The practice of using bandage art on catheter wraps during client-present euthanasia adds a tangible touch of compassion to the care you provide. In times of grief, people will often forget the intangible acts of compassion. So, they need something they can see and feel to remind them of your genuine care for them after they leave your hospital.
One way to demonstrate your heartfelt care, especially during times of loss, is to use our new HeartFelt Stickers. The idea for these stickers, like many of our products, came from you–the experienced veterinary team.
How bandage art helped me say goodbye.
When I had to say goodbye to my almost 20 year-old cat in December 2019, I thought I was fairly prepared. I had been through losses before. I worked every day for a company that focuses on how to help support people through pet loss. On top of this, I had known for a while that my cat’s health was deteriorating and it would soon “be time.” However, nothing can truly prepare you to say goodbye.
Of course, we made a plan to get multiple ClayPaws prints made of my beloved cat while we said goodbye. However, I was surprised by another touch of compassion that happened during this final appointment. When our veterinarian brought my cat back into the room after placing the catheter, her leg was wrapped and they had placed a red heart on the bandage. This heart was made of vet wrap and wasn’t perfect, but it meant a lot.
What it told me, was that they realized that I would be wondering how they were treating my sweet cat when I wasn’t there, especially when she was so sick. When she came back into the room with a heart on her leg, the message I got was, “We care about your cat, too.” That, along with their kindness and respect, was really all I needed to know. I could trust these people.
After my cat’s heart beat its last beat, I held her leg and rubbed the red heart. It was so comforting that I asked if I could take the heart home with me. Unfortunately, after some time, the material the heart was made from shriveled up and no longer looked like a heart. But I didn’t forget the compassion and care that I was shown by my cat’s veterinary team.
What’s different about HeartFelt Stickers?
After this experience, I knew I needed to do something to help all pet parents receive the same comfort I did. I also knew it needed to be easy and affordable for the veterinary team to implement. It has taken three years to perfect our design, method for creation, and material, but we have now officially launched our Veterinary Wisdom® answer to DIY or expensive bandage art, HeartFelt Stickers!
Made of super soft self-adhesive felt, our HeartFelt Stickers can be used in a variety of ways to add another touch of compassion to the care you provide. Simply remove the backing on the sticker and place where desired. That’s it.
The soft material offers a comforting tactile experience for the pet parent when they rub the heart that may remind them of their pet’s fur. The stickers can even be placed on a baked ClayPaws print after the fact, if that is what the pet parent wishes. And, best of all, they are affordable and won’t take any staff time to prepare.
I hope you’ll try them out!
Until next time,
Bryn Frisina
Chief Growth Officer
World by the Tail, Inc.
