Two seasoned Whidbey dog and cat experts have teamed up to make veterinary visits less scary for clinic-phobic pets.

In January, Dr. Jayne McKelvy and Julie Cathey, a licensed veterinary technician, launched Care Vet at Home, a mobile veterinary service delivered directly to people’s homes, serving Whidbey, Fidalgo and parts of Skagit County.

While taking care of Whidbey pets, the duo found that visits to brick-and-mortar clinics can skew evaluation results and cause a lot of anxiety.

According to Dr. McKelvy, the stress can alter the physical condition of the pets, causing their heart rate, temperature and blood pressure to rise. A blood sample, for example, might inaccurately show the pet is diabetic.

While still feeling some discomfort due to being handled by a stranger, pets don’t get nearly as stressed and act more like themselves when the clinic is brought to their homes. As a result, owners are more relaxed, which in turn further reassures their fluffy buds and allows for more accurate assessments.

“We can kind of weed through some of that extra noise that can confound their diagnosis,” McKelvy said.

This care model also allows people to skip the car ride to the veterinary office, which can be chaotic and time consuming, or unfeasible for seniors and people with physical disabilities.

McKelvy and Cathey conduct both routine check-ups and assessments of sick animals experiencing diarrhea, digestive system issues, skin infections and other conditions that typically warrant a visit to a veterinary office. The Care Vet team can also administers vaccines, provides end-of-life services, writes health certificates for airline travel and takes samples of blood, feces or lumps for further examination in a lab.

While they don’t provide emergency care, they can give advice and refer clients to clinics that can provide such services.

All patients are rewarded with treats and lots of cuddles. On some occasions, Cathey and McKelvy recalled, dogs showed them their toys.

“Every pet we see does better at home than they’ve ever done at a vet clinic,” said Cathey.

To the Care team, being invited to be a part of a slice of the pet’s home life is rewarding.

Recently, they were called to euthanize a 19-year-old cat, who passed away peacefully from the comfort of a couch, surrounded by family. It was a sad but beautiful moment they were happy to be a part of, they said.

“We’ve loved all of our pets, and love getting to know other people’s pets,” Cathey said. “I love being a part of people’s lives.”

For more information, call 360-428-4600 or visit carevet.info.

Note: This story was edited to clarify that Julie Cathey is a licensed veterinary technician, not a doctor. We apologize for the error.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Rufus gets weighed as part of his annual exam. His doctor concluded he needs to lose two pounds, though he did earn a treat for being a good patient.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Rufus, a 2-year-old English shepherd and collie mix, lets Dr. Jayne McKelvy listen to his heart beat with a stethoscope.