When terminal illness is diagnosed in a companion animal, options that help to make decisions about the final days of a pet’s care need to be made. Guidelines created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) are available for use when the discussion turns to veterinary hospice care. 

Veterinary Hospice

AVMA views veterinary hospice services as care provided so an animal is able to stay at their own home, or if needed, in a facility established to provide these services. Keeping the comfort of the animal in mind, when hospice care is to be provided, a hospice team that consists of the veterinarian and staff trained in palliative care and pain control will be assembled.
The decision for a practice to offer hospice services requires a large commitment. Issues of consideration focus on the abilities of the veterinarian, the practice, and the staff. Assisting in the veterinary hospice care of an animal can be very time consuming, requiring a large commitment to:

• The medical needs of the patient, and
• The emotional needs of the clients 

When not in a position to offer hospice services, veterinarians should be prepared to refer their patient to another veterinarian or veterinary facility that can: 

List of Issues

The AVMA recommends addressing the following list of issues when veterinary hospice care is being considered:

• Family/household dynamics; clients should:
  • Be counseled on their pet’s illness or condition and on the expected outcome
  • Receive an explanation of the expected services provided by the veterinarian
  • Be informed of their responsibilities in providing their pet’s hospice care
• Fees
  • Before any services are provided, fees should be discussed and agreed upon
• Patient Considerations
  • Patients are to be kept as free from pain and as clean as possible
  • Hospice team should be prepared to train clients in routine care and to:
    • Administer drugs
    • Assess pain
    • Determine stages of organ system failure
  • Veterinarians should:
    • Understand this is a difficult time for clients and should maintain contact on a regular and frequent basis
    • Realize that the home setting may not be the best place for the animal’s hospice care
    • Regularly assess the manner in which clients are coping with their responsibilities
• Veterinary practice:
  • Must hold the appropriate Drug Enforcement Administration and state license
  • Must maintain records of all dispensed drugs and supplies
• Hospice Team
  • Insurance coverage needs must be considered to include liability and travel coverage, especially when traveling to/from client’s residence
• Death
  • Before the animal passes, clients should be presented with options regarding handling of animal’s remains
  • Determine if confirmation of death by attending veterinarian will be required
  • If euthanasia services are needed, clients need to be informed of the steps involved
  • Client approval needs to be obtained before services are given
• Veterinary Care Availability
  • Hospice care calls for veterinary care to be available at all times
  • If times for referral are required, client should be notified at the start of the plan
• Records
  • All interactions with patients and clients must be recorded, including:
    • Home visits
    • Patient treatments
    • Telephone conversations
• Referrals
  • When veterinarians refer their clients to hospice care outside of their practice, the referring veterinarian should identify and determine that this hospice provider will maintain the patient’s care following this list of issues
• Support
  • When situations require, the hospice team should be prepared to recommend that clients contact licensed mental health professionals trained and experienced in grief and bereavement

Providing end-of-life veterinary hospice care services cannot change the outcome for the dying pet, but it can extend comfort to the pet’s family. When followed, the parameters established by the AVMA guidelines can help to make the decision for hospice care the right choice.

Contact your Covetrus representative at 855.724.3461 for more information regarding pet health care services.

Sources:

https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Guidelines-for-Veterinary-Hospice-Care.aspx