Pet End-of-life Care: Understanding Hospice Care At Home

They’ve enjoyed a full life of love and friendship with you and your family; then comes the diagnosis - a progressive or terminal illness, or they’re simply getting old. Nobody can slow aging, and it’s a sad reality that cats and dogs age so much faster than we do. 

None of you are ready to consider euthanasia just yet, so what are the options? 

In this post, we’ll answer commonly asked questions, such as ‘what is pet end-of-life care?’ and ‘can pet hospice care be provided at home?’ We’ll also discuss how you can keep your pet comfortable, assess and monitor your pet's quality of life, make the most of your time together, and gently touch on pet euthanasia at home.

So your veterinarian tells you there’s something wrong with your pet’s health. Diagnoses don’t mean you need to panic. On the contrary, your pet needs you to stay calm and be there to give them as much love as you can.

As long as your dog or cat still has good days, nobody’s ready to say goodbye yet. So what comes next? Let’s talk a little about pet end-of-life care.

What Is Pet End-Of-Life Care?

The short answer is that pet end-of-life care is simply making sure your pet stays comfortable and has a decent quality of life. Once your veterinarian has made their diagnosis, they’ll help you by recommending specific treatments and/or pain management. 

Consulting your veterinarian is always the best First move to develop a hospice-type treatment plan for your pet. They can explain to you the best ways to keep your precious cat or dog calm, peaceful, and as comfortable as possible.

Quality of life is the guiding factor, and your veterinarian will make recommendations to help you provide your best hospice care at home.

Can Pet Hospice Care Be Provided at Home?

Absolutely, yes. Home is likely the most restful place for your pet to receive hospice care. Clinics are, well, clinical. They’re full of sick pets, busy veterinarians, and worst of all, you’re not there all the time.

You are your pet’s main carer and have been their whole life, so the worst thing to do when they’re not feeling great is to send them somewhere unfamiliar where there’s no you.

Pet end-of-life care is about comfort and dignity. The best part of pet hospice care at home is that you have more time with your dog or cat. They have the gift of staying in familiar surroundings, in a comfortable bed, and in a quiet spot.

They have easy access to food and water, help moving around (if needed), and you can easily notice changes in behavior. Medications aren’t always willingly taken, but you know your pet’s quirks better than anyone, and you’ve most likely outwitted them before.

Work With Your Veterinarian to Keep Your Pet Comfortable

Regular contact with your pet’s veterinarian is important, so they stay abreast of how the treatment is going, whether your pet is tolerating medications,and whether or not you’re seeing side effects. You can also let your vet know if you notice any changes in condition or appetite, and how effective their meds are in controlling pain.

Bottom line: hospice care at home, or end-of-life pet care is absolutely a partnership between you and your veterinarian, with the shared goal of helping your pet remain as comfortable as possible for as long as possible while maintaining their quality of life.

Pay Attention to Changes in Your Pet's Quality of Life

And, talking of your pet’s quality of life, we covered this topic in previous blog posts. These posts cover monitoring for changes in several different areas of your pet’s daily activities, such as: 

• Eating/drinking

• Mobility

• Breathing

• Pain

• Interaction

• Toileting

• Sleep

• Interest in favorite activities

• Good days vs difficult days

Find out more in our posts: 

Quality of Life Scale for Dogs & Cats

Quality of Life for Pets: Knowing If Your Pet Is Still Enjoying Its Days

When Is Pet End-of-life Care No Longer Enough?

Inside, we all know there will be a time when we’ve done all we can to help provide comfort and care, but it’s just not enough. You know your pet better than anyone, so you’ll feel it. You don’t need a description here - you’ll know. You’ll need to consider whether keeping them alive is truly for them or for you.

That’s when you need to speak with your veterinarian about whether euthanasia might be your most compassionate option.

Considering Euthanasia At Home When the Time Comes

If you and your veterinarian have determined that maintaining your pet's quality of life is no longer possible, at-home euthanasia allows your best friend familiar surroundings for the most peaceful goodbye.

Dr. Amy of Peace For Paws is an experienced and compassionate mobile euthanasia veterinarian in the Denver Foothills area of Colorado who will come to your home and help you and your cat or dog through the process of saying goodbye. 

It’s a difficult choice, but one that should be made in the interest of your pet’s comfort. Preparing for at-home euthanasia can help you work through the process, while during the appointment Dr. Amy will support you every step of the way.

If you’d like to meet Dr. Amy before your appointment, we have several short videos where she explains some of what you can expect. And, should you wish to check pricing or book an appointment, you’ll find our contact form simple and comprehensive.

Making the Most of the Time You Have Together

The most important part of this journey is to keep that bond strong until the end. Keep having fun. Keep spending time together. Keep enjoying each other’s company even though it may be more snuggling than playing these days.

Make sure you take photos, spend quality time, keep familiar routines, and just live. You don’t need to do anything special or elaborate. Time and love are the best gifts.

End-of-life pet care at home doesn't have to be about waiting for the end. It can be about making the time you have left together feel safe, comfortable, and filled with love.

So, though the process is simple, it may not feel easy. The journey takes you and your pet from visiting with your regular veterinarian, through comfortable care at home, monitoring your pet for changes, realizing you can no longer keep them comfortable, to peaceful at-home euthanasia if and when it’s necessary.

When you and your veterinarian decide that it's time to say goodbye, Dr. Amy provides compassionate at-home pet euthanasia for families throughout Denver and the Front Range foothills, allowing your pet to remain in the place they know best - home.