Pet Loss Grief: Consider a Pet Hospice

Pet loss grief can be overwhelming, especially in the last weeks of a dying pets life. It used to be the only choice you had was to euthanize your pet if it was terminally sick or injured. Now pet hospice provides another alternative. Pet hospice has slowly been gaining acceptance in recent years, even though it has been around for a couple of decades. Based on the successful model that has been used with humans, pet hospice allows for animals to die as comfortably and as painlessly as possible in the home.
Hospice for pets can be a volunteer organization working with a veterinarian or it can be members of a vet staff that provide the education and care of terminally ill pets. Taking care of a dying pet can be very demanding. If you decide to take on this challenge, you will need to set aside time so that you can provide the necessary support to your animal. You are taught to understand the body language of your animal so that you will know if it is in distress or discomfort. Pet hospice educates you in pain management so that you will know when the appropriate time to give medications is. Usually medications are given before the pain becomes a problem. They also provide grief counseling for you and the family as you prepare for your pet to die.
If you don’t have a pet hospice near you, you can talk by phone or contact online organizations that can work with you. You always have the option to euthanize if you can’t manage the animal’s pain or if you can’t handle your pet’s suffering. Pet hospice is just another alternative that will allow your pet to die with dignity and in a peaceful environment surrounded by loved ones. When going through pet loss grief, consider seeking out the assistance of a qualified grief counselor.