What is "HOSPICE" in companion animal practice?
Hospice is a system which provides compassionate comfort care to patients at the end of their lives and also supports their families in the bereavement process. It includes comprehensive nursing care as well as psychosocial and spiritual care for the patient and family.
The objectives of Hospice care are to:
- Minimize unnecessary patient suffering
- Minimize unnecessary owner's suffering
- Minimize unresolved grief
- Make loss and grief as meaningful and positive part of the pet ownership experience as possible.
Hospice care for pets is an alternative to premature euthanasia. It is also an alternative to prolonged suffering, either in the isolation of intensive care or at home with inadequate treatment. Hospice's emphasis on the dying pet's quality of life gives the family precious quality time and helps them cope with the approaching death of their pet.
Hospice care is initiated when a veterinarian or the pet's family recognizes that the patient is terminal, and that hospice care might be a better alternative than further attempts to cure. Considering hospice care will come as a relief to some pet parents who have already recognized the impending death of their pet. Others may not yet be ready to face reality or give up hope for a cure. Helping attached pet guardians choose between ever intensifying medical treatment, hospice care or euthanasia is a difficult task calling for much sensitivity and care. It is important to thoroughly explore with the guardian all the options and their consequences - ethical, medical and financial - as a part of this decision making process. Guardians may need time to think about the options and discuss them with family members before making a decision.
The veterinary team at Compassionate Veterinary Care and the pet's parents jointly develop a plan. Owners are made aware of various techniques for increasing their pet's comfort, advised of signs indicating pain, side effects of the medical conditions and treatments, and anticipated complications as the patient's condition declines. At Compassionate Veterinary Care, veterinarians and staff also fulfill the roles of grief education and support resources. We offer basic information on normal manifestations of grief; listen to and validate guardians feelings, and empower guardians to make decisions they will see afterwards as the best ones they could have made. When necessary, we address ethical and spiritual aspects of making end-of-life decisions, and make referrals to human service professionals.