Dr. Lauren Ayala

We were lucky to have nine good years with our Bernese Mountain Dog, “Sansa”; however, when the end came, it came fast. Loss of appetite and vomiting, then vomiting blood… lethargy… sudden evacuation of bowels without the energy to even register on her face, much less move. Ultimately, it led to a simple realization: her body was shutting down; she was dying before our very eyes; and, the answer to our only truly important question: “is she suffering but not even able to communicate this to us?”, was a complete unknown. All of this—form not seeing any need for concern—to resigning ourselves to have her euthanizied within a few hours…. took less than 24 hours. As you would imagine, our first course of action was with our vet. But what started as getting an urgent, same-day visit scheduled turned into a euthanasia appointment, which then turned into a desperate inquiry for a solution that would not only spare Sansa a car ride, but allow us to continue providing uninterrupted comfort and attention at home without any distraction. Fortunately, that last call is where we learned about in-home euthanasia. Our vet recommended CodaPet, and I immediately booked the first appointment available. And while the decision to end Sansa’s suffering as soon as possible was easy; her actually dying was something else entirely. But what did make this utterly heartbreaking experience a little less painful, was that the doctor we got: Lauren Ayala. When she arrived, she calmly and gently just “took it from there”. I can’t tell you how much this matters when you’re faced with such an overwhelming loss. Dr. Ayala had such a special way about her: not only giving Sansa the painless, gentle departure we wanted so badly, but she also provided us with just as much comfort. She isn’t just a good doctor; she’s the kind of person who genuinely cares for everyone involved. She understands completely that Sansa isn’t just our pet—she’s a family member. We got to spend our last few moments petting her and cradling her snout while Dr. Ayala talked us through everything that was happening and what to expect. We were never out of our pup’s line of sight, and I know that was exactly what she wanted; and for us to be able to do that, in our own home, and without having to move her, meant so much. The first injection was to sedate her, so she’d be unconscious. Sansa just closed her eyes, but her breathing let us know she was still with us. Laruen then let us know the euthanasia was going in. It took a couple minutes at most, but Sansa didn’t move; there was no moaning or gurgling – her body didn’t twitch or spasm or anything like that. Not one bit. She just stopped breathing. She didn’t feel a thing, It was peaceful. Everything about the process and how Dr. Ayala managed it all was the best we could possibly hope for. And as soon as Sansa passed, she stepped out for a bit so we could say goodbye. My wife and I just continued petting and talking to her, as if she was still there, barely able to fathom that after nine years, and with all of this happening within just one single day, she was simply gone. What followed was a blur. I helped wrap our pup in the blankets she was laying on, and together we got her into the car. I held it together best I could, but just as we got her inside, one of her paws emerged from the blankets. I pretty much lost it then and there. I could only muster a quick ‘thank you’ to Dr. Ayala and her assistant before quickly turning back and making my way inside to rejoin my wife. Losing a pet is just… hard. And honestly, it was only after some time passed and we could reflect on that day then when it dawned on us how truly fortunate we were to have Lauren there. She was so kind, so caring, and professional in a way that it almost went unnoticed that this is a doctor who has done all the prep, calculated all the medications, then flawlessly executed a procedure that really does take some serious skill. I’m sure most vets who provide in-home euthanasia know what they’re doing and how to handle distraught family members, so It would be crazy to think we lucked out big time (as if our experience was some markedly unusual exception), but I KNOW with absolute certainty that Dr. Lauren Ayala is EXACTLY who you would want to come to your door when the time comes. I would urge anyone considering in-home euthanasia to know that it’s worth every penny. Being with your pet in your own home really matters so much. Even if you (like us), can’t fully realize how important the little things matter until you’re able to look back on it later, trust me, you’ll be glad knowing you chose the best option when you were faced with such a difficult decision. If you feel your pet might be approaching the end, the first thing I’d suggest would be to bookmark the CodaPet website. Keep Dr. Lauren Ayala’s name written down nearby. If you’re able to book her, you can rest assured you’ll be in truly excellent hands.

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5.0

Sep 08 2025 by Jason K.

I am SO grateful for CodaPet and Dr Lauren Ayala. I was let down last minute by another company and was able to easily schedule the very next morning right off my phone and CodaPet was much simpler and more affordable with even better memorial items. The visit itself was very peaceful, with Dr Ayala explaining each step and giving us time with our Melody and our other dogs. The wheeled stretcher looked so cozy with blankets and it was all so respectful and organized. Thank you so much for having this wonderful service available to the community.

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5.0

Aug 16 2025 by Annette Needham

No one wants to go through this experience, but being able to have Dr Ayala come to our home was a far better option compared to going to the vet. Vet clinics can be scary places for pets especially when they are in such a vulnerable state at end of life. Our dog hated them and I'm so glad she was able to pass on in her home peacefully. Highly recommend this option despite it costing more. Dr Ayala was also very kind and I'm glad she was the one sent out for this. If she's in charge of your case you're in good hands.

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5.0

Jul 24 2025 by Rob Winkler

Dr. Ayala is AMAZING!! During one of the most difficult times in a pet owner’s life, Dr. Ayala brought such a sense of calm and peace. And we felt that we were in charge of the entire process. We did not feel rushed and she was so wonderful in her explanation of the process and her love and care for our dog and for us. We absolutely recommend Dr. Ayala!!

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5.0

Oct 03 2025 by Samantha S.

Dr. Lauren Ayala and her assistant were very kind, thank you for helping my sweet angel, Nuva, cross the rainbow bridge ins such a peaceful moment in my arms.

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5.0

Sep 14 2025 by Samantha H.

We were lucky to have nine good years with our Bernese Mountain Dog, “Sansa”; however, when the end came, it came fast. Our vet recommended CodaPet, and I immediately booked the first appointment available. And while the decision to end Sansa’s suffering as soon as possible was easy; her actually dying was something else entirely. But what did make this utterly heartbreaking experience a little less painful, was the doctor we got: Lauren Ayala. When she arrived, she calmly and gently just “took it from there”. I can’t tell you how much this matters when you’re faced with such an overwhelming loss. Dr. Ayala had such a special way about her: not only giving Sansa the painless, gentle departure we wanted so badly, but she also provided us with just as much comfort. She isn’t just a good doctor; she’s the kind of person who genuinely cares for everyone involved. She understands completely that Sansa isn’t just our pet—she’s a family member. We got to spend our last few moments petting her and cradling her snout while Dr. Ayala talked us through everything that was happening and what to expect. We were never out of our pup’s line of sight, and I know that was exactly what she wanted; and for us to be able to do that, in our own home, and without having to move her, meant so much. The first injection was to sedate her, so she’d be unconscious. Sansa just closed her eyes, but her breathing let us know she was still with us. Laruen then let us know the euthanasia was going in. She didn’t feel a thing, It was peaceful. Everything about the process and how Dr. Ayala managed it all was the best we could possibly hope for. And as soon as Sansa passed, she stepped out for a bit so we could say goodbye. Losing a pet is just… hard. And honestly, it was only after some time passed and we could reflect on that day then when it dawned on us how truly fortunate we were to have Lauren there. She was so kind, so caring, and professional in a way that it almost went unnoticed that this is a doctor who has done all the prep, calculated all the medications, then flawlessly executed a procedure that really does take some serious skill. I would urge anyone considering in-home euthanasia to know that it’s worth every penny. Being with your pet in your own home really matters so much. Even if you (like us), can’t fully realize how important the little things matter until you’re able to look back on it later, trust me, you’ll be glad knowing you chose the best option when you were faced with such a difficult decision. If you feel your pet might be approaching the end, the first thing I’d suggest would be to bookmark the CodaPet website. Keep Dr. Lauren Ayala’s name written down nearby. If you’re able to book her, you can rest assured you’ll be in truly excellent hands.

Read moreView less

5.0

Sep 08 2025 by Jason Kraeft