Pet Hospice | Published

What is veterinary hospice?

A medically supervised, multimodal approach to palliative care for senior or terminally ill pets. It is centered around improving a pet’s overall comfort and quality of life, with the focus on effectively trying to manage symptoms, rather than treating actual conditions.

We are not an emergency service, nor are we available 24/7, so it’s important to provide frequent updates and plan ahead, so we can try to avoid an unexpected or urgent situation when possible.

How is hospice care provided?

One of our veterinarians will visit your home to meet you and your pet and determine what methods of care will be most effective for your pet’s specific condition. A combination of medications, supplements, environmental modifications, and hospice related products will be recommended. A nurse will be routinely available to receive updates, assist with prescriptions, and answer questions as they arise.

How will I get medications for my pet?

We will help determine the most efficient and cost effective way for you to obtain your pet’s prescriptions, whether it be from a written script, our online pharmacy, or from us calling in a medication approval. We also provide relevant links and resources when other items are recommended.

How do I contact my hospice nurse?

The best way is send us a message via our contact form. A nurse is available to help answer questions and relay updates to doctors Monday – Friday, until 6PM ET.

What happens if something urgent occurs?

Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice is NOT an emergency service. If we wait until there is an emergency, we have lost the ability to provide a peaceful end-of-life experience for you and your pet. It is better to schedule a day too early, than a day too late.

Since we are not an emergency service and not available 24/7, it is important to continually assess your pet’s overall quality of life and good days vs bad days, as well as provide routine updates (HospiceCareNurse@LapofLove.com) so things can be adjusted for your pet when necessary and so there is time to plan a peaceful passing when needed.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and it is between 7AM and 11PM ET, please reach out to our Support Center at (855) 933-5683 . We will make every effort to accommodate same-day appointment requests, but it is best to schedule 24 – 48 hours in advance. If it is outside our Support Center hours, please reach out to your nearest emergency clinic.

How will I know when it’s time to say goodbye?

It can be extremely difficult and stressful to determine when it’s time to say goodbye to your pet. You want to spend as much quality time with them as possible during their hospice journey, but you also want to avoid emergent situations that would prevent you from providing them with a the loving and peaceful quality of death that you envision. The following information can be helpful: How Will I Know It’s Time

How do I make an appointment for in-home euthanasia?

The quickest way to schedule an appointment is to contact our Support Center at (855) 933-5683. They are available every day from 7AM – 11PM ET. If you call outside of those hours, someone will get back to you when available.

Please remember, an in-home euthanasia appointment is separate from your hospice appointment and will therefore incur separate charges.

What do I do if I feel overwhelmed with the care required for my pet?

Caregiver burden occurs when you focus solely on your beloved pet’s wellbeing and forget to nurture your own. It's important to realize that you cannot care for them without first caring for yourself.
Visit our resource for Caregiver Burden to recognize the signs and how to prevent it.

I'm struggling with the emotional strain of saying goodbye. What should I do?

We understand how difficult a time this is. For this reason, we have a specialized team of individuals dedicated to helping our clients. If you would like support, please reach out to our Pet Loss Support Team.