My husband and I want to thank Dr. Jason Goodwin for making an incredibly difficult day more bearable. His sensitivity and kindness were much appreciated. Our beautiful 18 Y/O male cat, Bo, had been fighting kidney disease for over a year, including daily “sub-q” hydration. He was a trouper, but recent bloodwork showed that the disease had progressed. He had lost a significant amount of weight and had recently begun to show digestive symptoms, indicating that something else might be going on. He had been under regular vet care, but we made an appointment to assess the new symptoms.
After a thorough exam and an ultrasound, our vet gave us very bad news: Bo likely had intestinal lymphoma–on top of late-stage renal disease. We were faced with subjecting him to further invasive and painful diagnostic procedures and treatment, or we could decide to spare him this further discomfort. Our vet felt that he would continue to decline, and any possible extension of his life would be short, so we should consider letting him go. Our vet gave us information about Gentle Hands Cherished Paws, and I called that afternoon. Dr. Goodwin returned my call promptly, and an appointment was set for the next day. We vacillated the rest of the day and evening and decided that we would ask Dr. Goodwin to examine Bo and, if any uncertainty remained, we could consider postponement.
Dr. Goodwin did a thorough exam and reviewed Bo’s bloodwork. Sadly, he concurred with our vet’s recommendation. He proceeded to explain in detail every step of the euthanizing process and told us exactly what to expect. The process was virtually stress and pain free for our much-loved cat. Due to his kidney failure, the final medication took a bit longer to act, but Bo was sedated and at peace in his own home and his own bed. Gentle Hands Cherished Paws offers a valuable service to pets and their grieving families. We highly recommend Dr. Goodwin.