Kindred Spirit, Kindred Care, LLC

Shannon Fujimoto Nakaya, DVM

Veterinary Hospice

Veterinary Hospice is about facilitating healthy living and graceful aging for the animals who enhance our lives.

Why do our pets have to get old and die? Why can't they live forever? We know that at some level these are silly questions rooted in denial; aging begins at birth and no one has yet conquered mortality. But still, for those animals who have been such loyal companions and added so much joy to our lives, we at least want them to live the healthiest and longest life of quality possible. Young bodies generally repair themselves more readily, quickly, and completely than mature bodies. As a teenager with a black belt in martial arts once reported, "My doctor says that whatever happens, I'll heal." The middle-aged adults in the class all glanced at each other and you could see what they were thinking, "Yeah, at some point you'll enter a stage when you can, but would rather not have to heal." Of course, even as mature adults, it could still be a goal to stay as fit and resilient as possible. It just takes a little more effort to maintain a mature body so that the soul within can continue to enjoy life.

Veterinary Hospice is about recognizing and supporting our animal companion's interests.

All animals have likes and dislikes. When we observe how our animal companion reacts to different people, activities, food, objects, living space, scents, or sounds, it is clear that they can and do have likes and dislikes. And this is where we can contribute to making life worth living for the animal companions who enhance our lives. There still need to be limits or we'll create insatiable monsters like those children depicted in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But give an animal reasons to keep living and they often surpass science-based expectations.

Veterinary Hospice is about caring for animal companions in the comfort and familiarity of home.

Whether it is for ourselves or our animal companions, hospitals are not fun places. There are certainly conditions and situations that will do better with or necessitate hospitalization, so candidates for veterinary hospice need to be screened and selected accordingly. If possible, however, many people and pets would choose to convalesce in the comfort and familiarity of home and family rather than in an institution. Patients tend to be more relaxed at home, eat and drink better, and require less medication for pain, high blood pressure and anxiety; and these benefits contribute to healing. If a client is usually very familiar with and attentive to their animal companion, is comfortable about hands-on nursing care, and can afford the requisite time and resources to care for their animal companion, hospice patients can receive very personalized and consistent nursing care.

Veterinary Hospice is about alleviating pain and preserving quality of life.

Feeling comfortable and safe allows our animal companions to spend less time worrying and more time enjoying life. There are many ways of making our pet's living space safe and secure and managing pain. Orthopedic beds, ramps, raised dishes, water fountains, extra blankets, harnesses and walking devices, special (homemade) meals, reassuring sounds, massage, herbs, acupuncture, and drugs can all contribute to patient comfort and wellbeing.

Veterinary Hospice is about appreciating each day as a gift.

As sad as it is realizing that our animal companions will someday cease to breathe, perhaps it is the one-of-a-kind and finite nature of each life that makes it so precious. Too often, in our quest for more, we neglect to fully appreciate what we do have. Every being and every life is unique, and if it happens that our path overlaps with that of a particularly special being, that is gift.

Veterinary Hospice is about sharing a journey.

Hospice Services

• Evaluations and lifestyle consults for "mature" patients; healthy living and early detection contributes to longevity and aging gracefully.
• Veterinary guidance for making health care choices on behalf of an animal companion.
• Patient monitoring in your home.
  • Regular check ups.
  • Teaching you ways to assess and monitor your pet's condition between check ups.
  • Email and phone support.
• Managing patients with multiple ailments; coordinating care of the entire patient.
• Attention to appropriate nutrition and hydration.
• Figuring out ways to accommodate and maintain comfort for patients with special needs.
  • Decreased vision.
  • Decreased hearing.
  • Confusion / Anxiety.
  • Difficulty or inability to walk.
  • Incontinence.
• Nursing care instructions, tips, and support for you as the primary day-to-day caregiver.
  • Medications.
  • Fluids
  • Injections.
  • Feeding tubes.
  • Hygiene and grooming.
• Pain management.
  • Drugs.
  • Herbal.
  • Acupuncture.
• Palliative cancer care.
• Support for long-term caregivers.
• End of life consultations.
• Facilitate graceful exits.
• Funerary arrangements.
• Bereavement support.