Newswise — The Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine has hired a new doctor, but he's not a veterinarian.
Mac Hafen is the college's mental health therapist. He is helping veterinary students understand some basics about pet loss and the grieving process, and to offer counseling to clients of K-State's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
Hafen says to many people, losing a pet can be just as traumatic as losing a family member and it is natural for them to go through a similar grieving process.
"The strongest bond some people have is with their pet, and when that bond is broken there can be a profound sense of loss," he said.
Hafen, who has a master's degree in family and human development and a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy, joins students and faculty on rounds at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital to discuss how to communicate with their clients in a variety of difficult situations. These situations may arise before or after a pet has been euthanized.
"I talk with clinicians and students about specific situations the students have experienced themselves or expect they might in the future. We talk about how they might tell an owner of bad news or diagnosis, or how they might handle a client who is having an especially tough time," Hafen said.
According to Hafen, research shows that 86 percent of pet owners feel some sort of grief after the death of a pet, with 35 percent still having some symptoms after six months, and 22 percent still struggling a year after the loss.
Hafen has identified some key characteristics of people who are prone to an intense grief response. Often these people are highly attached to their pet; have little social support in the home; are coping with other losses; feel their pet has gotten them through a difficult time; or that they have rescued the pet from death previously.
There also can be a strong emotional attachment to a pet that was given to the owner by a relative who has since passed away and the owner feels like the pet was the "last link" to that loved one. Hafen said veterinarians may want to pay special attention to those who have any combination of these characteristics.
Hafen emphasizes that communication with a grieving client doesn't always have to be verbal, that nonverbal communication can be just as meaningful.
"There are things we can do with body position or gestures that tell the person you're interacting with that you understand what they're going through," he said. "For example, if the client is sitting down, it may be a good idea to sit down with them, to be on their level physically."
Dr. Laura Garrett, assistant professor of oncology at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine who teaches in collaboration with Hafen, says the goal is to equip veterinary students with a host of skills they can use, although there are a variety of ways to deal with an emotional person.
"Within a person's personality, they can deal with an upset client in a variety of different ways. We're not trying to teach something artificial," Garrett said. "Being aware of broad concepts lets each individual student refine their communication skills and become more comfortable in dealing with these situations."
Hafen is on call to counsel clients of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the time of their loss. He also is available for general counseling to K-State veterinary students and short-term consultation to faculty and staff of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
His position is sponsored by the Pet Trust, a K-State College of Veterinary Medicine program that honors the human animal bond. The Pet Trust was organized 20 years ago by the late veterinary professor Dr. Jake Mosier as a way to memorialize animals treated at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. When a pet dies, a friend or relative makes a donation to the Pet Trust in the pet's memory, and the owner receives a thoughtful card in the mail while their pet's name is recorded in a memorial book in the veterinary library.
Pet Trust donations go toward funding countless needs within the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, including scholarships, hospital renovations and studies to investigate disease and relieve companion animal suffering. A donor can designate what area they would like their donation to go. For more information on the Pet Trust, visit: http://www.vet.k-state.edu/depts/development/PetTrust/index.htm
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