When a beloved relative is slowly dying, the physical and emotional toll on the caretaker can be devastating. The myriad of complex medical decisions, combined with financial considerations can overwhelm even the strongest individual. Fortunately, Hospice organizations dedicated to providing terminal patients and their caretakers with dignified services are available to lend assistance in such situations. Hospice professionals provide a multidisciplinary approach to ease the suffering of patients so they may end their days on earth in a natural and dignified manner.

What about those situations where we have been told that our  free hospice care orange county  beloved pet has a terminal condition? In many instances, the confusion and helplessness a pet owner can experience can be almost as crippling as when confronted with a human loss. Rather than blindly opting for euthanasia, many pet owners are now seeking alternatives that will allow their beloved pet a chance to live out their life in the comfort and security of their own home. Pet hospice services may be the appropriate option to explore.

Pet hospice philosophy is geared toward providing a team approach, consisting of veterinarians, pet owners, and pet hospice counselors. This allows a dying pet to have a comfortable quality of life in their last days. The peace of mind that the owner will have in knowing that they did everything possible for the pet who loved them unconditionally may help reduce the sadness when the pet finally departs this earth.

The concept is a fairly recent development and the expansion of care networks is slowly growing. One possible reason for this may be that not all veterinarians are comfortable with the idea of advising non-professionals how to dispense powerful pain reducing medications in the home. The time required to provide proper pet hospice care, which could include visits to a pet’s home, may also dampen a vet’s enthusiasm to participate in the process. Fortunately, there are veterinarians who do recognize the value of the pet hospice program and actively participate in such plans.