How Hospice Care Applies to Veterinary Medicine

Hospice care in veterinary medicine allows veterinary professionals to provide the best possible care for patients at the end of their lives, explains Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, an animal hospice consultant. In veterinary medicine, the patient is both the pet and the family.

Since about 2013, Dr. Cooney says the profession of veterinary hospice care has received a lot more attention. More books have been written on the subject and the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care created a certification program. The program, she adds, illustrates that hospice is a medical model of care that deserves a lot of attention.