Palliative Care Choices for Pets

A pet is a member of the family like any other. Cats, dogs, and other four-legged (or winged) friends act as constant companions for years—often decades—and as such, when they come to the end of their lives, it’s nothing short of a tragedy. When pets get sick, it’s a tough pill to swallow, and you want to do everything in your power to make them as comfortable as possible.

You might not have even been aware of this fact, but there are different care choices available for pets who are ill or dying. If you want to find out a little bit more about palliative care and health decisions for pets, read on.

It’s Important to Have a Plan in Place

For most dogs, life expectancy is between 10 and 13 years. For cats, it’s between 13 and 17 years. Although it’s difficult and unpleasant to think about, once your pet begins to get older, it is a smart decision to begin to think about what you’ll do in the case they become ill.

If your pet does get sick, it’s probable that you’ll be emotional and upset. This is not the best state of mind in which to make important decisions. Thinking about your options for palliative care for pets ahead of time will mean you’ll be in a much better position to make this tough decision.

You should make a plan with a few different options for palliative care, as well as what you’d like to do after your pet has passed. Pet burial and pet cremation are both options to explore.

Palliative Care for Pets

So, when it comes to palliative care for pets, what are your options? When you have an old or terminally ill pet, there are a few different routes you can take.

The first is to make the difficult decision to euthanize your pet, to end any suffering it may be enduring. If this isn’t an option you’re open to, there are also veterinary hospice care options to explore.

This could be either in a clinic setting or at home. The vets will administer pain medication to your pet, to make them as comfortable as possible. There are also certain therapeutic interventions that can be used to achieve the same effect.

You might also want to bring your pet to their favorite place, or feed them their favorite foods, to make their last few days or weeks with you as happy as they can be. Palliative care needs to be personalized based on the animal’s individual case, so it will look different for every pet. The main goal is to reduce any suffering as much as you can.

Know Your Care Choices

When your pet is old or infirm, it’s easy to feel helpless. One of the best things you can do for them, however, is to be aware of what your care choices are and explore each to make sure you’re making the best decision for you and your pet. If you’re looking for more advice on animals, don’t forget to check out the rest of our site now.