Dr. Cassandra Lewis
Verified Veterinarian
Why I provide at-home pet euthanasia
I am that stereotypical person you hear about that always wanted to be a veterinarian since I can remember. I loved helping take care of any of the sick pets in my home and we certainly had a zoo with anything from cats and dogs to turtles and fish, horses and guinea pigs and others when I was a kid. I love practicing veterinary medicine and do anything and everything I can for the seniors at Young at Heart. I began to consider euthanasia services after a personal experience with a mule my family had for over 20 years. I grew up riding her and she was the sweetest soul. When she was 36 years old she likely developed a brain tumor and was acting a bit wild and difficult to handle. With winter fast approaching my parents did not want to risk her having a traumatic injury from the snow and ice and not being able to give her a peaceful ending in that circumstance. They called a local vet who attempted to to perform the euthanasia but it went horribly and she ultimately refused to continue and recommended we have a wildlife vet dart her down. She had been our baby for over 20 years and I felt she deserved a peaceful and dignified ending to such a long wonderful life. Even though I was 8 months pregnant at the time, I drove down to Indiana and was able to offer her the ending she truly deserved. It was truly a rewarding feeling to myself and my family to know that she passed without fear or pain, surrounded by love and treated with the gentle touch she deserved. Although euthanasia is always a difficult decision, I've always viewed it as the kindest ending we can offer to our patients. and sometimes one of the most rewarding parts of the profession to be able to take away any pain or suffering for an animal that cannot understand what is happening.
Education
Undergraduate: Saint Joseph's College
Veterinary Medicine: Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine -2009
Certifications
1Fear Free Certified
- Based InAlgonquin, IL
- Service areasAlgonquin & Surrounding Northwest Suburbs
- Work Experience15+ years
- Animals ServedAll Dogs & Cats, Canine, Feline, Small Mammals (in ...
- Notice Required2 hours
General availability
Friday6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Availability each week can vary based on demand and scheduling. Please provide a minimum 2 hour advance notice for all bookings.
Services provided
At home pet euthanasia
Dr. Cassandra Lewis will help your beloved pet transition peacefully in the comfort of of their home, surrounded by loved ones
Est. CostStarting at $400
Keepsakes
Clay paw prints, wooden urns with personalizations available with ashes returned
Est. CostFrom $25 - $180
Quality of life consult
Schedule a 1-on-1 with a vet over a virtual conference call or at home.
Est. CostStarting at $250
What pet parents are saying
Tough day, our family had the right partner to get through it with. Dr. Lewis was truly compassionate and read the room well. We were lucky to find someone who was able/willing to help us with our love, Lou, who was a 200lb+ mastiff. We were in a real spot and grateful to Dr. Lewis for her help.
Dr. Cassandra Lewis was so kind and compassionate throughout this whole unfortunate experience of putting our loved one to sleep. She was very attentive to any questions before she came out and explained the entire process, also availability of timing was great. Price wasn’t top of mind, but very fair as well to other places exceeding $1k. Thank you for making this whole experience easier for us and being so kind!
Dr. Lewis was amazing throughout this process. It's one of the most difficult things we go thru as pet owners but she was so compassionate & caring. Having her come to the house was the best thing we did for our dog. Dr. Lewis gave us all the time we needed before & after, to make sure we we had our time to say our final goodbyes. I would HIGHLY recommend Dr. Lewis when you have to go through this difficult process, she made this event much easier to process.
First and foremost, I’m sorry for the late review. Losing my best bud has been extremely hard on my family and I. He was my shadow and my best friend and I just miss him so much 😞. Because my Oddy meant so much to me I wanted the very best experience for him . I was a bit reluctant at first because I had never heard of codapet. I chose to take a risk and I am so glad I chose Dr Lewis. From the very moment she stepped into our home, she was very compassionate, understanding, and respectful. We explained that Oddy’s tumor had burst open that morning and we were having a difficult time getting him to walk, and eat, which he loved to do. She walked us through every step and let us have the time we needed to say our goodbyes. Although that night was one of the worst days of my life, I was extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to hold my boy, in the comfort of our own home, as he took his last breath. Dr Lewis, also was kind enough to gift my whole family these small recycled medication vials with hearts attached to them filled with our Oddy’s fur. I turned it into a necklace and believe it or not it has helped me tremendously with the healing process after the loss of my fur baby. The only thing I was disappointed about is that my Oden’s name was spelled “Odin” on all of the documents and keepsakes we received. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Dr Lewis. The Diedrich Family
In such an emotional trying moment, Dr. Cassandra was absolutely wonderful to our family and our beloved Tucker. We are so grateful for her calm compassion.
I can not say enough good things about CodaPet and Dr. Lewis. On-line scheduling was quick and easy we got an appointment same day (I requested the appointmentaround 1am and Dr. Lewis arrivedaround 6pm). With our dogs rapid decline it was absolutely necessary for her comfort as well as it was very important to us she could pass at home as we did not want her to have to go through the added stress of a trip to the vet in her last moments. Dr. Lewis was amazing to work with. She kept in contact and updated us throughout the day on ETA as well as general checking in to see how out Cassie was doing. During our appointment Dr. Lewis was kind and compassionate, she talked us through the process as well as gave us all the time we needed with Cassie. Having Cassie at home in her final moments was the best decision for our family, allowing the kids and other pets to say their good byes in the comfort of our own home was very healing and we couldn't have asked for a better experience on one of the worst days of a pet parents life.
