Helping Hands Pet Hospice and Home Euthanasia Service

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from the Helping Hands Pet Hospice team. 💚

09/03/2026

Dr. B and Derek celebrated their 19th anniversary a little early with a trip to Costa Rica last week! Along the way, they spotted some gorgeous birds at Dave & Dave’s Nature Park. Dave & Dave's Nature Park

1. Keel-billed toucan
2. Male green honeycreeper
3. Female green honeycreeper
4. Golden-hooded tanager
5. Chestnut-headed oropendola

09/01/2026

I spend my days helping families make difficult decisions for their senior pets. I’m also walking that journey with my own two elderly dachshunds.

Schatzie💚, our 13-year-old Senior Quality Control Wiener, has several health problems, including heart disease. When she started showing signs of mouth pain, I knew something was wrong, but the thought of anesthesia scared me.

I almost let that fear win.

Instead, I took her to The Pet Dentist with a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist involved in her care. They found serious dental disease and removed eight painful teeth.

I’m so glad I listened to her.

There were plenty of reasons to wait: her age, her heart, the expense, my fear. But I kept coming back to one thought:

If I’m going to ask her to stay with me longer, I need to fix the fixable.

She’s recovering like a champ.

Helping families make these choices every day doesn’t make them easier when the senior pet is mine. I understand the fear and second-guessing that come with loving an aging pet.

That’s why I created Know When It’s Time, a video guide to help families navigate quality-of-life changes and difficult decisions.

Watch Here: https://knowwhenitstime.com

08/31/2026

A vet visit can be stressful enough. For a pet who is already fearful or anxious, it can be overwhelming.

We’re sharing this important reminder from Dr. Lisa Radosta: our pets don’t understand why they’re being examined, restrained, poked, or placed in an unfamiliar environment. They can’t reason their way through that fear or tell themselves it will be over soon.

Pre-visit anxiety medication isn’t “too much.” For pets who need it, it can make veterinary care safer, calmer, and far less frightening for everyone involved.

If your pet struggles with vet visits, talk with your veterinarian about what can be done before the appointment to help them feel more comfortable. Compassionate care includes addressing fear and anxiety, too. 💚

08/28/2026

🐾 Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day. 🌈

A day to remember the pets who brought love, comfort, laughter, and companionship into our lives.

Losing a beloved pet can leave a lasting emptiness. Their absence changes our daily routines, but the memories we shared remain.

Today, we remember them all.

If you’re missing a special pet, share their name or a favorite photo in the comments so we can remember them with you. 💚

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾💚

Today we celebrate the dogs who make us laugh, keep us company, take up way too much room in the bed, and somehow always know when we need them most.

Share a photo of your dog in the comments. We’d love to see the faces that have made your days a little brighter. 💚

08/25/2026

Caring for a senior or terminally ill pet can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to balance comfort, dignity, and love in their final chapter.

The Helping Hands team provides in-home hospice care and compassionate euthanasia services that support both pets and the people who love them. From quality of life guidance to peaceful goodbyes at home, the focus is always on comfort, clarity, and kindness.

If you’re unsure what the next step should be or simply need someone to talk through options with you, support is available. You don’t have to navigate this alone.

Call to learn more or schedule a virtual quality of life consultation. It’s an honor to help families through one of life’s most tender moments.

08/21/2026

There are some convincing AI-generated “veterinarians” making the rounds on social media right now, usually promoting supplements with big promises.

I’m not sharing them here. They already have enough attention.

But after years of caring for pets and helping families sort through what’s actually useful, what’s questionable, and what can cause real harm, here’s what I want you to know:

If a veterinarian online is trying to sell you something, start by checking that the veterinarian actually exists.

🔎 Google their name. You should be able to find a veterinary practice, a professional profile, licensing information, publications, or something beyond the ad you just watched. Try Googling Dr. Cherie Buisson. You’ll quickly find a real person with a real veterinary career.

If the only evidence this “vet” exists is a perfectly produced social media video, that’s a problem.

Next, actually watch the video. Does this person look almost too perfect? Do they speak flawlessly without a single natural pause or stumble? Does anything in the background seem off?

One fake veterinary neurology video I saw had a model of a human spine sitting in the background. It looked professional at first glance. The funny thing is once you look a little closer, the cracks start to show.

And don’t be fooled by those that have several letters after their name, and mention of obscure certifications. If they claim to be “board certified,” by ANY veterinary board, check. Veterinary specialty boards have directories, and a credential isn’t something you have to take an influencer’s word for.

There are also a few phrases that immediately put us on alert:

“Veterinarians don’t want you to know this.”

Please. If I find something that genuinely helps my patients, I WANT YOU TO KNOW.

“Vets make money keeping pets sick.”

No veterinarian I know wants a patient coming back over and over because treatment isn’t working. We don’t want frustrated families or uncomfortable pets. We want them feeling better or their condition well-managed as quickly as we can get them there.

And then there’s one of my least favorite marketing tricks: fear.

If someone has to convince you that a normal nutrient, medication, or ingredient is “poison” before selling you the solution, be skeptical. Fear sells supplements remarkably well.

The supplement industry has far less oversight than many pet owners realize. A bottle being available without a prescription does not automatically make what’s inside safe, effective, or appropriate for your pet.

Before buying, look for a Certificate of Analysis. Look for independent third-party testing. Look for actual studies. Look for heavy metal and bacterial testing. Then do one more search I wish more people did:

“Problems with [random supplement name here].”

Don’t just search for reasons to buy something. Search for reasons you might not want to.

And before giving your pet something you bought online, ask your veterinary team about it. Supplements can interact with medications. They can worsen certain medical conditions. They can cause side effects. They can absolutely do harm.

AI has made it incredibly easy to create a convincing expert who has never examined a patient, never attended veterinary school, and doesn’t actually exist.

A white coat and a confident voice are not credentials.

Please look twice before you trust them. 💚

08/20/2026

If your dog wrote a poem, what would it sound like?

Sadly the QCWs are sticking to their dreams of taking their choral barking show on the road.

Poetry is a much quieter skill! 💚

🐕 🐕 🐕

08/19/2026

Managing medications for a senior pet can get complicated quickly, especially when they take several medications at different times of the day. 🐾💊

A simple medication chart can make a big difference. Writing down each medication, the dose, when it should be given, and checking it off after each dose helps prevent missed or accidentally repeated medications. It also makes it easier for everyone in the household to stay on the same page. 💚

Dr. B uses a chart like this for her own pets, Schatzie and Frieda. When you’re juggling multiple medications, having everything in one place takes some of the guesswork out of the day.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. Sometimes a simple system is the one that works best. 🐾