Moving Picture: Vet makes house calls for your pet
From as early as grade school, Dr. James Bascharon knew that he wanted to be just like his dad - a veterinarian.
His father, Dr. Amin Bascharon, who came to the U.S. from Egypt in 1970, owns two animal hospitals, one in Hanover Park and one in Oak Park.
"As soon as I was able to think about those things, being a vet was my train of thought," Bascharon said while looking through lab results at family-owned Ambassador Animal Hospital in Hanover Park.
Bascharon, now 35 and living in Lisle, started by cleaning cages and walking dogs during visits to the clinics with his dad. Thinking back, he says, "It was always 'I am going to be a vet,' and I have never looked back."
Caring for animals runs in the Bascharon family. In addition to his father, his sister, Dina Bascharon, is a veterinarian as well.
Originally from West Chicago, Bascharon got his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois before he continued his education at St. George's College of Veterinary Medicine in Grenada in the West Indies. He started practicing in 2004.
Noticing a missing key element in animal care, Bascharon started offering house calls through his practice, XpectaVet, where he visits his patients in their homes. He says there is a resurgence of people finding value in the personalized care available when the veterinarian comes to the home.
"Animals can get really stressed out by leaving the home and going to the vet," says Bascharon, who visits homes throughout the city and suburbs.
XpectaVet offers everything from routine shots and checkups to in-home euthanasia.
Being able to get to know his clients on a personal basis in an environment that is comfortable to them is important to Bascharon.
"It's very gratifying for me, and I really enjoy doing house calls as a practicing vet."
Euthanasia visits, which Bascaron estimates account for 40 to 50 percent of his practice, are part of a day's work for Bascharon.
"At-home euthanasia is a very emotional moment for the owner," he said. Bascharon said people whose pets are terminally ill appreciate being able to help their pets pass away peacefully at home. Yet there is still much sadness in saying goodbye to a beloved pet.
"I do love animals, I love medicine, and I love helping people," says Bascharon.
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