Dr. Derecka Alexander
Verified Veterinarian
Why I provide at-home pet euthanasia
I understand the heartache of saying goodbye to a beloved pet firsthand. During my rigorous studies at LSU, I navigated the loss of my childhood companion, Creasy. This personal experience fuels my dedication to ensuring a peaceful transition for every furry family member, turning moments of sorrow into moments of comfort and relief.
Education
Undergraduate: Louisiana State University - 2011
Veterinary Medicine: Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine - 2018
Certifications
1CAETA's CPEV (Certified Peaceful Euthanasia Veterinarian)
- Based InArlington, VA
- Service areasArlington, VA and surrounding areas
- Work Experience7+ years
- Animals ServedAll Dogs & Cats
- Notice Required2 hours
General availability
Wednesday1:01 am - 1:01 am
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. Derecka Alexander will help your beloved pet transition peacefully in the comfort of of their home, surrounded by loved ones
Est. CostStarting at $375
Keepsakes
Clay paw prints, wooden urns with personalizations available with ashes returned
Est. CostFrom $25 - $70
Quality of life consult
Schedule a 1-on-1 with a vet over a virtual conference call or at home.
Est. CostStarting at $150
What pet parents are saying
Dr. Derecka Alexander went “the extra mile” to make the “at home pet euthanasia” of our 14 year old retriever mix Lilly as comforting as possible for our family. She arrived very prepared with all of her equipment and immediately, gracefully and professionally took charge of a very emotional situation. She could see that Lilly was stressed and was able to calm her before she began the procedure. She created a peaceful setting with the soothing music and answered in detail all of our questions. Dr. Alexander made the sad and grief stricken passing of our Lilly a beautiful blessing. Thank you Dr. Alexander, your knowledge, organization, compassion and communication make you an outstanding Veterinarian and fellow human being.
The hallmark channel could not have casted a better character to come to our home and perform this service. This type of procedure requires a very special skillset of compassionate care and we are glad Dr. Alexander shared that with us, she truly has a gift.
We made the heartbreaking decision that it was time to let our beloved dog of 17years go. We wanted it to be as peaceful as possible for her and for us. We decided on in home pet euthanasia and contacted three options before deciding on CODAPet. Dr Derecka Alexander contacted us to make the arrangements. She was extremely supportive. When we described our dog's decline she made helpful suggestions about how to manage her comfort and medications until we were ready to make the decision. She described the process for us and was extremely gentle with our girl. She was not in a rush and gave us time to grieve privately. We recommend CodaPet highly. Even the operators are extremely empathetic. Dr Alexander helped make an extremely sad day better for us.
We recently had to make the difficult decision to help our elderly, very sick German Shepherd girl across the Rainbow Bridge. Our vet recommended CodaPet in-home pet euthanasia and we are so grateful as our dog really would have been more stressed having to go back to a vet office. Dr. Derecka Alexander came to our home and was so comforting, compassionate, professional and gentle with our dog (and us). She also personally delivered our sweet girl’s ashes, pawprint and a special jar with some keepsake fur. Everything was so very thoughtful and caring. It's still so hard, but knowing our dear pet went peacefully in her favorite surroundings helps. Thank you, Dr. Alexander.
Dr. Alexander was very kind and gentle when helping my Kelsey transition. I really appreciate her explaining what to expect so that my kids would all be prepared for what they might see. She took great care with those last precious moments and while transporting her. Tonight she went out of her way to bring Kelsey’s remains back to us so we could finally be reunited. Thank you Dr. Alexander for your compassion.
We had to say goodbye to our pup Leo, who we had for 16 years, and it was one of the most painful things I ever had to do. Leo had advanced kidney disease and his health quickly deteriorated. We had scheduled a Coda Appointment with Dr. Derecka Alexander for a Tuesday, but Leo’s health took a turn for the worse on a Sunday. I emailed Coda Pet to ask if there was any possibility any Vet could come out sooner. Dr. Alexander immediately contacted me and made herself available in our time of need. We were so appreciative of Dr. Alexander’s compassion and kindness in helping our beloved pup Leo cross over the rainbow bridge, especially after it became urgent. She made a very difficult experience of us having to say goodbye to our pup more manageable. We chose to get a Vet to come to our home for our final goodbye to our Leo because we wanted him to be surrounded by the warmth of our love, the comfort of his family, and the smells and sounds he has always known. I wanted his last memories to be of us — his family — holding him, kissing him, thanking him. Thank you, Dr. Alexander, for allowing us to provide that to our pup Leo.
