LSU Vet Med alumnae provide much-needed at-home hospice care in Baton Rouge

While many veterinarians opt for practicing veterinary medicine in a clinic, a growing number of veterinarians are choosing a less traditional path: providing at-home veterinary care. Dr. Emily Murray and Dr. Amie Louque are just two of those veterinarians practicing veterinary care in clients’ homes in Baton Rouge, La.

They are the city’s two veterinarians for Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, a national network of approximately 400 vets providing compassionate end-of-life veterinary care. They serve an important role in providing critical access-to-care needs in Baton Rouge for both pets and their owners.

“Apart from the obvious luxury of having pets feel comfortable in their own homes, there is also an entire population of pet owners who many forget to consider—people with mobility challenges, people with lack of transportation, rural residents, people who are immune-compromised or have a chronic illness, and the elderly,” said Murray, who is a 2018 LSU Vet Med graduate. “All of these pet owners deserve companionship and access to care.”

Besides addressing accessibility issues, part of the appeal of in-home vet care for Murray lies in the contrast to the traditional pace of a general practice clinic. “Quiet drives, longer appointment times, and patients and families who are less afraid are a nice change from the hectic nature of a hospital,” Murray said. 

For Louque, who graduated from LSU Vet Med in 2021, at-home veterinary care always interested her due to the personal touch offered to the pet and their family. “It is such a special perspective to see the pets with their families in their home. It really reveals a more human-animal bond perspective of medicine than what I experienced in the clinic,” Louque said. “I think it is so special. We are serving both the pets and their people.”

While the Lap of Love team also provides quality-of-life assessments, pain and anxiety management, and end-of-life consultations, peaceful euthanasia in the comfort of home is at the center of what they do. 

“More than half the time, families say goodbye with ‘Scrubs’ or ‘Seinfeld’ on the TV. It sounds weird for such a sad moment, but they want their pets to fall asleep for their final time the way they would have always fallen asleep, curled up on the couch with mom and dad watching sitcoms,” Murray said. 

At-home care is also a vital option for anxious pets who struggle to thrive and cooperate in a clinical setting. “I can’t list how many times in clinic I had clients say, ‘he’s not like this at home’ with pets that are lashing out. I love to see how different and more relaxed pets are in their home,” Louque said.

While the reasons for practicing at-home vet care vary, the purpose of Murray and Louque’s work remains largely the same: to provide a necessary service while prioritizing comfort for both the pet and the owner. 

“Veterinarians care about people too! We want pet owners to walk away feeling cared for and listened to. Mobile practice creates an environment that makes that so much easier,” Murray said. “There isn’t another pet in the back that needs our attention. We aren’t multitasking or shuffling appointment times around in our heads while speaking to the owner. It’s one-on-one time.”

Murray and Louque are just two of many LSU Vet Med alumni across the country helping redefine veterinary care. Through their work, they are expanding access while making difficult moments more comfortable and compassionate for both pets and their owners.