End-of-Life Comfort and Advance Planning for Pets: Insights from a Veterinarian

🐾 End-of-Life Comfort and Advance Planning for Pets:
Insights from a Veterinarian
By Michelle Nichols, AHELP Founder

Introduction: Embracing the Final Chapter with Compassion

Our pets are cherished members of our families, bringing us joy, comfort, and unconditional love. Yet, as they age, we inevitably face the heart-wrenching reality of planning for their final days. While the thought of end-of-life planning for pets can feel overwhelming, it can also be a powerful opportunity to provide them with comfort, dignity, and a peaceful passing.

In a conversation with veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Christey, a mobile practice specializing in animal hospice care and palliative care for pets, we discussed how preparing for a pet’s final stage of life can make the transition less stressful for the animal and the caregiving family. Dr. Christey emphasized that proactive planning, routine veterinary care, and compassionate support can transform the end-of-life experience into a time of connection and meaning.

🐕 Why End-of-Life Planning for Pets Matters

Whether your pet is facing a chronic condition like canine liver disease, feline chronic kidney disease, dog mobility challenges, or a terminal diagnosis of cancer, having an end-of-life plan sooner rather than later can be incredibly beneficial. This plan can include:

• Locating Hospice Care Services and Support: Locating a trusted animal hospice practitioner with in advance can help you avoid being faced with difficult matters in a tense moment.
• Palliative Care Plans: Managing symptoms through medication, dietary changes, and environmental modifications.
• Pet Hospice Budget Planning: Preparing for potential costs related to emergency care, hospice services, and euthanasia. See our blog on Pet Hospice and Palliative Care Budgeting and Comfort Guide

Dr. Christey notes that pet hospice care is not about prolonging suffering but about maximizing comfort and ensuring pets can spend their final days in familiar surroundings, surrounded by loved ones. Planning helps ease the pressures and allows caregiving families to enjoy this time together to make memories that last a lifetime.

🌈 Understanding the Fourth Life Stage: End-of-Life Care for Pets

Traditionally, a pet’s life has been categorized into puppyhood, adulthood, and senior years. However, the AAHA-IAAHPC End-of-Life Care Guidelines of 2016 recognize a fourth stage: the end-of-life period.

For families navigating this stage, understanding the signs of a declining quality of life can guide decision-making. Common signs include:

• Lethargy or lack of interest in favorite activities
• Changes in appetite or eating habits
• Difficulty breathing or increased respiratory effort
• Pain or discomfort when moving
• Incontinence or accidents in the house

Read more about assessing your pet’s quality of life and doing so can weigh into decisions guiding their care, in AHELP’s guest blog post, Animal Quality of Life: If and When to Consider Euthanasia by Dr. Amir Shanan.

Watch for AHELP’s Pet Hospice Journal, which will include practical tools and resources for tracking and assessing your pet’s quality of life, a comprehensive piece in collaboration with Dr. Amir Shanan of Compassionate Veterinary Hospice.

🩺 Early Veterinary Care: Building a Lifelong Partnership

According to Dr. Christey, establishing a relationship with a trusted veterinarian early in a pet’s life is essential. Routine check-ups, preventive care, and open communication set the foundation for comprehensive care throughout all life stages.

"From the first puppy visit to the last hospice visit, our goal is to maintain optimal pet quality of life," Dr. Christey explains.

Regular veterinary care can help detect health conditions like cancer in dogs, chronic kidney disease in cats, and other common ailments early, allowing for more effective treatment and palliative care planning.

🔍 Spotting Subtle Health Changes Early

Pets often mask discomfort, making it challenging for caregivers to recognize signs of illness or pain. Keeping a journal can help you track subtle changes in:

• Mobility: Is your dog struggling to climb stairs or go for walks?
• Appetite: Has your cat become a picky eater or lost interest in food?
• Behavior: Is your typically playful pet suddenly withdrawn or lethargic?

"Documenting these shifts can provide essential insights for veterinarians specializing in animal hospice care, helping them tailor pain management and palliative care plans more effectively," Dr. Christey advises. AHELP advocates for using daily quality of life tracking tools that make it easier to accurately report these indicators to your veterinary team.

💰 Financial Planning for Pet Hospice Care

The financial burden of end-of-life care can be significant. Dr. Christey recommends considering the following options to mitigate costs:

• Pet Insurance: Some policies cover the expenses of palliative care and chronic conditions.
• Savings Accounts: Setting aside funds for end-of-life expenses, including medications and euthanasia.
• Nonprofit Organizations: Some groups provide financial assistance for senior pet care and end-of-life planning for pets.

Being prepared financially can reduce stress and allow you to focus on providing comfort and really making the most of your pet’s final days.

Photo caption: Carson, senior dog Lucky, and family during a KING 5 Interview, Seattle, WA. Also, a photo of 12-year-old Carson with Lucky in the upper right corner.

🐶 Lucky’s Tale: A Hospice Success

A sweet and spunky Jack Russell Terrier, he was a 19-year-old dog whose family embraced the hospice model. Despite his advanced age, Lucky thrived with home-based animal hospice care for well over a year, focusing on comfort, love, and maintaining his quality of life. Dr. Christey and I worked together with mobility-challenged Lucky and his family.

Lucky and his family were featured in a news story on KING 5. You can watch the clip for more about their journey and the impact of animal hospice and palliative care in the full story: Inside the Growing Trend of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care.

"Every pet’s journey is unique, and every family’s needs are different," Dr. Christey reflects. "Our goal is to provide compassionate, individualized care that honors the human-animal bond until the very end. Lucky’s family perfectly encompassed hospice principles and how beautiful the journey can look when done well"

How to Find a Hospice Veterinarian Near You If you are a pet parent looking up “Pet Hospice Care Near Me,” we strongly encourage you to look for veterinarians with the “CHPV®” designation, indicating they have completed advanced training in our developing field and are qualified to help in this increasingly specialized field. Dr. Christey was pursuing the Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian title by the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care at the time of this interview. This certification includes training in pain management, caregiver support, and quality of life assessment, ensuring pets receive comprehensive care during their final stage of life.

💭 Final Thoughts: Making Every Moment Count

While the end-of-life stage can be heart-wrenching, it can also be a time of connection, reflection, and gratitude. By embracing end-of-life planning for pets, families can ensure their beloved companions receive the love, comfort, and dignity they deserve.

From identifying local pet hospice care services to preventing caregiver burnout, there are resources and professionals available to support you every step of the way.

Remember: It’s not just about saying goodbye — it’s about creating meaningful moments and cherished memories. You do your best and do it with love.

Our Partners to the Bridge animal Hospice Coaching culminates in the co-creation of Your Pet’s Advanced Directive, a formal document that outlines your wishes, goals and guides your pet’s care. Just as with birth, we cannot always predict how things will go, but when Your Pets Advanced Directive is shared with your entire team, you will all be better prepared for the twists and turns that may come with the journey to the Rainbow Bridge. 🐾 🌈 👣❤️

( Blog post banner photo: Michelle Nichols with Carson, Lucky, and Dr. Jennifer Christey, KING 5 Interview, Seattle, Washington )

About the Author: Michelle Nichols Animal Hospice Coach, Educator, and Nonprofit Leader I'm Michelle, the Founder of AHELP Project. I am dedicated to caring for my pets with love, healthy choices, and trusted providers. I'm grateful to share lessons on life and loss through the AHELP Project. I'm looking forward to connecting with you!