CSU Pet Hospice
Serious illness in a pet
not only affects the patient, but family and loved ones as well.
Because of this, a dedicated group of veterinary students, with
guidance from the Argus Institute for Families and Veterinary Medicine
and James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital clinicians, has
developed a first-of-its-kind Pet Hospice service, serving clients in
the Colorado areas of Fort Collins and Loveland. The mission of the Pet
Hospice Program is to provide compassionate end-of-life care for pets
as well as emotional support and education for their families. Pet
Hospice volunteers visit homes of terminally ill patients on a schedule
dictated by the referring veterinarian. These veterinary student
volunteers provide pain control and physical comfort, in addition to
assisting with any other prescribed therapies. Volunteers serve as
teachers, assisting the family in caring for the needs of their pet in
the home setting. The volunteer Case Manager updates the referring
veterinarian after each visit. In this way the veterinarian is kept up
to date with the exact status of the patient. At all times, the patient
remains under the direct care and supervision of the referring
veterinarian. Pet Hospice allows terminally ill pets to spend their
final days in the comfort of their own homes, with the families who
love them.
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