Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care

An up-and-coming sector of veterinary medicine is Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care, which should have been an obvious extension of the human model, as more and more of our four-legged friends are part of the family. Surprisingly, hospice and palliative care did not become a specialty in veterinary medicine until the 1990s. The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) was started in 2009.

The animal hospice mentality revolves around a holistic, compassionate approach to end-of-life care. It prioritizes the pet’s comfort, pain management, and emotional well-being, while also supporting the grieving family. As in human hospice, our priorities have shifted from cure to care. In 2016, AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association) developed End-of-Life Care Guidelines, which allow veterinary practices to become accredited in this specialty.

Palliative care (also known as end-of-life care) is essentially comfort care that manages symptoms and can be offered at any stage of life. This includes disease processes that may have a cure and those that we know are not curable. The term “hospice” is reserved for terminally ill pets that are within the last six months of their lives.

The entire family unit is important in end-of-life or palliative decisions for the veterinary patient. The veterinarian in charge of the patient’s care should be able to verbally explain all of the options and outcomes so the family can make an informed decision. Factors such as finances, physical abilities, time, beliefs, the type of bond, and past experiences can all affect care and decision-making, so one must consider the whole picture. More conversations and the use of assessment scales to gauge quality of life and pain in pets can go a long way toward better and earlier management of our patients’ challenges as they age. 

Veterinary medicine has undergone great advancements in diagnostics and treatments over the last 30 years; however, owners still need to make decisions for their pets using the best information they can receive. Part of the veterinarian’s job is to advocate for both their patients and their owners. Hospice and palliative care rely greatly on communication between the veterinarian and the owner.

Dedicated hospice teams within a veterinary facility can often schedule longer appointments to ensure that questions are answered and allow for more in-depth discussion. Initially, hospice and palliative plans require a detailed physical examination and development of a veterinarian–client–patient relationship. The veterinarian working specifically with your pet may then be able to adjust medications without the patient coming in to the clinic in many instances.

Somerset Veterinary Hospital is expanding services in End-of-Life Care this year. The hospital has been accredited through AAHA for over a decade and will undergo additional training to make modifications that support patients and families who utilize these services. We will also be adding the option for families to have in-home euthanasia for their loved ones as part of the services provided within the City of Ames.

We are grateful for the opportunity to bring these additional services to our patients and their loved ones. The Somerset team is dedicated to providing hospice and palliative care services to support the relationships families share with their four-legged companions.

If you have questions or are interested in hospice or palliative care services, call Somerset Veterinary Hospital at (515) 292-0400 for more information.