Dr. Kathleen Cooney

VETERINARIAN | EDUCATOR | PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER

Master Program Instructor

Cooney Darbie lab closeup

Kathleen Cooney
DVM, MS, CHPV, CPEV, DACAW

Dr. Kathleen Cooney has been practicing advanced end-of-life care since 2006. Dr. Cooney is Senior Director of Medical Education for the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA). She is well-known for her work in companion animal euthanasia and has authored two books on the subject along with numerous articles and book chapters (Cooney CV). Dr. Cooney has collaborated in end-of-life training for the AVMA, AAHA, NAVC, IAAHPC, the Fear Free Program, and many more. She is a strong advocate for best practices in all aspects of end-of-life care and speaks nationally and internationally on such topics. Dr. Cooney is Board Certified in animal welfare through the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW), and is Affiliate Faculty at Colorado State University where she teaches end-of-life topics and animal welfare. In her personal life, Dr. Cooney is married with 3 children living in beautiful northern Colorado on her 35-acre farm.

Upcoming Events

IMG_2610 (1)

  1. VMX 2025

    January 25, 2025 - January 29, 2025

  2. MVMA 2025 Annual Conference

    January 29, 2025 - February 1, 2025

  3. SAVMA Symposium 2025

    March 21, 2025 - March 23, 2025

View All Events

Publications and Interviews

Latest Blog Post

CAETA Euthanasia Case: Milo the Nauseous Dog

Read More →

Subscribe to receive Dr. Cooney's blog articles and e-newsletter

Ethical and Practical Considerations Associated with Companion Animal Euthanasia
This essay addresses ethical and practical concerns associated with companion animal euthanasia, including defining euthanasia, why and when euthanasia should be performed, applying euthanasia in practice, contemporary methods, aftercare of deceased animals, and the consequences of euthanasia and dysthanasia for animals, animal owners, and veterinary professionals.

Euthanasia Protocols
Dr. Cooney discusses sedation versus anesthesia protocols, commonly and less commonly used routes of administration, and how to make the event about the pet. She shares a number of helpful tips and vital details to ensure that the final care we provide for a patient is also the best care.

Bringing Your Veterinary Practice into the Modern Era
Watch Dr. Kathleen Cooney discuss advanced end-of-life care for companion pets in this video podcast.

Euthanasia Requires a Team Effort
Listen to Kathleen as she talks about companion animal euthanasia and improving the overall experience for the pet, the caregiver, and the veterinary team.

What A Good Euthanasia Business Looks Like
During this episode, Dr. Kathleen Cooney discusses how and why she got into specializing in euthanasia and gives advice on how best to handle euthanasias in practice.

Stories, Fellowship and Hospice Care
On this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, we chat with Dr. Kathy Cooney. She has been fearless in pursuing her passions within the veterinary profession. 

Euthanasia Reimagined
In this podcast, Dr. Cassi and Dr. Kathleen Cooney discuss the importance of research-based education surrounding euthanasia concepts and techniques in order to help practitioners feel confident in their abilities and ensure a peaceful and fulfilling experience for all involved.

The End-All Practice: Home Euthanasia
Dr. Cooney is interviewed by Susan C. Kahler and published on the AVMA site.

Making Animal Hospice a Reality
For caregivers (aka pet parents), management of animal health has become an essential component of the human-animal relationship. The importance of this component is heightened with the onset of illness or advancing age.

Euthanasia in the Time of Coronavirus: Providing, Protesting, Preserving
Euthanasia remains an essential service for veterinary teams to provide. In this webinar, Kathleen Cooney, DVM, CHPV, CCFP, discusses how to maintain skill and compassion while providing end-of-life services, protecting those present, and preserving the human-animal bond.

How I Approach...A Meaningful Euthanasia Appointment
Dr. Cooney shares her thoughts on how to provide a compassionate and highly skilled end-of-life experience for both the pet patient and the caregiver.

Books

Veterinary Euthanasia Techniques: A Practical Guide

This book provides detailed guidance on euthanasia procedures in a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, exotics, horses, and production animals. Based on the current AVMA guidelines, it includes step-by-step descriptions of the recommended methods of euthanasia, giving all the information needed to perform these techniques with confidence. Veterinary Euthanasia Techniques helps practitioners, students, and technicians expand their knowledge base and provide competent, compassionate euthanasia services.

Including information on client considerations, equipment, positioning, sedation, and aftercare, the focus of the book is on providing detailed procedures for correctly performing euthanasia. This book presents complete information on euthanasia, offering specific advice to improve skills and aid in decision-making.

In-Home Pet Euthanasia Techniques: The Veterinarian's Guide to Helping Families and Their Pets Say Goodbye in the Comfort of Home

I originally created this book to train my own doctors on the intricacies of in-home euthanasia. Within the first year of writing, I began receiving calls from veterinarians around the country looking for guidance as they began their own similar service and thus the book has become a guide for all vets.

Inside you will learn about client communication, scheduling tips, pre-euthanasia sedation protocols, pet loss support, marketing strategies, and of course, euthanasia techniques. I have also included 25 common questions from clients along with my answers.

Special Promo - $30 OFF the CAETA Peaceful Euthanasia Certification

Approved for 10-hours of continuing education credit, the CAETA Peaceful Euthanasia Certification program was designed to provide outstanding practices in companion animal euthanasia to improve the overall experiences for the pet, caregiver, and the veterinary team. DVMs will become a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian and add the designation of CPEV. Other veterinary professionals will add CPEP to their titles as a Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Professional.
Use the discount code "SAVE30" or click the image below to receive $30 off registration!

Photos

Contact Dr. Cooney