Episode Details

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End-of-life specialist veterinarian, Dr. Kathleen Cooney is back again for another episode of The Veterinary Business Success Show. Dr. Kathleen recently joined host Brendan Howard for an episode where she discussed successful euthanasia businesses. This week, she’s back again to teach us where euthanasia after-care falls short. 

For those of you who don’t know Kathleen, Kathy graduated from the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004 and went on to specialize in advanced end-of-life pet care in 2006. Seeing the need for comfortable, in-home services for all types of companion animals, Kathy went on the launch Home to Heaven, an in-home euthanasia service in Colorado. Home to Heaven was “one of the world’s first exclusive euthanasia companies, which later included hospice and palliative care for animals”. Dr. Cooney went on to sell Home to Heaven in late 2016 and in 2017 founded the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA).

CAETA is an organization that aims to provide ‘better euthanasia experiences’ through onsite or online education, where participants access coursework and instructors to help them understand how best to deliver and handle euthanasia processes. 

Dr. Kathleen is well recognized in the veterinary community for her contributions surrounding animal euthanasia and has collaborated in training for numerous organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Fear Free program. She has also written two books ‘In-Home Pet Euthanasia Techniques: The Veterinarian’s Guide to Helping Families and Their Pets Say Goodbye in the Comfort of Home’ and ‘Veterinary Euthanasia Techniques’.

During this episode, Dr. Kathleen Cooney discusses where euthanasia after-care falls short.

Outline of this episode:

• [01:15] The episode begins with Brendan discussing what the two chatted about in their last episode and what was missed. 
• [02:48] Do practices generally know what good euthanasia aftercare is?
• [04:43] If there is a difference between the aftercare of preplanned euthanasias, versus unexpected deaths. 
• [07:00] Do the same team/people who organise preplanned euthanasias, help when there are unexpected deaths also?
• [09:32] How do mentors teach euthanasia training and what kind of person is best suited to euthanasia care?
• [11:42] Ad break – join our Leaders community. 
• [12:55] The episode resumes with Brendan asking Kathleen the protocol post euthanasia. 
• [19:05] Is it a benefit to have a wide range of euthanasia options (keepsakes, cremation etc)?
• [24:08] How many practices use secondary pet aftercare services?
• [27:49] Brendan wraps up the episode by telling us where to learn more about euthanasia and how to contact Kathleen Cooney. 

To access the extended version of this podcast, join our Leaders community. 

Resources Mentioned:

• https://caetainternational.com/ 
• Ep 23: What A Good Euthanasia Business Looks Like, with Dr. Kathleen Cooney
• https://kathleencooneydvm.com/ 

Connect with Dr. Kathleen:

• LinkedIn