Dr McCaffrey is a certified hospice and palliative care veterinarian. She received this certification through the IAAHPC in 2018. Following certification she opened Senior Pet Vet, a mobile integrative practice focused solely on the care of senior patients in need of hospice or palliative care. Referrals come from local general practitioners as well as regional specialty centers. Dr McCaffrey has also completed the acupuncture course at Chi University (2019), so acupuncture is regularly used in case management.
The student completing this elective will gain valuable insight into quality of life conversations with pet families. There will be frequent exposure to in-home euthanasia utilizing a variety of techniques (intravenous as well as intraorgan). Integrative case management for palliative/hospice cases will be seen regularly. Complex oncology/internal medicine cases are frequently encountered, students will learn how to manage multiple chronic and life limiting diseases with comfort care being the primary focus. Multi-modal and alternative pain management strategies will be covered as well.
Assuming availability of an owner-donated animal, a wet lab will be performed during the externship teaching intra-organ euthanasia techniques.
A full day of the externship will be dedicated to visiting and touring through a pet crematory.
Students can expect in-depth case review/lessons on incoming hospice patients.
As a mobile practice we have access to full off site laboratory services. We have the ability to perform in house cytology as needed. A high quality mobile digital x-ray unit is available for patients in need of radiographs in the home. We travel in an SUV with all of our equipment along with a very experienced veterinary assistant. There is a spacious office available for case review, telemedicine and misc office tasks. Occasionally patients are seen in the office.
Students are expected to shadow in-home appointments and spend time before/after appointments discussing case history, diagnosis, and treatment plans. Appointments are seen on M/W/F from 8AM-4PM.
On Tuesdays/Thursdays during the externship student is responsible for
- touring a pet crematory
- presenting a case report on one of the patients seen during the externship
- participating in euthanasia techniques wet lab (assuming availability of a cadaver)
- shadowing a minimum of 1 full day in a local alternative medicine hospital (2 local hospitals to choose from)