It’s All About Love at the End of a Pet’s Life

End-of-life care at home is an expanding area in veterinary medicine. In Vermont, only a few veterinarians provide at-home euthanasia for pets, and among them, only two primarily focus on end-of-life care. Dr. Erika Bruner, based in Berlin, is one of these dedicated professionals.

Erica Heilman from Vermont Public spent a day with Dr. Bruner, including accompanying her on a house call in Johnson. This interview was originally produced for audio, and listening to it is highly recommended. Below is an edited transcript for length and clarity.

Erica Heilman: Dr. Bruner practiced general veterinary medicine for 16 years. For the past seven years, she has specialized in end-of-life care, making house calls to euthanize pets. She meets people and their pets wherever they feel most comfortable—in homes, fields, or barns. It’s a deeply intimate and delicate job, centered around love.

Dr. Erika Bruner: It’s really sad and difficult work. There’s a lot of guilt involved. People often feel they might have waited too long or worry they haven’t waited long enough.

There’s this illusion that we can determine the perfect moment for euthanasia. Often, we don’t have a specific diagnosis, especially with older animals, and people don’t want to put them through extensive testing. They feel guilty, thinking maybe they should be doing more.

People struggle with their limitations in caring for or affording care for their pets. However, I’ve never seen anyone make the decision to euthanize without deeply considering it. The fundamental concern is always the pet’s quality of life and comfort.

Mike Patch: We’ve had a better day today because we’ve been giving her treats all day. She usually doesn’t get this many. But she’s not happy anymore.

Erica Heilman: Mike Patch introduced us to Kona, a 13-and-a-half-year-old yellow lab. Handmade dog beds lined the wall with a view of the driveway—Kona’s hangout spot. Mike pointed out paintings of his past and present dogs: Jessica, Enzo, Kona.

Courtesy of Lisa Patch

Mike Patch: Do you want her to get up on her bed? I can get you a chair to make it easier for you, ma’am.

Dr. Erika Bruner: The first thing is to reassure them that their decision is okay. I explain what’s going to happen and how it will happen so they know it will be as peaceful as possible.

Dr. Erika Bruner: The first injection is a sedation shot in the muscle of her leg. It might sting a bit, but we’ll distract her with petting and talking. It won’t be the last thing she’s aware of.

Mike Patch: We’ve been through this before, and I believe no animal should suffer. I just don’t believe in it.

Mike Patch (to Kona): You’re okay. ‘Got tumors on my eyes now.’ Yeah, we don’t want you to suffer anymore.

Mike Patch: Thank you for doing this. I know I paid you, but thank you anyway.

Dr. Erika Bruner: Sometimes people share a lot during the appointment, and sometimes they can barely speak. I’m very aware that this is a pivotal moment in their life with that pet because it’s the end of their pet’s life.

Mike Patch: Years ago, we started a habit of bringing them something whenever we went out. If we came back without anything, she would whine like a kid.

Dr. Erika Bruner: They’ve trained us well. (Laughter).

Mike Patch: Oh, yes. When she passed gas, she’d look around for someone else to blame. Have you ever seen a dog do that?

Dr. Erika Bruner: Yes.

Mike Patch: She’d look at her mother, like, ‘I didn’t do it!’ But you could tell.

Mike Patch (to Kona): Who’s a good girl? Who’s a spoiled brat? Yes, you are.

Dr. Erika Bruner: Pets have been through a lot with their owners. People often say, ‘He helped me through my cancer treatment,’ or ‘She was there for my difficult divorce.’

With people, it’s complicated. Talking sometimes doesn’t help us understand each other. (Laughter). We’re always trying to figure out what the other person wants.

End-of-life care for pets is all about love, comfort, and understanding. Dr. Bruner’s work exemplifies this compassion, helping pets and their owners through one of the hardest parts of their journey together.