Hospice Care for Dogs and Cats | A Means of Easing your Pet through Old Age or Terminal Illness
Wouldn’t you love for your pet to experience its golden years of life with the maximum comfort possible? Your dog or cat will be so grateful to feel loved, safe and comfortable as it approaches its final time with you. Many pet owners are unaware of the existence of hospice care and what it can do for your pet. It requires an evaluation of past medical records and a tailored prescription of medical and environmental treatments for your animal. Let’s talk about the value of hospice care and why it’s important.
What is Hospice Care for Dogs and Cats?
Hospice care is the recommendation of a treatment program for your pet who’s nearing old age or suffers from a terminal illness. It is provided by your veterinarian to improve your dog or cat’s quality of life. There are an array of components involved with the treatment, including environmental, medical, behavioral and nutritional aspects to satisfy your pet’s needs.
Your vet will provide an environmental inspection and recommendations to help your pet move safely around its home. This will include an evaluation of the households’ physical components and recommendations for modifications to keep your pet safe and comfortable. Your vet will prescribe a list of dos and don’ts that place limits and restrictions on the amount and sorts of activity suggested. They may give comfort recommendations, like pain medications and anti-inflammatory supplements, including CBD. If your pet is struggling with appetite, they might also prescribe appetite stimulants along with suggestions regarding what you can do to get your pet to eat.
Other treatments you may receive on a hospice care house call include the following:
• Nutritional support
• Ensuring adequate hydration
• Assistance with urination and defecation
• Keeping pets clean and well groomed
• Symptom management (e.g., medications or procedures that ease pain, nausea, difficulty breathing, etc.)
• Providing mental stimulation and loving contact with family members
Dr. Kent’s Two Cents on Why Hospice Care for Dogs and Cats is Important
Once you’ve become aware of a diagnosis of a pet’s terminal disease or have observed a decline in your pet’s quality of life, you often experience fear and confusion about what to do next. My job is to bring an objective assessment to the situation and create a customized plan to improve your pet’s comfort in the final stage of life. I will discuss palliative measures and will listen carefully to your responses to these suggestions. I will make sure that you are in agreement as to what our goal is for the future.
Please refer to our blog post: 5 Benefits of In-Home Euthanasia, especially the Quality of Life Assessment.