Kind, caring, professional, experienced

"As a pet-palliative-care advocate, sympathetic, compassionate and high-standard end-of-life care for pets is central to my ideology"

Dr Caroline Ficker BVSc(Hons) CertSAM PGDip CHPV MRCVS – Veterinary Surgeon

Caroline's veterinary vocation developed at an early age and her love for animals and desire to help and heal them has continued ever since. Caroline graduated with her degree in Veterinary Science from Melbourne University in 1987, and throughout her career has gained extensive experience in small animal (dog and cat) medicine. She has worked in general practice and in emergency clinics and has held senior vet positions in London practices between 1997 and 2004.

Home Visit Vet was established in 2005 to provide general home veterinary care in London. Caroline’s special interests at this time were internal medicine, senior-geriatric medicine and medical ethics. A chance meeting with a palliative medicine specialist in 2008 consolidated Caroline’s focus into palliative and end-of-life care, which she has been devoted to ever since. It was a natural progression to rebrand these to PalliVet (pallivet.uk), reflecting Caroline’s experience, expertise, devotion and compassion in this emerging field.

Home Visit Vet still provides general home services to our long-established clients and for urgent one-off home visits by referral from local vet practices.

Having lived with pets for most of her life, Caroline knows and understands the love and bond we share with our pets, and how that bond strengthens over the years and is most poignant at life's last chapter.

Caroline's ‘heart dog’ was Bodie, a Border Collie dog (pictured with Caroline). Caring for Bodie in his elder years, and the grief experience after his loss has further reinforced Caroline’s drive to specialise in palliative and end-of-life care and help other families.

Outside of work, Caroline is head servant to a loving and mischievous Burmese cat, Leo.