Sponsored Content End-of-life decisions are difficult for pet owners and veterinary teams alike. While much has been written about end-of-life conversations, much less is known about owners’ preferences when it comes to the actual procedure, writes Lori Kogan, PhD. Kogan shares what was learned from research investigating what factors matter most to pet owners when … [Read more...]
Search Results for: Mary Gardner
Ways to make an older dog’s life better
Mary Gardner, DVM, refers to some older dogs as “geriatric,” which she says is a more fragile phrase for them. She says many vet schools don’t address the special needs of these gray-muzzled and wobbly dogs that often need modifications at home. She visits homes where dogs have been struggling to get around and be comfortable that often have easy problems to fix. Source: The … [Read more...]
Tips on marketing to owners of senior pets
Veterinarians should be seeing many more patients in their advanced-age life stage than ever, writes Mary Gardner, DVM, citing metrics that show 44 percent of practice patients are seniors. She shares tips on communicating with owners of senior pets similar to how puppy and early stage education is done. Source: AAHA Trends, February 2023. Link. We can do so much to manage … [Read more...]
Senior pets deserve individual care plans
Mary Gardner, DVM, advocates for individual care for senior pets versus the cookbook approach too often adopted by medical professionals. These factors provide context for each pet’s story: its ailments, its personality, and the pet owner’s four budgets: financial, physical, time and emotional. Source: AAHA Trends, November 2022. Link. Also see: Search Results for: Mary … [Read more...]
When the end is near: discussing quality of life
Mary Gardner, DVM, discusses approaching quality of life conversations by bringing together the veterinary medicine expert and the client who is the expert on the pet. The end-of-life decision should be better informed and the outcome hopefully less burdensome to everyone involved she says. Source: DVM 360, February 25, 2020. Link. Gardner advocates for breaking the … [Read more...]
Geriatric pets have different needs than senior pets
Dogs older than 10 years and cats older than 14 years are considered geriatric, not senior, according to Mary Gardner, DVM. Geriatric pets do not have the same issues as senior pets and need to be treated differently. Educating clients and providing useful tips helps the pet and family members, who usually are frustrated and scared of what lies ahead. Source: Veterinary Team … [Read more...]
Timing euthanasia and hospice (includes videos)
Mary Gardner, DVM, discusses the educational needs for pet owners as pets reach the time for hospice or euthanasia. “You have to make sure you educate the owner about the disease the pet is facing and the progress that the disease is going to present to the family and to the pet,” she says. Source: Firstline, April 12, 2017. Remember clients are experiencing an emotional, … [Read more...]
Handling euthanasia in practice
Veterinarians are the only medical professionals licensed to euthanize. While a professional privilege, euthanasia also comes with significant responsibility to handle it properly, according to the authors. This article reads like a training manual for establishing and managing euthanasia in a veterinary hospital. Mary Gardner, DVM and Dani McVety, DVM, offer a five-stage … [Read more...]