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In-Home Hospice Care - Frequently Asked Questions
Our hospice service offers a variety of options for pets in end-stage disease processes. Usually this involves a quality of life evaluation, which can be done via phone call, video call, or an in-home visit. This is a thorough assessment of the patient’s current mental and physical state as well as an assessment of their environment, so that a plan can be made to keep the patient comfortable and pain free during their final phase of life. Hospice plans vary greatly and can involve prescribing medications, recommending changes to their environment, or administering treatments that an owner may feel uncomfortable doing on their own. Often the most important part of these appointments is talking about what to expect as a disease process progresses and making a plan for the future choice of humane euthanasia vs. a natural death. We know that decision making in end-of-life situations can be the hardest part of handling your pet’s declining health. We strive to ease that decision-making burden with our hospice service.
No, our in-home hospice care services are available to all pet families within an hour radius from our physical location in Waynesboro, PA.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer to this question since pets and their disease processes can differ so greatly. They may show you obvious signs that they are near the end such as stopping eating or inability to stand and/or walk. Other times, the symptoms can be more vague and slower to progress. We recommend talking over the decision with every member of your household, and also someone you trust outside of the household. These different viewpoints can sometimes point out changes that you may not have detected. We also recommend using a quality of life calendar and quality of life checklists to track your pet’s symptoms over time. Seeing a visual representation of your pet’s decline can make the decision process easier. These resources are available here on our website for you to use. If you need further help, we recommend scheduling a quality of life call or visit with our hospice veterinarian. Overall, you know your pet best and can rely on yourself to make the best choice for your pet.
Ideally, appointments can be scheduled a few days in advance so that we can best accommodate your scheduling needs. However, end of life needs are not typically predictable as many of our patients require care within 24-48 hours. We do our best to accommodate as many pet families schedules as we can.
The following are a few ways an in-home euthanasia can benefit both you and your pet:
• The ability to schedule an appointment at a time convenient for you, even with short notice • Allowing your pet to be in their own surroundings, where they are relaxed and less anxious • Ability to customize the experience to you and your pet. Maybe you want to play music, feed them their favorite foods, take them outside in the yard, etc. An in-home appointment allows for more time and flexibility to incorporate the things that you want. • Less stress and potential pain for pets who are immobile or injured • The ability to have other household pets present, which helps them grieve and recover faster from the loss of their housemate. • The ability to have more family members and friends present than would normally be possible in a clinic exam room • The ability to bury your pet, if desired, without transportation difficulty • The ability to grieve for your pet in the peace of your own home – no lobby check-ins or check-outs and no emotional drive to and from the clinic
• The ability to schedule an appointment at a time convenient for you, even with short notice • Allowing your pet to be in their own surroundings, where they are relaxed and less anxious • Ability to customize the experience to you and your pet. Maybe you want to play music, feed them their favorite foods, take them outside in the yard, etc. An in-home appointment allows for more time and flexibility to incorporate the things that you want. • Less stress and potential pain for pets who are immobile or injured • The ability to have other household pets present, which helps them grieve and recover faster from the loss of their housemate. • The ability to have more family members and friends present than would normally be possible in a clinic exam room • The ability to bury your pet, if desired, without transportation difficulty • The ability to grieve for your pet in the peace of your own home – no lobby check-ins or check-outs and no emotional drive to and from the clinic
Yes, the person who comes to your home will be a state-licensed veterinarian. We are licensed in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia.
No. Our goal is to allow you to focus solely on being with and loving your pet. Our veterinarian will bring everything they need for the appointment. However, if you want to set up anything to make the experience more comfortable for you and your pet, you are more than welcome to do so.
For most situations, our veterinarian will use a two-step process to ensure a peaceful passing. First, a heavy sedative and pain medication mixture will be injected under your pet’s skin to help them relax. When your pet is fully asleep and comfortable, euthanasia medication, which is an overdose of anesthesia, will be injected into your pet’s vein. This medication shuts down brain activity first, with their breathing and heartbeat stopping soon after. This second medication is fast acting, causing a peaceful passing within a few moments. After your pet passes, you may take as much time as you need to say your final goodbyes. If we are handling your pet’s cremation, we will then prepare the body for transportation. We can also prepare memorial items for you to keep, like a pawprint or fur clipping, if you desire. This entire process can take anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes depending on how long the first medication takes to fully sedate your pet as well as any extra time you may need to say your goodbyes.
Unfortunately, we do not perform any diagnostic tests or bloodwork in the home setting. These tests require additional staff and equipment only available in the hospital.
Yes, we strongly recommend the in-home option for euthanasia of aggressive pets in order to prevent the additional stress of a trip to the clinic. However, we may request that you administer an oral sedative before the veterinarian arrives. Depending on the animal, the veterinarian may need to also use a muzzle, a towel, or some other version of light restraint in order to keep everyone safe while the sedative is administered. Also, please keep in mind that if your pet has bitten anyone, there will be a 10 day waiting period before we can perform a euthanasia due to state rabies-prevention regulations.
In general, we recommend giving children an opportunity to say goodbye to your pet, whether before, during, or after the appointment. You and your family alone are the best persons to make this decision. Many potential circumstances may not make it appropriate for your child to be present. We typically see that older children benefit from being able to be part of the process, while very young children who may not understand what is happening may be more affected by their parents’ grief than they are by the loss of the pet. Having the euthanasia take place in the home does allow more flexibility for allowing family members to come and go from the room as needed, which can be helpful. For some tips on how to talk to children about the process and how to help them through the grieving process, we recommend reading Helping Children Cope with the Serious Illness or Death of a Companion Animal. There are also wonderful children’s books available to aid in having the difficult discussion with kids about pet loss.
We typically recommend giving other household pets an opportunity to say goodbye, as long as they do not disrupt their sick housemate. Some people choose to have other pets present for the entirety of the appointment, while others may have them separate until after the euthanasia is complete. Please be aware that animals can grieve very differently from each other. Some pets will be interested in getting close and checking things out thoroughly. Others may seem disinterested or stay at a distance. They are absorbing the situation in their own way, so we recommend allowing them to decide how they want to interact. The housemates will likely take some time to adjust to the new family dynamic, and they may need extra comfort or care, especially for the first week after losing their companion.