Hospice & Palliative Care in veterinary medicine.

Hospice and palliative care are growing areas of veterinary medicine as well. Hospice and palliative care generally refers to care provided to patients after a diagnosis of a terminal or incurable illness. The goal of hospice and palliative care is to provide your pet with a good quality of life free of pain and suffering during their final days to months. This care is focused on providing comfort, management of pain, and relief of anxiety. It is not focused on providing a cure. This type of care focuses on the partnership between the pet, the family members, and the veterinary team. Veterinary hospice care includes, but is not limited to: 1)Education: First and foremost, we want to provide you with the education and resources necessary to understand your pet’s condition. We will provide you with written instructions tailored to your individual pet’s care. 2)Pain management: We focus on providing a multi-modal pain management program for your pet. 3)Nutritional and fluid support: The best method of nutritional and fluid support for your pet will be highlighted. This may involve subcutaneous fluid therapy as well as assisted feeding via nasogastric tube or syringe feeding. 4) Wound care and bandaging: Some patients may require regular wound care or bandaging. The veterinary team will provide you with the instructional training to provide this care at home. 5)Anti-anxiety and behavioral modification medication: Many senior patients develop anxiety or other behavioral changes. We will discuss these changes with you and explore