Gentle Journey Veterinary Hospice was founded by Nancy A. Ruffing, DVM in March, 2008. After practicing emergency veterinary medicine for 9 years, Dr. Nancy recognized voids in current veterinary care, including:
During these periods, when veterinary care is so crucial to the pet's quality of life and the happiness derived from the human-pet bond, followup examinations frequently decline due to the physical and emotional toll of office visits. Even when regular office visits continue, many veterinarians cannot provide hospice or in-home euthanasia for logistical reasons. By offering a full-range of customized home care choices, Gentle Journey expands the options available to pet owners in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Hospice means different things to different people. At Gentle Journey, the pet's quality of life and comfort are paramount. The full spectrum of palliative measures is explored when designing the hospice plan. Both the caregivers and the veterinary team assess the pet's response to therapy and revisions to the plan are made accordingly. Gentle Journey Veterinary Hospice provides the following guidelines to all caregivers:
Dr. Nancy has a PhD in Animal Physiology from the University of California, Davis and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University. She has practiced veterinary medicine in the Pittsburgh area for over 11 years. She believes in providing current information and advice and consults regularly with veterinary specialists. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Veterinary Information Network, and the International Veterinary Academy for Pain Management.