Does A Veterinarian Take Care Of End Of Life Services For My Cat?

​Our vets can help you with the grief process and make sure that your pets end-of-life is as comfortable and peaceful as possible. Our vets can perform a physical examination to look for signs of grief that may not otherwise be apparent (dogs and cats are often very good at hiding discomfort), as well as talk about what you are doing at home with your pet. Pain management is a crucial part of hospice care for cats and dogs -- but, of course, we are often pretty hard-pressed to know exactly how our pets are feeling.
If you decide on palliative care for your pet, you will be the primary caretaker of your pet, working together with the vet to ensure that your pets final days are comfortable and peaceful. You will work with your pets veterinarians medical team to plan your pets best course of care.
your veterinarian will evaluate your pet and guide you on pain management, feeding, and hygiene protocols, among other issues, so that you can help make your pets last days--whether it is this day, week, or month--as comfortable and dignified as possible. 

​A veterinarian can recommend euthanasia, a humane death, when no longer any other options for decreasing pain and suffering are useful. If your pet is experiencing great discomfort or has reduced quality of life, your veterinarian may recommend euthanasia, which is the practice of deliberately ending life humanely in order to alleviate pain and suffering. Our veterinarians can recommend euthanasia for pets in order to make sure that your pet is not continuing to suffer from severe pain.
When your days begin to have more bad days than good, it might be time to speak with your vet about euthanasia, either in humane ways, or, if euthanasia is not an option for you, changing medications to make sure your cat is comfortable. If your cat is sick, suffering from a condition that is only likely to get worse with time, the knowledge that it is generally better to release your pet one day too early rather than delay and prolong his or her pain or discomfort may help for some. If your older pet begins to experience pain, mobility problems, or another medical problem...or even if they are younger, but they are suffering from a severe medical issue...we can help you to find the first signs of discomfort, and make a plan for keeping them as comfortable as possible.
Hospice care is focused on a philosophy that keeps your pet comfortable, allowing them to enjoy their lives with no further medical treatment. Hospice care is focused mostly on treatment for pain, such as medications, or complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or laser therapy, which can help alleviate discomfort in your pet.
Rather than focusing on treating or curing underlying medical conditions, hospice care for pets is mostly focused on preventing pain. Just like in human medicine, Hospice care is a plan of care designed to give support care for cats who are at the end of life, be they due to advanced illness, cancer, or old age.