How to make your sick pets comfortable as they near the end

Palliative care for pets Veterinarian Enid Stiles explains how to care for animals that are suffering from a terminal illness.

Any pet owner can tell you that despite being fuzzier than humans, animals are no less a member of the family. To that end, more and more people are turning to palliative care for pets who are nearing the end of their lives.

Animal behaviourist Enid Stiles said the trend is a growing one and similar to what humans with terminal diseases are offered.

“It’s very similar. I think the difference is more at the end of life, when we can often help pets with humane euthanasia whereas with human hospice and palliative care we’re not referring to that,” she said.

She noted that a variety of services are now being offered by more and more clinics in North America.

“Palliative is looking more long term, usually,” she said. “Once your pet may have been diagnosed with a life limiting condition, we might be looking for things to improve their quality of life and home environment. Hospice care is really looking at those final moments, weeks or months and bringing in that end of life care as well.”

Watch the video above for more information on palliative care for pets.