Home Palliative Pet Care
SERVICE UPDATE
IN AN EFFORT TO HELP MORE PET FAMILIES WITH AT-HOME EUTHANASIA, OUR PRACTICE IS SHIFTING AWAY FROM FULL-SERVICE HOME HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE.
What does this mean?
We are offering collaborative care via vet-to-vet consultations to assist your family veterinarian in creating a palliative care plan for your pet.
If you think your pet may benefit from pain and symptom management, and/or are looking for guidance on their end-of-life journey, please reach out for a 1-hour Telehealth Quality of Life Consultation anytime.
Following your consultation we are happy to coordinate with your regular vet team who would continue overseeing your pet’s care.
This shift allows us greater availability and flexibility to help pets in need of an end-of-life appointment.We thank you for your understandingHonouring the bond, the life, and the love.
Dr. Erica is a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian
Adding support, comfort, quality, and joy, to the time spent with your best friend.
Palliative Care for Pets
Palliative care promotes and enhances comfort for your pets with acute or chronic painful conditions, helping them live a better quality of life.
We want every pet to live their best life
Our quality of life consultation is your first place to start. Here, we will explore how to tell if your pet is in pain and what can be done about it.
Palliative care allows your pet to remain comfortable so you can both enjoy the precious time you have left together and begin preparing your heart to say goodbye.
Together, during our quality of life consultation, should palliative care be recommended, we will discuss how our team may support you and your regular veterinarian in creating a plan that matches your goals and priorities. We encourage you to ask for more details should this be of interest to you and your pet.What is Integrative Pain Management?
Looking at the patient as a whole, we utilize all appropriate therapies, and bring conventional & complementary approaches together in a coordinated way.
🐾 Now offering the Assisi Loop 2.0 targeted pulsed electromagnetic field (tPEMF) therapy system to assist with your pet 🐾
“When managing pain is approached in an integrative or multi-modal way, we can take advantage of the synergism that is created and often use lower doses of medications than those solely relying on that medication alone. That’s a win - win.”
The Assisi Loop Lounge
TOTAL BODY treatmentRechargeable at home or on the goWe have a new exciting therapy to manage all kinds of conditions that cause pain and inflammation in pets -
The Assisi Loop Lounge.
Watch this unpacking video as we feature some of the benefits of targeted Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (tPEMF) technology and how it can help your pet feel better without regular trips to the vet - it's all from the comfort of HOME.
Mobility Aids for Dogs
By far, the number one complaint I hear from all my clients with senior dogs is problems with their mobility. An integrative approach to helping these guys is a must! Mobility aids such as ToeGrips, ramps, stairs, harness/sling can make a big difference.
Dr Buzby’s ToeGrips for Dogs
If your dog can walk on carpet or grass but struggles on hardwood floors or smooth surfaces due to age, arthritis, surgery, or disability, Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips dog nail grips can help. Better gripping means less slipping!
But how do they work?
Dogs use their toenails for traction. They flex their paws and engage their nails like soccer cleats digging into the ground.
But hard nails can’t grip hard floors. Dr Buzby’s ToeGrips work by allowing your dog’s toenails to grip smooth surfaces like hardwood floors. ToeGrips® help dogs rise and walk on smooth floors so they can enjoy life to the fullest.
How can Dr. Buzby’s ToeGrips help improve my dog’s mobility?
ToeGrips fit on the toenails of each of your dog’s paws.
The non-slip nail grips enable instant traction by creating a “grip zone” between the toenails and hard-surface floors and stairs.
With better grip, your dog has instant freedom and newfound confidence.
For peace of mind, you may read more client testimonials here
Preparing for the Next Steps
Understanding your pet’s condition and how it may progress as well as setting goals of comfort care and tracking quality of life can be very empowering to pet caregivers as their pet is nearing their End-of-Life. We are here to help guide you in this process.
Equally important is setting goals for death or an End-of-Life Care Plan. It can be helpful to many in thinking about how you want your pet’s last moments to be shared, ideally in advance of it actually happening as emotions run high during this time.
Please contact us to learn more about our services and how we may be of help as you begin to think about your pet’s sunset years.
Pet Hospice Journal
This is a unique QOL scale and personalized daily diary that is FREE to use
It tracks: Nutrition, Hydration, Attitude, Elimination, Favourite Things, Hygiene, Good Days, and Energy Levels
There is also opportunities to add notes, pictures, weights, and body condition scores
Scores
10 - 20 = Good QOL;
7-10 = reduced QOL, medical intervention recommended;
0-7 = very poor QOL, consider euthanasia or hospice-supported natural death.
A Helpful Guide to Planning Ahead
We love our pets from the moment they come into our lives and become a part of our families. Yet being a pet parent or caregiver also comes with the heavy responsibility of making End-of-Life decisions. Preparing yourself in advance for the death of your pet, while extremely difficult, can be very helpful and may lessen some of the stress and burden of decision-making during an intensely emotional time.
Please take some time to reflect upon what is important to you, your pet, and your family in reviewing the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance’s (PLPA’s) Guide to Planning Ahead: A pre-planning Resource for Pet Parents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is animal hospice and palliative care?
Animal hospice and palliative care is a philosophy of care addressing the physical, emotional, and social needs of animals facing life-limiting or terminal illnesses. It is a mindset shift focusing on comfort and quality of life for both the pet and family when curative measures are no longer available or being pursued.
Why should I choose palliative care for my pet?
Palliative care represent a bridge between life and death, whereby pet parents or caregivers have time to emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually prepare to say goodbye, all the while ensuring pet comfort.
How is my family vet involved?
As an extension of the services that primary care vet clinics provide, we partner with and collaborate with your family veterinarian to provide the best possible care for your pet.
When should I consider hospice and/or palliative care for my pet?
Hospice or palliative care can be considered in any of these circumstances:
A pet has a diagnosis of an incurable, irreversible, or terminal condition
A pet has a progressive, undiagnosed disease or chronic disability
There are no further treatments that can help cure the illness your pet is suffering from
A decision not to pursue any curative treatments has been made
Symptoms of a chronic illness interfere with your pet’s routine or quality of life
Home comfort care is preferred over going to a regular veterinary clinic
We work collaboratively with your family veterinarian in creating a treatment plan that matches your goals
We understand that this is a very difficult and overwhelming time. We are committed to helping through the decision-making process, actively listening to your concerns and needs, providing comfort and relieving pain for your pets to facilitate the most peaceful End-of-Life experience.
Please reach out at 226-779-KIND (5463) with any questions.
We are honoured to help you and your pet in your time of need.