Hospice vs AVMA Supportive Care

Hospice


Georgia Veterinary Specialists is dedicated to providing compassionate care throughout your pet’s lifetime. Even if your beloved companion is diagnosed with a terminal disease, we can help you provide a comfortable, loving environment much like that of hospice care for people. Hospice is supportive care – assistance in evaluating and managing your pet’s quality of life at each key stage. Hospice may last from days to years. During illness, your pet may suffer from losses of certain functions of daily living. Our team will help you identify, address and correct some of those, which may include:



Recognition and management of pain

Appetite and food intake

Dealing with incontinence

Managing immobility and/or paralysis

Assessing your pet for dehydration

Hygiene

We will educate you about medicines that are used in supportive care, including analgesics for pain, appetite stimulants, anti-nausea medications, subcutaneous fluids for hydration, as well as the administration of injections when necessary. We can advise you on mobility aids that can help aging, unsteady animals negotiate their environment more confidently. You can also turn to us to help you recognize the signs of impending death and the process of euthanasia, because we understand how difficult it is to know when “the time is right” to make that decision.



If hospice is right for you and your pet, please make an appointment with Dr. Susan G. Wynn.