Your clients facing pet loss will be affected not only by the normal grief that follows loss but also by anticipatory grief. Anticipatory grief occurs prior to an actual death. It often begins with the diagnosis of a terminal illness or injury. A client may begin to exhibit any or all of the manifestations of normal grief as soon as they sense that a beloved pet may die. How Anticipatory Grief May Manifest As the pet’s condition deteriorates, the client must adjust to the changes. The pet’s appearance, personality, and physical capabilities may change as a result of treatments or… Continue Reading
Connecting with Grieving Clients
Veterinary Grief Support
Please note that the following blog is copyright protected and may not be altered, sold, reprinted (republished), or reproduced without the author’s permission. Veterinary grief support has come a long way since the field emerged in the mid-1980’s. Then, grieving clients were often thought of as “overly sensitive,” and providing pet loss support was considered extreme. Today, providing end-of-life care via Client Comfort Rooms, veterinary hospice programs, and client-present euthanasia is standard practice. The commitment to providing grief support for clients is due, in large part, to a growing recognition of the role the human-animal bond plays in people’s lives…. Continue Reading