In the middle of March, 2020, my wife and I headed out on what we expected to be a year plus RV trip. It was a great way to spend time in this Covid era, but I missed what I've been doing for the past 45 years: practicing veterinary medicine. So we called it quits and have returned to Tucson to continue my house call practice. Back in 2008 I sold my St. Louis veterinary hospital (established in 1975) and moved to Tucson to become part of a cohousing community. Once we were settled in, I decided a house call practice would be a great way to continue doing what I've always loved: practicing veterinary medicine, but without all the hassles of a veterinary hospital.
A house call or home visit practice allows me to go to the homes of the many people who cherish their pets, but can't handle the complications (and sometimes the expense) of a trip to the vet hospital. Because I don't have the overhead that comes with a veterinary hospital, often I am considerably less expensive. In fact I have treated pets where euthanasia had once been the only choice due to the expense associated with a particular procedure. Some pets demand the veterinarian come to the house; there are the cats that go crazy and vocalize the entire trip to the veterinary clinic. Sometimes they illustrate their anxiety with diarrhea. And there are the dogs that are simply scared to death in this very strange and forbidding environment (with all those strange smells). What I like the most about a house call is the time that I get to spend with a client and their pet. I don't have to rush because I have another appointment waiting in the next room. My typical home visit lasts an hour. Some are a little shorter but most are longer. I am a huge believer in the value of education and spend a lot of time explaining things such as why one pet food is better than another. (I think Royal Canin is the best out there.) I explain why simply reading the ingredients of a pet food isn't helpful in determining why one pet food may be better than another, and we talk about the healthiest feeding schedule for a pet. I don't sell dog food so I'm not going to push a particular food because I can sell it.
Unfortunately, in-home euthanasia is probably one of the most common services a house call practice offers. Coming to a pet's home and peacefully ending his life in the environment he has enjoyed for much or all of his life is perhaps one of the greatest gifts the house call veterinarian can provide. As a house call vet, I offer many different services for many different reasons, but when it is time, the in-home euthanasia is perhaps the most valuable gift we will ever offer our pet.