Hospice and palliative care resources
General
- International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) https://www.iaahpc.org/
- IAAHPC Animal Hospice and Palliative Care Guidelines
- Spirits in Transition http://www.spiritsintransition.org/about.html
- The Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets http://www.pethospice.org/
- The Argus Institute http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/vth/diagnostic-and-support/argus/Pages/default.aspx
- Spreading the Word on Hospice Care (Jarolim 2014) article
- Veterinary Hospice and the Human Animal Bond (McVety & Gardner, 2014) article
- American Academy of Pain Management website
- Animal Pain website
- Villalobos Quality of Life (QoL) scale, assessment, and website
- Universal Human-Animal Bond scale
Dogs
- Canine acute pain score
Cats
- American Association of Feline Practitioners Hospice Position Statement and website
- Feline acute pain score
- Feline musculoskeletal pain index
Frequently Asked Questions
What is palliative care?
How can I tell if my pet is uncomfortable or in pain?
Animals suffer just like we do. Pain and discomfort come in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis, cancer, difficulty breathing, nausea, and others. Severe or acute pain is obvious and distressing. Chronic pain can be hard to recognize, and be masked as “getting old” or “slowing down.” Age is not a disease, but pain is. Below are some common signs of pain and discomfort in dogs and cats adapted from the International Veterinary Association of Pain Management (IVAPM)
Dogs
- Decreased social interaction
- Anxious expression
- Submissive behavior
- Refusal to move
- Whimpering
- Howling
- Growling
- Guarding behavior
- Aggression; biting
- Decreased appetite
- Self-mutilation (chewing)
- Excessive yawning or lip licking
- Drooling
- Changes in posture
Cats
- Reduced activity
- Loss of appetite
- Quiet/loss of curiosity
- Changes in urinary/defecation habits
- Hiding
- Hissing or spitting
- Lack of agility/jumping
- Excessive licking/grooming with spots of hair loss
- Stiff posture/gait
- Guarding behavior
- Drooling
- Stops grooming/matted fur
- Tail flicking
- Weight loss