What end-of-life services do you offer?
Heart of Vermont Veterinary Housecalls offers quality-of-life consultations at home or on the phone; at-home pet euthanasia; and optional cremation services including the return of your pet’s ashes to you (or you may choose not to have the ashes returned). All services are performed by me, Dr. Erika Bruner, except the actual cremation, which is done by Mill Hill Pet Crematory. If your pet has already passed away, I can come to your house and take them with me for cremation.
What is a quality-of-life consultation?
A consultation focuses on your pet’s comfort and happiness (current and expected future issues) and your plans, wishes, and hopes for how the end-of-life process might go. Are you confused about what’s going on with your pet? Do you worry that you don’t know how to help them live their best life, or that you won’t know when it’s time to help them pass on? Do you feel stuck, scared, or alone in all this? Are family members having trouble agreeing on what to do?
Maybe you’re considering euthanasia but aren’t sure it’s the right time, or maybe you’re trying to decide between a palliative (comfort care) approach versus a plan with more medical intervention. I’ll spend plenty of time with you, listening to your concerns without judgement, supporting you to find clarity and a way forward.
If you do decide that you are interested in diagnostics and treatments, I will refer you to a clinic that has the resources to help you take those steps. If a shorter-term, minimal-intervention comfort care plan is desired, I can suggest or prescribe medication and will follow up with you in a few days or weeks. A home visit is ideal, so I can meet and evaluate your pet, but we can also have a very fruitful consultation by phone or video chat. The conversation typically lasts about an hour to an hour and a half.
Do you require a consultation before euthanasia?
Not at all—a consultation is there only if you want it. Many people who call me have already decided that it’s time for euthanasia for their pet. I respect this decision completely, although I may gently ask a few questions to make sure there aren’t some other simple helpful options that you might not be aware of. Often, people are pretty close to being sure that it’s time, but still want a vet’s opinion before making a final decision. In that situation, I will evaluate your pet, discuss the options, support you in making your decisions—and I am also always prepared for euthanasia at that time if that’s what you decide to do. You can have as much or as little consulting as you feel you need.
In what areas do you offer home visits?
My primary area is Washington County, VT (dark blue in the map below). Outlying zones will have a travel fee, as shown on the map below in lighter blue. If you are adjacent to my usual area, please check with us about whether I can come to your house and what the travel fee might be. I am licensed to practice only in Vermont, but I can do a phone or video consultation with anyone, anywhere.
What are the fees for your services?
The consultation fee is $285 within my normal service area. A typical consultation takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on your needs.
Fees for euthanasia appointments are structured without regard to time. The fee for euthanasia is $385 for any dog, cat, or other small pet, within my normal service area. A typical euthanasia appointment will be 45-60 minutes or so for most families.
Travel fees apply for home visits outside my normal service area.
If a home consultation turns into a euthanasia appointment, as sometimes happens, only the euthanasia visit fee is charged and there are no additional fees for the house call and consultation, unless the whole visit is significantly longer than usual (see above).
If you wish, I can take care of your pet’s cremation for an additional fee. Cremation services range from $250-400 if you would like your pet’s ashes returned to you, and from $150-250 if you do not want the ashes returned. The variation is based on size. Of course, you can also make your own arrangements for cremation or burial, and I’m happy to answer questions related to aftercare at any time.
If your pet has already passed away, I can come to your house and take them with me for cremation. The fee for this service is $150 plus the cost of cremation within my normal service area. Outside of this area, extra travel fees apply.
Fees for cremation services cover all transportation, including (within my central service area) the return of your pet’s ashes directly to you at home. If you are in my outer service areas, your pet’s ashes can be picked up at my Berlin office, or shipped to you via your choice of UPS or USPS. If I am coming back to your area at a later time I may also be able to bring them to you at home.
What are your hours for house calls and home euthanasia?
Most Tuesday and Thursday mornings find me in my office doing acupuncture appointments. My regular hours for home visits for consultations and euthanasia are on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I can be available by special arrangement on some weekday evenings (“evening” means any appointment starting at 4:30 or later) and some Saturdays, with an additional evening/weekend fee of $175.
My availability varies a lot because there is only one of me, and it’s hard to predict when I might already be booked. While I absolutely understand that planning ahead for the end of life can be very difficult—for many reasons—the further ahead you can plan, the more likely it is that I will be available to help at a time that works for you.
Can you help me if I am outside of Vermont, or if the travel fee to my location is too much for me?
Yes, we can do a telephone or video consultation; these take about an hour and are $255. Our conversation will focus on your thoughts and feelings about what’s going on with your pet, and helping you figure out what you would like their end-of-life process to look like. A phone or video call can be very useful to help clarify your thoughts. I can’t examine your pet, of course, so I won’t be able to prescribe medication or give specific medical advice; but we can talk about the medical aspects of your pet’s situation and I can suggest ideas for you to discuss with your vet. To schedule a consultation please fill in the interactive form below or call 802-323-5200.