What Is Animal Hospice & Palliative Care?
APPOINTMENTWe are excited to offer the first veterinary hospice centre in Ontario.
Palliative & Hospice Care for Your Pet
When your pet is living with a progressive, chronic, or terminal illness, palliative and hospice care can provide comfort, support, and meaningful time together. At Heart With Wings, our goal is to help pets feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible while giving families the guidance and support they need throughout this stage of life.
Palliative care focuses on relieving physical discomfort and supporting your pet’s quality of life. Dr. Coulter works closely with families to create an individualized care plan that supports both the pet and their family throughout this stage of life. This may include daily care plans, crisis and emergency planning, pain and symptom management, behaviour and environmental modifications, nutritional and mobility support, and practical guidance for providing comfort at home. We also provide quality-of-life assessment tools and resources to help families monitor changes over time, recognize when their pet may need additional support, and feel more confident in making decisions about their care.
Hospice care builds on this approach when a pet is approaching the end of their life. It allows families to focus on comfort and quality time while preparing emotionally and practically for their pet’s eventual passing. For many families, hospice provides the time and space to adjust to their pet’s progressive disease, make thoughtful decisions, and say goodbye in a peaceful and personal way.
If you have the time and resources to provide comfort care during your pet’s final days, weeks, or sometimes months, hospice may be the right choice for your family. Our team can help you understand what your pet is experiencing, assess their quality of life, and guide you through the decisions ahead.
Examples of Steps We Take During Palliative Care for Pets
- Antibiotics for chronic skin, dental, or urinary tract infections
- Anti-anxiety medications for emotional distress caused by limited mobility, nighttime pacing, or signs of cognitive dysfunction
- Pain medications, including narcotic and non-narcotic medications
- Heat, massage, and physical therapy to improve mobility and comfort
- Appetite stimulants to improve eating and overall well-being
- Fluids for patients with kidney disease or dehydration
- Medications to relieve nausea or other symptoms limiting quality of life
- The use of mobility aids
Conditions That May Warrant Pet Hospice and Palliative Care
- A variety of cancers
- Organ failure (kidneys, liver, and heart are common examples)
- Arthritis or other diseases affecting mobility
- Dementia and other cognitive problems
- General “slowing down” or the worsening of chronic conditions
- Failure to thrive
- Any life-limiting condition that is contributing to an excessive burden of caregiving for a family or treatments and interventions that are unacceptable to the pet or owners
Why Choose Heart With Wings for Palliative & Hospice Care?
Our care providers are certified in both palliative and hospice care through the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC), as well as in end-of-life care through the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA). The IAAHPC certification involves an intensive 12-month program, giving our certified providers in-depth knowledge and insight into comfort-focused care and quality-of-life support.
Our entire team, including our client care representatives, is also committed to ongoing education in communication, grief, hospice, palliative, and end-of-life care. We continually grow our knowledge in these areas so that we can provide families with the most peaceful, compassionate, and gentle experience possible.
Care Where Your Pet Is Most Comfortable
Palliative and hospice care can be provided in the comfort of your own home or within our centre, depending on your pet’s needs and what feels right for your family.
For pets who are most comfortable at home, our mobile veterinary service allows us to provide care in familiar surroundings, surrounded by the people and things they know and love. For families who prefer a dedicated veterinary setting, our centre provides a quiet, comfortable space where we can support your pet and family throughout their end-of-life journey.
The purpose of Heart With Wings has always been to make this stage of your pet’s life as peaceful and comfortable as possible.
Whether at home or at our centre, we’re here to help you understand what your pet is experiencing, manage their comfort, assess their quality of life, and prepare for the decisions ahead. When the time comes, we can also guide you through compassionate euthanasia and arrange your pet’s aftercare, including cremation and memorialization.
We’re here to help you and your pet through what we know can be an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking time — with compassionate support, thoughtful guidance, and care tailored to your family.
