
Written and shared with permission by River Valley Gateway. With 67% of Americans owning some sort of pet, it’s no wonder that our furry friends play such a vital role in many of our lives. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, however, only 7% of businesses allow pets in the workplace. This discrepancy…
Read MoreTelehealth and Euthanasia; How they fit together
Telehealth is a hot topic these days. COVID has opened our eyes to what’s possible in the modern tech era. Vet med has been utilizing telehealth since the invention of the telegraph, but these days it includes text, phone call, video chat, emails, and every digital communication platform you can think of. While euthanasia requires…
Read MoreRetiring the CAETA Commitment to Excellence Seal
Since the inception of the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy in 2017, the Commitment to Excellence Seal has been offered to graduates of the 10-hour Master Certificate Program for use in their business profiles; to show their commitment to gentle and skilled euthanasia. CAETA wanted to create something that would be a constant reminder for…
Read More