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The first sentence of this book says it all: “Everyone who loves a cat, dog, horse, bird, rabbits, or other animal deserves the opportunity to say goodbye in a meaningful and emotionally fulfilling way when a pet dies.” And with this beginning, the reader is reminded to stop . . . the moment is no longer about the next surgery, the ringing phone or an impatient client three doors down. It is about the here, the now, and the client in front of you, saying goodbye.
This book through the development of heartfelt objectives and fourteen common situational exercises allows veterinary personnel to come to understand and practice how to handle the emotions and turbulence that often arises when pet owners receive terminal news about their beloved pets. Each situation begins by introducing a scenario, followed by an assessment, a plan of action and role playing ideas which may be acted out. Readers are encouraged to jot down notes for future referral. The situations presented run the gamut of things one might expect to encounter from dealing with children to senior citizens requesting viewings of their old friends who have crossed the rainbow bridge. Because every case is different, veterinary personnel are not only introduced to the human reaction, but also given a chance to learn how best to control and maintain their own professional demeanor while remaining compassionate. Additionally, this book provides protocols which may be used to track the clinics attendance to clients who have experienced a loss as well as a listing of professional resources to be used as well as passed along to clients.
After reading this book from cover to cover, I felt I had found a resource not only for veterinary personnel, but also for those educators charged with instructing veterinary technology students. This book has something for everyone including the practicing veterinarian that is looking for a way to cross-train his/her own staff in situations in which, sooner or later, they will find themselves faced with. For this reason, I feel that this book garners a solid 5 stars out of 5 rating as a book which “everyone” within the profession can profit from reading.
Publisher: AAHA, 2011
ISBN13: 978-1-58326-166-8