Pet Hospice and Palliative Care

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Dr. Barrett understands that pet owners are often given bad news about their pet’s health or hear “nothing else can be done”, but that does not mean euthanasia is the only choice. There is another option . . . pet hospice and palliative care.

For decades, the hospice concept has been utilized for humans desiring pain relieving and comfortable end of life care.  Hospice care ensures our family member is kept comfortable when suffering from a terminal illness and is treated with dignity and respect throughout the dying process.

Veterinary hospice or pet hospice care is modeled after human hospice.  Veterinary hospice care does not include diagnostics, blood work or finding a cure for a pet’s illness.  Instead, the focus is on pain relief or comfort care in a pet’s final weeks or months before natural death or humane euthanasia. Our goal is to prevent unnecessary suffering, maximize your pet’s happiness and quality of life, and maintain the bond they have with you for as long as possible. Veterinary hospice care often includes pain management, hydration, wound care, incontinence management, alternative therapies and home modifications.  Hospice can provide the family with additional time to come to terms with their pet’s illness or situation and make the most informed and comfortable end of life decisions for their loved one. 

Why choose Kindred Spirits Pet Hospice?

• Kindred Spirits is committed to helping you through this difficult journey and providing your pet with the compassion and dignity they deserve.
• Every pet and situation are unique, so each hospice care plan is individualized to best meet your needs.
• The Kindred Spirits staff will treat your pet in their own comfortable surroundings, thereby avoiding difficult and often painful transport to a veterinary clinic.
• Dr. Barrett will educate you about your pet’s illness and the signs to look for as they move into the later stages of their final journey.
• Pet owners or caregivers can be trained to monitor vital signs, recognize signs of pain, and provide nursing care like medication, fluid administration and even wound care.
• Phone calls and/or home visits will be conducted to check in with you and your beloved companion and monitor their changes.
• Home evaluations are done to determine how the environment can be modified to maximize your pet’s comfort and day-to-day activity.
• We will provide you with grief support resources and the information you need to make the best decisions for your pet during this difficult time.

Frequently Asked questions:

What kind of diseases or conditions would warrant pet hospice and palliative care?
Any disease or condition that causes pain, stress or loss of dignity to your pet can be helped with hospice and palliative care. Examples of this can include chronic kidney disease, liver disease, arthritis and mobility changes, senility changes, incontinence, and cancer. 

How do I know if pet hospice care is the right decision for my pet and my family?
Hospice and palliative care require a great deal of time commitment, physical work, emotional burden, and often increased expenses. Please call to schedule a Quality of Life Assessment to discuss whether hospice is the right choice for your beloved pet.