• End-of-Life and Palliative Care
• Services & Packages
• Schedule a Consultation

End-of-Life and Palliative Care

"Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives."
--John Galsworthy

We know how difficult the decision can become when thinking about quality of life issues and end-of life care and procedures such as humane euthanasia. We believe all pets and the people who love them deserve to be as comfortable and calm as possible when making these decisions. Our service allows you and your pet to be present in the familiar surroundings of your own home without the physical and emotional stress of transport to a veterinary clinic.

If you are not sure about this decision, Dr Warford can provide an at home assessment of your pet's quality of life and give palliative care options. This may provide a transitional period of comfort for your pet as well as some time to prepare for the decision emotionally.

As a fellow pet-owner, Dr. Warford knows how emotionally challenging this decision is on a personal level as well and takes every measure to handle these appointments in a sensitive and gentle manner. Your beloved companion will be treated like one of Dr. Warford's own furry family members, with compassion and love. You will be informed of every step prior to and during the appointment, so that you will also be as comfortable as possible knowing what to expect.

Euthanasia and Grief Resources
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement may have more information that can be helpful to you in dealing with all stages of this decision.

At-Home Euthanasia Inquiries
If you inquire about scheduling an at-home euthanasia, Dr. Warford will send you a detailed e-mail outlining the actual procedure, personalized options for handling your pet's remains, and the costs associated with each service. This allows you to choose in advance the best and least stressful option for your family following this difficult appointment. Please feel free to call, email or fill out a contact form.

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Services & Packages

Dr. Warford understands how difficult this decision is and strives to make it as comfortable and non-stressful for everyone involved as possible. We offer several options for your convenience for the respectful handling of the remains, if desired.

If you already have a plan for the remains (burial or a crematory service) and would prefer to handle those details yourself, Dr. Warford can come out and provide only the house call and euthanasia. The pricing varies based on your location and the size of your pet.

If you have a regular vet who has provided services they likely have options through their clinic. Dr Warford can provide transportation to their facility after the appointment if desired for a small fee. We ask that you call and make arrangements with that hospital (including payment for their service) so that they will be expecting Dr. Warford's arrival. Fees for cremation and return of remains will vary based on that hospital's policies and those details will be left to you and that veterinary hospital.

There are several cemeteries and crematories in the area that may be able to assist you as well. Some offer home pick up and return of the remains but it does require advance planning. We work most closely with Heavenly Days. They offer cremation with the option of either having the ashes spread in their memorial garden or having them returned to you in a beautiful container. You can obtain more information about their services and pricing on their website at www.heavenlydays.com or call them at 240-699-0034. You can make arrangements directly with them or leave the details to Dr Warford as outlined below.

Dr. Warford also offers full service care of the remains including delivery to Heavenly Days after the appointment and personal scheduled delivery of the ashes 1-2 weeks later to your home address by Dr. Warford. This allows for all details to be handled carefully and personally without requiring you to have to worry about the follow up or scheduling of details during this stressful time.

Package A:
House call
Injectable sedative/anesthetic
Euthanasia only
This plan does not include any handling of the remains and is for the euthanasia only. If you wish for Dr Warford to help in the arrangements after the appointment, please see our options below.

Package B:
House Call
Injectable sedative/anesthetic
Euthanasia and drop off of remains at your regular veterinary office
Please make sure your veterinary office provides these services and is expecting Dr Warford after the appointment.

Package C:
House Call
Injectable sedative/anesthetic
Euthanasia and delivery of remains to Heavenly Days for cremation without having ashes returned (the ashes will be spread by them at their memorial garden).

Package D:
House Call
Injectable sedative/anesthetic
Euthanasia and delivery of remains to Heavenly Days for private cremation and return of ashes in a lovely container to your home by Dr Warford 1-2 weeks later.

Please consider these options so that you can make plans prior to the appointment to minimize the stress of the day. Dr Warford will want to clarify your plans in advance to allow for any travel that may be necessary if you opt for any of the services offered for the handling of the remains after the appointment. All fees for the services provided by Dr Warford are due at the time of the appointment. Please see our vet services page for payment options.

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Schedule a Consultation

Please feel free to contact Dr. Warford via phone or e-mail with any questions, to obtain a personalized estimate, or to schedule an appointment for a quality of life examination and consult or at-home euthanasia.
Phone: 240.460.9642
Email: DCMetroVet@gmail.com

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