The Importance of an In-Home Pet Hospice

If your pet has been diagnosed with a terminal diagnosis, it does not mean that euthanasia is the only option. A way that you can meet the end-of-life needs of your pet is through an in-home pet hospice.  While the term is borrowed from the human hospice, it is different in that this type of veterinary care focuses on the comfort of your pet rather than finding cure for her disease.

The goal of the in-home pet hospice is to bring quality of life and comfort to a pet that is terminally ill until it dies naturally or is given euthanasia. This option can be chosen where you feel that there is no need to pursues additional therapies and diagnostics. After diagnosing the terminal illness in a pet, you should discuss with your family the best course of action. You should understand whether there is a family member who wants to assist, whether there is a person who can dedicate time to the care of the pet and the financial resources that are available. You will also need to decide early whether you will choose euthanasia or you will play a role in the natural dying of the pet when the right time comes.

In case, you choose to wait for the natural death of the pet, an in-house hospice care will be necessary. This will not only help to manage the pain but to also meet the needs of the pet up to the end. However, you should also realize that this kind of hospice care can be very involving and will require the involvement of all members of the family.

How is In-Home Pet Euthanasia Done?

The in-home pet euthanasia involves giving an overdose of a highly concentrated anesthesia that has been specifically made for this purpose to your pet in a home environment. This makes your pet to have a relaxing, tired, sleepy feeling. First, a tiny needle is used to give the pet a sedative to help calm it. Within a period of 15 minutes, the pet is able to relax fully before falling unconscious. It is after this that the final vein injection is given.  The euthanasia solution will overwhelm the brain causing it to shut off completely. Soon the breathing will increase due to no-brain activity. This will be followed by the heart slowing and stopping over a period of one to three minutes.

There is a big difference between the clinical and the home euthanasia. Some of the benefits of the in-home pet euthanasia include:

•    A familiar setting for the pet’s last memories
•    Less stress as a result of transporting the pet to the clinic
•    You are at your friend’s side as she fall asleep
•    You are able to grieve within the privacy of your home
•    It is possible to choose when, where and who attends to the pet

Perhaps you may be wondering what you will do with the body after the in-home pet euthanasia. You can consider a burial at home or a pet cemetery or you can even transport it to a facility for pet cremation. Therefore, there is a good reason why you should consider an in-house pet euthanasia.