Companion Animal End of Life Care for the Veterinary Technician

A practical, one-stop resource for veterinary technicians offering end-of-life services for companion animals
In Companion Animal End of Life Care for the Veterinary Technician, an experienced interdisciplinary team delivers a comprehensive guide for veterinary technicians seeking a resource covering all aspects of the veterinary technician's role in companion animal end-of-life care. The book explores everything from palliative nursing strategies to euthanasia techniques, with special attention to supporting and communicating with caregivers throughout the end-of-life period.
The editors offer invaluable support, knowledge, and skills to enhance your ability to provide patients with comfort and offer empathy to caregivers in challenging situations. In this book, you will find a practical approach and user-friendly format, a handy and accessible reference for daily veterinary practice. you will also discover: - Hospice and palliative care principles, philosophy, and methods of delivery- A thorough exploration of quality of life and end-of-life decision-making- Practical communication skills and case study applications- Euthanasia best practices- The valuable role of veterinary social work and perspectives on pet loss support- Grounded approaches to maintain technician and team wellbeing- Careful alignment with evolving standards of end-of-life care and client expectations- Distillations of expert insights from authoritative texts and current literature, providing access to the most relevant information for technicians in the field of end-of-life care
Perfect for practicing veterinary technicians with a desire to improve their standard of end-of-life care, Companion Animal End of Life Care for the Veterinary Technician will also benefit students of veterinary technology start their careers with the mindset and tools to lean into the meaningful experiences that can be accessed through compassionate end-of-life care.

Alyssa Eslinger is a certified hospice and palliative care veterinarian with over 10 years of clinical experience. She founded a dedicated mobile end-of-life service before joining Dalhousie University as a full-time instructor in the Veterinary Technology Program. Dr. Eslinger now passionately shares her calling to end-of-life care with her students.
Joye Sears is a veterinary technician with 10 years experience in companion animal practice prior to becoming an instructor at Dalhousie University in 2015. She has a special interest in teaching compassionate end-of-life communication skills to future technicians.