Compassionate in-home pet euthanasia & hospice

Now serving Pittsburgh.

Meet Dr. Eddie Desko

Bringing compassionate end-of-life pet care to Pittsburgh families.

Dr. Eddie was born and raised in western Pennsylvania and is honored to return home to serve families in the Pittsburgh community. After earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University, he worked in both general practice and emergency medicine before discovering his true calling: walking alongside families during their pets’ final chapter.

Since joining Caring Pathways in 2020, Dr. Eddie has helped hundreds of families navigate the tender decision of saying goodbye. Known for his calm presence and compassionate care, he believes every pet deserves to leave this world surrounded by love — and every family deserves support and dignity during this time.

Outside of work, Dr. Eddie enjoys hiking, camping, snowboarding, playing disc golf, and spending time with his nieces and nephews.

For over 15 years, Caring Pathways has been a trusted leader in veterinary hospice and in-home euthanasia. Families across the country rely on our compassionate team to walk with them through one of life’s most difficult journeys.

Our Services

Bringing trusted in-home quality of life assessments and pet euthanasia to Pittsburgh.

Caring Pathways brings compassionate end-of-life care directly to your home, providing quality-of-life assessments and peaceful in-home pet euthanasia. Dr. Eddie Desko serves families throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities with expertise, gentleness, and support during this difficult time.

pet home euthanasia

In-Home Quality-of-Life Assessments

One of our end-of-life care veterinary experts will evaluate your beloved pet in the comfort and privacy of your home to help you make the best and informed decision for your pet.

pet hospice care

In-Home Pet Euthanasia

A peaceful and dignified goodbye in the comfort of home, surrounded by love. After a thoughtful consultation and review, Dr. Eddie will gently guide your family through each step, ensuring your beloved pet’s passing is calm, respectful, and free from fear or pain.

Teleadvice vet

TeleAdvice Appointments

A TeleAdvice appointment with a veterinary professional will facilitate virtual face-to-face conversations to help you better understand the quality of your pet’s life and your care options moving forward.

crossing the rainbow bridge

After Crossing Body Care

Our pet crossed the rainbow bridge within the last 24 hours and I need assistance today with aftercare arrangements.

crossing the rainbow bridge

Aftercare Services

Every aspect of your pet’s final care and arrangements is of the utmost significance in honoring the life, and the love, you shared. We will walk you through paw print memorial options, cremation services, and custom pet memorial products with our trusted cremation provider, Green Pet Cremation.

Serving Families Across Pittsburgh and Surrounding Communities

Compassionate Care at Home

Dr. Eddie is honored to bring gentle, in-home end-of-life care to families throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding suburbs. Our service area includes (but is not limited to):

  • Pittsburgh

  • Bethel Park

  • Monroeville

  • Allison Park

  • McKeesport

  • Oakmont

  • Bridgeville

  • Clairton

  • West Mifflin

  • Plum

If you don’t see your community listed, please reach out. If you’re nearby, we may still be able to help.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Choose the appointment type that best meets your family’s needs. Dr. Eddie will come to your home to provide gentle, compassionate care, whether you’re seeking guidance on your pet’s quality of life or a peaceful, dignified goodbye surrounded by love.

“How Do I Know When It’s Time?”

One of the hardest parts of loving a pet is knowing when it’s time to say goodbye. You don’t have to make this decision alone. Dr. Eddie and the Caring Pathways team are here to gently guide you with compassion and clarity.

Support for This Tender Decision

Dr. Eddie offers In-Home Quality of Life Assessments and TeleAdvice calls to help you understand your pet’s comfort and guide you through this journey.

What Families Are Saying About Dr. Eddie

We had to put our Buddy down in October of last year. It was one of the hardest things to do. Unfortunately, he was not the first. He was 15 years old but acted like he was 5. We thought we were going to lose him a year prior, as he was having issues with his back end getting weak, but he was a fighter, and with laser treatment, he was back to himself, never in pain. But that changed in October when he could not get up or walk and had to be carried outside to relieve himself. At that point, we knew it was time.

We called two places in order to do it at home because we had another dog and wanted her to be there to say goodbye.

Dr. Desko was the veterinarian who came to our home. We wanted Buddy to be comfortable and in his surroundings and, most of all, did not want to move him and put him in a vehicle, potentially hurting him in any way. Buddy loved to be outside on the terrace, so we brought a bed out there with some toys. Dr. Desko was so understanding and compassionate. He never once made us feel rushed. As we loved on Buddy, wept, hugged him, and gave him kisses, he actually encouraged it. Dr. Desko sat down in the corner and loved on our other dog the whole time.

I cannot stress enough that we never felt rushed at any point. When the time came to say goodbye, he explained the process and steps of what would happen. Even afterward, he told us to take our time to say goodbye to Buddy.

Dr. Desko made the whole procedure more relaxed, and we felt the love he has for our beloved family pets.

I highly recommend Caring Pathways to make this unfortunate decision a loving and caring experience.”

From Brett & Trish

“On May 23rd, I was privileged to have experienced a truly sacred moment, when Dr. Eddie came to help my almost 17-year-old border collie mix pass over the Rainbow Bridge. I will be forever grateful to this young man for treating my dog with such deep respect and compassion. He is truly called to this vocation to give animals and their owners a sense of peace in the midst of so much sadness. Thank you for being who you are Dr. Eddie.”

From Mimie

“This past Sunday we made the most heartbreaking decision, to say goodbye to our sweet girl. Dr. Eddie came to assist and instantly became a part of our family in a way few would understand. Thank you, Dr Eddie, for easing her pain, for bonding with our son, and helping us all say goodbye. You gave us the ability to bless her with this gift and the dignity that not everyone is able to have. We’ll forever hold Starbuck in our hearts, and you are there, too.

From Allison

“‘Wonderful’ is not a great enough word for Dr. Desko and the team at Caring Pathways. Your compassion and thoughtfulness were above and beyond anything we could’ve expected when it was time for our 18-year-old fur baby to cross the rainbow bridge. Thank you for walking alongside us through one of the hardest days of our lives.”

From Angela

“I have nothing but praise for Caring Pathways and the care that Dr. Eddie provided. What was a devastating situation with our sweet boy, Briggs, Dr. Eddie was able to give us a heartbreakingly beautiful experience as he crossed the rainbow. The peace, calm, and comfort that was given to Briggs, my husband, and I was a gift I will never be able to fully express my gratitude for. At no point during our appointment did we feel rushed. Instead, we felt like we had family over and told stories and laughed about everything that made Briggs the very best boy. All of the details were so thoughtful, including reading materials on how to have the hard conversations with our 2 young boys. We were so grateful to have had Briggs in our family for 10 years. Dr. Eddie gave us the ability to make him feel how much we loved him, until the very end. We are forever thankful.”

From Ellie

Helpful Resources for This Tender Time

What Should I Do if My Pet Dies at Home?

What Should I Do if My Pet Dies at Home?

If you are reading this, you are likely in a position that no pet owner wants to be in... Your beloved fur child has either passed away on their own...

You Don’t Have to Walk This Journey Alone

Dr. Eddie and the Caring Pathways team are here to guide, support, and bring peace to your family and beloved pet in Pittsburgh.

Fear Free
caeta
cvma
avma
cvma